CITY OF KATY (Covering Katy News)—Two Katy High School graduates putting the Cardiff Rice Dryer redevelopment project on track. Literally.
Travis Burtram and Micah Berens are self-described train enthusiasts. They have spent about the last six months developing a miniature train that people will be able to ride around the Dryer, 5321 1st St. Phase 2 is expected to be done by May.
The train, now fully operational, runs on a track about 900 feet long around the Dryer. Each passenger holds four people, Berens said, and there are plans to install seats on the cars for passenger comfort.
The engine runs on gas and the oil was changed a couple of weeks ago. Titan Trains, of Boones Mill, Va., created the artwork on the engine.
Burtram said he has been a model railroader and photographer for years. His Facebook page features some of his railroad photography. Burtram graduated in 2018 from Katy High School. Berens graduated in 2019.
"I've been doing this for a long time," Burtram said, adding that he and Berens met in a wood shop class at the high school. "I have collections of model trains, and I've built tracks. I've gotten better over the years, but this is the biggest I've ever done."
For this project, Burtram said, it helped that he had worked with model trains, even if it was on a smaller scale. He said the project was a challenge at first because he had to figure the necessary curves and measurements. But as he discovered that the issue was one of scale, he became more confident that the project would be successful.
The train is the highlight of ongoing Phase 2 development. The necessary underground piping has been completed, and a playground and green space are in development on the east side of the dryer building. A shop featuring Katy-themed shirts and swag is also in the works.
In addition to a stage from which one can enjoy concerts, visitors will also be able to enjoy shopping from 16 micro-retail vendors. Their booths will be set up in converted freight containers. A farmers' market is also being planned.
Next to the vendor booths, on the southeast edge of the property, is a building being turned into a train depot. In this depot will be a model train set for people to enjoy. Burtram and Berens will install a model train set for people to enjoy.
Nurcahya said a man from Sour Lake, a Southeast Texas town 101 miles from Katy, owned the model train set. The man donated it to the Katy Heritage Society when he moved homes and had to downsize his personal belongings.
The dryer, built in 1943, is Katy's tallest structure. Nurcahya, the developer, purchased the land in 2022 and began his redevelopment work, which he admitted was both exhilarating and scary because turning a rice dryer into an entertainment concept with food, drink and shopping is unusual, though not without precedent. An example of this, he said, is the Magnolia Market at the Silo in Waco, developed by Chip and Joanna Gaines.
Yet things are taking shape in Katy, and some of the work has been completed. The most visible of this is the Katy Beer Garden, 5345 3rd St., which opened last year. The beer garden is a 35,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor facility serving drinks and features both bar foods and food trucks.
"The beer garden gave us a lot of stability," Nurcahya said. "Before that, it was even scarier, obviously. "I think once this opens, it will prove the concept whether a historic property along with entertainment can actually work side by side. Unlike the Katy Beer Garden, this is not just for somebody looking for a good time and drink, this is community," Nurcahya said.