The old-fashioned way of sending a message to the train engineer was to attach it to this hoop and pass it on as the train went by. The railroad lingo was HAND-ON which was a train order or company mail caught with the hoop or without stopping

Engine number 30 is a 2-8-2 Mikado Class steam engine built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in October 1917.

It was built for the Tremont & Gulf Railroad. In 1954 #30 was sold to the Magma Arizona Railroad. During her time at Magma she was featured in the 1962 movie, How the West was Won.

In 1974 #30 was purchased by the Texas State Railroad and was rehabbed in 1978.