At a recent city council work session, Duluth Mayor Nancy Harris discussed a commitment from the Duluth Fall Festival to fund a train viewing platform adjacent to the proposed downtown Duluth library. Other communities use these facilities as a tourist opportunity. City staff agrees a structure like this could be a complementary use to the library.
City Manager James Riker shared an area map and potential locations for such a viewing structure, and noted that sight distance would be an important factor. He presented an example of a platform from Plant City Florida, which cost approximately $210,000 in 2013 and has a second story observation deck with an elevator to provide ADA access.
Economic Development Manager Chris McGahee noted websites exist geared toward railroad fans and other activities centered around “rail fanning.” Interestingly, only five cities in the state are designated as rail cities, and achieving this designation might add to tourist interest in Duluth.
The city council agreed to look into this opportunity by considering timing of the library construction, adequate spacing, building orientation, drainage/stormwater issues and parking, as well as figuring out ongoing maintenance costs.
About the Author
