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The U.S. state of Indiana is a state that not on many traveler’s lists, but it should be.  The state is famous for being a popular basketball state with movies like ‘Hoosiers’, and it was where Hall of Fame Basketball player Larry Bird was born.  As for racing fans, who does not know about the Indianapolis 500?  It is a very traversed state as the six longest routes in the nation pass through the state.  (That is U.S. Routes 6, 20, 30, and 50 and Interstates 80 and 90.)  Not many people know the state for its railroads, and there are many railroad places in the state.  Among these railroads is the Whitewater Valley Railroad in Connersville.

Some are saying, “Wow!  That is nice.  A railroad that runs on whitewater in a valley unlike other railroads that run on train tracks.  It is like whitewater rafting on a train.  I wonder how they do it?”

Well, that it not how it works.  They run on railroad tracks like every other train.  The name comes from the fact that much of the route is along the Whitewater River.

Some of you are saying, “Yeah, and it goes into the woods and comes right back.  Nothing special.”

Ladies and gentlemen, it is not just a simple train ride.  Why ride the Whitewater Valley Railroad?

The trip begins in the small town of Connersville.  You buy your ticket and board one of the vintage railroad cars.  You hear, “All aboard,” and the train leaves the station.  You look at the different sites as the train rolls by.  You come upon the Whitewater River, and as you ride along and cross the river, you see ruins of an old canal.  You then arrive in the small town of Metamora.

Some of you are saying, “Great.  You get here.  There is nothing here.  Then you board the train and head back.”

Ladies and gentlemen, when you arrive in Metamora, you actually are back in time.  Well, you are not back in time, but the vintage structures make you feel that way.  Oh, remember the ruins of the canal?  It is restored in Metamora and is part of the Whitewater Canal State Historic Site.  Here, you will see a restored canal lock, and there is an old mill that you can tour.  You can tour the vintage shops and restaurants.  If you want a keepsake, you can visit the 1838 Photography shop to get an old time photo of yourself, friends, and family.  (This could be your favorite part of visiting Metamora.)

Well, it is time to board the train and head back to Connersville.  When you return to the station, you step off the train.  You look back, and you feel something very special.

The Whitewater Valley Railroad is located at 455 Market Street in Connersville, Indiana, just blocks from Indiana State Routes 1 and 44.  Parking is on site.  Due to the vintage equipment, the train is not wheelchair accessible.  You can get more information about the excursions, schedules, and buy tickets at https://whitewatervalleyrr.org.

When in Indiana, you think of basketball.  You think of the Indianapolis 500.  The Whitewater Valley Railroad is another great reason to visit the state.

The U.S. state of Indiana is a state that has many great treasures although the state itself is not a popular tourist state.  It is the home of the Indianapolis 500, the most popular Formula One race in the United States of America with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as a hallowed site in the sports world.  With Indianapolis, the state capitol, as the most popular city in the state, the state has many great state towns.  Among these small towns is the town of French Lick.

Some of you are saying, “Wow!  A town named after the fact that the French know how to lick.”

Actually, that is not true.  The town originated as a French trading post which happened to be near what is called a salt lick, a spot where animals can lick and get minerals for their body.  One of the most popular sports in Indiana is basketball.  It just happens to be that French Lick is the hometown of Larry Bird.

Some of you are saying, “Wow!  I have heard of hummingbirds.  I have heard of mockingbirds.  I have never heard of a Larry Bird.”

Larry Bird is a real person who grew up in French Lick.  (His home is not open to the public.)  He played professional basketball for the Boston Celtics and won many championships for the team, and he made is way to the Basketball Hall of Fame.  Although Larry Bird is the town’s main claim to fame, there is also another great reason to visit this town.

Welcome to the French Lick Scenic Railway.  Yes, you can ride the train in the same town where Larry Bird spent his childhood.  What began as a museum offered train rides from the old French Lick Train Station.

As you arrive, you noticed many vintage railroad cars.  You walk around and see the various train cars, but you came to ride the train.  You board the train in one of the vintage railroad cars, and you take a ride south of the town through the forest with scenery on each side of the train.  It then returns to the train station.

The French Lick Scenic Railway, just like every train ride, is very unique.  It has its unique features and sites along the way.

The French Lick Scenic Railway is located on Indiana Route 56 in French Lick, Indiana.  Please note that due to the vintage railroad cars, the train is not wheelchair accessible.  You can get more information about the French Lick Scenic Railway and get information on the train rides and read more into the history of the railroad at French Lick Scenic Railway | French Lick, IN.

The French Lick Scenic Railway cannot guarantee that you will see Larry Bird.  They cannot guarantee that you will win a National Basketball Association Championship or get you into the Hall of Fame.  What they can guarantee is a great and scenic train ride… and maybe see some other birds along the way.

There is so much to see in the U.S. state of New York.  You have New York City, the most populated city in the United States of America famous for its numerous skyscrapers like the Empire State Building, The Chrysler Building, and One World Trade Center, and it is home to one of the most spectacular bridges in the world, the Brooklyn Bridge.  You have the city of Buffalo, of which one of its famous suburbs, Niagara Falls is the home of one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world, Niagara Falls.  You have many small towns in the state, and you have the region known as ‘Upstate’ that is filled with the Adirondack Mountains.  The small town of Lake Placid hosted two Winter Olympics.  One of the most famous rivers in the world, the Hudson River named after Henry Hudson who explored the region, flows into the Atlantic Ocean south of New York City.  The river has many famous bridges to include the Staten Island Bridge and George Washington Bridge.  As you follow the river north, you pass under many spectacular bridges.  One of these bridges has gotten the name ‘Walkway Over the Hudson.’  Unlike most bridges across the Hudson River, this is strictly a pedestrian bridge.  Walkers and hikers can walk from the city of Poughkeepsie on the east side to the west side of the river.  As you walk across, be advised that you will see spectacular views not just of the Hudson River itself, but you will get spectacular views of the shorelines of each side of the river.  Oh, this happens to be the longest pedestrian bridge in the world.  Yes, as you walk across the bridge, you are traveling across history.

Some of you are saying, “That is cool.  This is amazing.  It would be amazing to walk across the Hudson River and enjoy the great views.  However, there is a very big problem.  This is a pedestrian bridge, not a railroad bridge.  Therefore, you will not see me taking a walk here.”

You are right.  It is a pedestrian bridge.  No trains go across this bridge.  Why would somebody who loves trains have any interest in visiting this bridge?

The Walkway Over the Hudson in a steel cantilever bridge that was built and opened in 1889.

Some of you are saying, “Wow!  Great construction for a pedestrian bridge.”

It sure is.  Why build a steel cantilever bridge for simple pedestrians?  That would be a big waste of money.  As you begin your walk, you notice a flat trail.  It looks as if it was an old railroad bed.  Well, that is because it was a railroad bed.

When the bridge was built, it was originally called the Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge.

Some of you are saying, “Wait a minute.  How does it get the name Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge?”

That is a great question.  As mentioned, it is a steel cantilever bridge.  Why build a steel cantilever bridge simply for pedestrians?  The answer is that it was originally not a pedestrian bridge.  It was a railroad bridge.  The bridge had two tracks and brought the Maybrook Railroad Line, part of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad, across the Hudson River.  For decades, you could watch trains, both passenger and freight trains, go across the Hudson River.  Sadly, the bridge was damaged by a fire on May 8, 1974, and it never saw railroad service again.

The bridge saw new life on October 3, 2009, and it was opened as the Walkway Over the Hudson, and it is part of the Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park.  Oh, the old railroad bed, it is now part of the Hudson Valley Rail Trail.

Walkway Over the Hudson is designated as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  It is owned by the New York State Bridge Authority and operated by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation.  It is also supported by the Friends of the Walkway.  You can enter the bridge from either side of the Hudson River with parking on both sides.  The bridge is wheelchair accessible, but please note that the elevators do not operate year round.  The bridge itself is open year round, but it may close during inclement weather.  As for the bridge, it is a very high bridge.  Those who have a fear of heights will want to use caution.  You can read more into the construction and history of the Walkway Over the Hudson and get information on directions and hours at Walkway Over the Hudson – walkway.org.

The Hudson River in the U.S. state of New York is a spectacular river to see.  What better way to see it than to take a walk on the Walkway Over the Hudson.

You pull into the parking lot.  You see the short Brookville locomotive on display.  You walk by the huge test weight car that is used to test heavy weight on the tracks.  You see a railroad signal overhead.  You see one of the old railroad shop buildings.  You see a box car and a caboose.  You see all of this… and you have not even entered into the building to pay your admission.

Welcome to the Railroaders Memorial Museum located in downtown Altoona in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.  It is a museum dedicated to those who worked on and for the railroad.  It has numerous exhibits that give you a look into the workers lives as well as the workers families, and it tells you how the railroad has contributed to so many aspects of American life from industry to agriculture to life at home.

Once you have spent time inside, you then go outside to see the cars that are on display including a super flatcar that is used as a stage for summer concerts.  You can even see a turntable used to turn locomotives and cars around.

They have a roundhouse that you can tour.  Be warned.  There is much to see at this museum.  If that is not enough, you can walk outside past some old workhouses or to the nearby train station and watch the trains roll by.

The museum is located at 1300 Ninth Avenue in downtown Altoona, Pennsylvania.  It is open from early April to late December.  You can get admission price information and of upcoming events at www.railroadcity.com.

On February 27, 1827, the first railroad in the United States of America began in the city of Baltimore in the U.S. state of Maryland, and it made its way to the mill town of Ellicott Mills.  (It is now Ellicott City.)  The railroad began going west and south from here beginning new towns with a train station in each town.  Among these towns is the town of Bedford in the U.S. state of Virginia.  Located in the south-central region of the state, the railroad still passes through the town today.  The old train station saw its last passenger train in 1971.  Today, it is called Liberty Station, and it is now a restaurant.

Some of you are saying, “I have notice that many train stations were demolished.  It is nice that this train station was spared.  However, it is called ‘Liberty Station’ and is now a restaurant.  How does it get the name ‘Liberty Station’?”

That is a good question.  Although the railroad passes through the town and that the railroad once served the town itself, the town of Bedford has never been a railroad town.  Then again, many towns in the United States of America that were served by the railroad but never became railroad towns.  What is special about Bedford, Virginia?  Well, the answer to the question is a sad and tragic one.

Before Liberty Station was a restaurant, it was a train station.  It was your average station just like any small town train station… except for one specific day.

During World War II, the Nazis from Germany were marching across the continent of Europe taking control of much of the continent.  On June 6, 1944, they reached a place called Normandy in northern France.  As the Nazis were on land, allied forces to include soldiers from the United States of America were on ships in the English Channel headed towards Omaha Beach.  Among these forces were the 116^th Infantry from the small town… of Bedford, Virginia.  They made the assault on Omaha Beach which was the largest invasion from the sea in the history of warfare.  Although the invasion ended in victory for the allied forces and lead to the liberation of the continent of Europe from Nazi rule, many of the soldiers lost their lives.  The largest loss of life came from the 116^th Infantry of Bedford, Virginia.

Before the 116^th Infantry, commonly called the ‘Bedford Boys’, arrived in the English Channel, they departed the town of Bedford.  How did they leave?  They departed on a train from Liberty Station.  Sadly, it was their last time most would see the town of Bedford.

Today, Liberty Station not only survives as a restaurant, but it also has a museum.  You can eat a nice meal in the same place where the Bedford Boys departed to fight a war.  Many of them lost their lives so that millions of others could live theirs.

Although the town of Bedford, Virginia is not a railroad town, it was the railroad that served the town that played a big role not only in the history of the United States of America and the United States Armed Forces, but it also played a big role in the history of the world.  For this reason, the National D-Day Memorial is located in Bedford to remember the men who had a one way train ticket.  The National D-Day Memorial is located just of U.S. Route 460 and Virginia Route 122.  (The National D-Day Memorial).  You can also visit the Bedford Boys Tribute Center located in the town center on U.S. Route 221 and Virginia Route 43.  Located inside an old drug store where the Bedford Boys had their hangout, the Bedford Boys Tribute Center tells the stories of the Bedford Boys from their days in the town to their journey to Normandy.  It remembers the boys who returned and those who did not.  (Bedford Boys Tribute Center).  After visiting the National D-Day Memorial and Bedford Boys Tribute Center, you can end your day with a meal at the Liberty Station.  (HOME | Olde Liberty Station | Bedford, VA).

On this Memorial Day, let us remember the men and women of the United States Armed Forces who left the families and their hometowns to defend the people of the United States of America only to never return home.  Let us remember the Bedford Boys who were from a small town in Virginia where the railroad contributed to one of the greatest events in world history.

Most major cities in the United States of America have a zoo.  The city of Cincinnati in the southwest region of the U.S. state of Ohio is no exception.  Cincinnati, the city famous for the television show ‘WKRP in Cincinnati’, and is the home of the Cincinnati Reds, a professional baseball team that is part of Major League Baseball, and it is the home of the Cincinnati Bengals, a professional American football team in the National Football League.  (In case you are wondering what a Bengal is, it is a specific type of tiger that is mainly from India and other countries in that region.)  The city does have a few treasures to see.  One of those treasures happen to be the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens.  The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens has, of course, animals that are in recreated habitats.  As you walk around, you will see various gardens and waterfalls.  When you visit the Cincinnati Zoo and Gardens, you will enjoy a very special place.

Some of you are saying, “This is interesting.  Here is a zoo in a city that happens to be the home of the Bengals.  There is one very big problem.  This is a zoo.  A zoo has animals.  It is also a garden which has plants.  This place is not a railroad place.  Therefore, I will not ‘Red-ee’ myself to visit this place.”

You are right.  This is not a railroad site.  It is a zoo with a garden.  Why would you want to visit the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden?

As mentioned, there are zoos all across the United States of America.  You have the famous San Diego Zoo in the city of San Diego in the U.S. state of California.  Then you have the Central Park Zoo located in the world famous Central Park in New York City in the U.S. state of New York.  You very rarely hear about the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens.  Why visit here?

You enter the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens.  You see the different animals.  You see the various plants.  You see the waterfalls.  You see a railroad crossing.  What?  A railroad crossing?  What is this?  Ladies and gentlemen, this is a railroad crossing for the Safari Train.

Some of you are saying, “I see.  The Safari Train is a train that goes around this very small circle that you make a few loops around, and that is the Safari Train.”

Ladies and gentlemen, if you only enjoy trains that go around in small circles, then the Safari Train at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens will disappoint you.  It is not a just a train ride.  The Safari Train, a miniature train, gets you a great view of the Mexican wolves and the flamingoes.  It takes you across a high train trestle and takes you around a lake.  The ride is only ten minutes, but, for those who love trains, it will be the best part of visiting the zoo.

The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens is located at 3400 Vine Street in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Although the zoo is open year-round, the Safari Train only runs during the warm months.  There is a $5.00 fee to ride the train along with the admission to the zoo.  You can get all of the information at Cincinnati Zoo | Accredited Member of the AZA.

So, you now have a reason to go to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens.  Although they are the home of the Bengals, they gladly welcome fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, and the Cleveland Browns.  You will enjoy the Safari Train, and you will enjoy the zoo and gardens as well.

The U.S. state of Maryland is one of the original states in the nation.  It is a state that has so much history and so many attractions.  Among these attractions is the Washington County Rural Heritage Museum in the town of Boonsboro.  The museum tells the story of the life in the county mainly focusing agriculture.  It is a small museum where you can learn about the rural life of the local people in the region.

Some of you are saying, “This is interesting.  I love farming.  It is great to have a museum about rural life.  However, this is not a railroad museum.  Therefore, I will not be visiting this place.”

Why visit the Washington County Rural Heritage Museum?

The Washington County Rural Heritage Museum is a museum that features a heritage village that have original structures that were relocated to be a part of the village.  It has an exhibit on Home and Business displaying life in the homes and businesses of the county.  It has an exhibit on Farm Life telling the story of, of course, farm life.  Then you have an exhibit of Transportation.  This exhibit mainly features cars and bikes from back in the day, but then you see a display case of model trains.  Yes, trains are a part of the rural heritage.

The display area also has an old locomotive bell.  It was found and brought to the museum.  There is also a display of the railroads that passed through the county to include the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.

The Washington County Rural Heritage Museum is located at 7313 Sharpsburg Pike (Maryland Route 65).  It is open every Saturday from April to December from 12:00pm to 4:00pm.  You can go to Washington County Rural Heritage Museum – Hours & Directions-Washington County Rural Heritage Museum for more information.

The U.S. state of New Hampshire is a small state in the northeastern region of the United States of America.  It is part of a region known as New England that includes six states.  Much of the state is mountainous with mountains like Mount Washington, the highest mountain in the state and is said to have the worst weather in the world.  In the valley west of Mount Washington is Crawford Notch.  It is here where you will find an old train station.

The Crawford Notch Train Station was built in 1891 by the Maine Central Railroad, and it brought vacationers to a region that was beginning to become very popular.  It is not as grand as the old Penn Station in New York City, New York and other big city stations, but the American Queen Anne style structure was very popular with passengers along with its two chimneys and octagonal tower.  It was the highest train station in elevation on the Maine Central Railroad.  The train station remained in service until 1971.

Today, the train station is still standing, and it serves as visitor center and supply store for hikers and is operated by the Appalachian Mountain Club.  The railroad line that still runs by the station is now owned by the Conway Scenic Railway.

The Old Crawford Notch Train Station is located on U.S. Route 302 south of the entrance to the Mount Washington Cog Railway.  It is open year-round.  Sadly, passenger trains no longer stop here, but you can at least see a great piece of architecture that stands today.

The U.S. state of Massachusetts has called itself the ‘Spirit of America’.  Why?  Its largest city and state capital, Boston, played a big role in the American Revolution.  From Paul Revere’s famous ride to the Battle of Bunker Hill to the ‘Shot Heard Around the World’ in nearby Concord to the ‘Boston Tea Party’, so many battles and skirmishes took place here.  Boston is the home to the U.S.S. Constitution.  What is special about the U.S.S. Constitution?  Yes, it is named after the United States Constitution, but it is an old sailing ship that is still commissioned to fight in a war.  In matter of fact, it is the oldest commissioned naval war ship in the world.  Plymouth, and suburb that it south of the city, was where the Pilgrims landed in the year 1620, and Plymouth Rock marks the site of the landing.  Boston is also the site of another battle: the sports battle.  The city of Boston is one of the biggest sports cities in the United States of America.  It is second to New York City, New York in winning the most professional sports championships, and it is the home to the Boston Celtics, a basketball team in the National Basketball Association that has won the most National Basketball Association Championship titles, and they have won the third most championships in North American Professional Sports only behind the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League and the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball.

There is so much you can say about the city of Boston, but what about its suburbs?  We did mention Plymouth and Concord, but you also have the suburb of Lexington which also played a role in the American Revolutionary War and Salem, famous for its witch trials.  What few people have heard about the suburb of Lowell.  What is special about Lowell?  Well, many of you heard of the Industrial Revolution.  Lowell played a big role as the cradle of the Industrial Revolution as it was the home of textile mills and manufacturing sites.  Founded in 1826 and named after Francis Cabot Lowell, it was the largest industrial complex in the nation.  Sadly, the industries died in the town, and the structures were abandoned… until the National Park Service claimed the properties and made them into the Lowell National Historical Park.  Today, you can visit the old textile factory and see where workers came every day to earn a living and create textiles to be sent around the nation and around the world.

Some of you are saying, “Wow!  That is great.  I love Boston.  It is such a great city with so much history.  I had never heard of Lowell before.  It is great to know that the old factories have been preserved.  There is a very big problem.  This site is about industry.  It is not a railroad site.  Therefore, I will not make my history of visiting here.”

You do have a great point.  The Lowell National Historical Park is a park preserving an old textile mill.  It is a not a site built around the railroad.  So why visit the Lowell National Historical Park?

As you visit any historic site, you would normally visit the Visitor Center first.  It is where you would get most of the information on the site.  Well, it is no different while visiting the Lowell National Historic Site.  You enter the Visitor Center which contains a small museum.  You see displays on the factories and the workers in those factories, and then you see the front of a trolley.

Some of you are saying, “Wait a minute.  This site is about factories and mills.  What does a trolley have to do with this site?”

That is a good question.  Here is the answer.

When the city of Lowell and the mills were erected in the 1820’s, workers walked to work.  In 1864, the Lowell Horse Railroad Company gave the workers a new option.  They could now ride a trolley pulled by a horse instead of walking.  In 1889, electric trolleys took over.  However, one of the passenger railroad’s enemies, the automobile, became more popular, and the trolley service ended in 1935.

Some of you are saying, “Yea, I know, and the trolley is gone forever.  Therefore, there is no reason to visit this place.”

So why visit?  Well, you were at the Visitor Center.  Why not visit an old factory?  However, the factory is a few blocks away.  The good news is that you have options.  Option one is to walk to the factory like they did in the old days.  Option two is that you can drive, but you will have to find parking of which the museum does not have.  Option three is that you can use public transportation.  There is a fourth option.  What is the fourth option?

In 1984, the National Park Service brought back the trolley.  No, it is not pulled by a horse, but it is an electric trolley that runs between the Visitor Center, the boat ride, and the factory museum.  Yes, you can ride Trolley Number 1601 to the museum.  As you ride along, you can see some of the old trolley tracks along the way.

There is also another thing.  What is the other thing?  As you wait for the trolley at the Visitor Center, you can see an old train from the Boston and Maine Railroad.  The train consist of Locomotive Number 410 and a combine car.  The train pays tribute to the role that the Boston and Maine Railroad played in Lowell’s economy.

The Lowell Historical Park Visitor Center is located at 246 Market Street in Downtown Lowell, Massachusetts.  The historical park consists of other museums and a boat ride as well.  You can get all of the information at Lowell National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service).

The Lowell National Historical Park may be erected around the old factories, but you can ride an old trolley to most of them.  It is a place where trolleys played a big role in the largest industrial town the United States of America.