SILVIS, Ill. — There were plenty of trains on display during Railroading Heritage of Midwest America's (RRHMA) Summer of Safety Open House in Silvis on Sunday. The locomotives weren't just there to look at but also to learn from.
RRHMA President Steven Sandberg said the goal of the event is to educate the public on how to stay safe around railroad property and equipment, especially at crossings.
"Even if there’s not a train there, they should always be thinking that a train could be coming," he said.
While many in the Quad Cities are familiar with the sounds of the train horns, some might not be familiar with how quiet they can be.
Sandberg says that sometimes trains can be “deadly silent.” That’s why the motto, “Stop, Look, Listen” is so important, he added. People are encouraged to take the time to stop, look and listen at railroad crossings — even if they don’t think a train could be coming.
Safety wasn’t the only topic of discussion. People also got to see a steam locomotive built in the 1930s. Silvis City Clerk Amy Malmstrom said that in the days leading up to the event, the City was getting multiple calls about the train.
"People from St. Louis, Chicago, Indiana — wanting to know when the train’s going to be here and if they can get close to it,” Malmstrom said. She calls it a once-in-a-lifetime experience to see the train, which traveled from Mexico City.
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