FORT MYERS, Fla. ( December 5 , 2013)
The Gulf Coast Model Railroad, the Florida-shaped model train display at Shell Point Retirement Community, is open for free tours through April.
Offering a unique look at historic and modern sites throughout the State, the 40’ x 40’ display features several running trains and hundreds of recognizable miniature geographic landmarks such as Tallahassee’s old Capitol Building, Pensacola freight yards, the Gainesville Gator Bowl, Epcot and Disney World, Kennedy Space Center with an orbiting Space Shuttle, Miami’s famous hotels, the Everglades, the Sanibel Lighthouse, and even Shell Point Retirement Community. Located on The Island at Shell Point, the Train Room is operated and maintained by the community’s residents and visited by thousands of guests each year. When the train room was closed off season, general layout upgrades were made, new trains were added, and the Panama City downtown area built-out was completed. Other recent renovations include rebuilding the city of St. Petersburg with lighted Pullman cars, streets, sidewalks and a White Castle restaurant with customers. Additionally, there is a building on fire with rescue vehicles and emergency responders, a movie theater with a marquee light showing “Ben Hur,” the 1959 Academy Award winner, as well as a new Tropicana Plant in Bradenton.
The Gulf Coast Model Railroad is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Special tours for groups of more than 10 people can be scheduled by calling (239) 454-2290. The Train Room is located on The Island at Shell Point, at 15000 Shell Point Boulevard. Visit www.shellpoint.org/trainroom for more information.
Shell Point Retirement Community is a not-for-profit continuing care retirement community located in Fort Myers just off Summerlin Road, two miles before the Sanibel causeway. A nationally recognized leader in the retirement industry, the community offers retirement living in a resort-style environment with a newly renovated 18-hole championship golf course that is open to the public, deep water boating access, and recreational and fitness facilities. To learn more about Shell Point Retirement Community, visit us at www.shellpoint.org or call 1-800-780-1131.
