Soldiers greeted with cheers, tears
Staff reporter
More than 650 people greeted approximately 25 soldiers and their families Friday morning as the train they were riding made a stop on Marion's Main Street during Union Pacific's historic high speed steam locomotive tour.
With special Union Pacific police and Marion County Sheriff officials keeping well-wishers away from the tracks, old No. 844 steam locomotive pulling 12 cars, half of them passenger cars, rolled into Marion carrying soldiers who had been wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq, and personnel from Fort Riley and the railroad.
The entourage was greeted by cheers from the crowd and the Hillsboro American Legion honor guard. The group walked between rows of flags on both sides of the street, courtesy of American Legion Riders, and a recording of patriotic music.
As the soldiers walked through the crowd, some shaking hands and receiving hugs, there were cheers, tears, and words of thanks from Marion County and area residents.
The crowd congregated on the parking lot of Marion Die and Fixture.
Marion Mayor Mary Olson welcomed the group as did Marion County Commissioner Dan Holub.
Holub, who is retired from the U.S. Navy and a father of four soldiers, told the soldiers that their deeds and sacrifices would not be forgotten.
Representative Don Dahl of Hillsboro, said he was fascinated by the old steam locomotives.
"There is something beautiful about these old locomotives and the spirit of the individuals who got off the train," he said, referring to the men and women who serve the U.S. through the military.
He continued that everyone around the world has the same burning desire to be free.
"The individuals in front of us make it possible for us to be free," Dahl said, and quoted the Bible verse from John 15:13, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
"These men and women are willing to lay down their lives for us and people around the world," Dahl said. "Being born free is a privilege, dying free is an awesome responsibility
With that said, Dahl saluted the soldiers who returned the salute.
Lt. Col. Lynette Short of Fort Riley accepted a flag from the American Legion Riders of Hillsboro on behalf of the soldiers.
Cookies and cold beverages were served and then the entourage returned to the train among cheers and applause. The train stopped at Peabody before reaching its final destination for the day at Wichita.
The locomotive was on display at the Great Plains Transportation Museum at Wichita until Sunday when it traveled to Enid, Okla.
The locomotive and train will return to Herington Sept. 19 with stops in Peabody and Marion.
About the train
With a cloud of black smoke puffing from the smoke stacks of steam locomotive No. 844, spectators saw the awesome sight of the huge, black engine as it pulled into Marion. Strange noises came from the locomotive as the engineer released the built-up steam which made a thumping noise against a steel encasing.
Hailed as Union Pacific's "Living Legend," the engine is widely known among railroad enthusiasts for its excursion runs.
Just how big is this 63-year-old marvel?
It weighs nearly one million tons, is more than 114 feet long, and has 14 wheels. It holds 23,500 gallons of water, 6,200 gallons of No. 5 oil, and has a boiler with an 86-inch inside diameter that holds 300 pounds of pressure.
This locomotive was the last steam locomotive built for Union Pacific Railroad and delivered in 1944.
A high-speed passenger engine, it pulled such widely known trains as the Overland Limited, Los Angeles Limited, Portland Rose, and Challenger.
Many people knew the engine as the No. 8444, since an extra "4" was added to its number in 1962 to distinguish it from a diesel numbered in the 800 series. The steam engine regained its rightful number in June 1989, after the diesel was retired.
When diesels took over all passenger train duties, No. 844 was placed in freight service in Nebraska between 1957 and 1959. It was saved from being scrapped in 1960, and held for special service.
The engine has run hundreds of thousands of miles as Union Pacific's ambassador of goodwill.
The Union Pacific locomotive is on a 22-day, six-state tour to celebrate Oklahoma's Centennial and railroad heritage. The 2,100-mile "Oklahoma Centennial Sooner Rocket" took the locomotive for the first time to central Kansas and west-central Oklahoma communities.
