Harold Borovec, considered by the Chehalis-Centralia Railroad & Museum to be the organization’s “founder and father,” a longtime rail engineer, steam train preservationist and beloved Chehalis community member, died Saturday, June 10.
He was 96.
Information on a memorial had not been publicly announced as of Wednesday.
“Known for his red and white polka dot hat, he continued to be the engineer until 2019 when he was 92 years old. He never gave up hope of climbing into his #15 locomotive again,” Chehalis-Centralia Railroad & Museum (CCRM) stated in a Facebook post announcing Borovec’s death.
While Engine #15 has been out of service since 2019, CCRM stated, “Because of Harold, this icon of Chehalis was brought back to life from its place at Recreation Park in 1989. Thank you, Harold.”
Borovec, born in 1927 in Chehalis, served as an engineer and mechanical officer for several steam tourist operations in Washington state, including the Puget Sound & Snoqualmie Railroad, the Camp 6 logging exhibit in Tacoma, the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad and CCRM, according to information published Monday by Trains Magazine.
In a 2013 interview with The Chronicle after he was honored with the South Sound Heritage Association Award, Borovec told a reporter he felt “compelled to continue his work and preserve steam train travel that mostly died off 50 years ago.”
“When asked how long he plans to continue working on the steam trains, he said confidently, ‘until I die,’” the article states.
Look for a full story on Borovec’s life and legacy in an upcoming edition of The Chronicle.
