Gage Park mini train project contract receives more funding for improvements
Efforts to keep the Gage Park mini train running remain on track.
Shawnee County will spend an additional $42,820 to make sure of that.
Commissioners Bill Riphahn, Kevin Cook and Aaron Mays had voted last July to accept RailWorks Track Services's bid to make repairs and improvements to the mini train tracks, ties, and culverts for $128,900.
The county received only one response when it first accepted bids for the project in January 2022. Last July's second round brought in four bids to do the work, which RailWorks began last fall. It is expected to be finished this year.
Order to ensure repairs continue
Commissioners voted unanimously Thursday to approve a requested change order to the county's contract with RailWorks.
That order will ensure repairs continue. It increases funding for the project by $42,820 from the parks and recreation department's building maintenance fund, resulting in a completion sum of $171,720.
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The change will address concrete work, additional ties, and joint adjustments along with expansion joint corrections near the Gage Park Carousel.
Also this year, in a move that's not covered by the RailWorks contact, the diesel train that served the park for 65 years will be replaced by a train with an electric motor.
550 railroad ties to be replaced
Tim Laurent, director of Shawnee County Parks & Recreation, said the largest project the department would like to focus on with RailWorks involves replacing railroad ties.
"We have a total of 3,000 railroad ties on the mini train and we're looking to replace a total of 550, if you add what we've originally done and then the additional," Laurent said. "There has not been any major work done on the ties since 2000."
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Cook asked whether the Gage Park Improvement Authority, a body created by last year's approval of a public ballot question, could pay for Shawnee County Parks & Recreation improvements in Gage Park to be carried out in a timely manner now, and be reimbursed later.
James Crowl, county counselor, said, "Yes, legally they would have that authority, but they are an independent board, so they will need to vote to use that authority to do such a thing."
Keishera Lately is the business reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. She can be reached at klately@cjonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @Lately_KT.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Gage Park mini train will increase by $42,820 for repairs and improvement
