9 February 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) – Shawnee County Parks and Recreation is working to fill numerous open job positions. That includes hiring engineers to operate the new Gage Park mini-train.
27 News spoke with Mike McLaughlin, the communications and public information supervisor of Shawnee County Parks and Rec., who says his department has more than 400 open positions this year. These seasonal positions include lifeguards, camp counselors, horticulture staff, park maintenance, concessions staff, cashiers and engineers for the Gage Park mini-train.
McLaughlin says these positions are mostly geared toward high school and college students, retirees, teachers and others with schedules tied to an academic year. The jobs pay from $10 to $15 an hour, depending on experience.
Mini-train operators have a variety of tasks, including collecting tickets from passengers, presenting guests with a tour of the park, performing minimal daily maintenance and more. New engineers must be at least 18-years-old, have a valid driver’s license and be willing to work a wide range of schedules.
Additionally, McLaughlin told 27 News in the coming weeks the county also plans to tackle some maintenance work on the mini-train tracks around the park. They will replace 550 railroad ties, smooth out a curve on the track and make other improvements. The Shawnee County Board of Commissioners recently approved more than $43,000 to improve the tracks, which have not had major work done on them since 2002.
Gage Park said farewell to its old “Iron Horse” train in October 2022 after it was deemed too difficult to continue repairing. A new electric train will be taking over for the older model.