(Atlantic, Iowa) – An old Rock Island Railroad box car that sat on the tracks near Olsen’s BP in Atlantic for more years than most people can remember, has found a new home in Sioux City. Gary Richter, with Richter and Sons Towing, in Atlantic, was busy overseeing the loading of the rail car onto his flatbed truck Thursday.

Photo courtesy Becky Christensen

Olsen BP owner Keith Olsen has donated the rail car to the Sioux City Railroad Museum. Richter told KJAN News they began the process at around 9-a.m.

The car weighs about 30-thousand pounds, which is why Richter brought out his big boom truck to load the railcar. He estimated it would take about 3 hours to load and lock-down onto the heavy duty trailer. The rail car is not the heaviest piece of equipment they’ve loaded, though.

Making the move from the track to the truck takes a bit of choreography.

Keith Olsen told KJAN News he doesn’t know the entire history of the rail car, but he knows it had been used to store things for more than 60-years.

Olsen said he was contacted this past Winter about the metal box on wheels, that’s referred to as a “Tool Car,” after someone saw it and inquired if they could have it for the Sioux City Museum.

(Left) Matt Merke with the Sioux City Railroad Museum, and Keith Olsen, with Olsen’s BP.

He called it “Coincidental Luck.” He said the Siouxland Museum is the third to have contacted him over the years, but was the first to follow through on making the arrangements.

The Sioux City Railroad Museum has a spot all picked out for Atlantic’s box car.