Indiana State Fair train not running in 2016
FISHERS, Ind. (WISH) – After more than 30 years, this will be the first time the Indiana State Fair Train won’t bring people from Fishers to Indianapolis.
“Bummed. I’m a little upset just because it was something we did last year for the first time,” Fishers resident Tim Meiser said. “Our son loved it and it’s what we were really looking forward to, the train ride.”
“I think it’ll be disappointing for a lot of families, not only in Hamilton County, and it may discourage them from going and fighting the traffic to go the fair,” Carmel resident Bob Piercy said.
The Hoosier Heritage Port Authority (HHPA) suspended the Indiana Transportation Museum from using the tracks earlier this year over safety concerns. It passed a resolution three weeks ago, saying 13 changes needed to take place.
The HHPA says not all of those changes were made but they didn’t get specific about which ones weren’t.
Tuesday, Hoosier Heritage Port Authority members inspected tracks. Museum and county leaders met hours later and the decision was made to keep the suspension in place.
This means a train, which carries more than 10,000 people to the state fair, won’t run.
In a statement to 24-Hour News 8, the HHPA board said:
This suspension was an extremely difficult decision for all involved, and not taken lightly, as the Fair Train and all the excursions provided by ITM are not only important to our communities that own and oversee the Nickel Plate line, but are truly unique treasures that make our communities such great places to live and work. However, at no time will the HHPA compromise on the Policy of Use items that the HHPA has determined are the minimum standards that must be upheld to ensure the safety and welfare of all the citizens of our communities and the public in general.”
Last month, Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness said he couldn’t support the train unless safety improvements were made. On Wednesday, Noblesville Mayor John Ditslear released a statement:
We’re disappointed to hear that the Indiana State Fair Train will not be running this year, but the safety of riders is our top priority. We know thousands of families have a tradition and enjoy riding the train to the fair because of the unique experience it provides. However, we agree with the Hoosier Heritage Port Authority’s decision to keep suspending train operations until we are certain that no one’s safety is in jeopardy.”
An Indiana State Fair spokesperson said the train has been a great contributor and hopes to see it return. As for parking, fair leaders are encouraging those concerned with crowds to use shuttles. For information on the shuttles, click here.
The HHPA and Indiana Transportation Museum plan to work together to try and bring the fair train back.
“I’d love to see it come back, absolutely,” Meiser said. “Hopefully they can figure out what they need to figure out and next year we’ll be back up and running.”
“If that’s a concern they should try to find a way to try and address it,” Piercy said. “Whether it’s one or two years, it’s an integral part of the state fair and it should be maintained.”