National railroad convention stirs memories

When James Sucha pulled the whistle on the 1004 locomotive at the Mower County Historical Society Saturday, he wasn’t just greeting a group of 200 tourists, he was getting reacquainted with a defining feature of his hometown.

William D. Sucha, James’ father, was a key force in bringing the train display to the historical society. On Saturday, 215 members of the Milwaukee Road Historical Association toured the trains in Austin as part of the annual national convention.

“We have a lot of interesting people from all over the country here today — Milwaukee fans,” said James, who drove to town for the day to visit Austin and see the convention. “It’s a terrific railroad. It just kind of gets in your blood. It has a spot in all of our hearts.”

That was the case with the Sucha family. James wrote a book and made a DVD on the now defunct railroad company, his grandfather worked on the railroad and his father became a key player in its local preservation.

James’ father, William, was the clerk of courts for Mower County. The family moved away in 1970, but James said he still considers Austin home.

“This is Bedford Falls for me coming back home,” he said, referring to the classic film “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

“The character of George Baily, that’s my dad. I see my dad in that character,” he said.

James said his father left a lasting legacy in Austin, which was on full display Saturday.

The wooden caboose at the historical society is one of only about four still in existence, according to Art Jacobsen of Great Falls, Mont. The Historical Society’s 1004 steam engine is one of the only types of that engine still preserved. The engine made the last steam trip of any Milwaukee Road line.

The passenger cars at the historical society also have a long history, as they were used as commuter cars in Chicago.

To James, that’s part of the legacy his family has left behind in Austin.

“It’s my legacy here,” James said. “I see my dad here.”

James lives in Green Bay, Wis., where he cares for his mother, Bernice. William died of Alzheimer’s last year, but James said his mark lives on in Austin.

James has never been completely removed from Austin. His grandparents still lived there after he left, and he painted the 1004 locomotive as a teenager, a coat of paint the engine still sports today.

While James said he drove people nuts by constantly pulling the train’s bell when he painted it, Saturday was the first time he’d heard its whistle, since it wasn’t restored until years later.

“You hear the soul of the engine that way, and believe me, you never forget it,” he said. “It sends a chill down your back.”