FORT MYERS, Fla. ( September 23, 2016)
Shell Point Retirement Community’s Gulf Coast Model Railroad attraction opens for the season on Monday, Oct. 3. Free tours offer a unique look at notable sites throughout Florida, available to all on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. through April 2017. The train exhibit is located in The Island neighborhood (15000 Shell Point Boulevard, Fort Myers) at Shell Point, Florida’s largest single-site continuing care retirement community.
Shell Point’s 40’ x 40’ model train 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, including Epcot, Kennedy Space Center with an orbiting Space Shuttle, the Everglades, the Sanibel Lighthouse, and even Shell Point Retirement Community features.
All renovations and upgrades are conducted during the summer by Shell Point resident volunteers who enjoy model railroads as a hobby and want to share their interest with others. One landmark to explore is Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom, which boasts a three-dimensional castle fit for a princess, complete with working lights and hand-painted bricks. Next, head over to the Naval Base in the Pensacola area to witness U.S. Navy planes flying in formation high in the sky. Be sure to check out the realistic “burning” house in St. Petersburg, with simulated smoke pouring out of the windows. Continue reading “Popular Gulf Coast Model Railroad Attraction at Shell Point Opens for Season with New Upgrades”