WOODVILLE – Janet Spurlock, Heritage Village Executive Director received the restored three-wheeled railroad handcar just in time for the annual Heritage Village Harvest Festival on Friday, Oct. 16 – Saturday, Oct. 17. The handcar is on display in the Durwood Ling Buggy Barn, along with 24 vintage horse-drawn vehicles.
The railroad handcar, heavily damaged by time and weather, was carefully disassembled by local antiquities restorer David Robinson. For 45 days, Robinson dedicated every evening to research and restoration of the handcar. He repaired the metal components and milled new wooden parts. As would have been done originally, he used oak lumber for the spokes and ash lumber for all other wooden parts. He painted the reassembled handcar with bright red and yellow tractor paint.
By carefully researching the components, Robinson was able to determine that the rear wheel matched those manufactured by the Sheffield Car Company of Michigan. It was George Sheffield, founder of that company, who invented three-wheeled railroad handcars in the late 1800s.
The restored three-wheeled railroad handcar will be one of many treasures on display during the Heritage Village Harvest Festival in Woodville on Friday, Oct. 16 and Saturday, Oct. 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Demonstrations include blacksmithing, spinning, weaving, quilting, candle making and painting. Pioneer crafts and food vendors will be available. There will be sack races and tug-of-war challenges for students.
