Article #10 From the: Chaska Herald
Train float readied
to roll!
Article #10 From the: Chaska Herald
Train float readied
to roll!
June 3, 2004
Train gets ready to roll
Mark W. Olson
Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 02, 2004
Volunteers for Gopher State Railway Museum have been busy painting
the newest
steam engine in its fleet in Mike Lehne's Pine Street driveway
in Chaska.
The faux steam engine is the second float used by the group in
parades throughout the Midwest.
The museum's other float is a replica of a Union Pacific diesel
engine.
The steam engine float was purchased last year from Marna Beck
of Woodhull, Ill,
whose husband George operated the machine for years, until his
death.
The community helped Beck build the train, said Lehne, who recalled
all of the people who
came out to see the machine leave Woodhull early last year. "I
felt so bad," Lehne said.
The float was used by Gopher State in 18 parades last year. Among
its special features are
wheels that move like a locomotive, steam that shoots out of a
stack, whistles, bells and a
headlight. The machine is powered with a Ford 6 cylinder engine.
"This guy had a lot of
imagination," Lehne said.
The group is repainting the train to resemble Union Pacific No.
119, a train that was at the
Promontory Point, Utah celebration on May 10, 1869, following
the completion of the
transcontinental railroad. The group spent about nine months getting
permission from the
company to paint it with Union Pacific's trademarked logos and
colors.
No. 119 will travel in several parades this summer, including
the 65th annual Aquatennial
Parade. Closer to home, the train will participate in the Glencoe
Days Parade on June 13.
Lehne hopes the float also qualifies to participate in Marshall
Field's annual Thanksgiving
Parade in Chicago.
The group ridesin the parades to raise funds and to bring awareness
to its fledgling museum
near New Prague. "Everyone's a kid when it comes to trains,"
Lehne said.
For more information on the Gopher State Railway Museum and the
its parade schedule,
visit the group's website at: www.gsrm.org.