OSHKOSH, Wis. (WFRV) – The Menominee Park train will chug again in a new way when the weather finally gets warm.
In a 5-1 vote, Oshkosh city council members voted to accept a $100,000 donation for a new Menominee Park train and make adjustments to the city’s budget so that city officials can transition to operating the train without tracks.
The train will now follow the trails in the park, although city officials said they don’t have an exact route just yet.
“It’s worth it because it’s one of those amenities that we all grew up with,” Oshkosh deputy mayor Joe Stephenson told Local 5 News. “It’s one of those amenities that really targets kids and families. Personally, I pride ourselves on having a really good family experience in the city of Oshkosh.”
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Stephenson said operating the new, trackless train will be less costly to the city for several reasons. First, the train they’d been using was very old and needed lots of repairs. He said that the tracks needed repair and maintenance as well.
Mayor Matt Mugerauer was the only person to vote against bringing in this new trackless train. He told Local 5 News off-camera that he doesn’t think that the city should be in the amusement park business. He also questioned whether there are enough riders throughout the year to justify having the train in the park.
His no vote didn’t derail the Menominee Park train as the council did vote the resolution through on Tuesday evening.
