I was wandering about getting things done on a typical Saturday when I drove past a sign saying “train rides today” at the old Eden Springs Park. Since I had been meaning to drop by to see what remained of the old park for years, that sign was the trigger that said today was the day to stop.  My not having the gift of gab or oratory expertise,I take stock in the old saying that pictures are worth the provable thousand words so I will let them speak for me.

In 1908, the House of David opened Eden Springs that over the years had a zoo, amphitheater, beer garden, hotel, restaurant, bowling alley, and a mile-long miniature railroad that wound its way around the park, through a corridor of trees, and across two train trestles that span the valley where the amphitheater once stood.

It was closed down in the 70s and became an overgrown patch of woods with crumbling buildings, and though there’s not much more to see now, a lot of progress has been made since the train started running again in 2011.

The land was cleared of brush, one of the depots was renovated and painted, and of course the remaining mini steam engines have been fixed up to run on about a quarter mile of restored track.

In the depo there are binders of photographs that show the park in its heydays and provides you a reference of “What it was” as you tour the grounds.

Eden Springs Engine Shop & House

And here are a few train pictures not normally available to see!