Lazy L Production present AO Lawson's Dream Train

Arthur Osco Lawson's Dream Train story. We've been told that when our grandfather was young he use to hang out around the railroad tracks One day and Engineer saw him and ran him off threating to tell his parents. He yelled at the Engineer telling him one day he would be and Engineer or own his own train. While he and our grandmother had seven children he taught himself how to machine parts. He eventually became a machinist at the Y-12 Plant in Oak Ridge Tennessee contributing to the war efforts. Sometime in the 30's he built a machine shop next to the house. Using only his memory from watching the trains at the track, by 1933 he had completed the engine and tender car. Years later he finally completed his train. It consisted of the engine, tender car, box car, oiler, flat bed, coal car and caboose. The train was first propelled by using a homemade device consisting of a blowtorch and kerosene for fuel. It was later converted to compressed air. A majority of thee train was built from scrap material with very little being store bought. The track came from California and measured approximately 28' in diameter. After completing the train in the early 50's during family gatherings the kids would eagerly await Pa announcing he was getting the train out. The kids would carry the cars to the track, Pa would don his engineer cap and off we'd go. Sometimes we'd see him with a faint smile. We never knew if he was just enjoying his grandchildren riding the train or if he was thinking about the Engineer who ran him off knowing that he had his Dream Train.
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