Middle of nowhere? Maybe folks on the east coast are spoiled. I've often driven 3.5 hours each way for a good train meet, and I've known people to drive much farther than that. If you draw a 3 hour circle around the largest train meet on the planet, it includes a lot of people.
I don't know if opening to the public will have the desired results (if anyone can even articulate what the "desired results" are), but you've gotta try.