All Aboard! CCTI Students Create Locomotive Playground Structure

Children in Pascagoula and surrounding communities will get to be a train engineer thanks to the work of students at the College and Career Technical Institute (CCTI) in the Pascagoula-Gautier School District.

Mississippi Export (MSE) Railroad, a 42-mile short line railroad, asked CCTI to create a playground train honoring MSE’s rich history for the Pascagoula River Audubon Center. MSE sought CCTI’s assistance after seeing the sculpture the center’s Welding, Precision

Machine, HVAC and Polymer Science classes created for the Walter Anderson Museum’s 100th anniversary.

Welding instructor Jason Brister, Precision Machine instructor Gregory Bosarge and Polymer Science instructor Toben Dubose designed the concept — resembling one of MSE’s first locomotives — and researched the best paints to use outdoors.

Brister and Bosarge wanted to include interactive elements, so they incorporated a bell that rings and a turn- able steering wheel.

Second-year students started the project, and first-year Welding and Precision Machine students came on board after finishing the safety portions of the courses. Creation of the project began at the start of the 2022-23 school year and finished in November.

CCTI’s STEM lab engraved a brass plate listing the names of those who contributed to the project. The plaque is displayed on the front of the locomotive.