Thomas Francois is a junior who is enticed by trains.

Francois’ love for trains comes from a project his father worked on.

“It’s a long story,  in 1987 there was a group of people in St. Louis that wanted to get a Steam Engine restored, so they did! It took them three years, but they got it restored and they rode it around the country and met a bunch of fans and they liked it. Sadly, the last time they could run it was in 2002 because they couldn’t pay for it, but my dad went and filmed it when I was two and when I was older he showed it to me. I was like, ‘It’s so cool and huge!,’ and from that point on I’ve loved trains,” Francois said.

Thomas wants to go to Rolla for computer and electrical engineering so he can pursue his intrest in trains and work for the Union Pacific Railroad.

“Every weekend my dad and I go down to Eureka and watch the trains go by,” Francois said.