Courtesy photos Above, from left, John Pickard, chairman of the #730 restoration committee, and Bill Marmalick, promote the upcoming golf scramble to support restoration efforts for the steam engine located in Gladstone.

Courtesy photos
William Heslip stands next to Soo Line Steam Engine #730 with his brakeman gloves on as the engine is moved to its final resting place next to the highway in 1960.

GLADSTONE — Soo Line Steam Engine #730, which sits along the highway in Gladstone, has ties to many Delta County families, but none more so then the William J. Heslip Family.

William Heslip — grandfather to Bill Marmalick, who recently made a $600 donation to the restoration of the engine — was born in Ontario, Canada. His wife, Edyth, was born in Gladstone. The couple was married in 1926, and William started and ran a taxi and truck service business until 1944, when he went to work on the Soo Line Railroad as a brakeman and conductor. He retired in retirement in 1953.

In 1959, the steam engine era came to an end, and the Soo Line Railroad looked to retire their fleet of steam engines by donating them to the major hubs along its route from Minneapolis to Ste Sault Marie, Mich. Heslip, along with Peter Cannon, approached the Soo Line and asked one be donated to the city of Gladstone.

In the summer of 1960, as the new Highway was being built along Railway Avenue, land was prepared and cleared for Steam Engine #730 to have its final resting place. In the fall of that year, the Soo Line Railroad donated the engine to the city to display and memorialize the steam engine era of railroading.

Late last summer, the restoration of a Delta County historical exhibit and site began. The steam engine has greeted tourist and rail fans young and old for a generation and continues to be a Delta County landmark for all to enjoy, but work was needed to preserve the engine. A committee was formed by Gladstone native John Pickard, whose father had hired out on the engine for the Soo Line Railroad back in 195 and continued as a conductor retiring in 1987.

Pickard’s father was part of a group of 14 former and current employees who would wash and clean and paint the engine every summer. Sadly, they had all passed away except for one remaining member, who is 89 years old.

More than 20 years ago, John Larkin from the E.LS. Railroad donated over $50,000 to remove asbestos, refurbish metal, paint and clean the engine and install new lighting around the engine. Unfortunately. the lights have burned out and pigeons moved in and began slowly destroying the engine.

Fundraising to support the new effort to restore the engine and site is underway, and a four-person scramble golf outing is planned at the Gladstone Golf Course on Sunday, Sept. 18 with a 10 a.m. with a shotgun start.

Other tasks have already been completed. Bird netting has arrived and will be installed soon by the Building and Trades Union of Upper Michigan. New LED lights were donated by WPPI, the utility provider for Gladstone, and the lights were installed by a volunteer electrical crew from N/K Electric of Escanaba. Paint will be ordered soon and cleaning and painting will be done by the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades Local 10-11 of the Upper Peninsula.

Future plans include a parking area, a historical marker and a timeline kiosk.

Anyone who would like to make a donation any amount of money to help preserve this engine is appreciated. Checks can be made out to the City Of Gladstone C/O Soo Steam Engine #730, 1100 Delta Ave., Gladstone, Michigan. 49837