Transportation Exposition brings together antique equipment

The Museum of Transportation and Industry is gearing up for one of the largest transportation expos in the state.

The Museum of Tranportation and Industry's Transportation Exposition gets started June 22 and continues the next day at the museum which is located at Mile 47 of the Parks Highway, near the Wasilla Airport.

"In addition to our collection, I'm guessing we'll have between 20 and 50 additional pieces out here," said Bruce Gazaway of the museum. "Many items are held by private collectors, and they bring them out for the expo."

Most of the pieces on display will be related to agriculture.

There will be early gasoline-powered tractors that have been restored, and several events will highlight how useful the tractors are, even today.

"We're going to have tractor events like a pulling contest to demonstrate how these machines still work," Gazaway said.

In addition to the main exposition, there will be other displays as well, including model railroad builders and other model makers.

The event runs all day June 22 and June 23. For more information about the expo, interested people can call the museum at 376-1211.

The museum is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week in the summer. The displays and artifacts highlight early transportation in Alaska, including a nice display on pioneer Bush pilots.