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Tour Plans Whistle Stop At Old Depot

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By JO-ANN JOHNSTON, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 16, 2007

Updated: 09/15/2007 04:44 pm

DADE CITY - Calling all train buffs: A local entrepreneur wants your ideas for turning the city's historic railroad depot into an attraction for day-trippers.

Jim Guedry, who owns the Dade City Business Center and Citrus Country Groves packing house and retail shop, wants to make the depot a focal point of his trolley tour, which highlights local historical buildings and figures.

The tour, which started in June, is on hiatus until the winter tourist season begins. Organizers are using the downtime to incorporate more sites and information into the tour, Guedry said.

One thing employees at Citrus Country Groves, which runs the tours, kept hearing is that people wanted to see the historic brick depot on U.S. 98, about five blocks east of the historic courthouse downtown.

'Everybody is attracted to trains, young and old,' Guedry said. 'The old people remember them, and the young people want to see them.'

Guedry recently worked out a deal with the city, which owns the depot, to lease the building and make it a stop on the tour.

The brick building, erected in 1912, already has a few features of interest to visitors, such as a mural depicting a train from earlier decades.

Local train enthusiasts will have ideas for items or artifacts that should be added, Guedry said.

'What do we put on the walls? Where do we get period luggage to put out? How do we get old train lockers?' Guedry said.

He'd also like to know whether railroad clubs and memorabilia collectors would be interested in displaying their models at the depot.

People can share their ideas at a community meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the train depot. For information, call Guedry or Harold Sample at the Dade City Business Center, (352) 567-0600.

Reporter Jo-Ann Johnston can be reached at (352) 521-3062 or jfjohnston@tampatrib.com.

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