Wednesday, March 10, 2021

Oakwood Park Steam Engine Vandalized – Feb. 1961

Photo courtesy of RRPictures.NET
Copyright Wendy Crim
Remember when the retired Nickel Plate Engine 384 sat in Oakwood Park, facing State Route 57? 

The majesty of its size and the unique park setting really made it something special to see, especially for kids. I know my siblings and I used to watch for it, whenever my family went shopping at Hills Dept. Store. 

(I posted an article about the arrival of NKP 384’s arrival in Oakwood Park in June 1960 back here.)

Unfortunately, the temptation to vandalize it was a little too great in the time period shortly after it was installed in the park. Read all about it in the article below, written by Jack LaVriha, which appeared in the Lorain Journal back on Feb. 23, 1961. In the article, LaVriha compares Lorain’s engine, and how it was displayed, to a similar one in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

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I’m afraid there's no good news to report as to the restoration of NKP 384, which remains in Wellington at this time. (Click here to visit the Facebook page.)

Photo circa 2011 courtesy of Blake Lewis 


3 comments:

-Alan D Hopewell said...

I remember being told that the fence was put in place because of some kid being injured while climbing around on the engine.

LHS Blazer Man said...

When I lived on the corner of Euclid & Sterling (1952-55, aged 2 to 5 years old), I remember these steam locomotives roaring by two blocks away. I also have a memory of horse-drawn milk wagons. Is that possible?

-Alan D Hopewell said...

Certainly; I can remember a trip to New York our family took in 1957; I was eighteen months old.