Built in 1948, this Monorail train was one of a dozen built for children and were in department stores across the country. Consisting of three cars which held 8 children per car, the train hung on an I-beam track and traversed the permimeter of the store. This particular Monorail was installed in Herpolsheimer’s Dept. Store in Grand Rapids, MI. in the late 1940’s. It operated until the mid-1980’s until the building was repurposed and the train donated to the Public Museum. I recall riding in it as a child, so restoring it was a blast. It had many incarnations over the years. There were many changes to the exterior reflecting different pant schemes and exterior modifications. My task was to remove at least a dozen coats of paint, restore the shells/seats and bring it back to the original “Santa’s Rocket Express” configuration. It’s now displayed seasonally at the Grand Rapids Public Museum.