Author: jbcowgill

I am one who loves to travel. I enjoy photography. I take many photos of my journeys. I also write short stories and poems.

The Strasburg Museum, Strasburg, Virginia

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

Many of you have heard of the town of Strasburg in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.  The town, a suburb of Lancaster, is famous for the Strasburg Railroad, a short line railroad that is the oldest continuously running railroad in the United States of America.  There is also a small town called Strasburg in the U.S. state of Virginia.  Located about seventy-five miles west of downtown Washington D.C. in the Shenandoah Valley, it is the home of the Strasburg Museum.  What is the Strasburg Museum?  Well, it is a museum that tells the story of life in the region around the town to include the industries like pottery and other small town industries.  If you are in the area of Strasburg, Virginia, you will want to visit the Strasburg Museum.

Some of you are saying, “This is nice.  I love the Strasburg Railroad in Pennsylvania.  As for Strasburg, Virginia, it is not as famous as being a railroad town as the Strasburg in Pennsylvania.  Therefore, you will not see me at the museum.”

So why visit the Strasburg Museum?  If you say that it is not a railroad town, you would not be telling the truth.  In 1861 during the American Civil War, General Thomas ‘Stonewall’ Jackson of the Confederate Army led the charge where he and his men hijacked the rolling stock of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in West Virginia.  This was known as ‘The Great Train Raid’.  What does this have to do with Strasburg, Virginia?  The rolling stock was transported to the location of the museum and set on railroad tracks and then sent to North Carolina to be repair and to be used by the Confederate Army.

Some of you are saying, “Now I have learned something new, but the museum is about the region around the town and not about trains.”

Ladies and gentlemen, you are wrong again.

Strasburg, Virginia was a railroad town that was served by the Southern Railway, The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and the Manassas Gap Railroad.  (All of the railroads in Strasburg are under the ownership of the Norfolk Southern Railway today.)  It may not be as famous as the town in Pennsylvania, but this town does have a deep history with the railroad.  As you approach the Strasburg Museum, there is something that you will notice.  Yes, it is next to a railroad crossing, but many places are next to a railroad crossing.  The first thing you will notice is the building.  What it special about the building?  The building is an old pottery factory that was, in 1913, converted into a train station for the Southern Railway with freight and passenger service.  You walk around the old station, you will see an old caboose and an old baggage car both from the Southern Railway.

You enter the museum through the gift shop.  You then enter the main hall.  You see the different displays on life in the region to include a room dedicated to pottery and an exhibit dedicated to the railroad history of Strasburg, Virginia.

Some of you are saying, “Is that all?”

The answer to that question is no.  You do have the caboose and baggage car.  The caboose is your typical caboose that you can walk through and climb into the cupola.  Then you have the baggage car.  In the baggage car is where you will find a model train display.

Some of you are saying, “Oh great.  Another model train display where you see the model trains go round and round and round and round.”

Ladies and gentlemen, this is not your typical model train display.  It is only operational on Saturday, and there is a timed entry.  Why?  If you only enjoy model trains that just go round and round and round, this is not for you.  If you enjoy something completely different, get ready for an experience.  You enter the baggage car, and you see the model train display set up with its buildings and other structures.  You watch the trains, but then it gets dark.  No.  It is not a power outage.  It is taking you into the display itself.  The moon even comes out for the evening, but it is really afternoon.

The Strasburg Museum is designated as a National Historic Landmark.  It is located at 440 East King Street (Virginia Route 55) in Strasburg, Virginia east of U.S. Route 11.  It is open from May to October on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10:00am to 4:00pm.  Parking is on site.  Please note that the museum only accepts cash.  Also, the main hall has two floors of exhibits and the upper floor is not wheelchair accessible.  You can get more information on the museum and the history of Strasburg, Virginia at https://strasburgmuseum.org/.

Strasburg, Virginia may not have the Strasburg Railroad, but it does have the Strasburg Museum.  It has much history on display.  Make the trip.

Conner Prairie, Fishers, Indiana

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

The U.S. state of Indiana is commonly called the Crossroads of the United States of America.  How does the state get the name?  The three longest routes in the nation, U.S. Route 6 (known as the Grand Army of the Republic Highway), U.S. Route 20, and U.S. Route 30 (known as the Lincoln Highway named for Abraham Lincoln), pass through the state along with interstate route 70, 80, and 90.  Being a crossroads state, it is not a state that many travelers put on their list of must visit states, but be advised that there are many great place to visit in this state.  It is commonly known for the sport of basketball with Larry Bird being from the town of French Lick.  It is also home to one of the biggest races in the world: the Indianapolis 500.  In the early years of Indiana, it was mostly prairie with no mountains in the state.  A way to experience life in Indiana is to make your way to Conner Prairie.

What is Conner Prairie?  It is a living history museum location in the Indianapolis suburb of Fishers.  When you visit Conner Prairie, you will experience life in the early days of Indiana.

Some of you are saying, “This is nice.  It is great that they created a place where you could experience the early days of Indiana.  There is one problem.  This is not a railroad museum.  Therefore, you will not be visiting this museum.”

Why visit Conner Prairie?  You are right when you say that it is not a railroad museum, but that is not a reason for you not to visit.

Conner Prairie is a living history museum.  What is a living history museum?  It is a museum when many of the workers are dressed in period dress.  What is period dress?  It is when you dress in a particular period.  At Conner Prairie, it is mainly the nineteenth century.  As you enter, the very first thing you will notice is a hot air balloon.  Well, it is a hot air balloon that looks like a balloon from 1859, and you can take a ride in this balloon for an extra fee.  The museum grounds is divided into communities.  You have the 1816 Lenape Indian Camp displaying how the settlers lived with the local Indian tribes.  You have the 1836 Prairie Town where you can see how they lived in 1836 from the general store to the doctor to making pottery.

You have other areas in the museum, but then you come upon the 1863 Civil War Journey that tells the story of Indiana’s role in the American Civil War.  It is designed after the town of Dupont, Indiana.  It has a general store and a Union Army Camp that was attacked.  You have a schoolhouse and a farm.  Then you have the old train station.  Yes, you see the old train station from Dupont with a railroad line next to it.  Sadly, there is no train on the tracks, and the train station is mainly a snack shop and restrooms, but it tells the story of how the railroad played a role in Indiana’s participation in the war.

So, there you have it.  You have a reason to visit Conner Prairie.  Well, as you walk around, you will have many reasons to visit Conner Prairie other than seeing the train station.  You will need plenty of time to visit this place, and you will be doing a lot of walking.

Connie Prairie is located at 13400 Allisonville Road in Fishers, Indiana, a northern suburb of the state capital city of Indianapolis.  It is open most of the year.  Parking is on site, and, although it makes you feel like its in the 1800’s, it is completely wheelchair accessible.  You can get more information on admission, directions, events, on the history of Conner Prairie, and the museum’s future projects at https://www.connerprairie.org/.

As you think about the state of Indiana and basketball and the Indianapolis 500, think about Conner Prairie.  You will be glad that you did.

Wheels O’ Time Museum, Dunlap, Illinois

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

The U.S. state of Illinois is a state known for many things.  It is commonly called ‘The Land of Lincoln’ as it is the state that made Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth President of the United States of America, famous.  Although he was born in the U.S. state of Kentucky and spent part of his childhood in the U.S. state of Indiana, it was in Illinois, particularly in the capital city of Springfield, where his rise to fame began, and it is where he is buried.  U.S. President Ronald Reagan was also born in this state.  It is famous for its largest city, Chicago, the Hub City of the continent of North America that is famous for its professional sports teams and it food like pizza and hot dogs.  One of the nation’s famous routes, U.S. Route 66 began in Chicago, and you can drive this route today across the state and see some of its iconic sites.  The John Deere Tractor Company is based in this state, and tractors are also designed here.  Beyond the Chicago Metropolitan Area, much of this state is rural with farms, but there are also other cities like Peoria, and it is in Peoria where you will find the Wheels O’ Time Museum.

What is the Wheels O’ Time Museum?  Well, the name pretty much says what the museum is about.

Some of you are saying, “Wow!  The Wheels O’ Time Museum is about wheels through time.  The problem is that this is not a railroad museum.  Therefore, I will not be bringing my wheels to this museum.”

You are right.  It is not a railroad museum, but the very first thing you will see as you arrive at this museum is Rock Island Railroad Locomotive Number 886.  What is the locomotive doing?  It is pulling a train that consists of a combine car number 2617 from the Milwaukee Road, a caboose from the Toledo, Peoria and Western Railroad, and two Pullman Cars.

In case you are wondering, there is more to see as far as the railroad fan is concerned.

The Wheels O’ Time Museum is a museum about wheels mainly from the twentieth century.  It is housed in five structures.  The first building is a building with a very specific name.  What is the building’s name?  It is called the Main Building.  The first thing you see in the Main Building is the gift shop.  It is a small gift shop, but it is here where you pay your admission.  Then you enter the main hall.  It is here on the first floor where you will see many classic cars.  Hence the name ‘Wheels O’ Time Museum’.  With all of these classic cars on display, this is just a small part of the museum.  Yes, it is just a small part of the museum.

As you see the classic cars, the first floor also have different display rooms.  One of them is called ‘Rivers and Rails of Peoria’.  In this room, you will see the history of the railroad and the riverboats of the region.  A model of Locomotive Number 80 from the Toledo, Peoria and Western Railroad is on display.

Is that all as far as the Main Building?  No.  There are more rooms on the upper level.  One of the rooms has two model train displays.  There is also a mural featuring a steam train and a race car.

The next building is ‘The Firehouse’.  It is built to look like an old firehouse.  What is the main feature of the Firehouse?  It has two fire trucks and more classic cars.  It has classic bikes, a replica of the ‘Spirit of St. Louis’, the first plane to fly across the Atlantic Ocean, and a replica of a local Peoria radio station.  It also has model trains, railroad dishes, and other railroad memorabilia encased in glass.

Then you have the ‘Generations Building’.  It is the newest building on the property, and the name comes from the World War II generation which is commonly called ‘The Greatest Generation’.  It features tractors, jeeps, and a U.S. Air Force plane from that era, but it also features two model train displays.  The display on the lower level shows a train at a construction site.  The upper level has a LEGO train display.

Then you have the Farm Building.  Yes, it features farm equipment, but it also features railroad maintenance equipment to include a hand car.

The other structures at the museum is the Ford Building which displays cars from the Ford Motor Company and the LeTourneau Steel House, a small single family home.

The Wheels O’ Time Museum is located at 1710 W. Woodside Drive in Dunlap, Illinois just off of Illinois Route 40 north of Peoria.  It is open from May to October from Wednesday to Sunday from 12:00pm to 5:00pm Central Standard Time.  Parking is on site, and most of the museum is wheelchair accessible.  You can learn more about the museum to include admission and to lean about the displays at https://wheelsotime.org/.

The state of Illinois is much more that Chicago and Abraham Lincoln and John Deere.  It is the home of the Wheels O’ Time Museum.  When you arrive, it may take you back in time.

The Age of Steam Roundhouse, Sugarcreek, Ohio

by jbcowgill, posted in Ohio, Ohio History, Railroad History, Railroads

What is the Age of Steam Roundhouse?  In the early years of railroading, roundhouses were needed to service the steam locomotives.  From the first roundhouse in Baltimore in the U.S. state of Maryland, now the home of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum, to roundhouses across the United States of America, they were a very essential part of the movement of the railroad.  When the steam locomotives which had to be serviced after one hundred miles of operation were replaced by the diesel locomotives that could run hundreds of miles of operation before they needed maintenance, the railroad roundhouse became obsolete.  Although most of the old roundhouses were preserved like the Mount Clare Roundhouse in Baltimore, many were demolished.  With many of these roundhouses in small towns, the closure of the roundhouses meant fewer jobs in the small town causing many small towns to decline.  The era of the railroad roundhouse was no more.

With the railroad roundhouse obsolete, there will be no need to build a roundhouse ever again.  A man named Jerry Joe Jacobson did not think so.  Who is Jerry Joe Jacobson?

Originally from Lancaster in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, a city famous for the Amish lifestyle and is home to the famous Strasburg Railroad, the oldest continuously operating railroad in the United States of America, Jerry Joe Jacobson made his way to the U.S. state of Ohio where his work on the railroad began with passenger excursions in the area around the small town of Sugarcreek.  It was here where he built a roundhouse.

Some of you are saying, “Wow!  He built a roundhouse, and that roundhouse is just a museum that just collects rolling stock, and people go and see the locomotives and old passenger and freight cars.”

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Age of Steam Roundhouse.  Jerry Joe Jacobson founded the Age of Steam Roundhouse with a collection of steam locomotives.  Yes, it is a museum, but it is also an actual working roundhouse.  As mentioned, it is an actual working roundhouse.  Yes, locomotives and rolling stock are serviced here.  During your visit, you may be fortunate to see restoration of a locomotive or freight car.

There are many railroad museums across the nation.  Some of these railroad museums are housed in old roundhouses.  What makes the Age of Steam Roundhouse special is that it is a newly built roundhouse with vintage steam locomotives from different railroads as well as diesel locomotives, old passenger cars, freight cars, and cabooses.  The founder, Jerry Joe Jacobson, passed away in 2017, and he is entombed in a mausoleum just a short walk from the roundhouse.

The Age of Steam Roundhouse is located at 213 Smokey Lane Road SW south of the town of Sugarcreek, Ohio off of Ohio State Route 93.  Different guided tours are offered on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from April into November with events throughout the year.  (Please note that due to safety reasons and the fact that this is a working facility, all tours are conducted by a tour guide.  Self-guided tours are strictly prohibited.)  Parking is on site, and the facility is wheelchair accessible.  You can get more information on tours (there are different tours offered), admission, events, read more into the life of Jerry Joe Jacobson and into the Jerry and Laura Jacobson Foundation, Inc. at https://ageofsteamroundhouse.org/.

It is called the Age of Steam Roundhouse to remind everyone of the era of steam railroading and the steam locomotive.  As you are taken on the tour, you will be taken back in time.

The Harold Richard Plumley Memorial Bridge, Prince, West Virginia

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

The small town of Prince in the U.S. state of West Virginia is a small town in the southern region of the state on the New River inside the New River Gorge.  This small town owes its existence to the coal industry and a passenger train station that was built by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, and it remains an active train station today with service from Amtrak.  As you drive through the town on West Virginia Route 41, you come upon the U.S. Army PV2 Harold Richard Plumley Memorial Bridge crossing over what is now the CSX railroad line.  Many of you are wondering who Harold Richard Plumley is, and you are wondering what is special about him that they would name a bridge after him.

Harold Richard Plumley was born on March 22, 1934, in the town of Prince, West Virginia.  As a child and a young man, he spent much of his time around the railroad.  On his way to school, he would walk through the Strecherneck Tunnel, a railroad tunnel built by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, and it is still in use by the CSX Railroad today.  He later became an employee of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway working around the New River Gorge.  In 1952, he was drafted into the U.S. Army.  He would depart the town of Prince by train from the old train station.  Sadly, it was the last time his friends and family would see him… alive.

Harold Richard Plumley fought in the Korean War, and he fought in the Battle of Outpost Harry where he was killed in battle on June 11, 1953.  His remains was brought by train to the same train station that he departed from when he went to war.

Years later, efforts were organized to have the bridge named in honor of Harold Richard Plumley.  A bill to have the bridge named for Plumley was erected in Charleston, the state capitol of West Virginia, by a delegate named William Ridenour.  The bill passed unanimously in both the State House and the State Senate.

On Thursday, October 25, 2023, a ceremony was held in the town of Prince, West Virginia.  The United States Army Private Harold Richard Plumley Memorial Bridge was dedicated.  In attendance was William Ridenour, a representative of West Virginia Senator Joseph Manchin, Harold Plumley’s brother and two sisters, reporters from two local television stations, and members of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Historical Society.

The U.S. Army PV2 Harold Richard Plumley Memorial Bridge is located on West Virginia Route 41 in Prince, West Virginia on the west side of the town crossing the CSX rail line.  It is eight miles northeast of Beckley and U.S. Route 19 and Interstates 64 and 77, and twelve miles south of U.S. Route 60 and Babcock State Park.  (It is the home of the world famous Glade Grist Mill.)  Other than an automobile, the only other way the town can be accessed is by Amtrak.  Please note that there is no parking at the bridge itself.

Many of us wish each other a Happy Memorial Day, but to those who lost their friends and family who were serving in the United States Armed Forces, it is not a happy day as they spend the rest of their lives without them by their side.  Let us spend this day remembering those men and women who sacrificed their lives so that we could live ours.  Harold Richard Plumley was among those who gave his life for his country.  May we forever be grateful for his service.

Please note that the photograph of Private Harold Richard Plumley is courtesy of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Historical Society who owns the copyright and has granted permission to use this photo for the article.

City Island Railroad, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

Harrisburg, the capital city of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, is not known a city that is on many lists of cities to visit, but it should be.  One of the city’s famous suburbs is Hershey which is known as the Chocolate Capital of the World and is where the Hershey Chocolate Company was founded by Milton Hershey, and the company is still headquartered there today.  What about the city itself?  Of course, the State Capitol is here, but it also has great museums like the National Civil War Museum and the Pennsylvania Fire Museum.  The downtown area rests along the Susquehanna River, the longest unnavigable river in the United States of America with its beginnings in the U.S. state of New York passing through the east central region of Pennsylvania past Harrisburg before it continues into the U.S. state of Maryland and into the Chesapeake Bay.  South of the city, there are four dams which forms the scenery around Harrisburg today.  One of the things formed by the four dams is City Island located in the middle of the river.  What is special about City Island?  Well, it is a playground for the city, and the Harrisburg Senators, a professional minor league baseball team affiliated with the Washington Nationals, have their stadium here.  If you visit Harrisburg, you will be totally amazed  with a visit to City Island.

Some of you are saying, “This is wonderful.  I love chocolate.  The city of Harrisburg is probably a great city.  As for City Island, it is just an island in the river that is just another tourist destination.  Therefore, I will not bother visiting this island.”

What is special about City Island in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania?

When you arrive in the city of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, particularly if you arrived crossing the Susquehanna River, the very first thing you will notice is that many railroads pass through here.  The electrified section of Amtrak has a terminus here.  There are many railroad arch bridges across the river, and the famous Rockville Bridge, located in the suburb of Rockville, is just north of the downtown area.

This brings us to City Island.  What is special about City Island?  As mentioned, the baseball stadium home of the Harrisburg Senators is on the island.  The Walnut Street Bridge, an old steel truss street bridge that is now a pedestrian bridge, connects people with downtown and the western suburbs.  It is the home of the ‘Pride of the Susquehanna’, a riverboat that is a pleasure to ride as you get great views of the river as well as the downtown region.  It has a miniature golf course, a carousel, and it is the home of the Harrisburg Beach Club.  As you enter City Island, there is an important crossing you must make.  What is that crossing?  The first thing you will see is the City Island Railroad.

City Island is walkable for most people and is mostly wheelchair accessible, but the City Island Railroad is a great way to see the island.  It is a miniature train pulled by a replica of an American Civil War era steam locomotive.  A ride on the train takes you around the stadium.  It takes you past the miniature golf course and beach club.  You pass by the dock of the Pride of Susquehanna.  Most important, you get great views of the river during your entire ride.

The City Island Railroad begins at the Walnut Street Station which is a short walk from the parking lot and Walnut Street Bridge.  If you visit City Island, it will be a great compliment to your visit.

The City Island Railroad runs mainly in the summer months.  It is located on City Island which is accessible from the Market Street Bridge which crosses the river between downtown and the western side of the river.  Admission is required to ride the train.  There is parking available.  It is mainly free, but you may pay for parking during stadium events.

The city of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania has many great places to see.  The City Island Railroad is worth your visit.  You will be glad you did.

Fort James Jackson, Savannah, Georgia

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

The city of Savannah in the U.S. state of Georgia is a city that has much history.  Fort Jackson, located on the Savannah River east of the historic downtown area is a big part of that history.  It was the second defense from an attack from the Savannah River after Fort Pulaski, and the fort played a role in the War of 1812.  The fort is named after, of course, James Jackson, a British born officer who served in the American Revolutionary war and was later the governor of the U.S. state of Georgia.  It is the oldest standing brick fort in the state of Georgia and one of the oldest on the East Coast of the United States.  If you are ever visiting Savannah, you will want to make some time to visit this National Historic Landmark.

Now some of you are saying, “You know.  I am amazed to hear about Fort Jackson.  You see the history of the fort as a fortification for battle, and I see how it helped defend the ships going in and out of Savannah, but I am wondering where the railroads are at this fort.”

Fort Jackson was a fort built to defend Savannah from a sea attack.  It has much history as a fort itself, but you will not find any railroad history here at all.  In matter of fact, the fort itself has no history with the railroad at all.

Why visit Fort James Jackson if it has no history with the railroad?  You will see the answer to the question as soon as you arrive.

The first thing you will see when you arrive at Fort Jackson is the Visitor Center.  What is so special about the Visitor Center?  Many historic sites have visitor centers that show the history of the particular site.  What is special about the Fort Jackson Visitor Center?  The answer is that before it was the Fort Jackson Visitor Center, the structure was called the Tybee Depot.  Yes, it was located in downtown Savannah.  (This train depot was separate from the main train station that is now the Savannah Visitor Center.)  The Central of Georgia Railroad ran passenger trains from downtown Savannah to Tybee Island, an island on the Atlantic Ocean that was a resort town.  When the railroad no longer served Tybee Island, the depot was preserved and eventually brought to Fort Jackson to become the visitor center.

You now have a reason to visit Fort Jackson.  Once you see the visitor center, you will want to see the fort as well.  The fort is located at 1 Fort Jackson Road just minutes from the historic district.  It is a place worth seeing.

The Mad River and NKP Railroad Museum, Bellevue, Ohio

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

The U.S. state of Ohio has many cities as well as small towns.  Among these towns is the town of Bellevue.  Located in the north central region of the state, it is not a popular town with only U.S. Route 20 being the only major route through the town and the Ohio Turnpike (Interstates 80 and 90) running north of the town, but it is a town centered on the railroad.

Welcome to the Mad River and NKP Railroad Museum.  (For those who are wondering, NKP stands for the Nickel Plate Road, a railroad that ran on many routes in the northern region of the United States of America.)  The mission of the museum is to preserve the heritage of the railroad in the region.

Some of you are saying, “Oh yeah!  I have been to these small town museums.  They have a caboose and a small model train display.  It is a waste of time to visit an out of the way town to see this.”

Ladies and gentlemen, be advised that the Mad River and NKP Railroad Museum is not a museum that has just a caboose and small model train.  Be warned that as soon as you arrive here, you will be totally amazed at what you will see.

Let us begin with the main building.  Well, it may be hard to go to the main building after seeing after what you see, but it is here where you will need to pay your admission before seeing the rest of the museum.  You enter the gift shop to pay your admission, and then you enter the exhibits.  The very first thing you will see is a replica of a steam locomotive called the ‘Sandusky’, the first locomotive run by the Mad River Railroad between Bellevue and the port town of Sandusky located on Lake Erie.  In the same room is a bell that was used on the Lincoln Funeral Train, the train that carried the remains of President Abraham Lincoln from Washington D.C. to his final resting place in Springfield, Illinois.  Other items include China (dishes) used on passenger cars.

From here, you enter into the next room which has two cabooses.  The one caboose is from the Nickel Plate Road, and the other caboose is from the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad, another railroad that ran through the town.  There is also a Mack truck from the Railway Express and a luggage cart.

Then you have a third room.  What is in this room?  It is here where you really go back in time to the days before Amtrak.  You enter into old passenger cars.  You see the passenger seats and the private rooms and the dining area.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is only a small part of the museum.

From here, you go outside and across the street to the very thing that kept you here at the museum.  You see the rolling stock.  You have the switcher locomotive.  You have a hopper.  You have a tank car and many box cars.  You have numerous diesel locomotives, cabooses, and more passenger cars and baggage cars.  Then you have the old Bellevue Train Station.

Some of you are saying, “Alright!  That is everything.”

Ladies and gentlemen, there is more.  Yes, there is more.

Across the main rail line from the museum is the Kemper Rail Park.  Yes, there is more things to see.  What is here?  You  have Locomotive  Number  2  from the Pennsylvania Railroad.  You have more locomotives, a crane, the freight house from the New York Central System, and you have the star attraction.  What is the star attraction?  Nickel Plate Road Locomotive Number 757 sits here in the park.

So you think that this it.  There is more.  The town of Bellevue was served by many railroads back in the day.  Today, the Norfolk Southern Railway is the only railroad in town, and, if you are fortunate enough, a freight train may pass by. 

The Mad River and NKP Railroad Museum was established by people who wanted to keep the heritage of the railroad in Bellevue alive.  It is an all-volunteer operation including restoration of old rolling stock, and the museum receives no public funding.  When you come here, be advised that it is not a waste of your time.

The Mad River and NKP Railroad Museum is located at 253 Southwest Street in Bellevue, Ohio.  It is just a few blocks from U.S. Route 20 and Ohio State Routes 18 and 269, and it is easily accessible from the Ohio Turnpike (Interstates 80 and 90).  It is open from May through October from 12:00pm to 4:00pm.  (Open weekends only in May, September, and October.  Open daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day.  The Rail Park is open year round from sunrise to sunset.)  Please note that due to the age of the structures, not all areas are wheelchair accessible, but the rail park is completely accessible.  You can get information in admission, directions, and to read more into the history of the museum and the railroad at https://madrivermuseum.org/.

The Mad River and NKP Railroad Museum is an amazing place.  There is much here.  It is definitely worth making the journey.

Bluemont Park, Arlington, Virginia

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

When you visit Bluemont Park, it may appear to be your average park.  Located in Arlington in the U.S. state of Virginia and a suburb of Washington D.C., it looks like your average park, but it is not.

As you approach the park from Wilson Boulevard, you will first notice the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad Trail.  Yes, the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad Trail passes through many parks in the Virginia suburbs between Alexandria and Purcellville.

So what is special about Bluemont Park?

Bluemont Park has a playground, a softball field, and a creek just like many other parks, and the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad Trail passes through the park.  What makes Bluemont Park is what happened here.

What happened at Bluemont Park?

The Washington and Old Dominion Railroad Trail, like other railroad trails, follows the route of a railroad line.  This railroad line ran from the port of Alexandria to the town of Bluemont where it connected to a rail line that is now owned by Norfolk Southern Railway.  (The railroad line was owned by many railroads, but the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad was the last railroad that owned the railroad line.)  Bluemont Park was the site of Bluemont Junction.  It was here where the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad connected with a railroad line that ran to Rosslyn, a community in Arlington that is across the river from Georgetown, a historic neighborhood and oldest section of the District of Columbia, and it connected to a railroad line that ran to the Virginia side of the present day Great Falls Park, a famous waterfall on the Potomac River.  (The Bluemont Trail follows the route to Rosslyn which had a train terminal that is long gone.)  Things changed when passenger service ended in 1951 and the railroad was abandoned in 1968.

Today, the railroad lines are long gone and so are the many structures that were here that included a passenger station, an electric power station, and a ‘wye’ track used to turn trains around.  When you visit the site today, you will see a replica of the Bluemont Passenger shelter and a caboose paint in the Southern Railway colors.

A visit to Bluemont Park is a quiet place in a very urbanized area which was bustling in its heyday.  It is located at 601 N. Manchester Street in Arlington, Virginia.  The park is open from sunrise to sunset, and it is completely wheelchair accessible.

The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum, Washington, Pennsylvania

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

The U.S. state of Pennsylvania is a state known for many things.  It was in this state where the United States of America was established in Philadelphia.  It is the home to the Chocolate Capital of the World in Hershey.  Oil was discovered in this state near Titusville.  It is a state known for coal mining, and it is also known for the steel industry in cities like Bethlehem and, of course, Pittsburgh.  It is also the home of many railroad sites of which one of them happens to be south of Pittsburgh.

Welcome to the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum in Washington, Pennsylvania.  Yes, it is a trolley museum in Pennsylvania hence the name.  What is special about the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum?  Of course, it has trolleys.  It was established by dedicated volunteers along an old trolley line that connected Washington with Pittsburgh back in the days when the trolley was in operation.  Much of the collection are trolleys that operated around the Pittsburgh region.  Yes, a few of the trolleys can be ridden year round when the museum is open weather depending.

So, what is special about the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum?  It is run by people who dedicate their lives to keeping the memories of trolleys alive.  When you visit the museum, you will be truly glad that they did.  A ride on a vintage trolley takes you back in time.

With the opening of the new visitor center featuring interactive exhibits and a climate controlled trolley display center, you can now visit the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum all year round.

The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum is located at 1 Electric Way in Washington, Pennsylvania just minutes from Interstate 79.  The museum hours vary throughout the year, but the trolleys only run in the warm months.  Everything in the museum is wheelchair accessible.  You can get more information at https://pa-trolley.org/.

What is special about the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum?  The only way to truly answer that question is to visit.  During your visit, your questions will be answered.