Wasatch Railroad Contractors is pleased to announce that we will be attending the Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, Steam Threshers Reunion scheduled for September 2-6, 2010. WRC will be operating 15-inch gauge live steam locomotives with new 15-inch gauge Cagney replica riding cars. (See pictures attached.) Our operating display will be located near the exit of the Midwest Central Railroad's round trip tour of the park grounds. The 150 foot WRC operation is scheduled to operate daily for the entire event. Come visit us, mention to our staff that you saw this posting, and receive a free pair of work gloves... Perfect for operating your favorite steam locomotive!

More information about what we will have there can be seen at http://projects.wrrc.us/?p=568

This appears to be an exciting year for the reunion. The reunion itself is celebrating 60 years and the Midwest Central Railroad is celebrating 50 years. More information about the Old Threshers Reunion can be found at http://www.oldthreshers.org

See you in four weeks!

When I lived down near Ft Wayne, IN, there used to be a Threshers reunion not 2 miles away on a local farm, it was hugely popular, I would be there every day I could, even rode my bike out to it, as a youngster, hung around a few engines and helped the crew and cleaned flues, fire, maybe drive a bit.

There was plenty of activity and a local popular Am station at the time (WOWO) would have live broadcasts, one DJ would have night slide travel shows (Bob Sievers ironically died in 2007 3 years ago, 50 years working at WOWO)
There were the Keystone cops chasing striped prisoners around the place..

The Steam traction engines had plenty to do, link up to some big fans and blow the air around great during summer, a teeter totter where an engine had to balance on it, a steep hill to test the climbing ability of the engines, and a "Slow Race" the slowest engine wins, one engineer I know always won it, called Percy, he always had the best balanced maintained engine on the place just creeping along, they would thresh wheat, or make wood veneer at the Sawmill. There were food tents all over the place and there was the usual farm of Gas Engine poppers. Large Flywheeled gas run devices big and small, when the speed got too small a gas charge went in and POW! off it went at high speed, then also you could get popcorn at the steam operated popcorn wagon.

I think there is today still a threshers reunion in the area. The Farm owner died which kinda took out that threshers reunion, but it was a ball.

Here's a great site with listings of these events in the U.S. and Canada. They offer an annual print directory also. http://www.farmcollectorshowdirectory.com/event

Jim Tatum.