Why is there a train at Minute Maid Park?
4 min read
Asked by: Jonathan Mahoney
Most Astros fans know the basics of the train: It’s a 15-foot tall and 56-foot long replica of an 1862 steam locomotive that was brought to Houston when Minute Maid Park – then known as the Ballpark at Union Station – opened in 2000. Why a train? Because the west side of Minute Maid Park used to be Union Station.
Why does Minute Maid have a train?
HOUSTON — If you’ve ever been to an Astros game, you’ve most likely seen (and heard) the train that runs on top of the left-field wall of the stadium along Crawford Street. It’s an ode to what once sat at the ballpark’s location: Union Station.
Who is the train conductor at Minute Maid Park?
Bobby Vasquez
The conductor’s real name is Bobby Vasquez and he’s been moving the iconic train and blowing the whistle for 21 seasons with the Houston Astros.
Is the Astros train real?
As far as the train itself, it may look and sound like a real train, but it’s not powered by coal or steam. “It’s just a huge electric train,” Vasquez explained. “That’s all it is. It runs on an electrical system that we have up here and goes back and forth when the Astros hit a home run and when we win.”
Which baseball park has a train?
Minute Maid Park
Vasquez, who answers to the name “Bobby Dynamite,” is the conductor of the train that runs 90 feet above the ground beyond the left-field wall at Minute Maid Park. His uniform: overalls and an orange Houston Astros T-shirt.
Do they still run the train at Minute Maid Park?
The iconic Train at Minute Maid Park is a staple among Houston Astros games as it runs each time a home run is hit. Run by conductor Bobby Vasquez who goes by the name “Bobby Dynamite,” it has the best view in the ballpark as he runs the replica of a 1860s locomotive as shared in the video below.
How far are the train tracks at Minute Maid Park?
800-foot
The train moves along an 800-foot (240 m) length of track on top of the length of the exterior wall beyond left field when the Astros take the field during the first inning, when an Astros player hits a home run, and when the Astros win a game. It is driven by Bobby Vásquez, who goes by the name Bobby Dynamite.
Why does the Astros stadium have a train?
Most Astros fans know the basics of the train: It’s a 15-foot tall and 56-foot long replica of an 1862 steam locomotive that was brought to Houston when Minute Maid Park – then known as the Ballpark at Union Station – opened in 2000. Why a train? Because the west side of Minute Maid Park used to be Union Station.
What do Astros train drivers make?
Train Driver Salary in Houston, TX
| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | |
|---|---|---|
| Top Earners | $68,367 | $5,697 |
| 75th Percentile | $67,376 | $5,614 |
| Average | $52,545 | $4,378 |
| 25th Percentile | $35,174 | $2,931 |
Does Minute Maid Park have an organ?
The organ he plays at Minute Maid, he said, has a service record dating to at least 1959. “It’s like driving a Model-T or a Model-A,” he said. “It’s a workhorse. You know what it can do and what its limitations are.
How much does it cost to open the roof at Minute Maid Park?
$65 million
The roof, which cost $65 million, retracts completely off the ballpark when open, which is supposedly 60 percent of the time.
What is the smallest MLB stadium?
Smallest MLB Stadiums
- Globe Life Field.
- Petco Park.
- PNC Park.
- Target Field.
- Kauffman Stadium.
- Fenway Park.
- loanDepot Park.
- Progressive Field.
Who has the deepest outfield in MLB?
12. Minute Maid Park (Houston Astros) With the deepest center field of any park in baseball—one that features a flagpole and hill that are in play—you’d think that Minute Maid Park in Houston would be more of a pitcher’s park than a hitter’s park.
