The Gramlings first met Eugene Reick when Barney began volunteering at the Little River Railroad in Pleasant Lake, Indiana. Gene was retired from Kelloggs Cereal and made the trip from his home in Battle Creek, Michigan, most weekends to volunteer as a conductor on the small tourist railroad. He would stay in a blue caboose on the railroad grounds. The Blue Caboose was a gathering point for the volunteers and Barney often stayed over on Saturday nights.