User:CLFinch19/sandbox

History
Today's Hermann Park Railroad originated in 1954 as the Hermann Park Zoo Railroad, a trackless train that toured the zoo's 42 acres as drivers gave lectures about the animals. Inspired by a miniature railroad touring the San Antonio Zoo, concessionaire Harry Calvert's proposal to the Houston City Council for a similar attraction was met with a contract granting him proprietorship in exchange for 10 percent of operating revenues. Charging fares of 25 cents to adults and 15 cents to children, visitors in two 30 seat coaches, were pulled at 2 miles per hour by a Clark truck tractor decorated as a traditional steam locomotive.After what the Houston Chronicle reported as its "first erratic run on Nov. 10, 1954-- when it hauled a delighted and wide-eyed polio-crippled child", the ride was popular enough for tracks to be laid by 1958 for the "Hermann Park Special," a narrow gauge train operated by Louis Slusky, pulled by 35 horsepower locomotives.ssssssssssssssssssss