TRAIN TOWN PROJECT

The “Train Town Project” will be located at the Little Falls Railroad & Doll Museum in Cataract Wisconsin. The Little Falls Railroad & Doll Museum is a Wisconsin not for profit Corporation established as an IRS 501 c 3 organization in 1995. It is a membership organization.

The Museum is located on a three-acre site on County Highway I, 1.8 miles east of the unincorporated village of Cataract.

The Train Town Project will have as the basis, a Williams Amusement Park train. It is a twelve-inch gauge train with a four car consist that can carry twelve children. It is powered by a five horsepower Briggs & Stratton engine concealed in a body replicating an early F-3 Diesel. It is one of two remaining trains of this type, the other being at Estes National Park in Colorado. This is not a toy train. The length is 32 feet.

At present, there is 260 feet of operating track. The project would extend this to 860 feet.  A depot, with a loading platform is to be constructed, so that children could use it as a regular depot for boarding trains and for train movement. The ticket/telegraph office in the Railroad Museum would be used as the other depot. A tunnel would be constructed similar to those tunnels at Tunnel City, or on the present day bike trail, complete with doors, and would be used for protecting the train in inclement weather and wintertime storage.

Operating crossing and movement signals would be emplaced.

A teaching unit and training class would be provided before any children were permitted to operate the railroad. Parental consent would be mandatory.

The Railroad teaching unit would be developed to teach the history of railroading, basics of railroad operation and the occupations therein. A separate unit would be developed to teach the history of the role of railroads in the development of Monroe and Jackson Counties and the Country. It will be made available to all fourth and fifth graders in schools in the area, and their classes would be encouraged to participate in a hands-on operation. We have been in contact with the schools and have been told they would welcome, and utilize, such a project.

Scouts would be able to participate in the operation and thus earn merit badges in a number of areas.

A railroad club would be formed for any, and all, children (and adults?) interested in railroading, and would have hands on operations as well.

Supporters will be recognized on a plaque on the site. For information, contact Dr. Jim Brown at 608 272 3266