Category: Uncategorized

The Mount Washington Cog Railway, Carroll, New Hampshire

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

Team Alka Treka was an adventure hiking racing team that challenged many people in a hiking race on some of the toughest hiking areas in the world.  The team leader was a man named Thomas Markman.  His teammates were Paul Tillgis, Van Boston, and a lady named Britney Hauer.  Their one claim to fame: they had never lost a race.

Team Alka Treka was sitting at their home base.

“Hey, guys!”  Van held up his phone.  “There is an old man who wants to race us to the top of Mount Washington in New Hampshire.”

Britney glanced at the picture on his phone.  “You’ve got to be kidding me.  This man looks older than the planet, and he thinks that he can beat us in a race to the top of the highest peak in the U.S.  He looks like he needs a walker.”

“So, it says here that his name is Old Man Wilcox.  What a joke.”  Paul giggled.

“Call him.  Tell him that well will take him up on his challenge.”  Thomas said.

One month later, they were at the base of Mount Washington, the highest peak in the U.S. state of New Hampshire.  A man walked up to them.

“Hello.  I am Judge Harold Colton.  I will be overseeing the race.”

“Nice to meet you.”  Thomas shook his hand.  “I cannot believe a man who is older than dirt would challenge us.”

Judge Colton moved closer.  “Do not underestimate Old Man Wilcox.  He has defeated many people including those who could not be defeated.”

Judge Colton walked away.

“We will see how stupid this old man is.”  Thomas sputtered.

An hour later, they were at the starting line.  Thomas, Van, Paul, and Britney stepped up to the line.  Old Man Wilcox, with the help of his walker, and his granddaughter, slowly creeped to the starting line.

“You have got to be kidding me.”  Van said.

“Nope!  I am Old Man Wilcox, and I am here to race you to the top of Mount Washington.”

“Well, see you at the finish line… five months from now.”  Thomas mocked him.

“Get ready!”  Judge Colton stood nearby.  “The rules are simple.  Be the first to get to the top of Mount Washington to win the race.”

Team Alka Treka readied themselves.

“On your mark.  Get set.  Go!”

Team Alka Treka sped off… leaving Old Man Wilcox and his granddaughter behind.

Thomas, Paul, Van, and Britney were hiking their way up the mountain.  The weather was cold.  The wind blew hard.  In about three hours, they were above the tree line.  They were awed by the views.

“It would be nice to stay here and watch, but we need to get to the top.”  Thomas tried to rush everyone.

They continued upward.

They were three quarters of the way to the top.  The weather was getting frigid.  Strong winds were blowing.  Britney started limping.

“Are you O.K.?” Van was concerned.

“It feels like I have a blister.”  Britney was wincing.

“We will be at the top soon.”  Thomas tried to urge her.

They continued on until… they reached the top.  They had arrived at the summit of Mount Washington, but there was nobody around to greet them.  They went into the Visitor Center.  Britney sat down and removed her boot and her socks to see the blister on the sole of her foot.

“That looks bad.”  Van stared at her blister.

“So, you made it.”  Judge Colton walked over to him.  “I see that she got a blister.”

“Yeah!  It must be my reward for victory.”  Britney squeezed the blister.

“Too bad Old Man Wilcox beat you here.”

They were stunned.  “What do you…?”

“He had been here for hours.”  Judge Colton added.  “He and his granddaughter had been here for hours.  It looks like you got a taste of defeat.”

Old Man Wilcox slowly creeped to them with the help of his walker with his granddaughter next to him.  “I see that you finally got here.”

“Now how did an old poop like you beat us?”  Britney kept looking at her blister.

Old Man Wilcox pointed.  They looked outside.

“Wait a minute.”  Thomas was furious.

“The rule was to be the first to the top.  It did not say how to get to the top.  It said be the first to the top.  Old Man Wilcox and his lovely granddaughter was the first to the top.  Therefore, they are the winners.  You, Team Alka Treka, are the losers.  Have a great day.”  Judge Colton walked away.

“Have a nice day.”  Old Man Wilcox creeped away.

They watched at Old Man Wilcox and his granddaughter made their way to the Mount Washington Cog Railway.

Old Man Wilcox approached the train.

“Congratulations on another victory.”  The conductor tipped his hat.

“Thank You.”  Old Man Wilcox smiled.  “I always enjoy riding the train.”

Old Man Wilcox and his granddaughter climbed aboard and sat down.  The train began its descent down the mountain.  As for Team Alka Treka, they suffered their first defeat along with Britney Hauer suffering the agony of de-feet.

So how did Old Man Wilcox, a very elderly man who needs assistance of a walker to stand and walk, win a race against four very experienced very physically fit hikers on a mountain that is known for some of the toughest weather on planet earth?

It began at the starting line.  When the race began, Team Alka Treka began their hike up the mountain.  Old Man Wilcox called a cab.  He rode the cab to Marshfield Station.  Yes, it is a train station.  It is the train station for the Mount Washington Cog Railway.  He rode the train to the top, and made it to the top long before Team Alka Treka arrived.

What is the Mount Washington Cog Railway?

Well, it is the first railroad of its kind in the world.  Darlington, England, Great Britain was where the first railroad in the world.  Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A. was where the first railroad ran in the Western Hemisphere.  Honesdale, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. was where the steam locomotive was first used on a railroad line in the Western Hemisphere.  As for Mount Washington in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, it was the first cog railroad in the entire world.

Some of you are saying, “Wow!  That is cool.  What is a cog railroad?”

That is a good question.  It is a railroad, but it is not your typical railroad.  A cog railroad has its two main rails, and it has a center rail that looks like it has teeth.  What are these teeth for?  A normal railroad would not be able to ascend straight up a mountain.

Some of you are saying, “Well, the Cass Scenic Railroad in Cass, West Virginia goes up a mountain.”

That is true, but the Cass Scenic Railroad does not go directly to the top but on a normal railroad line using switchbacks to climb the mountain.  It is more like driving a winding road except on the railroad.

A cog railway is able to go straight up the mountain on very steep track.  (It goes from a twenty-five percent to thirty-seven percent grade.  The average railroad, including narrow gauge, could not run on tracks this steep.)  The center gear track is how it is done.  You may have heard of rack-and-pinion.  A wheel, called a cog wheel, on the bottom of the locomotive, connects to this tooth track, and it rides this track up the mountain.

As you arrive at the station, you get your ticket, and you get aboard the train.  The train goes on its ascent up the mountain.  It is a very slow ride.  A slow ride allows you to enjoy the scenery that you will enjoy on your three mile (five kilometer) ascent.  Be warned.  There will be lots of scenery to enjoy.  You are only on one of the highest mountains in the United States of America.

You arrive at the top.  You step off the train.

Some of you are saying, “And you see nothing, and you are freezing to death.”

Nope.  At the top of Mount Washington is where you will find Mount Washington State Park.  You have a visitor center that has a restaurant, an exhibit called ‘Extreme Mount Washington’, a restaurant, restrooms, and, on cold days, heat.  You can view the scenery below from the many overlooks.  (You can even see the states of Maine to the east and Vermont to the west.)  You can see the weather station (not open to the public), and you can put your feet on the summit of Mount Washington.  (Please note that the summit is not wheelchair accessible.)  Then it is time to descend down to mountain back to Marshfield Station.  While at Marshfield Station, you can visit the museum to see how the cog railway looks.

Some of you are saying, “That is nice.  With the steep grades, it is sure a not-so-comfortable ride.”

Not exactly.  The locomotive and the passenger car is designed to handle the steep grades.  Yes, the grades are steep, but the engineer and the passengers feel as if they are on level ground.

The Mount Washington Cog Railway is the first of its kind in the world.  It is a National Historic Mechanical and Civil Engineering Landmark.  The man who design the railroad, well, was Sylvester Marsh.  What is special about Sylvester Marsh?  He was not a railroad man, but he designed the Mount Washington Cog Railway.  When his idea to build the railroad came to the New Hampshire legislature, they laughed at him.  When he began running the railroad to the top of Mount Washington on July 3, 1869, it continued to run, and it runs to this day.  The man who was laughed at by big dignitaries designed one of the most popular railroad rides in the world, and people still ride to the top of Mount Washington today.  Other cog railways have also been built to climb other mountains.  Who is laughing now?

Some of you are saying, “The sad thing is that it only runs from late May to October.”

The sad thing is that you are wrong.  The Mount Washington Cog Railway runs year round.  Yes.  You can ride to the top of Mount Washington in January and February.

The Mount Washington Cog Railway is located at the base of Mount Washington in the northern region of New Hampshire at 3168 Base Station Road in Mount Washington, New Hampshire.  It is a six mile drive from U.S. Route 302 on a paved road.  Please note that the weather does change rapidly at the summit so you will want to prepare even in the summer months.  The ride up is thirty minutes to the top.  You can get more information and tickets at https://www.thecog.com/.

So, what is the best way to the top of Mount Washington?  Ride the Mount Washington Cog Railway.  It is scenic up and down.  Oh, the Mount Washington Cog Railway will not give you blisters on your feet.

Quarry Gardens, Schuyler, Virginia

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

The state of Virginia is one of the original states of what would become the United States of America.  The state has produced more U.S. Presidents that any other state to include George Washington, the first president, and Thomas Jefferson, the third president and the one who drafted the Declaration of Independence.  The state has many famous historic sites like the Manassas National Battlefield, Mount Vernon, and Monticello.  The state has many cities and small towns.  In the central region of the state between the famous college cities of Charlottesville and Lynchburg is a small town known as Schuyler.  What is famous about Schuyler?  The town’s claim to fame is that it is the home of Earl Hamner.  Who is Earl Hamner?  He is famed for being the writer of the true stories that inspired the television show The Waltons, a television series that took place in that small town.  In this town, you will find the Waltons Museum where you can learn about Earl Hamner and the television show.  A few miles from the museum is where you will find another great place.

Welcome to Piedmont Discovery Center’s Quarry Gardens.  What is the Piedmont Discovery Center’s Quarry Gardens?

Some of you are saying, “Well, duh, it is a garden that is in a quarry.”

Well, you are exactly right.  It is a garden that was formed in an old quarry.  Well, there are two quarries.  In its heyday, Schuyler was the soapstone capital of the world.  The soapstone was cut out of the quarries, and it was shipped around the world.  Soapstone was quarried on the land now owned by the Piedmont Discovery Center mainly between the 1950’s and the 1970’s, and then it became a dumping site.  A couple named Bernice and Armand Thieblot came up with the idea of making the two quarries into a garden and opening it to the public.  With help from the Piedmont Discovery Center, the idea became a reality.  Today, you can hike the trails around the old quarries.  As you walk around this peaceful place, you will never know that this was once a very active and messy place.

Some of you are saying, “Wow!  I loved the Waltons, and I love gardens.  It is amazing that they were able to make a garden out of this place.  There is a big problem.  This is an old quarry.  This is not a railroad site.  Therefore, you will not see me visiting here.”

Why visit the Quarry Gardens?  It is not a railroad site.  Why visit here?

You arrive at the Quarry Gardens.  You park your car, and you enter the Visitor Center to check in.  The Visitor Center contains a small museum telling the history of the quarry and the soapstone industry.  You can also learn about the different plants that have grown in the quarries.  You then see a model train.  I know.  Some places have model trains, but this once is very special.  How special?  It is a model train display of the Nelson and Albemarle Railroad.  What does the Nelson and Albemarle Railroad have to do with the quarry?

As soapstone was mined out of the quarries, it was shipped around the world.  How was it shipped?  You can use big trucks, but the mode of shipping the soapstone from the quarries was the Nelson and Albemarle Railroad.

The Nelson and Albemarle Railroad was a short line railroad that was only 17 miles of total track connecting the quarry to the nearby Chesapeake and Ohio Railway and the Southern Railway, which then took the soapstone to the rest of the world.  The model train display tells the story of how the soapstone was taken from the quarries to the other railroads.  When the quarries were decommissioned, the Nelson and Albemarle Railroad was no more.

Many of the old railroad beds are on private property, but you can see one of the old railroad beds in the nearby town of Esmont.  The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway line is now owned by Chessie Seaboard Transportation, and the Southern Railway line is now owned by the Norfolk Southern Railway.

What about the gardens?  There is great scenery everywhere you walk.  You get great views of the quarries that are now filled with water.  (The water is not safe to drink.)  Please note that the pathways are dirt and gravel and not accessible to wheelchairs, and there are stairs to climb.

The Quarry Gardens are located at 1643 Salem Road in Schuyler, Virginia.  Please note that you must make an appointment to visit the gardens and that you cannot simply enter on your own.  You can go to https://quarrygardensatschuyler.org/ to purchase admission, get directions, and to learn more about the history of the garden.

Schuyler, Virginia was once the biggest supplier of soapstone in the world.  It was the railroad that made it possible.

Old Train Station: La Plata, Maryland

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

The U.S. state of Maryland is one of the original states in the United States of America.  It was the state that donated the land that would become the Nation’s Capital.  It is where the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ the National Anthem, was written.  It was where a woman named Harriet Tubman created ‘The Underground Railroad’, an escape network for enslaved people in slave states to escape to the free states in the north, and this escape network is used in other parts of the world today.  It is where the first balloon flight took place, and the oldest continuously operating airport in the world is located here.  The largest estuary in the United States of America divides the state.  The oldest Catholic church is also here.  The eastern end of ‘The National Road’, is located here.  The first tracks of the railroad were laid in this state.  The Western Maryland Railway Locomotive Number 1309, the largest operating locomotive in the world that was originally owned by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, pulls excursion trains out of Cumberland.  You have the coastline at the east end.  You have the plains east of the Chesapeake Bay.  You have the rolling hills west and north of the state with the mountains at the western end.

You then have a forgotten part of the state known as Southern Maryland.  The region on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay south of Annapolis, the State Capitol, is a region not too many people know about.  It is the home of Point Lookout where the Point Lookout Lighthouse is one of the most haunted lighthouses in the world.  The Patuxent Naval Air Station has one of the longest airport runways in the world being one of the few runways where the space shuttle could land.  The Patuxent River, sadly, was used by the British during the War of 1812 as they sailed up to a town called Upper Marlboro and then marched on to Washington D.C. to burn the city.  The state was also settled down here, and it is where Saint Mary’s City, one of the oldest cities in the United States of America, is located.

You see all of this about Southern Maryland, but you wonder anything about the railroad.  Well, there is some railroad history in the region of this state.  Because of the Chesapeake Bay and the wideness of the Potomac River south of Washington D.C., most of the railroad lines ended here.  The defunct Chesapeake Beach Railway brought vacationers from Washington D.C. to the then resort town of Chesapeake Beach, Maryland.  Sadly, the tracks are gone, and much of the railroad bed is on private property.  The old train station in Chesapeake Beach is the only surviving train station on that line, and it is a museum today.

There is another railroad line that went south from the town of Bowie.  It was originally built by the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad, and it is owned by Chessie Seaboard Transportation (CSX) today.  It connects with the Amtrak line in Bowie and winds its way through the southern region of the state to a coal plant on the Potomac River.  One of the towns it passes through is the town of La Plata.  What is special about La Plata?  Well, it is the home of the only surviving train station on the line.  Today, that train station is now a museum.

Some of you are saying, “This is nice.  The train station is still there.  It is not a major railroad line.  Why do they not demolish the train station?”

La Plata, like many small towns in the railroad era, owes must of its history to the railroad.  Before the automobile, the railroad was the fastest mode of transportation.  Sure.  It took a long while to ride the train to Washington D.C. and points south, but it played a major role in the development of the town.  When you visit the old train station during its opening hours, you will see model trains, and you will see many photos of the railroad in the town.  This includes photos of passenger trains that served the station.  You can also see some of the old schedules.

Need a reason to visit Southern Maryland?  The old train station in La Plata, Maryland, it a good reason.  It really tells the story of the railroad in the region.

The Old Train Station is located at 101 Kent Avenue just north of Maryland Route 6 and less than one mile west of U.S. Route 301.  Admission is free, but they could use your donations to keep the museum open for many years to come.  The museum is owned by the town of La Plata and run by volunteers.  Parking is on site, and the station is wheelchair accessible.  You can get information on the opening hours on their Facebook page and on their website at Facilities • La Plata Train Station Museum.

The next time you think of the state of Maryland, think of a small southern town of La Plata.  It is a town that keep the history of the railroad in the region alive.

The New Bedford Whaling Museum, New Bedford, Massachusetts

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

In the early years of the United States of America, whaling was a way of life.  What is whaling?  Men would step aboard ships, and they would head out to sea.  Why?  They were hunting whales.  They would take harpoons and throw them at the whales.  (Harpoons are basically a specific kind of spear mainly used to pierce the thick skin of animals.)  The whales were pulled onto the ship, and they were processed at sea and turned into lubrication and oil used for lighting.  Back in the day, it was the main source of income particularly in the New England States.  The story of Moby Dick is a story that was inspired by the whaling industry.  (Moby Dick was the name of a fictional whale.)  Today, the hunting of whales has been banned in the United States of America.  (It is still legal in some countries but with limitations.)  Although the whaling industry is no more, you can learn more about the industry at the New Bedford Whaling Museum in the city of New Bedford in the U.S. state of Massachusetts.  In the heyday of the whaling industry, New Bedford was an international port city.  Today, you can see the waterways where the whalers (whale hunters) would depart and return each day.  The New Bedford Whaling Museum tells the story of the whalers, the industry, and the life of a whaling town.

Some of you are saying, “Wow!  This is great.  There is a museum that is dedicated to whaling.  I do have a problem with this museum.  What is the problem?  This is a whaling museum, not a railroad museum.  Therefore, I will not have a whale of a time visiting this place.”

You do have a point.  It is called the New Bedford Whaling Museum.  It is about the whaling industry and not a railroad museum.  Why should somebody who is a railroad fan visit this museum?

The museum, founded in 1903 as the Old Dartmouth Historical Society but operates under the name ‘New Bedford Whaling Museum’, features different galleries and exhibits exhibiting the life in the whaling industry.  One exhibit displays a half scale model of a whaling ship called the ‘Lagoda’.  What is special about this ship?  It is the largest scale model ship in the world.

Some of you are saying, “That is nice.  However, there is nothing about the railroad here.”

What does this have to do with the railroad?  Well, there is no connection with the railroad and the whaling industry.  Why visit this museum?

The museum tells the story of the whaling industry in New Bedford, but New Bedford also had other industries like glass and textiles and other industries in the town.  One of the exhibit halls is the ‘Energy and Enterprise’ exhibit.  Yes, it displays the industries in the city.  As you look around, you see a model of a streetcar.  Streetcars began in New Bedford from 1872 by the New Bedford and Fairhaven Street Railway Company.  The Union Street Railway Company took over in 1887, and it ran until 1947.  A model of Streetcar Number 540 is in a glass display.

Is that all?  No.

Another display tells the story of how the railroad connected the city of New Bedford to the rest of the nation.  In 1840, the railroad came to town.  Being a major international port at the time, items were transported from the ships onto railroad cars and transported to various towns throughout the United States of America.

Yes, it is called the New Bedford Whaling Museum, but it also tells the history of the city and how the railroad was a big part of the city.  The museum also has collections that are related to the Old Colony Line, the New Bedford Railroad Company, and the Union Street Railway Company.

The New Bedford Whaling Museum is located at 18 Johnny Cake Hill in New Bedford, Massachusetts.  It is located off of Interstate 195, U.S. Route 6, and Massachusetts Route 18.  It is open Tuesday to Sunday (closed Monday) from 9:00am to 5:00pm.  The museum is fully wheelchair accessible.  Please note that the museum does not have its own parking.  You can get information on parking, buy tickets, look more into their intensive collection to include those about the railroads and streetcars, and get more information at Home – New Bedford Whaling Museum.

Yes, it is called the New Bedford Whaling Museum.  It is a whaling museum that also tells the story of how the railroad was a major contributor to the industry of this town.

Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

How many of you have heard of the town of Ohiopyle in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania?

Some of you are saying, “Hey!  I bet that the town is named after a relative of Gomer Pyle.”

Sadly, you are very wrong.  (Gomer Pyle, a fictional character that was a marine played by the late actor Jim Neighbors.)  Ohiopyle is an Indian name for the white water that flows over the waterfall.  The town is built around Ohiopyle State Park that is famous for its waterfall on the Youghiogheny River.  The town is also known for its two homes built by Frank Lloyd Wright.  The one home is Kentuck Knob.

Some of you are saying, “Wow!  I bet that he built that home for Colonel Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken.”

The home is called ‘Kentuck Knob,’ not Kentucky Knob, and, no, Colonel Sanders never lived here.  The other famous home built by Frank Lloyd Wright is Fallingwater, a home built over a waterfall.  This small southwestern Pennsylvania town is surrounded by mountains and waterfalls.  Cumber Falls is also part of the state park and is a short drive from the town.  You will be awestruck by a visit to the town of Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania.

Some of you are saying, “Alright!  So the town is not named after a relative of Gomer Pyle.  There is a very big problem.  There are waterfalls and two amazing homes, but there are no trains.  Therefore, I will not be ‘pyling’ on to visiting this town.”

Why visit Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania?  It is not a railroad town.  It never was a railroad town.  Although a railroad line passes north of the town across the river, the town has no railroad history… or does it.

The town of Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania is famous for its waterfall.  The town is also on the route of a trail called ‘The Great Allegheny Passage.’  What is the Great Allegheny Passage?  It is a rail trail that runs from the city of Cumberland located in the panhandle region of the U.S. state of Maryland to the city of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania.  The eastern end of the rail trail starts at the western end of the old towpath of the Historic Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.  It then passes alongside of the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad to the town of Frostburg, Maryland where the scenic railroad ends, but the trail continues, and it continues to the town of Ohiopyle.

Some of you are saying, “Well, rail trails are built over of railroad lines.  With Ohiopyle not being a railroad town, there is no reason to visit here.

Yes there is, and it is not just because of the rail trail.  Just make a visit to the town visitor center.

Some of you are saying, “Well, it is a visitor center.”

It is a visitor center located inside of an old train station.  The town was originally called Falls City because of the numerous waterfalls in the region, but it was later changed to Ohiopyle.  Along with the waterfalls, it became an industrial town with mills.  The railroad came in 1871, and it not only brought tourists to the town, but it also brought manufactured goods to cities like Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., Baltimore, Maryland, and other cities.

Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania is located in the southwestern region of Pennsylvania.  Pennsylvania Route 381 passes through the heart of the town.  The Visitor Center is located on Sheridan Street next to the Great Allegheny Passage.  Parking for the Great Allegheny Passage is also located on Sheridan Street.  If you are fortunate enough, you may catch a passing train across the river.

The Train to Luckysville

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

Saint Patrick was sitting on a bench at the train station Slumtown.  Lenny the Leprechaun was skipping along the street.  He saw Saint Patrick sitting down on the bench, and he skipped over to him.  “What are you doing?”

“Oh,” Saint Patrick smiled.  “I am waiting for the train.  I am on my way to Luckysville.”

“The train?”  Lenny wondered.  “Why the train?”

“Oh, I love the train.  It is the best way to travel.”  Saint Patrick smiled.

“Can I ride with you?”  Lenny asked.

Saint Patrick had a big grin on his face.  “It will be great to have you along.”

He sat down next to Saint Patrick.

Felicia the Fairy was flying around and saw Lenny and Saint Patrick sitting together.  She flew over to them.  “I see that you must be waiting for the train to Luckysville.”

“I am.”  Saint Patrick smiled.  “Why don’t you join us?”

Felicia sat on the bench between Saint Patrick and Lenny.

“Why do you ride the train when you can fly to Luckysville?”  Lenny asked Felicia.

Felicia looked down at her bare feet and wiggled her toes.  “If I fly instead of taking the train, I cannot rub me feet on the carpet.”

“Toot!  Toooooooot!”

“Well, the train has arrived.  Let us climb aboard.”

The train pulled up, and they climbed aboard.  The train departed and was on its way to Luckysville.

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Wishing Everyone a HAPPY SAINT PATRICK’s DAY!!!

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All images are AI generated.

Cave City, Kentucky

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

There is so much to the U.S. state of Kentucky.  We think about Kentucky Fried Chicken although the first restaurant was not in the state.  It is a state known for its bourbon.  In Bardstown, you have my Old Kentucky Home.  We have the Kentucky Derby, a famous horse race run in Louisville that is the first race of three races that make up the Triple Crown.  You then have Mammoth Cave, the largest known cave system in the world.  Not too far from Mammoth Cave is a small town known as Cave City.

Some of you are saying, “Wow!  That is nice.  In honor of Mammoth Cave, they name a small town in the cave’s honor.”

Actually, Cave City does not get it name from the nearby Mammoth Cave but from a cave that is within the town limits.”

Some of you are saying, “Well, I did not know that.  Anyway, this is not a railroad town.  Therefore, I will not cave into visiting here.”

What is special about Cave City, Kentucky?  Although a railroad does pass through the town, it has never been a railroad town.  Why visit the town.  Although it has never been a railroad town, the town does have a history with the railroad.

Although the town does not get its name from Mammoth Cave, it did have a connection to the cave itself.  How?  In 1859, the Louisville and Nashville Railroad arrived, and the town began to grow.  The Mammoth Cave Railroad was later established to bring passengers from the Louisville and Nashville Railroad to the cave itself.  However, that service ended in 1931, and the old railroad line is now a rail trail in the park.

Then came the American Civil War.  The war began in a small town called Manassas in the U.S. state of Virginia, but the war eventually made its way into Kentucky, and it made its way to the town of Cave City.  On May 11, 1862, General John Hunt Morgan of the Confederate Army led his troops in the capture of the train depot in Cave City in what was ‘The Cave City Raid’.  A train stopped at the depot.  It was said that the train has some of his captured men, but the train was carrying railroad employees who were later released.  General Morgan and his men destroyed the train burning the passengers and freight cars and blowing up the locomotive.  They did not use explosives to destroy the locomotive but used fire wood to clog the firebox which caused the boiler to explode sending pieces of the locomotive through the area.

The next day, General Morgan and his men robbed a train that was going from Louisville to Nashville in the U.S. state of Tennessee.  The train was also carrying two Union Officers and other enlisted men who were taken into captivity.  The train itself was allowed to return to Louisville.

Even though Cave City, Kentucky is not a railroad town, it has a history with the railroad.  The train depot no longer stands, but the railroad line still passes through the town.

Cave City, Kentucky is located in the central region of the state.  U.S. Route 31W passes through the town with Interstate 65 nearby running northwest of the town.  You can read more about the town at https://cavecity.ky.gov/Pages/index.aspx.

Pacific, Missouri, Train Town, U.S.A.

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

The U.S. state of Missouri is located in the middle of the United States of America.  It is famous for its two major cities: Saint Louis, commonly called the ‘Gateway of the West’, and Kansas City, a city known as ‘The City of Fountains’ for having more fountains than any other city in the world.  The Mississippi River makes up the eastern border of the state while the Missouri River flows through the central region of the state.  One of the most famous routes in the nation, U.S. Route 66, passed through the state.  One of the towns along this route is the town of Pacific.  Located 30 miles (50 kilometers) southwest of the city of Saint Louis, many travelers passed through the town until Interstate 44 was built which is far more used today.  The town was the site of a battle during the American Civil War.  The town of Pacific, Missouri is an American Midwestern small town that tells the story of Midwest America.

Some of you are saying, “Wait a minute.  Pacific, Missouri?  The state of Missouri does not border any ocean nor is it anywhere near the Pacific Ocean.  Besides, this is not a railroad town.  With Missouri being the ‘Show Me State’, do not waste my time showing me the town of Pacific, Missouri.”

Well, not too many people know about the town of Pacific, Missouri.  Before the Interstate Highways were built, many travelers passed through here.  It is not near any ocean to include the Pacific Ocean.  Why would anybody what to visit this town?

Well, the town was not always known as Pacific.  It was originally called Franklin, Missouri.  It started out as a town of log cabins, but it then evolved into a regular town.  In 1853, the Pacific Railroad came to the town.  A railroad depot was built, and a post office was established.  In 1864, ‘The Battle of Pacific’ a battle of the American Civil War, took place.  The Confederate Army burned many structures to include the train depot.  The Confederate Army attacked the railroads around the town.  The Union Army eventually were able to force out the Confederate Army.  A new railroad depot was built in 1882, and in was in use until 1961 when passenger service declined.  The depot was demolished in 1976.

Today, you can follow the original route of U.S. Route 66 through the town.  The Union Pacific Railroad and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad (BNSF) roll through the town today, and the Union Pacific Railroad have offices here.  Located on S. First Street just south of the railroad crossing is Pacific Station Plaza.  Located at the original site of the train depot, you will see an inspector’s car and a caboose from the Burlington Northern Railroad.  The town is located off of Interstate 44 and U.S. Route 50.

The named time you here about a town called Pacific, Missouri, it is not just a town on the old U.S. Route 66.  It is a town that got its name from the railroad.

Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, Pennsylvania

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

How many of you have ever heard of Shippensburg University located in the town of Shippensburg in the southern region of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania?  Alright!  It is not as well-known as Penn State University or Harvard or Notre Dame.  It began as Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania in 1871 before it was simply named Shippensburg University.  For a university that it not very well known, it has had many famous visitors like Pat Benatar, Salt and Pepa, George Carlin, and Jesse Jackson.  Every semester, they have many students that attend this university.  Shippensburg University is a university that has a deep history.

Some of you are saying, “Wow!  This is nice.  A university that has a deep history.  Oh, I love Pat Benatar.  She must have hit the place with her best shot.  There is a very big problem.  There is no railroad here.  Therefore, I will not be making my best shot to visit here.”

Shippensburg University is a university that has a rich history.  It is not famous for railroad history.  What does Shippensburg University have to do with the railroad?  Although the Norfolk Southern Railway passes through Shippensburg, it is a few miles from the university.

As you walk around the university, you see the various structures.  You then notice what looks like a rail trail.  The Cumberland Valley Rail Trail begin on the northeast side of the university, and it is here where you see two boxcars.  The Penn Central boxcar houses the Cumberland Valley Railroad Museum, and the Conrail boxcar houses the Conrail Museum.  The railroad line was originally built by the Cumberland Valley Railroad, but it was later taken over by the Penn Central Railroad, and Conrail was the last railroad to run on the line before railroad service ended.

What does this have to do with Shippensburg University?  It was a plot of open land along the Cumberland Valley Railroad that became the determining factor for the location of the university.  The railroad would bring students to and from the university and played a big role in the establishment of the school.

The next time you think about Shippensburg University, think about a university that had its beginning with the railroad.  You can hike the Cumberland Valley Rail Trail and get a feel of how the students came to school.

A Special Love Story

by jbcowgill, posted in Uncategorized

Johnny was a man who loves trains.  During his free time, he would go to the train watching park to watch the trains go by.

One day, something was different.

He walked down to the train watching park, and he saw a lady with long hair, black jacket, blue jeans, and flip flops sitting on a bench.  He was use to having the park to himself.  He walked over to the lady.  “Hello!”

The lady turned to him.  “Hey!  Are you here to watch trains?”

“I am.”  He smiled.

“I like watching trains.”

“I am Johnny.  I come here most of the time to see the trains go by.”  He noticed a tattoo of a railroad crossing on her ankle.

“I am Lisa.  I am new in town.  I moved here from the big city.  I noticed this park, and I decided to take a look.  Three trains have come by so far.”

“Nice.  We can watch trains together.”

Johnny and Lisa watched trains throughout the day.  Each day, they were at the park watching trains… together.  Two years later, they were married.

Have a HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!!  May you spend the day watching trains with the one you love.

Photo by Mateus Souza on Pexels.com