MEMORIALS PAGE

Over the years, there have been a number of members who have contributed massively to the Saginaw Railway Museum.

Some of these members are no longer with us. This page is to offer a memorial to them.

Randy Kleinbriel (1965 - 2006)

Randy Klienbriel was active in assisting with the depot’s restoration along with his father, Charlie, a charter member, in the early 1980s.

Randy was a very active member and served as the museum president for many years, often working at every open house and work session, plowing the parking lot, cutting the grass, and making minor repairs.

His mechanical knowledge made him instrumental in the restoration and operation of 4428 and 4433, and he was instrumental in obtaining our 25-ton switch engine as well as the Alco RS-1, along with other pieces of rolling stock.

Randy passed away unexpectedly due to natural causes on April 15, 2006, at the age of 41. His presence will definitely be missed around the museum.

Herb McCullagh joined the Saginaw Railway Museum in 1984 and quickly cemented himself as a historian and a hard worker. Herb was often present at every open house and had the ability to remember intricate details of railroad operations, often providing copious amounts of information to curious visitors. He wrote the newsletter for over a decade and often expounded on mid-Michigan’s rich railroad history.

Herb succumbed to a brave fight against Parkinson’s Disease on April 11, 2009, about a month short of his 73^rd birthday. His passing has left a hole in our hearts and in the museum that may never be filled, but every time a train passes the museum, we’ll remember Herb.

John Prior (1936 - 2007)

John Prior was very well known in mid-Michigan railroading circles. He worked for the Tuscola & Saginaw Bay Railroad, and its successor, Huron & Eastern for 21 years.

When the museum leased 4428 and 4433 to H&E, John was often the engineer, something we took great joy in, as he was already a friend to many of us. John was known for his great train-engineering abilities and for his love of jokes and storytelling. There are oodles of locomotive engineers, but John was one of a kind.

John passed away on September 10, 2007, at the age of 71.

Edgar Duclos (1913 - 2007)

Few names were as synonymous with the Saginaw Railway Museum as that of Ed Duclos, known to “Duke” to his many friends.

Ed was a generous supporter of the museum for over two decades and was an avid follower of all railroad lines in the US. In his later years, he became a fixture at museum open houses, often recounting stories of “the good old days” to interested visitors.

Ed passed away on January 31, 2009, only about three weeks after celebrating his 95^th birthday.