GRAND ISLAND, Neb. - Stolley Park is a staple in the Grand Island community and has been an official state park for almost a century.

Now nearly 100 years later, the community is once again coming together to help improve the park loved by so many.

One of the park's main attractions is its railroad, and on Tuesday, donors over the age of 70 took a ride on the train as a special thank you tour leading up to the train's summer opening for the public.

"Oh boy, I grew up coming to this park as a youngster, which was a long time ago, and it's just beautiful. It's amazing how many people use this so we're very fortunate especially now that we're going to have some new improvements. It's going to be wonderful," said Grand Island resident and lifelong Stolley Train fan Barbara Graves.

Many of the members made significant contributions to help keep the tradition alive.

"We many, many years ago donated the Pump and Pantry train, and then it kind of quit working so they upgraded to this nice train," said Graves

The event was put on by the All Aboard for Stolley Park Campaign Committee who is leading the fundraising operation for the park.

The organization says it has nearly completed its goal of raising nearly $750,000, which will go towards overall park improvements, including for the train.

"It will have more tunnels, LED lights in the tunnels, a bridge, bike paths, lots of benches for people to sit in, an outdoor theater, it's a mobile outdoor theater, and of course it will be more beautified with additional shrubbery and trees," said All-Aboard Co-Chair Becky Gdowski. 

The train's opening day for the general public will be May 3, which is when people of all ages will once again be able to enjoy the bells and whistles of Central Nebraska's most iconic train.