PERRIS —— The monotony of rolling mountains and dusty roads off Interstate 215 reaches an abrupt break near Menifee's border with Murrieta. There, just west of the busy freeway, sits a century-old red, black and silver steam engine.

Owner Mark Orman acknowledged Monday that the antique engine has caused a bit of a stir since its arrival six weeks ago.

Although he said he doubts that it has encouraged rubbernecking, he knows that people have pulled off to the side of the road to take in the sight.

"It's something that evokes an emotional response," he added. "I guess I was surprised how affected people are, particularly children."

People have called Orman and Perris-based Woodwork Creations, which he founded and owns, with comments. A truck bearing Woodwork Creations' name and phone number stands near the historic engine, which sits behind a low-lying white fence, not far from Keller Road.

The Baldwin Company-built train, which originally ran on coal, served as transportation between a coal company town in Mexico and nearby coal mines, Orman said. It was first operated in 1904.

In the mid-1960s, it was sold to a restaurateur in Claremont, who used the train as an attraction. The restaurant went out of business, prompting the city of Claremont to move it to a park, where it stood as a static display through the mid-1980s.

Three men, including Al DiPaolo, who works at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento, then bought the old engine and moved it a site near Paloma Valley High School, where it resided for nearly two decades, Orman said.

And that's where he came across it.

"I found it a couple years ago," said Orman, sitting in his spacious Perris office, which prominently displays a blue-lit aquarium, a fireplace and a sombrero-clad knight. "It took a couple of years to buy it, and get it moved." He declined to say how much the train cost.

The antique was then relocated to land he owns on Keller Road.

Off Interstate 215, it's unlikely to languish alone.

The train, which was not a random purchase for Orman, could eventually introduce freeway drivers to Timbertowne, a Victorian-style retail center sprawled across his 5 acres. Orman hopes the center will consist of roughly 70,000 square feet of businesses.

The retail center, which is being designed, could be open by 2008, he said. Once the designs are complete —— which could happen in the next year and a half —— Orman will seek county approval for the center.

He said he will likely place some cars and logs behind the train to "make it look like it's delivering logs to Timbertowne."

The mini-village would be decked out in early Americana, a la Disneyland or Ferndale, the Northern California town that served as the set for "The Majestic," a 2001 film starring Jim Carrey and Martin Landau.

"(Interstate) 215's the boringest freeway around," Orman said. "I want a landmark —— something that looks like a fun place to visit, maybe with shops, restaurants."

Timbertowne would be an extension of Woodwork Creations, which he founded 10 years ago in his Temecula garage. Woodwork Creations specializes in building customized furniture for their customers' media centers.

Orman, who now lives in French Valley with his wife and seven children, initially sold Woodwork Creations furniture at the Orange County Market Place, which is essentially a swap meet.

Most of his customers resided in Orange County. But that is no longer the case.

As Southwest County has boomed, so has Woodwork Creations.

Orman soon shifted operations from his driveway to Perris, where he commissioned the construction of a 60,000-square-foot factory with attached showroom and offices.

The company of 110 employees is now adding 125,000 square feet to its Perris campus.

Contact staff writer Brian Eckhouse at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2626, or at beckhouse@californian.com.