Mike Carrell stopped by the April 8, 2008 city council meeting. It was the typical politician glad-handing and talking about how much they do for their constituents, which is what keeps them in office. A man has got to eat, after all. To further increase his local stock, and certainly to spice up a dull legislative session with hyperbole, Mike came to speak of a miracle he pulled off in Olympia.

Exaggerations aside, Mike came though for the folks at the DuPont Historical Society in a big way but getting state funding for a canopy for their train restoration. The victory is about more than the money, it is also a nod toward the legitimacy of the DuPont Historical Society and the realization of their stated mission "...to preserve, interpret and promote the historical heritage of the City of DuPont and surrounding areas for present and future generations."

Last week, I wrote about the door-to-door fundraising activity, and Lee MacDonald graciously sent me an email to fill in the blanks about our visitor.

"Thank you for your gentle commentary about a very gentle man, Gary Lucas, who is a volunteer going door-to-door on behalf of the DuPont Historical Society for the DuPont Dynamite Train Canopy and Restoration project. Gary spearheaded a similar fundraising effort in 2003 and brought in $10,000 for the project. Part of that money was spent to lay the track behind the museum where the train now resides. Gary has come aboard once again to help raise money to complete the project and provide a canopy to protect the train and allow visitors to view it."

Lee also sent some additional information about the about the canopy and the restoration of the 12-ton, narrow gauge Plymouth locomotive. You can see that information by clicking on the link below.

Train Restoration Fact Sheet

Lee also provided some information on other fundraising activities.

"The Historical Society has worked hard on many levels to achieve funding for the Dynamite Train canopy. We are currently working on a Washington State Heritage Capital Projects Fund application and Gary is helping us to raise additional matching funds for the grant.

If anyone would like to assist with the project they can call Museum Manager, Joh Jones at 253-964-2399. Or stop by the museum located at 207 Barksdale Ave. and check out DuPont's very own Dynamite train!"

I have always had a fondness for trains. I grew up in Detroit and there is an intricate network of level crossings moving part into factories and cars out of them. I would take my Thomas the Tank Engine crazed nephew to see the trains on display at the Henry Ford Musuem at Greenfield Village. I even went to the B&O Railroad Museum with the aforementioned nephew's father in Baltimore (we had planned to see a game at Camden Yards but the strike of 1994 commenced the week prior to our trip).

Stranger things have drawn people to a destination and train aficionados are a passionate bunch. Let's hope they can keep up the steam to complete their goal.

I promise to stop using song titles for my blogs...at least for a while.