Steam train recreated for Riverside’s 4th of July parade after 50 years

A homemade steam-train float first built for Riverside’s 1976 Bicentennial parade is being rebuilt for the 2026 4th of July celebration. The project honors a stepfather, a hometown memory and a local tradition as the restored train returns to the streets Saturday morning.

Why it matters: - The recreation revives a family memory from the nation’s Bicentennial and ties it to Riverside’s Semiquincentennial-era Independence Day celebration. - The project also serves as a tribute to Julian Kostka, the stepfather who helped turn the original idea into a parade attraction. - The rebuilt float brings back a local symbol that connects personal history, community pride and a national milestone.

What happened: - In 1976, John Senser and the author set out to build a steam train from a riding mower for Riverside’s 4th of July parade. - Julian Kostka, the author’s stepfather, helped make the concept real. - The finished creation was called “Spirit of ’76.” - A few years ago, an online photo surfaced showing the train with the author at age 12 serving as conductor. - The recreated steam train is scheduled to appear in Riverside’s 4th of July Parade on Saturday.

The details: - The parade begins at Big Ball Park at 8:45 a.m. Saturday. - The parade route ends in downtown Riverside. - The original train was built for the 1976 parade marking the U.S. Bicentennial. - Kostka later coached Riverside’s all-star baseball team to what the release describes as an unmatched run in the team’s history.

Between the lines: - The recreation is framed less as nostalgia and more as recognition of a stabilizing family figure. - The project links a childhood memory to a broader civic story, which gives the parade float meaning beyond the float itself. - The national anniversary also gives the local tribute extra resonance.

What's next: - The restored steam train will roll through Riverside’s Independence Day parade on Saturday morning. - The appearance will mark the next public chapter for a float first remembered from nearly 50 years ago.

The bottom line: - A homemade parade train is returning to Riverside as a public thank-you to the stepfather who helped build it and the hometown that remembers it.