Olympic torch on its way to Marion County
The Olympic torch of the 2002 Winter Games is headed for Marion County.
Before it snakes its way across the United States, finally ending its journey at Salt Lake City, Utah, the torch will follow a circuitous route that includes stops in Topeka and Wichita on Jan. 11, according to information released at the Salt Lake 2002 web site.
And although no locals will physically carry the torch through the county, a specially designed Union Pacific Railroad car will, according to Mark Davis, Union Pacific public relations director for the Midwest.
The exact times and locations of the train were scheduled to be released on Wednesday, Dec. 19, Davis said. As of today, the information still hasn't been made available to the public.
If the train follows normally established routes, it will journey through Herington, Marion, and Peabody en route to Wichita.
Locals won't be able to miss the torch-carrying train, with its bright blue and purple exterior and gold cauldron designed to hold the Olympic flame.
This flame-carrying car is a 19-passenger car pulled by two locomotives, also brightly painted. The car's centerpiece is a 40-inch diameter cauldron featuring a custom-designed burner that allows for up to a four-foot flame, according to Union Pacific Railroad.
To prevent the flame from blowing out, a 100 mph curtain of air surrounds the 2 million Btu flame, Davis said.
The Olympic flame began its journey to Salt Lake on Dec. 4 in Atlanta, Ga. Today, Wednesday, it's scheduled to be in Dallas, Texas.
After its stop in Dallas, the torch will snake its way up to New England and back down again to Omaha, Neb., where it will hop on board its Union Pacific car Jan. 10 in preparation for its journey to Kansas.
In all, the train for the 2002 Olympic Torch Relay will carry the flame more than 3,200 miles across 11 states.
The 2002 Salt Lake Winter Games begin Feb. 8.
