By CRISTINA JANNEY

Hays Post

ELLIS—The Ellis Railroad Museum is trying to assess its losses after someone damaged its BK&E miniature train Saturday.

Some of the windows were broken out and someone placed wood and debris under the cars, so the train derailed when staff tried to move it.

The museum will not know the exact amount of damage until volunteers get deeper into repairs, but Glen Keller, museum president and coordinator, said repairs could cost as much as $5,000.

A representative of the Ellis Police Department said police have no leads on who may have caused the damage. Anyone with information on the case is asked to call the EPD at 785-726-4141. Tips will be taken anonymously.

Many members of Ellis have put time and effort into maintaining the train, and the crime has been a significant blow to both the museum and the community.

“This kind of thing is devastating,” Keller said. “So many people make this work. Some are not even alive anymore. I hate to see that type of thing happen.”

The train is a scale model of an Arrow built by GMC. The miniature was built by Ottaway Amusements in Wichita and became a part of the Ellis collection in 1993.

The museum has insurance, but does not know due to the deductible if any of the cost of the repairs will be covered. Money will likely have to be diverted from other maintenance projects on the train.

The museum is taking donations for repairs. Anything raised above what is needed to fix the vandalism damage will be used for other train projects.

If you wish to donate to the restoration of the train, you can mail checks to the Ellis Railroad Museum at PO Box 82, Ellis, KS 67637.