02 Nov 2004

Vandals tore up track and ruined switches and other materials in a popular outdoor children's exhibit at the Medford Railroad Park sometime last week, causing an estimated $1,000 worth of damage.

"This is where Thomas the Train, the kiddie-poo train, runs," said Irene Zajac, club president of Southwest Oregon Large Scale Trains. She said 3- to 7-year-olds come to the park to see the tank engine made famous in the children's book series.

"The kids come charging up, 'Where's Thomas? Where's Thomas? Where's Thomas?'" she said. "If we don't run Thomas, they complain."

A club member came to the park Saturday to do some work and found a large portion of the small Garden Railway destroyed.

The Medford Railroad Park, on Berrydale Avenue off Table Rock Road, is open to the public every second and fourth Sunday, April through October.

Free rides on model steam engines are offered by the Southern Oregon Live Steamers at the 61&Mac2182-acre park, which also includes other trains and displays built by the Rogue Valley Model Railroad Club, the Morse Telegraph Club, the Southern Oregon Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society and the SOLST Garden Railway.

SOLST member Mike Miller, who laid the track with his teenage son, Gary, four years ago, said they donated weekends of labor to the project.

"I was really sick to my stomach since I knew how many hours my son and I put into laying the track," he said. "I would figure that it took us about 100 hours."

The park has seen little vandalism over the years, say members, aside from tools stolen.

Medford police Lt. Mike Moran said the vandalism took place between Oct27 and 30. Police have no leads as yet.

Moran said he visited the park frequently when he had young children.

"I take it very personally," he said.

Miller vows to repair the track by opening day in April.

"On the first-run day, nobody will know anything was wrong with it," he said.

To donate time, money or materials to the park, contact Zajac at irenezajac@aol.com or call her at 779-3420. If you have information for the police about the crime, call the non-emergency crime number at 770-4783. - Meg Landers, The Medford Mail Tribune, courtesy Larry W. Grant