The Union Pacific "Challenger," a 1943 steam locomotive, will be making a half-hour stop in Le Mars on Wednesday, Oct. 1 at 1 p.m. along Lincoln Street near 8th Street Southwest. The public can view the train from the outside. [Click to enlarge]

Union Pacific's "Challenger" No. 3985 will steam into Le Mars next Wednesday for a brief visit

The visit comes during the 1940s locomotive's round trip tour from Cheyenne, Wyo. to St. Paul, Minn., and back.

People can take a look at the restored train engine during its half-hour stop Oct. 1 along Lincoln Street near the south Wells Dairy ice cream plant at Eighth Street Southwest.

"It's really an amazing sight," said Brenda Mainwaring of Union Pacific (UP). It's enormous and entirely different from most trains you see today."

Built in 1943 for fast freight service, "Challenger" is 122 feet long and weighs more than 1 million pounds. It can reach top speeds of 70 mph.

Originally, No. 3985 burned coal. In 1990, after it was restored, it was converted to run on No. 5 oil.

In 1959, UP retired No. 3985, but in 1981 UP employee volunteers restored it to running condition.

The running locomotive will be a rare sight in this area, Mainwaring said.

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UP has not operated a steam train across this rail line through Le Mars since they took ownership of it, which was a couple of decades ago.

"We like to take it around to help people see a bit of American history," she said.

Boarding access to the train is by invitation only, but the general public will be able to view the locomotive's exterior.

Local county and city engineers, public works directors, law enforcement officers and elected officials are being invited aboard for a short ride to Sioux City. From there the train will continue on its way to Wyoming.

UP also operates another steam locomotive, No. 844, which has never been pulled out of service.