This weekend, thousands of Wyoming football fans will follow the 'Cowboy Caravan' on Interstate 80 from Cheyenne to the Mountain West Conference Championship in Laramie.

Unfortunately, most of them will never experience a proud Pokes tradition called the "Treagle Train".

Francis Brammar, Wyoming State Archive
Francis Brammar, Wyoming State Archive
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The Treagle Train was founded in 1935 by Tracy McCraken, a UW alum and former Laramie Boomerang reporter who had recently been named the editor of the Wyoming Eagle newspaper in Cheyenne.

In an effort to lure business away from their competitor, The Wyoming Tribune, McCraken invited advertisers and business owners from Cheyenne to ride his chartered train, the "Eagle Special", to Laramie for Wyoming football games.

Francis Brammar, Wyoming State Archive
Francis Brammar, Wyoming State Archive
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After the Eagle and Tribune merged in 1937, it was officially renamed the "Treagle Train" and often featured politicians, celebrities and former UW athletes.

It continued to shuttle Cowboy fans to games until its final ride in 1979.

Francis Brammar, Wyoming State Archive
Francis Brammar, Wyoming State Archive
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