Z&OO Railroad - Lufkin, TX - Miniature Railroads on Waymarking.com

Fare to ride the train is $1.00 per person with the proceeds benefiting projects of the Lions Club. During the summer, the train normally operates daily the same hours that the zoo is open. During the school year, the train runs on weekends and by special arrangement. For further information, contact the Lions Club.

Recently the railroad celebrated its 40th anniversary. More info on its history is as follows per a 4 July 2010 Lufkin Daily News article by Jonathan Garris:

The Lufkin Host Lions Club’s Z&OO Railroad at Ellen Trout Park turns 40 today. While the train has undergone numerous makeovers and changes throughout the years, its appeal has stayed the same.

For Dr. George Thannisch, retired Lufkin pediatrician and Lufkin Host Lions Club member, the train holds a special place in his heart. As someone who has had a hand in building and maintaining the small train since day one, he can attest to the train’s lasting appeal and status as a symbol of Lufkin youth.

The idea for building a railroad attraction began in 1968. The sentiment among many children in the area was that there wasn’t much to do in town. Thannisch, seeing that there wasn’t much for children to do in the area, remembered that a miniature train had been a lasting attraction at Hermann Park in Houston.

“What was Lufkin to do to entice the traffic to the lake to pause in Lufkin and see what we had to offer?” Thannisch asked. He had posed that very question years ago, and he helped start an initiative to bring a miniature train to Lufkin that would not only entertain children but also help fund community activities and projects.

Originally, the railroad was going to be constructed in Kiwanis Park, which was fairly new at the time. That changed when Ellen Trout Zoo was built, and the decision was made to build the railroad there instead. Thannisch called it a “much more logical spot for a train.”

In 1969, the Lufkin Host Lions purchased their first Allen-Herschel train. The train, which was in Oklahoma, was transported to Lufkin by Lufkin Industries, which also repainted it. The track was built from rail “procured from many varying sources — from a ride in a small Texas town to an abandoned mining track.”

“The route of the train track was laid out with the help of the city, and the track laying soon began,” Thannisch said. That work was done by a number of Host Lions members who joined in the work, including Thannisch. The station, which is named after Thannisch, was built by members as well.

By 1970, the train was nearing completion and its opening was planned to be on July 4. There was, however, one problem.

“The little train had developed one bad habit.” Thannisch said. “It did not like to stay on the track we had so lovingly built. Fortunately, it was not very heavy and we became adept at putting it back on the track — and wondering if it would complete the next run.

“I remember on July 3, Mr. Ed Trout brought a group out from Lufkin Industries while we were re-railing the train. He told us, 'You’ll never run it tomorrow,’ and we did!”

On its first day, at least a thousand people or so enjoyed a ride on the train.

That same year, the train was also given the name Z&OO Railroad in a naming contest. A young boy named John Marvin White submitted the winning entry, with the Z being the train and the Os being the “double O rail road.” Marvin was subsequently given a lifetime pass on the train.

Over the next several years, the train saw a number of changes. A twin bridge was later constructed, allowing both trains and pedestrians to cross over the nearby lake. In 1983, a new locomotive and three cars were purchased. A new track was built to accommodate the wider train, which “also meant new ties and rails and a new station.”

“The popularity of the Z&OO grew hand-in-hand with the zoo,” Thannisch said. “The zoo outgrew its space, so the track had to be relocated and in the process some of the curves were improved.”

In 2005, the Lions Club purchased a new locomotive for the train, three coaches refurbished to “look like new again,” and raised the fare to $1. Currently, the ride lasts for around eight minutes and covers over a mile of track.

Over the years, the money raised from the train rides has gone to a variety of projects and funds.

“All of the money generated goes to things like upkeep, building the train station, local building projects, and so on,” Thannisch said. “But the main interest was for the benefit of the children.”

The train has provided funds for education, recreation, and the overall well being of local children. Some of the funds were used for zoo expansion, school playground equipment, the Texas Forestry Museum, the Science Fair and Destination Imagination, among others.

“When considering all 36 years, we have had well over 1.5 million fares, not including special occasions at which free rides were given,” Thannisch said.

As part of the Lions Club’s anniversary celebration for its train, rides will be offered on Sunday, July 25, for 25 cents — the same fee as when the train was started 40 years ago.

When asked about the future of the train, Thannisch said there were several ideas in the works, and that he expects the railroad to enjoy another 40 years of lasting appeal.

“Everyone’s a kid at heart, right?” he asked with a smile.

Jonathan Garris’ e-mail address is jgarris@lufkindailynews.com.

Engine Type: Gasoline Public Availability: Seasonal Ride Fee: Yes If Yes: $1.00 Entrance Fee: No If There is an Additional Fee: No additional fees Gauge of railway: Not listed Miniature Railroads Web Page: Not listed

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