The question was finally asked by the mother of the three year old sitting in the very first seatœDon't you ever get tired of just going in circles all day long?œNo, I never do, replied Doug Schmidt, Engineer/Conductor and tour guide on the miniature railroad in Englewood's Belleview Park, œIt may be my 33th time around the park today, but for a lot of these little faces, its there first ever on a train. For Doug, such moments are repeated daily but never taken for granted.Regardless of the era, small faces and trains are a natural combination. Smiles reflect the true sense of adventure and wonder, as the train circles the half-mile track across the green parkways and small creek. There are only 5 such trains operating in the metro area. Englewood's Lion Pride runs daily from 10AM to 4PM. Originally operated by the Lions Club, the City of Englewood took over operations a few years ago and Doug has been sharing the drve's seat ever since. Childhood memories often include one's very first ride.For many Denver natives, the train around the Denver Zoo was the first, weaving in an out of exotic places and animals in less than a mile. Lakeside also operates a train, along with Heritage Square and Tiny Town just west of the metro area. The right of passage across small trestles and through tunnels is a moment in time for kids. Whistles screeching, the clang of the bell atop the polished engine is the miniature version of America's folklore. For engineer Doug Schmidt, this job is just perfect. œAt age five, I remember sitting on my first train ride at the City Park Zoo in the very first available seat behind the engineer. I wanted this job even then. I wanted to be closer. It only took 55 years to move up those four feet to the engineer's seat.
Doug publishes the Colorado Railroad News, a monthly newspaper of the trains that forged passageways across the Colorado plains and mountains. When he is not weaving the red and green locomotive through Belleview Park, he is most likely headed to the small towns and whistle stops of Colorado, writing the history of the tracks and the locomotives they sustained.As the dog days of summer settle in, a few moments with family on the Belleview train and others in the area is a great day for kids. Follow that up with a trip to the Forney Railroad Museum and the allure of history of such machines is set in motion. You will find Belleview Park located on Belleview Blvd between Broadway and Windermere, adjacent to the Pirates Cove Water Park. The ride is $1.50 and travels a half-mile around the popular park. You can find out more about Doug's Colorado Railroad Journal by contacting him at crjournal@hotmail.com
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