Local man displaying rail motor car at memorial car show

Thomas Griggs, 73, of Idaho Falls, will beryllium showing his Fairmont MT-14 Rail centrifugal car successful nan Mud Lake Car Show this weekend. Get a look astatine it successful nan video above. | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

TERRETON – The man down nan Mud Lake Car Show will beryllium recognized during nan 4th yearly arena this weekend.

Rick Caudle, a section car enthusiast and longtime mechanic, started nan car show successful 2021. He passed distant past twelvemonth astatine property 96. The 2024 arena has been dubbed nan Rick Caudle Memorial Car Show successful his memory.

During its inaugural year, betwixt 40 and 50 group participated and nan turnout has continued to grow.

Trish Petersen, 1 of nan organizers, tells EastIdahoNews.com group from Montana and Utah person attended successful nan past and she’s excited to spot who ends up attending this year.

“We person (someone from) Twin Falls and Mackay coming this year,” Petersen says. “It’ll beryllium a astonishment to spot really galore we get and wherever they’re from.”

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The arena is happening Saturday astatine nan Mud Lake Fairgrounds from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Car introduction fees person been waived acknowledgment to a generous sponsor. A sheet of judges will grant prizes to winners successful different categories and location will beryllium nutrient vendors, euphony and raffles.

Photo from past year’s Mud Lake Car Show | Courtesy CarolAnn Burwell Salzetti

Numerous participants from erstwhile years will beryllium returning, including Gary Shipley of Rigby pinch his 1964 Chevrolet El Camino and his 1966 Chevy pickup.

Also returning is Tom Griggs, who will show his 1983 Fairmont MT-14 obstruction centrifugal car. Griggs gave america a look astatine his railroad attraction conveyance up of nan event. Take a look successful nan video above.

The 73-year-old Idaho Falls man retired successful 2016 from a 20-year profession pinch nan Eastern Idaho Railroad and Union Pacific Railroad. He acquired nan defunct railroad conveyance successful 2020 from his brother, John, who passed distant successful 2022.

“It was (an empty) ammunition astatine nan time,” Griggs explains. “When he gave it to me, it had curtains successful it because nan individual he sewage it from had utilized it arsenic a playhouse for his grandkids. The motor was connected a different framework and truthful I had to spell successful and wholly reconstruct everything.”

Griggs has put a batch of effort into restoring nan engine, lights, seats, power and different amenities of nan MT-14.

Griggs calls his centrifugal car “The Legacy” because he is simply a third-generation railroader. His grandfather and begetter besides worked for nan railroad. All 3 names are engraved connected nan backmost of nan vehicle.

Rail centrifugal cars were erstwhile utilized to do railroad maintenance. Griggs says they stopped utilizing them astir 1989.

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Giving group rides successful his obstruction car during railroad excursions is thing Griggs picked up arsenic a hobby. Restoring and driving it is thing Griggs says is “just plain fun!”

He enjoys owning a portion of history and watching people’s excitement erstwhile they spot it.

“One mobility that’s asked a batch is ‘how accelerated will it go?’ It’ll do 85 mph down my Tahoe,” Griggs jokes. “We effort and support 20 mph (on nan track) and I’ve had this car up to 50 mph.”

But it peaks astir 60 mph, he says.

The champion portion of owning an MT-14 obstruction centrifugal car, according to Griggs, is getting a position of nan area you don’t usually get to see. Griggs says nan way from Idaho Falls to Newdale includes 1 of his favourite stops.

“We spell retired northbound of Idaho Falls, move astatine nan move and spell retired done Iona, Ririe, transverse nan Snake River and past climb up nan broadside of a hill. You get up connected apical and tin spot nan full valley,” he says.

Thomas Griggs successful nan obstruction centrifugal car connected nan tracks betwixt Parker and St. Anthony. | Courtesy Thomas Griggs

He’s shown his centrifugal car astatine nan Mud Lake Car Show and different events astir nan state nan past respective years. It earned nan “Spectators Choice” grant successful Mud Lake successful 2021. He’s excited for group to spot it again this weekend.

Petersen precocious acquired a 1968 Chrysler Imperial from a family personnel and has go acquainted pinch different car enthusiasts arsenic a result. Her favourite portion of nan car show is interacting pinch car owners and different group who attend.

She’s looking guardant to making caller friends astatine Saturday’s event.