Zach Wilde is visiting his great-grandfather, Gil Mangels, the founder of the Miracle of America Museum, and while he’s in town he’s giving away free train rides and raising funds for the start of his college career. 

When Wilde was pondering the ways he could raise some money to pay for his first semester at Portland Community College, great-grandpa Gil had an idea. He suggested Wilde should use his train enthusiasm and expertise to wow the kids with train rides and accept donations for his upcoming expenses.  

Wilde comes every year for Live History Days at the museum and when he’s here for the event he’s in charge of everything train related. For trips to Polson, Wilde either drives with his dad or takes the train and for this visit he jumped on the Amtrak.  

In the back yard of the massive museum there’s a model train with a track that runs in an oval around a few outbuildings and the replica train depot. The model is fully operational with a new engine and whistle Wilde helped install.  

“An interesting thing about this model here is that the paint scheme that we have on it is reminiscent of the Great Northern Empire Builder, which is actually the route that I take to get up here,” Wilde said while pointing down to the green and orange model that holds 10 kids.      Zach Wilde runs the model train around the track. It’s loud but not as loud as it used to be with the new engine Wilde helped put in. (Emily Messer/Leader)

“It's also a pretty rare piece,” added the young train enthusiast. “The company that made this miniature train company, they only made about 50 of these and there are only five left in existence.”  

Wilde has many fun facts about this model along with the many other models in the museum and the big old steam engine which he runs during Live History Days. When the kids come up for a free ride, Wilde takes them around the track a couple of times and through the tunnel while wearing his vintage conductor hat.  

“I got it from my great-grandfather,” Wilde said. “It's an old hat from the steam railroading era of Great Northern so, it came from the (Polson) area.”      Zach Wilde stands with great grandpa Gil Mangels by the model train. Great grandpa Gil had the idea for Wilde to raise money while giving free train rides. (Emily Messer/Leader)

After the ride he’s excited to educate and offer any fun facts he knows about the trains. Wilde has plans to continue restoring the model by adding lights and possibly a paint job in the future. He also is a train model expert and owns just over 100 models himself. Back home he is a part of a model railroad club.  

Wilde explained that everything in his life somehow connects back to trains. When he was a kid, he dreamed of becoming a railroad conductor, but he’s found the world of film where he can hopefully keep building models. Wilde is studying multimedia and minoring in film and art. In this career he plans to build props, miniatures, stage models and conceptual models.  

Wilde will be jumping back on the train to head home on Aug. 29 but until then he’s accepting any donations towards his college fund and has 10 free seats available on the model train at the Miracle of America Museum.  

 Zach Wilde drives the train through the tunnel behind the train depot. It’s too short to walk through but just big enough for the train and its passengers. (Emily Messer/Leader) 

    Zach Wilde pulls the whistle handle as he rounds the corner. The white post with a W represents when a conductor sounds the whistle as the train approaches a crossing. (Emily Messer/Leader)

 Zach Wilde explains to some children what the white post means to a train conductor. This post notifies a conductor to sound a train whistle as it approaches a crossing. (Emily Messer/Leader)