All aboard

New train to highlight Christmas lights display

Johnathan Abbott, landscape supervisor for the city of Batesville, stands next to a tractor that has been converted to look like a train engine that will pull two trailers, which look like rail cars, for the White River Wonderland at Riverside Park. The annual Christmas lights display starts Wednesday.
Johnathan Abbott, landscape supervisor for the city of Batesville, stands next to a tractor that has been converted to look like a train engine that will pull two trailers, which look like rail cars, for the White River Wonderland at Riverside Park. The annual Christmas lights display starts Wednesday.

The Christmas light display in Batesville has grown exponentially over the past 10 years, and a new attraction this year may keep that trend going.

A ride, consisting of a small tractor pulling two trailers retrofitted to look like a train, is the newest lure for this year’s White River Wonderland at Riverside Park.

“This is something that during our Christmas lights last year, just kind of came to my mind,” said Johnathan Abbott, landscape supervisor for the city of Batesville. “This would be pretty neat to have. It would be a good addition to what I feel like is one of the best in the state. I’m always trying to think of different ways to make the event bigger and better, and it was just one of those things that we decided to do.”

The tractor was purchased from Grass Roots Equipment and Outdoors in Batesville. Abbott said the decorations and equipment mounted on the tractor can be easily removed, and the tractor will be used by his department.

The trailers will hold about 30 people and a wheelchair lift makes the ride handicapped accessible.

Larry Shaw Racing of Batesville is putting the train together with the seating, sound and tractor. New Vision Graphics of Batesville is making the decals for the trailers, which were purchased from White River Trailer of Melbourne. Mark’s Body Shop painted the trailers, and Independence Tint and Auto also contributed to the train.

“We thought it would be a good addition to our light displays,” Abbott said. “It allows families to ride together, or large families and large groups can ride together.”

Kevin Shaw of Larry Shaw Racing said he didn’t know what to expect when Abbott asked him about constructing a train.

“He just gave us a picture of about what he wanted it to look like, and I said I thought we could do it,” Shaw said. “You look at Silver Dollar City and some of the stuff they do — he had pictures to make it a little more authentic.”

Abbott said the goal is to have the train ready by Tuesday. The opening of the annual light display is Wednesday.

“We’ve got to staff it,” he said. “With it being Thanksgiving week, I don’t know exactly when we’re going to start. We’ve got a little bit of work to do. We’ve got to get the seats in, the sound in and the graphics done. Our goal is to have it done by Tuesday.”

The train cars will be open on top so riders can see the lights as the train travels through the light display.

“We’ll have sound on it,” Abbott said. “So as we drive through, the tractor stereo will receive the signal being sent out from our computer program through the FM radio, and we will be able to play the music, and the lights will flash to the music. We left the top open for that reason. They’ll be able to see out the sides and the top. It’s not just a covered thing where the people are having to stick their heads out to look at the lights.”

The cost to ride the train is $5 per person.

Batesville Mayor Rick Elumbaugh said he’s excited about having the train this year.

“I think it will give the citizens the opportunity to experience the lights in a different way,” he said. “I think it’s going to add more to the experience.

“Johnny [Abbott] always takes our Christmas lights to a different level every year, and there are some things he doesn’t reveal until we drive through there.”

Other activities include carriage rides and a synthetic ice-skating rink.

The carriage rides are being provided by Little Rock Horse and Carriage Co.

“It’s a romantic-type thing,” Abbott said. “Of course, the kids love the horses.”

This is the fifth year for the carriage rides, which cost $7 per person.

The skating rink is sponsored by the Batesville Parks and Recreation Department, with a $5 fee to skate. This is the third year for that activity.

There is no charge for visiting the light display, which is part of the Arkansas Trail of Holiday Lights.

“We do have a donation area,” Abbott said. “All of the donations are turned back and put into the light display the following year.”

Last year was the first time for a donation area, and Abbott said the city collected about $22,000.

“It went really well,” he said. “We had a really good response from our community and from everyone who came to see the lights. We were really impressed with it.”’

While $22,000 looks like a large amount, Abbott said, that can go quickly.

“You can spend it in a hurry when it comes to decorations,” he said. “That’s realistically one display, if I wanted it to be. We try to stretch the dollars and do whatever we can with the money to make the display bigger and better without a lot of spending.”

Abbott takes pride in the light display.

“It’s one of those things that our community looks forward to,” Abbott said. “It’s become a statewide attraction, with people also coming from Missouri and Oklahoma. It’s drawing people to Batesville, and I think it gives us a little bit of an economic boost during the Christmas season. It sets us apart from a lot of cities because of the size of the attraction.

“It is something to be proud of as far as our community.”

Staff writer Mark Buffalo can be reached at (501) 399-3676 or mbuffalo@arkansasonline.com.

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