Get Thar’ Eli!

ELI in 1973, notice the Burlington Northern logo on the tender. 

Some of the best stories when it comes to Worlds of Fun have to do with how various attractions received their names. Some involved a 6-pack of beer, at least one involved a famous Kansas City Chief’s player, one had a naming contest, and one… was named after a racehorse. 

Yes a racehorse. 

The Newspaper article from the Chilicothe Constitution Tribune

A close up of the photo in the article. 

ELI, better known as Worlds of Fun’s sole steam engine from 1973 until 2018 has one of the most unique stories when it comes to how it acquired its name. The story is original from the 1973 Press Release, but was also repeated in the Chillicothe Constitution-Tribune in September 1973.  It goes that the engine named “ELI” and numbered “33” was named:

 “in honor of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (CB&Q) fast overnight rail service which ran between Kansas City and Chicago prior to the turn of the century.  When the train began running in 1888 some now-forgotten Missourian likened its speed to the fleetness of a popular Chilicothe racehorse of the day and shouted. “Git thar ELI!”   ("Worlds of Fun Railroad steams into Yesterday", 1973)

 The CB&Q later became part of the Burlington Northern system, and as many know Burlington Northern was the original corporate sponsor of the Worlds of Fun Railroad and ELI. 

John Graves lubricating the rod bearings on ELI in 1973.

Mid-American Enterprises, a company formed by Lamar Hunt and Jack Steadman to build and operate the park was concerned with making as many aspects of the park as accurate as possible for the time, from the seven wooden train trestles, to the steam locomotive, to even using the Burlington Northern's "Cascade Green" coloration on the engine and coaches. Even those running ELI were authentic retired Burlington Northern Engineers, including John Graves who started his career as a fireman on the CB&Q Railroad in 1945 and Ed Henrion who started with Burlington Northern in 1925 and retired in 1972.  John and Ed weren't alone either, they were joined by Ed Watson who retired from Union Pacific in 1970.   

John Graves as Engineer in 1973.

Ray Booth as Engineer of ELI back in 2009.  Nearly the same view as above, you can see the pull cable for the steam whistle above Ray's head. 

So to say Burlington Northern had a major impact on Worlds of Fun Railroad is an not an understatement. Ever since I read the original press release from 1973 back probably over 20 years ago I had accepted that version of ELI's story as absolute fact. Then one day, when I was looking at old park souvenirs I found one that labeled the engine not as ELI but as CHIEF.  Was it a typo? Possibly, though admittedly that would be quite peculiar for a “typo” to be such a perfect fit for an engine owned by the same company that also owned the Kansas City CHIEFS.

The souvenir plate in question.

So which story is true?  Without getting into a philosophical discussion on truth, I will say that I believe they both are.  I believe, that it is POSSIBLE that Mid-American Enterprise's original name for ELI wasn’t ELI at all but was CHIEF.  When Burlington Northern came aboard as sponsors of the railroad a decision was made to change the name of the engine in honor Burlington Northern’s long local history. 

Stonewall Jackson, Crown Metal #556 at Kings Dominion.  The future Levy.

In 2019 ELI was originally planned on coming back, and as we all know what was planned… just like ELI’s supposed original name, didn’t actually happen. Whenever the park may re-open, the park will have a new engine as officially released by the park, another Crown Metal steam engine, LEVY.  However, ELI has also not been forgotten, and whatever its original name may have been, ELI has been for almost 50 years, and will always be to all of us, ELI.