Strum Steam Engine Days
Back to the Article |  The Beef River Flyer During Steam Engine Days |  Pictures
THE BEEF RIVER FLYER DELIGHTS KIDS AND ADULTS EVEN TODAY
Former Strum Beef River Flyer in 2005, Now at Carson Park, Eau Claire
Provided compliments of Dave Peterson. Dave is a son of Horace Peterson and Horace a son of George & Hannah (Amundson) Peterson, owner of Ford Motors in Strum for many years up until about the mid 1950s.

The engine was purchased by the Chippewa Valley Railroad Association of which Dave is a member. The club bought the locomotive in 1976. The first train ride in Carson Park, Eau Claire, Wisconsin was given in 1977. It has run every year since.  Eau Claire is twenty miles north of Strum. Dave operated the Beef River Flyer years ago and continues to operate it today at Carson Park. Bill Amundson, shown on the Steam Engine Day picture of the Beef River Flyer at the link above, is a cousin of Horace Peterson.

When the Chippewa Valley Railroad Association purchased the Flyer, they installed a new boiler.. They also changed the distance between the rails from 19 inches to 16 inches.

Horace Peterson passed away in spring 2005.

Posted 5 November 2005, revised 8 Nov 2005 to correct ownership of the train
Fred Matson