Lincoln Funeral Train Car project nears completion

An Elgin conductor is on track to reproduce the 1868 steam locomotive that carried the body of President Abraham Lincoln to his Springfield funeral.

The Lincoln Funeral Train Car is being built from scratch in Dave Kloke's workshop to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the assassination and funeral proceedings. Supporters of the project plan to begin recreating the two-week train trip from Washington, D.C. to the capital of Illinois in about four months.

The Courier-News reports a nonprofit set up to finance the project is currently trying to secure permits and work with the National Park Service to display the train near Union Station or the Washington Mall.

The group will transport the train on a truck along the original funeral train route.

The train is set to appear in Springfield on May 2.