CONNEAUT LAKE PARK – Conneaut Lake Park has taken the first step to getting its miniature train back on the track this year.

Park officials ordered replacement rails and spikes for the project last week and now are waiting to raise enough money to buy railroad ties, according to George Deshner, general manager. A local shop is donating materials and labor to repair the train’s wheels and bearings to get the popular attraction back in operation.

To date, $7,100 has been raised toward a goal of $56,000 needed for remaining work to get the train running for the 2006 season. When the first $4,666 raised was in the bank last week, the spikes and rail were ordered. Speaking at a recent meeting, Deshner said he discovered that rails are only made once a year. He learned when he ordered the new rail that he had called just in time. A few days longer and it would have been too late for 2006.

The ties will cost about $9,000, Deshner said, noting as soon as that amount is in the bank, he will place the order. He said some people questioned whether all the ties needed to be replaced. “I walked the entire train track and yes, they do,” he said.

Funds are being raised through a special “buy a brick” campaign where people, businesses and others can purchase a brick and have a name or other message engraved on it. Bricks then will be placed in the train area.

Bricks cost $100 each and allow for three lines of type with 20 letters on each line (including spaces between letters). Conneaut Lake Institute is heading up the campaign, accepting donations and keeping the order records.

Initial plans were to have railroaders’ names on the first line, name of the railroad where they were employed on the second line, and their dates of employment on the third line, making it a railroad tribute.

However, recognizing that other people also wanted to contribute to the cause, the campaign was expanded to allow anyone to purchase a brick.

Carol West, Conneaut Lake Institute treasurer, is excited about the campaign. She told of one order with grandchildren’s names signed by the grandparents. Other orders have included the addresses of cottages of summer residents, she added. “It will be fun to watch the kids come and find their names,” she said.

The Conneaut Lake Area Historical Society has joined the Institute in raising funds by putting collection cans in various outlets for those who want to participate but don’t have an extra $100 to contribute.

Society members will collect the funds and turn them over to the institute.

“If we can raise $85,000 in 1985 to bring the Liberty the Second out of the bottom of Conneaut Lake, surely we can raise $56,000 to return this popular attraction to Conneaut Lake Park,” said one historical society official, referring to the raising of a speedboat which sank in 1920 and was recovered in 1985. The society now houses that speedboat.

Society officials are asking other clubs and organizations, as well as businesses, to “get on board” by having bricks engraved with their names.

In addition, the society said that for each $100 raised in the cans at local businesses, the society will have the name of the business engraved on a brick. For example, if $100 is raised in donations at Mama Bear’s Restaurant, the brick purchased with that money could read “Customers of Mama Bear’s Restaurant, 2006” or a similar message.

Businesses where less than $100 is raised will have their totals added to others and a brick would simply read something like “Fans of Conneaut Lake Park” or a similar message.