He Built His Own Train Engine Coffin

He Built His Own Train Engine Coffin AG WORLD Floyd Axel Westling’s passion for collecting and building trains and steam engine tractors is obvious Several years before he died he built his own wooden coffin to look like a train engine The detail was amazing says Hugh McKinnon a friend who was a pallbearer at Westling’s funeral in Clive Alberta last summer The inside included real gauges and train parts and a window at the head of the coffin The outside replicated a New York Central 3001 steam locomotive engine that was built in 1940 For the graveside service the casket was pulled on a cart with a steam tractor that Westling had built and was driven by his son “It’s truly a beautiful piece of workmanship It was right up his alley to build the coffin ” says McKinnon who had seen the coffin stored in one of Westling’s buildings “He was a real train fanatic He lived on a farm and had a well-equipped shop with big tools He built a lot of stuff including a John Deere tractor model and steam engines ” Westling who worked as a locomotive fireman and boiler man in the oil fields also built mini steam trains that were a popular attraction at Canadian shows

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