The Cubby Caboose is no longer making tracks around Capital Mall, effective immediately.
The colorful train, which offered children musical rides around the mall, had been in operation at Capital Mall for one year. Prior to that, a different train service called the Choo-Choo Express offered a similar attraction during the Christmas season only for two years.
Both train attractions were operated by third-party vendors, and the Cubby Caboose vendor decided not to renew his lease, as most of his trains worked at locations in bigger cities, said Capital Mall General Manager Jamie Reed.
"The mall doesn't go out and buy this stuff and operate it. We find good people to do that," Reed said. Mall management plans to seek a new children's activity vendor, Reed said, noting trains, carousels and other attractions are popular.
"They're just so, so expensive. They're tough to get a hold of because they take so much money and it takes so long for the operator to get it back," Reed said. "It's a big draw, but it has to be something the people want to do and the people want to pay for."
Bounce houses, clowns and face painting will offer alternative fun activities for children when Capital Mall hosts a new event, the Central Missouri Outdoor Expo, Jan. 16-18. The free event, taking the place of last year's boat expo, will feature watercraft, campers, camping gear and other outdoor hobby-related equipment on display inside the mall.