Dave Luca (right), President Rochester Chapter NRHS, starts the dedication to an unsuspecting Rand Warner (left).

In the summer of 1991, it was decided to honor the Chairman of the museum for his many years of service at the museum both as Chairman and as a volunteer at the Museum by dedicating EK6 in his honor. Rand Warner had been instrumental in the locomotives donation, so it was only fitting it be named for him as a thank you for his work to that point and as a continual reminder of the work he continues to do for the museum.

Of course, those of us that were on the dedication committee wanted the dedication to be a surprise and we wanted to do something special for the museum / Rochester Chapter NRHS summer picnic. But, first how do you hide a large brass plaque affixed to the side of a locomotive and second, how do ever get the Chairman to go home, so you can affix the plate! The night before the picnic, several volunteers including the creator of this website "hung" around the museum late waiting for Rand to leave. Since it was a nice summer day and daylight was plentiful late into the day, Rand did not decide to leave until near 9PM.

With a confirmed departure, the crew went to work drilling, tapping, and affixing the brass plaque to the side of EK6's frame directly under the window with help from a set of work lights. Now, how were we going to hide this, so that it would be a surprise. It was discovered that the museum had a whole bag of bunting and flags donated to it. While it was somewhat silly looking, we could cover the plaque with a flag. However, to further mask our intentions, flags and bunting was draped over several other pieces of equipment to draw attention away from the EK6.

The next day, the party went off without a hitch with good food and lots of trains. The flag held on covering its secret until the afternoon dedication by Rochester Chapter NRHS President Dave Luca. At that point, the flag was dropped showing off the new addition to EK6. Quite a surprise to an unsuspecting Rand. Mission accomplished!

Rand and the locomotive that bears his name continue to be cornerstones at the museum and we hope this trend continues for a long time into the future. Now take a look at operation Name That Locomotive.

The frame of EK-6 is illuminated awaiting the affixing of the dedication plaque to it.

Museum volunteer John Redden taps one of the holes drilled into the frame to hold the dedication plaque.

Museum volunteer Duncan Richards gets some help positioning the dedication plaque.

The plaque is completed and affixed to EK-6 the night before the dedication. It was then covered in hopes of keeping the dedication a secret.

EK-6 sits in the R&GV Railroad Museum yard the day of the dedication. Note the flag covering the dedication plaque.

Museum volunteers unveil the plaque during the dedication ceremony.

The final product, EK-6 with its dedication plaque.

Rand Warner and his wife Marge Warner pose next to the newly dedicated EK-6.