The people with a proposed railroad museum and entertainment complex made plans to buy land from a railroad company to build new tracks of their own.

Non-profit Headwaters Junction entered into a purchase agreement with Norfolk Southern to take over a railroad right-of-way from Polk Street in the Nebraska neighborhood east and north to Fort Wayne’s North River property.

If all goes to plan, with the help of Steel Dynamics, the new line would connect working tracks to the main building across Clinton Street from Science Central, running past the city’s new Promenade Park. 

“We anticipate the rebuilding of the line to be a historically-inspired beautification project,” Headwaters Junction Executive Director Kelly Lynch said. “This will not be the gritty hyper industrial nature of railroad environments like people assume they will be. This is more comparible to a light rail system, a street car. These trains are meant for the enjoyment of the public and the entire project is being done and implemented with the enjoyment and safety of the public in mind.”

Despite the project being privately funded, the building part of Headwaters Junction would need approval from the city to be built on a portion of the 30 acres north of the St. Marys River and Headwaters Park.

Redevelopment Director Nancy Townsend told WANE 15 News that a decision of what to do with the land would not be made until the results of a study of the city’s riverfront are presented to them.