The Sertoma Club will treat the public to free train rides, refreshments and a moon walk to formally celebrate the refurbishment of The Little Train in Soden’s Grove.
The open house will be from 1 to 5 p.m. on Memorial Day.
“We want to thank the community for the support during the restoration, and we’re going to kick off the season in a big way,” said Mark Summey, train committee chairman for Sertoma.
Restoration of the train was completed through donations from the public. The club initially had asked for $20,000 to make repairs. The community responded with about $52,500 in donations. The overage has been put into a fund that will be devoted exclusively to repairs and other needs for the train and related buildings.
The first 1,000 people who attend the open house will receive free Fanestil hot dogs and Coca-Cola products. Waters True Value will bring in a moon walk for youngsters, Summey said.
In the meantime, Sertoma members will continue to lay track bed and repair tracks in preparation for the open house. That work had been done earlier and is being redone because of heavy flooding in the area this month.
“We’re waiting on a load of gravel to be delivered so we can get that track bed and everything back, put in everything that washed out,” Summey said. The renovated train, with its new engine and electric driver motors, is much heavier than it was prior to the repairs and will need a more-substantial track bed.
The train had been hauled away in the dark of night, when it became evident that floodwaters would wash into Soden’s Grove. It now has been returned to its barn on-site.