Purdue News
Purdue News
The first stop for the Victorian-era locomotive will be East Lansing, Mich. , for the Boilermaker's season opener Saturday (8/31) against Michigan State University. The Special also will make stops in South Bend Sept. 14 for the game against the University of Notre Dame; State College, Pa. , Oct. 12, Pennsylvania State University; Madison, Wis., Nov. 2, University of Wisconsin; and Evanston, Ill. , Nov. 16, for the game against defending Big Ten champion Northwestern University.
The Reamer Club, the official caretaker of the Special, will use the locomotive to escort the team and band to the field and will drive the locomotive around the campus boosting the spirits of Purdue alumni and fans, just as the club has done since 1953.
"The Special is very popular wherever we go; we seem to get a rise out of the other teams' fans and students," said Ned Franklin, senior in electrical engineering technology from Evansville and Boilermaker Special chairman for the club. "The Special also draws a crowd, which is good for both Purdue athletics and the university.
"I've also talked with the players, and they take comfort in the fact that the Special's there -- it really motivates them to play better."
The Special has been a fixture on the West Lafayette campus since 1940. The current Special is the fifth one, and it was dedicated on Sept. 25, 1993. It's nine feet tall at the smokestack, 24 1/4 feet long, and slightly less than eight feet wide. Powered by a Navistar 404-horsepower diesel engine, the locomotive has room for 14 people.
The Special is the result of a collaborative effort of corporations, alumni and volunteers. Hoosier firms that contributed are: ABC Metals, Logansport ; Allison Transmission Division of General Motors, Indianapolis ; B&M Electrical Co. Inc., Lafayette ; Carpenter Shop, Purdue Physical Facilities; Clean Seal Inc., Mishawaka ; Fastenal Co., Lafayette ; General Automotive Supply Inc., Lafayette ; Girtz Industries Inc., Monticello ; Good Vibes Sound, Lafayette ; Hydra Air Distributors, Indianapolis;
KWH Services, Lafayette ; MAGIC Glass Inc., Lafayette ; Metal Fab Engineering, Monticello ; Ohio River Brass Lighting, Lawrenceburg ; Oscar Winski Co. Inc., Lafayette ; Parker Hannifin Corp., Franklin ; Pyramid Signs (formerly Vandergraffics), Lafayette ; Tork Products Inc., Lafayette ; Transportation Safety Devices, Indianapolis ; Uniroyal Adhesives and Sealants Co., Mishawaka ; Uniroyal Engineered Products, Mishawaka ; Wabash National Corp., Lafayette ; and Weldstar Co., Logansport .
CONTACT: Franklin, (317) 494-2687; home, (317) 495-3037
twh/special/no
