Assiniboine Park steam train faces troubled times

The miniature steam train ride in Winnipeg's Assiniboine Parkcould be reaching the end of its run.

Tim Buzunis,who owns and operates the train which has been in the park since 1964said his business has plummeted since the park permanently closed the east gate to the zoo in the spring.

The zoo's main entranceis now the south gate on Roblin Boulevard. It was changed due tothe major construction of the Journey to Churchill exhibit.

The train station, however, is located near the east gate. Without the traffic that once went past, ridership is down so much it almost makes no sense to even run the train.

Buzunis used to average 200 passengers a day, now "I'm going around sometimes with two people, three people," he said.

"There's nobody coming by the park. I mean there's nobody coming by my train and to sit there for like seven or eighthours a day, it doesn't make any senseto take 30 people around for the entire day."

Buzunis said he has heard the closure of the east gate to the general public could be permanent.

If the situation doesn't improve, Buzunis said he may have topull up the tracks and move the train out.

The train, which ispoweredby amini-oven fed bychunks of coal, was purchased by Buzunis's father inPennsylvania and movedto Winnipeg.

It was set up in the park in 1964 andBuzunis took over operation in 1988.

He said the Assinbioine Park Conservancy, which operates the park, knows about hisconcerns.

Calls by CBC News for comment from the conservancy have not yet been returned.