Press Release - Excursion Train for St. Marys

MEDIA CONTACT: BARBARA RYAN, barbara@stmarysmagazine.com, 912-729-1103

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE…

EXCURSION TRAIN FOR ST. MARYS IN THE PLANNING STAGES

ST. MARYS, GA—On Tuesday, executives from Boatright Industries, owner and operator of St. Marys Railroad, St. Marys Little Theatre, Theatre by the Trax, and St. Marys city officials met to discuss the creation of an excursion train to run out of St. Marys.

"Boatright Companies is known for its community involvement in the many markets they serve," said Barbara Ryan, Chair of St. Marys Little Theatre. "Shane Boatright (founder and CEO of Boatright Companies) has been a generous supporter of the St. Marys Little Theatre, and now his team has come up with a great idea to help foster economic development in St. Marys while adding to the assets of our community."

Preliminary plans are for the excursion train to run from Theatre by the Trax to just beyond the Borrell Creek Bridge and disembark passengers for an entertaining experience at the Boatright Companies-owned land there. Train experiences already in discussions include a Pumpkin Patch Ride, Polar Express, Wild West, and Peter Cottontail Express. Ultimately the planning group would like to produce "A Day Out with Thomas the Tank," an event that has drawn hundreds of thousands of people in other markets.

"The extent of a train ride experience is only limited by our imagination," said Ryan who will help develop the excursion experiences.
Boatright's consultant, Jim Garnett, President of the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum in Calera, Alabama, said it is important that the train ride go to a place that is not accessible by car. Doug Vaught, owner of Theatre by the Trax, agreed.

"Only six percent of the entire population have ever ridden a train," Vaught said. "The St. Marys Railroad excursion adventure will give everyone a chance to know what it's like to ride the rails, and at the end of the ride, there will always be a fun happening to enhance the whole experience."

The tentative arrangement is for St. Marys Railroad to provide the locomotive, driver, and passenger cars, and St. Marys Little Theatre will provide creative development and people for entertainment and event supervision.

According to Boatright, his staff will immediately go into the building and/or acquisition of open flat cars with metal seats and a cover that will hold about 50 passengers each. Two or three such rail cars will be readied before the first excursion which may be the Pumpkin Patch (in October), or even sooner if rail cars are readied before that time.

"Mr. Boatright is very community minded, and starting an excursion train in St. Marys is a win-win opportunity for the railroad and the community," said Paul Pleasant, General Manager of St. Marys Railroad.

The Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum has had great financial success with its excursion train adventures, according to Garnett. With a Birmingham metro area population similar to Jacksonville's, St. Marys Railroad Excursion train planners project a similar success given that there is no other train experience within the "area of dominant influence" that defines the regional market.

"Adding this exciting attraction to our list of already impressive tourist draws for our region including Cumberland Island and Okefenokee Swamp will make St. Marys more competitive for the lucrative tourism dollars," Ryan concluded.

About Boatright Companies
Since 1989, Boatright Companies has proven itself as a dependable leader in the maintenance, manufacturing, repair, safety and ownership in the rail industry. Boatright Companies includes a wide range of companies servicing both Class 1 and short line railroads throughout the United States and internationally. The Boatright name is synonymous with excellence, and its subsidiary companies, located across the eastern United States, provide the highest-quality products and stand-out customer service in the industry. For additional information about Boatright Companies, visit www.boatrightcompanies.com.