MOUNT VERNON, Ind. – Ports of Indiana officials visited three elementary schools in Mount Vernon on Monday to announce winners of a competition to name two locomotives at the state’s largest port. As a tribute to the Mount Vernon High School’s Wildcats mascot, the new names of the switching locomotives at Ports of Indiana-Mount Vernon will be “Wildcat Express” and “Power Paws.”

 

Names were submitted by students at Mount Vernon’s three elementary schools in a contest sponsored by Ports of Indiana and OmniTRAX. Three students proposed “Wildcat Express” – Huck Bushard in Mrs. Offerman’s first-grade class at Marrs Elementary, Ella Price in Mr. LaMar’s fourth-grade class at West Elementary, and Mya Trout in Mrs. Redman’s second-grade class at Farmersville Elementary. “Power Paws” was submitted by Lillian Falls in Mrs. Weatherford’s third-grade class at Marrs Elementary.

 

“This is a special honor for our students and a fun project for our teachers and administrators,” said Mount Vernon School Superintendent Dr. Stephanie Stewart. “We very much appreciate the opportunity to connect our students with things going on in the Mount Vernon community, and it’s especially exciting for the kids to talk about trains and learn how important they are to Mount Vernon and our port.”

 

The four winning classrooms were each presented with an engraved locomotive bell provided by OmniTRAX, and all Mount Vernon elementary students received a foam replica of the Mount Vernon Railroad locomotive from Ports of Indiana. The winning classrooms will also visit the port in the spring to see the locomotives in action.

 

“The Mount Vernon Railroad is a critical component of this community and our port, so it’s a tremendous honor to have local students name the locomotives,” said Ports of Indiana CEO Jody Peacock. “Trains represent fascinating machines for many children, and it’s fun to connect what happens at the port to the toy trains running around some of our Christmas trees. The ‘Wildcat Express’ and ‘Power Paws’ locomotives will symbolize strength and fun for our port and community, and we hope these students take great pride in seeing these hard-working locomotives at the port for years to come.”

 

The two Mount Vernon Railroad locomotives are 2,000-horsepower, model GP38-2 engines built in 1968 by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors. Both locomotives received significant engine overhauls and new paint schemes, which will soon include the new names. They are operated by OmniTRAX, which became the port’s rail switcher in June.

 

Mount Vernon Railroad provides switching for local companies such as Consolidated Grain & Barge, Valero Renewable Fuels, Nutrien, Mount Vernon Transfer Terminal, Consolidated Terminals & Logistics, Cimbar Performance Minerals, and Evansville Western Railway.

 

“It’s rewarding to create an opportunity for local students to learn about our industry and how we connect to the world,” said Mount Vernon Port Director Jason May. “The ‘Wildcat Express’ and ‘Power Paws’ locomotives will move thousands of railcars each year, allowing millions of tons of cargo to reach customers. This port supports more than 8,000 jobs in the region and generates $1.6 billion in economic impact each year. We’re proud to engage with the Mount Vernon community and share the many benefits of our port.”

About Ports of Indiana: Ports of Indiana is a statewide port authority operating three ports on the Ohio River and Lake Michigan. Established in 1961, Ports of Indiana is a self-funded enterprise dedicated to growing Indiana’s economy by developing and maintaining a world-class port system, and by serving as a statewide resource for maritime issues, international trade, and multimodal logistics.

Information: www.portsofindiana.com/mvr

Media Contact: Eric Powell, Ports of Indiana, (317) 233-6231 or e-mail