HARVEY (AP) - Jason Gessele wants the old Soo Line 440 to look like the picture he has seen in an old book.

"It shines like a new penny," he said.

Gessele, for whom trains are a passion, said the old steam locomotive was in "horrendous" condition when he moved to Harvey two years ago.

"I thought if the town of Harvey doesn't want to take care of it, maybe someone else would," he said.

After he brought up the topic, several people in town decided they should restore the antique locomotive that has sat near the train depot for nearly half a century.

"I just kind of stirred up the pot again," Gessele said.

He and others have started a restoration fund to accept contributions. The fund will be ongoing, so people can contribute to the upkeep of the locomotive after it has been restored.

Gessele estimates the price tag for the cosmetic restoration at up to $50,000.

Asbestos will be removed, rusted sheet metal will be replaced and a fresh coat of paint will be applied.

The Soo Line 440 has been on display in Harvey since the spring of 1957. It was built in 1903 by American Locomotive Works in Schenectady, N.Y., and was used by the Soo Line until 1956. The railroad donated it to Harvey that year.

Restoring the locomotive to operating condition probably would cost more than $1 million because its boiler is in such bad shape. That is not affordable, Gessele said.

Some work on the cosmetic restoration has already been done. Gessele said he is not sure when it will be completed, but people who visit the central North Dakota town for its centennial celebration in July will be able to see progress.