Southern 2-8-0 #401 chuggs past "Stair" tower while en route to downtown Monticello. The membership raised and donated $75,000 to construct this wood framed tower which was dedicated on September 21st, 2013. It is named in memory of one of the Museum's founding members, Richard P. Stair, who was also a former IC tower operator in Champagne, IL. The tower features two interlocking machines, one set of levers from the Gibson City IL tower and the other set is a Saxby & Farmer set from the Smithshire IL AT&SF depot.
As the years go by, more and more steam engines are being restored and operating therefore the old expression "steam is dead" is nothing but a false expression. Steam is strong and still ruling the rails.
