House of David Train in Benton Harbor lives again!

[BIG AMISH]

From Lou Mumford of South Bend Tribune


BENTON HARBOR — Remember the House of David Amusement Park, where children ate waffle ice-cream cones, rode ponies, gaped at lions, tigers and bears — Oh my — and took rides on a miniature railroad?

Yes, it’s gone, but its draw was such that it hasn’t been forgotten. And, this weekend, one aspect of the park will be resurrected: the miniature train rides.Earlier this week, House of David Eden Springs Park Preservationists Mike Lagness and Janet Keefer, Lagness’s fiancee, rolled out from the engine house in the park’s campground a miniature steam engine that from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday will provide the impetus for the $2 rides. The train will pull out of a restored depot, where tickets reminiscent of the originals will be sold beginning at 11 a.m.

The rides in handmade wooden cars built by park carriage makers in the early 1900s will take just 5 minutes but may spark memories for older passengers familiar with the park. The 1,200 feet of track painstakingly constructed by Lagness, Keefer and volunteers will circle the remains of the park’s Lion House, Stone House — as it sounds, a small house built entirely of stone — and what’s left of the park’s once popular vegetarian restaurant and flower shop.

What matters more than the length of the rides is that they’re being offered at all, for the first time in more than three decades. It also lends credence to the two miniature railroad train collectors and investors — a third has dropped out — who a couple years ago bought the amusement park grounds from the House of David in hopes of restoring the train-ride attraction.

"We have a 5-year plan. We’re at 2 and a half (years), so we’re doing good,’’ Keefer said.

Keefer and Lagness said it was Carey Williams, an investor from Chicago, who purchased the steam engine in Utah. It was built in New York in 1904, perhaps for use at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair.

Considering its history, the locomotive’s trip not only has been circuitous but time consuming.

"Carey went to Utah and brought it back here. It took 100 years,‘’ Keefer said, smiling.

At least three original steam engines from the park are known to exist but only one is on site. Lagness said No. 7, as he called it, was built in 1903, the same year the House of David colony was founded by Benjamin and Mary Purnell. An employee of Whirlpool, the 53-year-old Lagness hasn’t found the time yet to get the locomotive running.

The plan, he said, is to put proceeds from this weekend’s rides toward restoration of a 175-foot trestle that, once completed, would allow for a considerably longer stretch of track and significantly longer train rides. Some $30,000 is needed to restore the trestle, one of two that straddle park ravines.

Restoring the other, measuring 300 feet, would require $100,000 and isn’t likely to happen any time soon, if it does at all. But Lagness doesn’t close the door on the possibility, pointing out it was a tall order also to install the 1,200 feet of track.

"We’ve got a long way to go but we’ve also come a long way,’’ he said.

To access the park, visitors should pull into the entrance drive off Michigan 139, just north of Empire Avenue. Parking will be available near the engine house, across from a small entry building featuring a listing of campground fees.

[J T]

That 300 ft trestle is pretty cool. I took some pics of it last fall and will post them here when I get a chance. It'll be nice to see some before and after pics once they get it restored. I also got some pics of the steam engine when it was on display in a bank lobby in downtown St. Joe last fall.

I'm a little confused about this article, though. First they say that there will be 5 minute train rides this weekend, but then say the owner, a Whirlpool employee, hasn't had a chance to get it running yet. Did I read that correctly? (Posting from my phone and the text is really small!)

[CSX_CO]

It is somewhat confusing, but I believe that they have some other form of locomotion to pull the rides. I believe it is a steam engine from Utah? They say that they have only 1 of the original 3 on site, and its not running.

Practice Safe CSX

[J T]

Wow, I can't believe Jeff and Fred haven't chimed in on this thread.

Here are some pics I got last year. This was on display in the Chemical Bank lobby in St. Joe:




This bridge is looking pretty bad. I'd be surprised if they can revive it.

[csxt4617]

I was there today and rode the train, also walked around down below the hill and took a few pics. The one in your photo is the 300' one mentioned, and yeah, that one needs ALOT of work. It's also more spindly looking than the other one. The whole bridge is wood except for the little trusses underneath. The way it's warped, it kinda reminds me of that Monon bridge over Wildcat Creek (where one footing collapsed, skewing the structure out of alignment). The 175' bridge supposedly has good footings, and the bridge deck (made of metal) is sound. It needs new trestle bents though. Most of them were just resting on the footings, some off kilter. One was missing completely, and 2 others were laying against one (looking like an A). They also want to restore the fountain (the edge of it can be seen on the left side of J T's 3rd pic). They had a photo of it in full glory in front of it, so you could see how it looked back in the day. It's definitely worth checking out if you're in the area this weekend.

[J T]

They also want to restore the fountain (the edge of it can be seen on the left side of J T's 3rd pic). They had a photo of it in full glory in front of it, so you could see how it looked back in the day. It's definitely worth checking out if you're in the area this weekend.

I have a shot of the fountain, but haven't processed it yet. I'll post it later.

Fred, which locomotive were they using? Is the one in my photo above the operating unit, or is it the one that Lagness "hasn’t found the time yet to get running" yet?

[Jochs]

Here are some pictures I took when I went there on Saturday.
These are the cars they used, which they said are 100 years old.

Here's the actual train:


Here's some pictures of the area.
This is where the train went to Mary's City of David.

Here is one of the trestles, with two of the trestle bents falling over.


The waters of Eden Springs are believed to have healing properties.

Here's the fountain, and an old picture of the fountain.


The other wooden trestle:

And a warning for J_T

[Saturnalia]

Fun to see a bunch of old foamers on a train meant for a kid--This is why that bridge is falling over

[SD80MAC]

Fun to see a bunch of old foamers on a train meant for a kid--This is why that bridge is falling over

This place is like 100 years old and hasn't seen any kind of maintenance until fairly recently.

[Saturnalia]

Fun to see a bunch of old foamers on a train meant for a kid--This is why that bridge is falling over

This place is like 100 years old and hasn't seen any kind of maintenance until fairly recently.

I understand. Just still funney to see adults on a ride built for 5 year-olds

[J T]

Fun to see a bunch of old foamers on a train meant for a kid--This is why that bridge is falling over

This place is like 100 years old and hasn't seen any kind of maintenance until fairly recently.

I understand. Just still funney to see adults on a ride built for 5 year-olds

Jon, I think you should share some of your photos.

[Jochs]

Here's an article from the Herald Palladium:
http://heraldpalladium.com/articles/201 ... 069941.txt

[BIG AMISH]

i TOOK MY 3 KIDS (10, 7 & 3) ON THE TRAIN SAT AND THEY HAD A GREAT TIME. i HAD NEVER HEARD OF THE HOUSE OF DAVID TRAIN UNTIL ABOUT A YEAR AGO, BUT I THINK IT IS GREAT THAT IT IS RUNNING AGAIN AND I BROUGHT MY KIDS TO CREATE MEMORIES FOR A NEW GENERATION. BEST WISHES ON RESTORING THE TRESTLE. AS SOON AS IT OPENS I'LL BE THERE AGAIN.

[AARR]

J T and Jochs, great pictures. Going over those trestles in those little railcars is not for the faint of heart That place has great potential if they can get the funding.

[J T]

i HAD NEVER HEARD OF THE HOUSE OF DAVID TRAIN UNTIL ABOUT A YEAR AGO...

Same here. It's kind of bizarre to me to think that this place has existed all these years and hardly anyone knew about it. I've been going to BH/SJ for years and never heard ANY mention of this place, and I'm not just referring to the railroad aspect of it.

There is a House of David museum out near Riverside that I had passed by a million times but never knew what it was. When I finally decided to google it last year and read all about the history of the place, I was like .

[Jochs]

i HAD NEVER HEARD OF THE HOUSE OF DAVID TRAIN UNTIL ABOUT A YEAR AGO...

Same here. It's kind of bizarre to me to think that this place has existed all these years and hardly anyone knew about it. I've been going to BH/SJ for years and never heard ANY mention of this place, and I'm not just referring to the railroad aspect of it.

There is a House of David museum out near Riverside that I had passed by a million times but never knew what it was. When I finally decided to google it last year and read all about the history of the place, I was like .

I've known about the trains for over 20 years, even saw the one trestle about 20 years ago.
Apparently, they cooled the steam engines down at the end of the day with garden hoses. Bad idea, because it cracked the boilers.
A now deceased friend who managed the trailer park in the early 1990's had some of the track rebuilt and gave us a ride to the trestle on a train powered by a gasoline powered locomotive, and had visions of rebuilding the trestle and getting the trains running again. His failing health and lack of money prevented this from happening though.

[J T]

I've known about the trains for over 20 years, even saw the one trestle about 20 years ago.
Apparently, they cooled the steam engines down at the end of the day with garden hoses. Bad idea, because it cracked the boilers.
A now deceased friend who managed the trailer park in the early 1990's had some of the track rebuilt and gave us a ride to the trestle on a train powered by a gasoline powered locomotive, and had visions of rebuilding the trestle and getting the trains running again. His failing health and lack of money prevented this from happening though.

Well, I hope they can get the 903 running. Much bigger steam loco than the one in your pics above, and the color even matches the cars.

[tsinoms]

I have heard many times about the House of David, especially since they had the first professional baseball team ever!
I would love to go and ride the train around and see the House of David! Who knows... maybe if i get out of here quick enough i might be able to help rebuild the bridge.

[BIG AMISH]

video

http://www.wndu.com/hometop/headlines/B ... 65273.html

[Jochs]

video

http://www.wndu.com/hometop/headlines/B ... 65273.html

I must have posted in the Chatroom, but they have a website, and were planning on running the weekend of Thanksgiving.
Their website is http://www.edenspringspark.com

They will be running trains this coming weekend (12/3/11 and 12/4/11) to raise funds for the trestle, though at this time no times are listed. They ran from noon to 5pm in October.