Rowan County approves $1.34 million purchase of electric trains for Dan Nicholas Park

Rowan County commissioners voted Jan. 5 to buy two new electric trains for Dan Nicholas Park and to move forward with a design for a larger, safer track footprint.

The board awarded a $1,343,250 contract to Chance Rides LLC to procure two full train sets and approved a separate $37,007.78 contract with CESI for survey and track design. County staff and the project presenter said the purchases follow a 2024 derailment that removed the last car from the existing 16-inch-gauge track and that the new trains would use a wider 24-inch gauge, have ADA-accessible cars with deployable ramps, and use on‑station charging to enable electric operation.

"We had a train derailment, at Dan Nicholas where the last car went off the track," the project presenter said, describing why county leaders pursued replacement. The presenter added that the 16-inch equipment is more than 50 years old and has required repeated mechanical repairs.

County staff described the funding approach and said the agenda included an appropriation of $1,343,250 from appropriated fund balance; a donor has expressed interest but staff said "there's some issues" with that pledge and therefore the full amount was included in the appropriation until donor matters are settled. "Once the donor thing is settled up, a portion of that could replenish that," the county manager said.

Staff estimated a manufacturing lead time of six to eight months after contract execution and cautioned the trains likely will not be delivered in the current fiscal year. Design work for the track was described as a separate near-term activity likely to take several months and followed by a separate construction procurement for the track itself.

Commissioners approved the Chance Rides purchase and the CESI design contract by voice vote. The board also discussed potential operational changes, including raising the ride fee from $1 to a proposed $2 to help with operating costs.

The county will next proceed with CESI's design work and with contract execution for the train purchase; staff said construction of the track will be scheduled and budgeted separately as work progresses.