Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
Share
Minerville railroad to hit auction block
DONNELLSON - The Fort Madison, Farmington & Western Railroad, Inc. and Minerville, a tourist railroad and old time country village, will be sold at public auction June 16-17 due to the owner's health.
The full size railroad and village are an authentic re-creation of a country branch line railroad and village circa 1930. It was conceived, designed and built - almost single-handedly - by Dave Miner (with support from wife Carol) beginning in 1990.
Tracks were laid, rolling stock purchased and restored and buildings built or moved in. There was virtually no hired help, with Dave performing most of the labor himself. His father-in-law, John Richers, was a major helper and a small group of volunteers helped on very limited occasions building the attraction. The railroad was then open to the public summer weekends for train rides for five years beginning in 1994 and on select weekends until 2006. The Railroad received much press in the ‘90s due to its uniqueness. Many newspapers, magazines and television stations ran stories on the popular attraction, including a feature by Iowa Public Television.
While admission was charged to cover some costs, the railroad was built and operated strictly as a “spare time” hobby. Miner owned and operated several businesses, including Miner Mfg. Co. Inc., which made building Minerville possible. The railroad was operated by a dedicated, authentically uniformed group of volunteers. Railroad Days every fall saw about 1,000 visitors and passengers over that weekend.
Part of Minerville will live on, as the Viele, Iowa schoolhouse (complete with desks), the Minerville Print Shop (complete with printing equipment) and the General Store have been donated to the Lee County Fair where they will be enjoyed for years to come.
Some notable items to be sold at the auction include a full size steam locomotive, old RR signs, lanterns, Model T Ford depot hack and an antique circus wagon wheel! The auction will sell many other items including more locomotives, railroad cars, hundreds of RR antiques and collectibles, antique vehicles, general store antiques, buildings, modern tools and equipment. Advertised nationally, the sale will be a very large two day event and hundreds of bidders are expected from throughout the country. The auction will be conducted by Sullivan Auctioneers, Hamilton, IL, one of the Midwest's largest and most respected auction companies.
The full size railroad and village are an authentic re-creation of a country branch line railroad and village circa 1930. It was conceived, designed and built - almost single-handedly - by Dave Miner (with support from wife Carol) beginning in 1990.
Tracks were laid, rolling stock purchased and restored and buildings built or moved in. There was virtually no hired help, with Dave performing most of the labor himself. His father-in-law, John Richers, was a major helper and a small group of volunteers helped on very limited occasions building the attraction. The railroad was then open to the public summer weekends for train rides for five years beginning in 1994 and on select weekends until 2006. The Railroad received much press in the ‘90s due to its uniqueness. Many newspapers, magazines and television stations ran stories on the popular attraction, including a feature by Iowa Public Television.
While admission was charged to cover some costs, the railroad was built and operated strictly as a “spare time” hobby. Miner owned and operated several businesses, including Miner Mfg. Co. Inc., which made building Minerville possible. The railroad was operated by a dedicated, authentically uniformed group of volunteers. Railroad Days every fall saw about 1,000 visitors and passengers over that weekend.
Part of Minerville will live on, as the Viele, Iowa schoolhouse (complete with desks), the Minerville Print Shop (complete with printing equipment) and the General Store have been donated to the Lee County Fair where they will be enjoyed for years to come.
Some notable items to be sold at the auction include a full size steam locomotive, old RR signs, lanterns, Model T Ford depot hack and an antique circus wagon wheel! The auction will sell many other items including more locomotives, railroad cars, hundreds of RR antiques and collectibles, antique vehicles, general store antiques, buildings, modern tools and equipment. Advertised nationally, the sale will be a very large two day event and hundreds of bidders are expected from throughout the country. The auction will be conducted by Sullivan Auctioneers, Hamilton, IL, one of the Midwest's largest and most respected auction companies.
Share this Article
 |
||
| Asking first goes beyond good manners |
John Anderson wrote on Mar 28, 2008 7:58 AM: