A 60,000-pound caboose will become the centrepiece of a major fundraising push at the Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario later this month as Smiths Falls strongman Tim Norris attempts to pull the railcar during the museum’s Father’s Day celebrations on June 21.
The event is part of a broader campaign to help fund a new roof for the museum building, according to longtime volunteer and board member Dawn Quinn.
“We need to raise money,” Quinn said during an interview on Monday, June 1. “We do have some raised already, but we still need to raise a lot more.”
The museum estimates that the roof replacement could cost between $150,000 and $250,000, depending on the materials used and the extent of structural work required.
Quinn said she supports installing a steel roof despite the added expense because of the long-term protection it would provide for the museum’s collection.
“If we’re going to do it, we want to do it right,” she said.
Norris is scheduled to attempt the caboose pull at 2:30 p.m. as part of a full day of activities planned at the museum grounds. This will be a world record-setting event if successful.
“The challenge will be great,” Norris told Hometown News on Monday. “The caboose will be 60,000 pounds with two brakemen on board, hopefully setting a world record. No one at my age or my weight has ever pulled such a heavy object.”
Norris, who turned 60 last week, recently returned from the 2026 World Strength Games in St. George, Utah, where he placed fourth in the Masters under-105-kilogram division for competitors aged 50 to 59.
He said the caboose pull would surpass his previous best of pulling a more than 40,000-pound garbage truck during competition.
“To practice for such a feat, I try to pull three or four cars linked together or push a car uphill,” Norris said. “I love doing things like that for my hometown.”
Norris said he enjoys participating in charity demonstrations and community fundraisers. He has previously deadlifted a car 16 times to raise money for spinal muscular atrophy initiatives and completed repeated bench press challenges supporting breakfast programs for children.
On June 21, RMEO event organizers will also host a fundraiser inviting visitors to guess how far Norris can pull the caboose, along with a silent auction and sponsorship opportunities for local businesses.
“We’re trying to keep it affordable because things are tough,” Quinn said, noting sponsorships are being offered for $250.
The Father’s Day celebration will feature authentic Second World War-era military vehicles presented by the Swords and Ploughshares Museum, along with vintage cars, yard games, train rides, museum exhibits and food fresh off the grill.
According to the museum website, the Father’s Day high tea experience, held inside the museum’s century-old dining car, has already sold out. Their Mothers’ Day high-tea event sold out in 36 minutes, Quinn said.
Museum volunteers, some dressed in period clothing, will guide visitors through exhibits and railcars while sharing the history behind the collection.
“We’re hoping when Tim pulls the caboose, we’re going to ask who wants to ride the caboose as he’s pulling it,” Quinn said with a laugh. “Add some more weight to it.”
The museum is also celebrating the recent arrival of an Ottawa streetcar that was relocated to Smiths Falls for restoration and display after being spared from the scrapyard.
Quinn said restoration work on the streetcar is expected to take about a month before it can be fully showcased to visitors.
Quinn, who has volunteered with the museum for about two decades, said the attraction continues to evolve through the dedication of volunteers and ongoing preservation efforts.
“That building so easily could just be gone,” she said. “I’ve seen so many of the changes, and it’s just fantastic.”Admission to the museum is required for the Father’s Day event, with additional fees for train rides. Activities will run throughout the day, leading up to the caboose pull. More information is available on the museum’s website.
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Congrats Tim Norris , that’s quite an accomplishment 👍