Tourist train engine in Jackson repaired; rides resume Saturday

It's been a rough year so far for the St. Louis Iron Mountain & Southern Railway, but supporters of the Jackson line are hopeful that fall events and a strong holiday season can make up for some money lost and keep the tourist train running.

During a spring inspection of the railway's diesel engine, wheels, also known as trucks, were found to be unevenly worn, which would have made the engine unsafe to operate. Rides were suspended as volunteers searched through the summer for trucks to fit the train, built in 1950. Plans were made to have the train running again in the fall.

"There's always something wrong with antique equipment. It just happens," said Harriet Drusch, one of the railway's volunteer board members.

Parts were found for the train in Alabama several weeks ago and transported to Jackson. A test run Monday showed everything on the engine in great condition, said board member Danny Davis, who oversees mechanical upkeep on the train with the help of volunteers. Davis did not have a figure for the cost of the repair to the engine but said without financial contributions from volunteers, the railway could never manage.

According to Drusch, those contributions of money and time keep the railway open when ticket sales and special events don't cover operating and upkeep costs.

The railway opens Saturday with a mock train robbery and has a long list of other events planned this fall through Christmas.

"We hope to make the best of what we have left of the year," Drusch said.

She said the railway's largest market is in St. Louis, where many people visit year after year for special events near Christmas as a tradition.

Over the summer the rail yard was a source of some controversy, with neighbors complaining about high weeds and rail cars blocking access to nearby storage sheds. Railway volunteers said funds for upkeep were running low, and money wasn't available to pay for mowing or repairs so the train cars could be moved. Jackson Alderman Larry Cunningham, who was approached by a neighboring business owner last summer about the nuisance issues, said he's heard no more complaints since the summer.

There are ongoing fundraising campaigns for cosmetic improvement to the rail cars and repair of the railway's steam engine, which is out of service. Davis said there is no timeline in mind for the engine's repair because the work that needs to be done depends on money and volunteer time. Work on the engine was also delayed somewhat this summer because of work on the diesel engine, he said.

Davis said with the good condition the diesel engine is in now, he doesn't anticipate the railway will have to shut down again anytime soon.

"We hope to keep it going somehow," Drusch said. "The will's there and we have people who enjoy it, so we'll keep it running."

The public can purchase tickets for Saturday rides, and the railway is available to host special events by reservation. Rides go to Gordonville and begin and end in Jackson. Saturday's mock train robbery begins at 1 p.m. A full schedule of events and a pricing list can be viewed online at www.slimrr.com.

eragan@semissourian.com

388-3627

Pertinent address:

U.S. 61, Jackson, MO

Highway 25, Jackson, MO