This summer, a kiddie train is chugging along on Belle Isle, taking off from Flynn Pavilion and then looping around the Casino.
The train, manufactured by
Wattman Trains and Trams, holds approximately 20 people and can accommodate both kids and their parents. It plays traditional train noises and even emits non-toxic smoke. It operates on a battery that gets re-charged at the end of each day -- one charge lasts 10 to 14 hours.
At the end of the month, operator
Skyline Attractions will take the train over to Eastland Mall, although owner Rob Nicol hopes to bring the attraction back to the island next season. The company also operates the swan paddle boats and the giant slide on Belle Isle, as well as the
Cullen Family Carousel at Rivard Plaza on the Detroit RiverWalk.
Skyline Attractions is Philadelphia-based, but Nichol is a Detroit-area native who has plenty of family -- and now work -- to keep him coming back to Detroit.
The train and swan boats run from noon to dark Wednesday through Monday. The train costs $3 or $5 for two people; the boats, $5 for 30 minutes. The slide is $5 for a run or $12 for a full-day pass, and the carousel is $1 a head -- it spins seven days a week.
Source: Rob Nichol, Skyline Attractions
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh
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