FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – LINK TO PHOTOS, VIDEO
FORT MYERS, Fla. (Nov. 1, 2018) – Shell Point Retirement Community is pleased to announce the reopening of its popular Gulf Coast Model Railroad attraction on Monday, Nov. 5. Free tours are open to the public from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday through April 2019.
Modeled in the shape of Florida, the 43′-by-41′ Gulf Coast Model Railroad is set in the 1950s and 1960s, offering guests a unique perspective of notable sites throughout state. The model railroad 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, Walt Disney World, Kennedy Space Center with an orbiting Space Shuttle, Everglades, Sanibel Lighthouse, and even Shell Point Retirement Community.
Welcoming visitors since 1973, the Gulf Coast Model Railroad is operated and maintained by Shell Point resident volunteers, who serve as conductors on each complimentary tour “around the state” for more than 3,000 guests each year. Throughout the season, train operators, docents and greeters will be on-hand to share their passion for the railroad, leading guests along a brand-new guided walking tour, highlighting several points of interest along the tour pathway.
In preparation for the 2018-2019 season, resident volunteers have also completed a number of renovations, introducing a new travel route for cars and trucks, which runs from Tallahassee to St. Petersburg, as well as a restored Pensacola landmark, the round house. The walls of the station room now also tell the unique stories of the many railroad companies that are represented throughout the attraction.
The Gulf Coast Model Railroad is located at the Creativity Center on The Island at Shell Point, 15101 Shell Point Blvd. in Fort Myers. For more information, or to view video highlights of the model train display, visit www.shellpoint.org/trainroom. To arrange a special tour for more than 10 people, contact Dottie Tronnes at 239-454-2290.
About Shell Point Retirement Community
Shell Point Retirement Community, founded in 1968, is a nonprofit continuing care retirement community located in Fort Myers, Florida. Shell Point offers independent retirement living, assisted living, and skilled nursing care for its 2,400 residents in an active, resort-style environment. Lifestyle amenities include deep-water boating access, six public restaurants, a championship 18-hole golf course, and many other recreational and educational activities. Learn more at www.shellpoint.org or 1-800-780-1131.
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