Bartlesville Club Helps Display Historic Steam Locomotive
For the second time in its history, the Bartlesville Rotary Club has
been instrumental in preserving and displaying a rare steam
locomotive for the benefit of the community and visitors.
More
than 50 years ago, the club was responsible for bringing Atchison,
Topeka and Santa Fe No. 940 to Bartlesville for display in the
city's Johnstone Park, rescuing the steamer from the scrap yard.
Over time, the locomotive was made inaccessible to the public by a
high chain-link fence and was subject to periodic flooding from the
nearby Caney River.
Last year a Bartlesville citizens group raised funds to move the
locomotive “back home” – alongside the historic Bartlesville Depot,
where it would be protected from flooding and more accessible to the
public. At this point, the Bartlesville (Monday noon) Rotary Club
stepped in to help complete the new display site.
The club has provided $11,000 for creating permanent access stairs
into the locomotive cab, decorative lighting, interpretative signage
and cosmetic restoration of the locomotive itself.
Contributions by club members were matched dollar-for-dollar by a
club foundation gift left by the late Dick Kane. A 50-year Rotarian,
Kane was president of the Rotary Club in 1955-56, when he along with
other club members arranged for AT&SF No. 940 to be brought to
Bartlesville for display.
“Our club board felt this was an ideal way to recognize our club's
original ties to this historic locomotive as well as honor Dick's
longtime contribution to the community,” said Debbie Mueggenborg,
club president.
The 106-year-old locomotive is the sole survivor of 342 engines of
its type built for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe. It is one of
only 50 preserved steamers that once traveled the huge Santa Fe rail
network. The locomotive steamed through Bartlesville regularly
during its 51-year life on the rails in Oklahoma, Kansas, New
Mexico, Colorado and California.
Members of the Bartlesville Rotary Club who are contributing to the
restoration and site improvement
of
steam locomotive AT&SF No. 940. Rotarians recreate the pose taken by
members of the club in 1956, when the organization was instrumental
in bringing the rare steam engine to Bartlesville, saving it from
scrap yard. Club members from left to right, top row, are Bob Kane,
Warren Sapp, John F. Kane, John B. Kane, bottom row, Dan Droege,
Shane Frye, Sam Taverner, Julia Crouch, Carol Whitebook, George
Halkiades, Brenda Pierce, Bill Kruckenberg, Bob Hasbrook and Don
Lauffer. The club has contributed $11,000 toward the project.
2010
The history of the locomotive and photos of the move to its new home
are at
www.bartlesvillelocomotive.org.