RAWLINS, Wyo. (AP) — An unusual church built from an old train
chapel car in Rawlins is celebrating 85 years off the tracks.

The First Baptist Church in Rawlins was founded in a former
railroad chapel car called the Evangel in 1925. The church is
marking its 85th anniversary Sunday.

The rounded-top doors came from the car, which was built in 1891
and served as a chapel for 34 years. The majority of the building’s
wainscoting came from the chapel car’s original wood. From the
basement, the bottom of the frame of the Evangel is still visible,
replete with scorch marks from a 1950s fire.

Church members have also assembled a room matching the chapel car’s
original dimensions and put photos and letters on display.

“There’s all kinds of history here,” church member Jenita Calton
told the Rawlins Daily Times. “Ten years ago it wasn’t even
organized. At least now we have it all in one room.”

The church started with just 29 members. It has been featured in
the book “This Train is Bound for Glory: The Story of America’s
Chapel Cars.”

Congregants say the church’s membership has declined in recent
years, and they’re hoping the anniversary celebration sparks
interest in the unusual church. The church’s 27th pastor, the Rev.
Harvey Hansen, told the newspaper that the church attracted about
100 congregants a week in the early 1990s, but only about a third
of that today.

“Part of it is the aging congregation … and the other reason is
the fluctuation of the job market,” Hansen said.

Calton hopes attention about the church’s history draws more people
to church.

“Our numbers have been in decline over the last few years,” Calton
said. “I hope this is a chance for us to take the mission spirit
that brought that chapel car here, reawaken that sprit and bring
some more people to the church.”