People traveling through the south end of Mt. Pleasant will notice a collection of train cars just off Main Street west of the city park. In a year, the boxcars will be transformed and will be in use as motel suites. The plan began to take more shape last weekend as several of the 37-ton boxcars were lifted into place by a crane along a segment of railroad track that had been installed earlier as their new home.
Developers point to a similar project they’ve worked on for several years. They also developed Track 89, a railcar motel near Big Rock Candy Mountain in Marysvale Canyon south of Richfield.
The project is a public-private partnership. Its location makes sense: adjacent to what is known as the old railroad depot, which features a historic caboose and historic station that has been repurposed as an information center and merchant shop.
The city contributed several thousands of dollars to the recent renovation of the depot station, which opened last June as Heartfelt Hobby and Craft. The store will be the registration and check-in facility for Track 89 North during the day. After-hours registration, as well as housecleaning service, will be provided through an arrangement with Horseshoe Mountain Lodge across the street. Sanpete Messenger
