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- The Janesville Gazette, Wednesday, February 10,
1965
- by Harry Van Tuyl
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A railroad recalling Civil War days will be ready for the 1965 Rock River Steam Thresheree in September, one of many innovations planned for Threshermen's Park, located south of Edgerton on Highway 51.
The Rock River Cannonball
will steam its way around a new track at Thresherman's Park, south
of Edgerton on Highway 51, sometime this summer. Built from a
German switch engine, it will be a replica of the gaudy locomotives
of Civil War days. Mervin [Marvin] Helgesen, center, president
of the Rock River Steam Thresheree Assn., holds a photograph of
the engine as it looked when dismantling began, while behind him
is a sketch of how it will look. At left, Glen Beedy, Beloit,
association secretary, and at right, Walter Durst, Shopiere, who
bought and is rebuilding the engine for use at the park.
The train, currently under construction at the Durst Foundry and Machine Works, Inc., Shopiere, will travel on a mile and a half track. The right of way has already been graded, through the courtesy of Ryan, Inc., Janesville, and association members have been converting 500 trees -- donated by Don Gary, Edgerton, into ties upon which to lay the rails. About a third of the necessary narrow-gauge rail has already been acquired at a fraction of current-day cost.
The locomotive started life as a Henschel dockside switch engine in Germany. Walter Durst, Shopiere, bought it sight-unseen last April and had it shipped to Milwaukee. It arrived just in time for the 1964 Thresheree on Labor Day weekend and was shown at that time.
The big task of moving the heavy locomotive from the dock in Milwaukee to the thresheree grounds was done by volunteers, with CB and K Supply Co., Janesville, providing a tractor and Walter Nehls, Janesville excavator, the flatbed trailer.
New Cab, Stack, Whistle
After the thresheree the engine was moved to Durst's factory and stripped down. It was found to be in excellent shape, and work was begun to transform it into a Civil War vintage steam locomotive. Television fans will recall the old locomotive featured on "Petticoat Junction," and this locomotive will resemble the TV version when finished.
The engine already has a new funnel-shaped smoke stack, typical of the era, made and donated by Dorst Metal Products, Mayville. The whistle on the engine doesn't have the mellow tone desired, so this is being corrected by a veteran railroader who is making the new whistle. A new cab has been designed by an association member skilled at such tasks -- he also drew blueprints for the remodeling of the engine -- and is being built at a fraction over cost by a pattern maker.
Coaches for the railroad have been designed, following the style of a century ago, and Durst hopes to have two of them built this year and ready by mid-July, when the tentative schedule calls for the road to start carrying paying passengers.
Many Firms Cooperating
Here again interested people with a fondness for steam locomotives have come to the association's aid.
Wheels for the proposed coaches are being cast, for free, by the Neenah Foundry, Neenah. Baker Mfg. Co., Evansville, is casting journal boxes and covers for the running gear. Steel sub-frames for the coaches are to be built and donated by Ryerson Steel Co., Chicago; Central Steel and Wire Co., Chicago, is providing quantities of material; spikes to lay the rails and the necessary nuts and bolts for the rail joints will be provided by Cornell Forge Co., Chicago.
And so the list goes. From major manufacturer to individuals, assistance, materials and money are coming to the association to help get their railroad rolling. Passenger revenues from the railroad will help the association build the permanent buildings it has in mind, to house historical and antique items. Plans call for Thresherman's Park to one day be a major museum of agriculture, as well as other items of interest.
Track construction is due to begin in early spring. Thousands of ties have already been cut -- 2,500 in one recent weekend when club members made use of two sawmills and a crane.
Started in 1955
Now they face the task of finding facilities to "cook" the ties in creosote, with some 25 barrels of the necessary commodity having been donated by Joe Johnson Jr., Lions Oil and Heating, Janesville.
The Rock River Thresheree and Reunion had its beginnings in 1955 when John Horton, who [whose property] lies near the present Thresherman's Park, cut and shocked his grain for threshing with the family's steam-powered separator.
A few neighbors were intrigued with the idea and brought wagons and teams of horses. A general invitation was issued for anyone interested to drop by and watch the event. Close to 400 persons arrived to watch, much to Horton's astonishment.
The following year Horton went back to combining his grain, but so many people told him how disappointed they were that he made plans to hold the first official thresheree in 1957. Spectators jumped to 2,500 persons.
In 1958 members of the Fulton Congregational Church co-sponsored the thresheree at the Horton farm, and a number of persons brought old-time steam and gasoline equipment, a sawmill, cider press and primitive tools. A cook tent was set up by the church's Ladies Aid and attendance jumped to 6,800. In 1959 the two-day event brought participants and spectators from several states and in 1960 the group organized into the Rock River Steam Thresheree Association, with Horton as president. He was followed in 1961 by Peter Burno, who has many items at the park. Burno held the office until 1964, when Marvin Helgesen, Janesville, was elected. The association was incorporated as a nonprofit group in 1960, and that year saw attendance figures of over 10,000 persons.
In 1964 attendance at the event, now running three days on the Labor Day weekend, topped 10,000 again.
75 Antique Tractors
There are 60 pieces of equipment on permanent display at the park, 17 of them steam-operated engines. Directly and indirectly there are some 30 steamers in the club and 75 antique tractors.
One of the biggest pieces of equipment is a huge 60-ton steam crane once used for dredging and pile driving at Milwaukee Harbor. Owned by Burno, it has been restored and is capable of lifting 100 tons.
A large metal storage building was constructed at the site several years ago to house equipment, but association members are hoping to build a more permanent year-round building in the near future to house smaller items on display. They also need another well and expanded toilet facilities to meet future demands.
Seek Old Depot
They are seeking an entire railroad depot, switches, lanterns and other items for the railroad, and have checked out several abandoned depots in the state looking for the right one.
The association has about 40 paid members at $100 each, but more important than their membership fee is the will with which this hard-core of the thresheree turns out to work on the project. What profits the group realizes from admission fees each year is plowed back into improving the park and the next year's show.
Last fall an additional 25 acres was purchased to enlarge the park, which now runs from Cox Road to County Trunk M and contains over 100 acres. Officials say the grounds are open to Scout groups for camping in the wooded areas.
As soon as spring thaws permit work will begin on the route for the "Rock River Cannonball" line and as soon as completed, it will be in operation each weekend carrying passengers at a small fee. Proceeds from this operation will also go back into improving the park.
Members recently re-elected Helgesen to serve as president. Vice president is Melvin Cassels, Janesville; Glen Beedy, Beloit, is secretary, and Fred Thompson, Milton Junction, treasurer.
Also serving as members of the board of directors are John Horton, Fulton; Walter Durst, Shopiere, and Lloyd Hornbostel, Beloit.
Track laying began this
week for the Civil War railroad at Threshermen's Park, Highway
51, south of Edgerton. Members and friends of the Rock River Steam
Thresheree Assn. have already cut the right of way through the
woods, prepared the roadbed and sawed the ties. On hand to check
the work were, Walter Durst, tightening a bolt, center, Marvin
Helgesen, right, president, and Melvin Cassels, left, vice president.
The remodeled engine and coaches are being completed at Durst's
factory in Shopiere where the engine, which be bought from Germany
last year, was fired up and tested Friday. [I believe this photo
and caption came from a different date than the Feb. 10, 1965,
article above.]
