For the next two weekends, coal, rather than diesel, will be the fuel source of Midland Railways’ excursion trips from the Baldwin City Santa Fe Depot, 1515 High St.

Allen Kinsley, treasurer of Midland Railway, said the railway is bringing back a steam locomotive for the first time in four years to celebrated the 30th anniversary of the excursion line’s purchase of the railroad tracks that it operates upon.

“It’s quite costly to get here,” he said. “We have to get the coal out of Oklahoma, and it’s expensive to bring the locomotive in by flatbed.”

For the price of a ticket, railway enthusiasts can catch a ride behind the locomotive, stoke the steam engine with coal from its cab or actually operate the throttle controls, Kinsley said. Those wanting to purchase a $150 at-the-throttle ticket should hurry, because they are quickly selling out, he said.

The locomotive will make a 3:30 p.m. Saturday trip to “nowhere,” a site between Baldwin City and Ottawa that was the original terminus of Midland rides when it started 30 years ago, Kinsley said. Rides will be offered at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Sunday and Aug. 12 and 13

The locomotive is named Sadie, but don’t confuse it as some cute pastel facsimile like the Thomas the Tank Train that visits Baldwin City at the start of each summer. Sadie’s the real thing, a squat powerful steam engine that Kinsley said pulled coal cars for the Lehigh Valley Coal Company after leaving the Vulcan Iron Works production line in the 1930s.

“There’s just something about riding behind a steam locomotive with the chug, chug, chug of the engine,” Kinsley said. “If you’ve never had that opportunity, here’s the chance.”

For more ticket information visit midlandrailway.org.

This weekend is the final opportunity to view the traveling Smithsonian exhibit “Water/Ways” at the Eudora Area Historical Society. Ben Terwilliger, executive director of the Eudora Area Historical Society, said the exhibit will end on Sunday its six-week stay at the Eudora Community Historical Museum, 720 Main St.

The exhibit, which explores relationships between people and water, has drawn about 1,000 visitors to the museum and he is hoping for a couple hundred more on the final weekend, Terwilliger said.

“That’s very good for a museum our size,” he said.

The museum will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Eudora High School students will have the opportunity to checkout laptops for the coming school year from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday. Laptop informational meetings for freshmen and students new to the district will be at 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. The Eudora district last year introduced its 1-on-1 laptop initiative at the high school.

Eudora schools are planning to take advantage of a rare educational opportunity with the near total solar eclipse Aug. 21. Rather than carry on normal classes in the dark, the district is planning to allow students outside starting at about 1 p.m. when the moon starts moving in front of the sun. The Eudora Schools Foundation and Eudora PTO have purchased special sunglasses for all students from first-grade through high school and staff. The glasses are designed to make it safe to watch the eclipse. Parents with concerns about their child’s safety should contact the student’s building principal before the eclipse.