Motor Car Outing at Boon, Iowa
by Bruce Crosby
We started out on the trip on Friday afternoon, November 3rd, 2000. We drove 5 hours to Boon, Iowa and got there about 10:00pm Frinight night after leaving about 4:20pm. We all stayed at the Boon Super 8 for the night, retiring about 11:00pm. The motor car run was on Saturday morning, with cars starting to be put on the tracks at 8:00am. There were about 45 speeders from all over USA; from California, Wisconsin, MN, and Iowa. The trackage used for the motor car run was the tourist line Boon & Scenic Valley RR, which during the summer months operates a steam engine which is the only steam loco made in China in the USA. The loco was made in 1986. The first motor car run of the day started at 10:00am. The round trip out and back took 2 hours.
Everyone in our group went on the first trip. Anita Crosby & Sharon Koci bummed a ride with a guy who came from California.
The rest of us (Stan Koci, Amanda Koci, Debbie Wiprud, Danny Wiprud, Tom "our pilot" Wiprud, and myself) piled into Tom's Kalamazoo Motor car and off we went!! The trip takes you over two fairly long trestles, one low and the other 150 ft. up and about 1/3 mi. long - great view and a bit scary the first time across!!!
We went on a second run around 12:30 pm. On this trip Tom, Stan, and Bruce rode Tom's car and Danny & Amanda hitched a ride. Anita, Deb & Sharon went shopping!!! We got back from the trip around 2:30pm and then all met and together went and had chili which our hosts provided. Stan, Sharon, Amanda, Anita & Bruce left the motor car rally around 3:30pm as Tom, Deb & Danny were leaving on another run in the motor car. We said our goodbyes as Tom blew his BIG 5 chime air horn going by the depot.
The Kocis and Crosbys then took a side tour to a high bridge which is on the UP Main Line. The Bridge, called the "Kate Shelly Bridge," is over 150 ft. high and 3/4 mi. long over the Boon River Valley. From there Stan & Bruce had to stop at Boon's Hobby Shop for a short visit and about 4:30 pm we headed the van North toward MN and 5 hours+ later we arrived in Hutchinson. Everyone was tired but remarked at how good a time we all had. The Wipruds stayed and had a night run, spent Sat night in Boon and then returned to Hutchinson on Sunday.