March 31, 2004 + Arn Granheim + (updated: 6/22/04)

ARN GRANHEIM discovered the live steam hobby late in life.  After a long and distinguished career he retired as a LTC from the US Air Force.  During his military career he saw combat in WWII as a glider pilot in Europe and continued service in the Korean and Vietnam conflicts.  After retirement he discovered model trains.  Like so many others of us in the hobby, he was involved in the smaller scales, N and G in Arn’s case, for many years.  In March of 2000 Arn attended his first live steam meet at the Southwest Live Steamers meet in Devine, TX.  He was immediately taken by the large enough to ride trains and by the friendliness and camaraderie of the SWLS group.  He was hooked!  From that day on the hobby became a passion in his life.  He purchased an RMI electric speeder and trailer car and set about to construct maintenance of way equipment to pull behind his speeder.  He successfully completed a self-contained power and light car and had many other ideas for MOW equipment in various stages of design.  Arn joined, and was an active member, of Southwest Live Steamers, Houston Area Live Steamers, Maricopa Live Steamers, and Train Mountain Railroad Museum.  When not traveling to meets, he stored his equipment at the Wimberley, Blanco & Southern RR where he was a frequent participant in work sessions. Arn passed away on March 31, 2004 after a courageous battle with cancer, he was 81 years of age.  He will be sincerely missed. (The picture is of Arn on his beloved speeder at a meet at the Annetta Valley & Western RR near Ft. Worth, TX).

Submitted by:
Bill Laird
Southwestern Live Steamers