Calvin Davis likes to climb on the train engine at Stewart Park, walking behind the railings that encircle the No. 1229 like a historical jungle gym.

The 4-year-old used to be able to pull a chain like a real engineer, or spin a wheel to pretend-pilot the locomotive over Mount Nebo like the little engine that could.

But the paint is peeling on the No. 1229, and the sides of the cabin are rusting out and pieces keep disappearing from the 90-odd-year-old locomotive.

“Each time I come back, it seems like there’s another piece missing,” said Calvin’s mom, Regina Davis, who noted the missing wheel, pull chain and levers. “Now, it’s just kind of a shell.”

The brass bell was stolen in January, and Roseburg Police have since produced no leads. The other missing items, less conspicuous, have gone unreported.

“It doesn’t surprise me because of the complete access to that train there,” said Police Sgt. Aaron Dunbar.

“I would like to see it get fixed up and painted a shiny, shiny black,” said Davis, holding her oldest son’s hand. “It’s something to stimulate their imagination.”

The Rotary Club of Roseburg has taken note of the locomotive’s plight. A few of its leaders hope to team up with Roseburg’s other two rotaries to restore, or at least preserve, the train engine for future generations.

“It’s in remarkably good shape for sitting there for 50 years,” said Rotarian and rail enthusiast Keith Van Atta. “Along the edge of the cabin, it has some rust damage. ... Our proposal is to clean it up, do some repair work.”

The train engine was a gift to the city of Roseburg from Southern Pacific in March 1958. The locomotive, an oil-burning steam engine first used from the 1910s to the 1950s never actually hauled passengers through Roseburg.

Instead, as a “yardhog” it was used to switch cars in the Los Angeles railyards, according to Van Atta.

“It won’t go real fast, but it will pull a lot,” Van Atta said.

Van Atta does not know how much the Rotary could do for the train engine, but it would depend on money. At the low end, the locomotive could be power-washed and given a new coat of paint.

If given the funds, he said they could work to restore the missing parts, probably with a resin-material less likely to be sniped by a thief in the night.

“The preservation is more important than restoration, bringing back pieces that are missing,” he said.

Roseburg Parks Planner Barbara Taylor said the city was supportive of the Rotary’s efforts, but the Parks Commission told the Rotary to draw up some better plans if the Rotarians are going to restore it.

“It’s going to need a fair amount of work,” Taylor said.

She said the city also hoped the Rotary would improve the train engine’s safety by placing a deeper fill-material around the locomotive to cushion falls.

“We’d like to see it preserved for everybody to enjoy,” Van Atta said.



• You can reach reporter Chris Gray at 957-4218 or by e-mail at cgray@newsreview.info.