Centralia Area Historical Museum holds Railroad Day
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History of the 2500 locomotive steam engine was available during the event
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By JO ALLEN
Sentinel Photo/JO ALLEN
The Centralia High School cheerleaders dedicated some of their time to serving food at the Railroad Day Event on Saturday. From LEFT are Talay Crosby, Alyssa Nelson, Jayda Williams, Baily Maas, Alexia Barr and Sophia Hollingsaid.
Sentinel Photo/JO ALLEN
CNs Little Obie train shuttle gave rides to patrons from the Centralia Area Historical Museum to Fairview Park, to see the 2500 Locomotive Steam Engine.
CENTRALIA — The Centralia Historical Society, in conjunction with the Freight Car Locomotive Experts (F.C.L.E.), hosted a Railroad Day event at the Museum on Saturday, drawing interest from the local community.
“We had some good traffic today,” Museum Director Mike Middleton said. “It’s good to see so many people interested in not just the trains, but other parts of the museum.”
Jim Danielwitcz, F.C.L.E president and a board member of the Historical Society who organized the event, said that the day was a success.
“It’s been fun, lots of people here today, mostly this morning,” Danielwitcz told the Sentinel.
According to Historical Society Board President Jessiycka Coleman, the event helped raise proceeds to benefit an ongoing upgrade project for the museum.
“Some proceeds from the event help with updates to the museum, we deeply need such for the elevator, flooring and other updates.”
Coleman said that she is grateful for everyone who contributed to the event and for everyone who came down and enjoyed the event. Coleman said that they were able to sell some museum memberships during the event, which greatly benefits the museum since it is a nonprofit.
According to Coleman, a local community member visited the museum during the event and fixed a few train displays and got them running as well.
“A local friend came and fixed all (of) the tabletop trains and got them running again, so those are going,” Coleman said.
The Railroad Day event featured train displays, vendors, Taco Jo’s food truck and possibly the most popular Little Obie train ride, and a tour of the 2500 locomotive engine in Fairview Park.
For most of the day, the CN’s Little Obie train gave rides to patrons from the Historical Museum to Fairview Park to tour the 2500 Locomotive engine on display there, giving patrons a unique look into the engine’s history and connection to Centralia.
62 years ago, in 1962
This September marks 62 years since the 2500 Locomotive engine took its last journey down the streets of Centralia to its resting place at Fairview Park. According to Sentinel archives, thousands of Centralia residents watched the historical move over Labor Day weekend in 1962.
“From Saturday through last night, people from over a wide area converged on the scene. Most of them stayed for hours once they had history unfolded before their eyes in one of the most unique and most difficult railroad operations ever performed anywhere,” Charles Bundy, a Sentinel staff writer at the time wrote in an article.
According to those records, city, state and railroad police stayed on scene throughout the operation to keep crowds under control.
The move was made by a crew laying track, section by section, and picking up the track again behind the engine as it was moved down Broadway.
Many community members are credited with the completion of the historical project, including David Kracht and Lynn Redmond, two high school boys who began suggesting the idea of having a locomotive as a “boon” to Centralia. Also credited are James Adams, alongside Ernie Dolan, who made that idea a reality by organizing the “Age of Steam” Memorial Fund and securing funds, plans, and permissions to have the 2500 steam engine brought downtown.
Hundreds of others also contributed to the restoration and costs of moving the engine. Bob Cozad, a man described to be a “Steel-drivin’ man,” supervised the track building and numerous local businesses, including groceries and bakeries, provided refreshments to the workers.
Over the years, the 2500 steam engine has become a landmark for Centralia. Currently, the engine is maintained by a small but dedicated group in Centralia. Tours are given to patrons by request.
