After nearly a year, work on the Heber Valley Railroad's track at Vivian Park is nearing completion.
The new track and siding will accommodate additional passenger cars on the train, which currently has seven cars.When the final track inspection is completed, trains will begin to operate round trip once again from the park. Now tourists and residents will be able to catch the train in Provo Canyon instead of traversing the road construction to Heber City.
The old steamer will leave Heber City at 10 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays during the summer and will arrive in the park at 11:30 a.m. At noon the locomotive will leave the park for the trip to Heber City. Passengers who board at Vivian Park will be able to ride to Heber and return to the park on the afternoon train arriving back at the park at 4 p.m.
Round-trip tickets are $17 for adults, $10 for children and $15 for senior citizens. One-way tickets are $10, $6, and $9 respectively.
The train follows the Provo River for five miles, then the engine begins the rugged pull out of the canyon. The experience is similar to what it was like in 1899 when the Denver & Rio Grande Western pulled trains on the same roadbed.
For more information call 654-5601.