The first annual convention of The Saginaw Valley Live Steam
Association was a huge success. The estimated attendance was 1500.
This may not sound like a very large crowd to some of the older
clubs, but considering this was the first convention ever held in
this part of Michigan and the fact we had rain the day before, we
think it was wonderful.
Saturday, July 21, was a rainy day in Flint and Montrose but all
the people who did come out would sit in their cars during the rain
and come right on out after the rain and want us to keep the steam
up, which we did until dark. There were several highlights, one
being Melvin Shetler’s Stevens which the old timers said was
something they hadn’t seen in years and there are very few
being shown at any convention. Howard Shaw as engineer and Carl
Johnson as boss put on a wonderful show in the morning and again in
the afternoon threshing wheat with Carl’s Port Huron engine and
separator. Then Gerald Payne and his Case was a show-stopper when
his smooth running engine was put in motion. Orville Estes’
steam boat was not put in the water because of soft banks, but
Orville fired her up and kept the prop running all day and sure
drew his share of the crowd.
In the Locomotive Department Seeley Randall’s 1 was about
the busiest railroad in operation on that date. There was about 500
feet of track laid and on each trip he carried a full pay load.
Harold Pettit’s ‘O’ gauge locomotive and mixed train
always draws crowds. The steam pop corn machine could hardly keep
up with the orders for pop corn. Wesley Trathen owns this popper
but it was overhauled by Ed. Penrod for this convention. Mrs.
Trathen and Mrs. Donald Massey operated the machine.
