Train Event

[plankmaker]

I'm thinking an event such as this would be fun. However, I think insurance might be a problem.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJvKG_qVwG8&feature=related

Mark Campbell
Piney Flats, TN

[FloridaConfederate]

BTDT Parrish Train Raid

Twice a year in FL...ACW, Cowboys and WW2 (at different events).

A veritable onion of suckitude.

Chris Rideout

[sbl]

I'm thinking an event such as this would be fun. However, I think insurance might be a problem.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJvKG_qVwG8&feature=related

Mark Campbell
Piney Flats, TN

We have The General on the Netflix list. My daughter wants to see The General because I told her it has a woman as one of the main characters. Keaton got some bad reviews on this one for joking about violence.

My daughter and I just watched Disney's Great Locomotive Chase that I hadn't seen un-cut since the 60s. I have been down to the area back in 1998, where the chase took place and saw The General engine in Kennesaw (Is "Wildman" still open) and The Texas in Atlanta.

They used to do a train event locally at Edaville Railroad that my unit always passed on. One member went and his photo ended up in the Boston Herald of him eating an ice cream cone in uniform.

[GaWildcat]

Yeah, Wildman's is still open. And I can tell ya that W&ARR Engine #3 (The General) still looks as pretty as ever. Just saw her a little bit ago when we helped out with an event the Musuem had. One of our members works there. I hate her. (not really, just jealous)

[plankmaker]

Scott,

They still have the Tweetsie RR around here. It is still a fairly fun time. I like old trains though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p175VVRSUKI

Mark Campbell
Piney Flats, TN

[sbl]

Thanks Bob, I never backed out of a store before.

Pretty country. I'd go back. REALLY nice people!

[sbl]

I had the train bug as a really little kid. They tell me that when I was in nursery school (aged 4) the teacher had us draw snowmen. (easy circles). I drew a train instead told the teacher a snowman was driving it. There were still steam locomotives on the Boston and Maine at that time.

[plankmaker]

Scott,

They still have some train activities here that go a long ways back tradition wise. The Santa Train is a biggie. I get to ride on it this year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDHBuSG1-ds

They also have a train association here that orgnizes train excursions on some of the older train routes through Appalachia several times a year. This shows some of the more well known ones.

http://www.johnsonsdepot.com/

Mark Campbell
Piney Flats, TN

[sbl]

Thanks. My daughter and I have a goal of riding on all 18th/19th century modes of transportion. (My son only cares for cars but he's been on most) We still have to take a balloon ride then we'll be caught up.

[plankmaker]

The train peeps are even having a couple of special rides for the leaf stompers this fall. Might be a good way to get a different perspective on the fall foliage.

Mark Campbell
Piney Flats, TN

By The Continuous News Desk

Published: August 16, 2009

SPENCER, N.C. – The North Carolina Transportation Museum Foundation and the Watauga Valley Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society offer a chance to see fall foliage and ride the rails this fall.
The museum is again hosting fall train excursions. In addition to its traditional Charlottesville, Va., day trip, the museum will also offer a day trip to Asheville N.C.
After hosting day trips through the 1990s, the museum revived rail excursions in 2007.
The “Virginia Autumn Special” will travel to Charlottesville on Oct. 31, while the “Blue Ridge Special” will travel to Asheville on Nov. 1. Each day’s trip will include views of fall foliage.
Departing Spencer at 7 a.m., the “Virginia Autumn Special” will again offer a second passenger pick-up at the Greensboro Amtrak Station at 8 a.m., allowing those living in the Triad a more convenient boarding opportunity.
Passing through the North Carolina cities of Thomasville, High Point and Reidsville, and the Virginia cities of Danville, Lynchburg and Oak Ridge, passengers will experience views of the Piedmont and rolling hills of the Carolinas and the western part of Central Virginia.
Views of the Dan, Roanoke and James rivers will be seen as the train crosses above. The train will even pass by Schuyler, the mountain town fictionalized in the television show “The Waltons.”
At noon, the “Virginia Autumn Special” will arrive in Charlottesville, home of the University of Virginia. Here, travelers will have nearly three hours to explore the historic downtown area. A short walk takes you to the downtown outdoor mall, considered one of the finest urban parks in the country. Shopping and dining opportunities can be found in boutiques, specialty wine, coffee and tea shops, and outdoor dining spots. Travelers may also enjoy walks. Departing Charlottesville at 3 p.m., the train will arrive back in Greensboro at 6:45 p.m. and Spencer at 8 p.m.
The “Blue Ridge Special” will travel through the western Piedmont into the foothills and on to the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Departing Spencer at 7 a.m., the train will roll through the cities of Statesville, Hickory, Morganton, Marion, Black Mountain and Swannanoa. The train will climb the famed “loops” of the Blue Ridge Mountains passing the Andrews Geyser and through several tunnels before arriving in Asheville at noon. Passengers will have nearly three hours for an outing at Biltmore Village.
Established in the late 1890s as a planned community, Biltmore Village stands near the entrance to Biltmore Estate. Shopping will be available. Passengers can dine in restaurants and take walks. All of this will be enjoyed alongside views of the North Carolina mountains.
Departing Asheville at 3 p.m., the “Blue Ridge Special” will return to Spencer at 8 p.m.
Several different levels of excursion tickets are available. Ticket prices are the same each day. Premium First Class tickets feature seating on restored private rail cars. Premium First Class passengers will also enjoy an early continental breakfast, newspaper and dinner in the diner on the return trip. Premium First Class tickets are $240 per person.
A new offering this year, Deluxe Coach Class tickets feature seating with windows, lunch on the dining car and light snacks during the trip. Deluxe Coach tickets are $170 per person.
Coach tickets feature seating, air conditioning and heat and restrooms. Coach tickets are $140 per person.
Another new feature, an optional box lunch will allow travelers to save time for shopping in Charlottesville or Asheville. The $14 box lunch, served in a souvenir lunch tote, includes a half turkey wrap, pasta, chips and salsa, a cookie and drink.
Passengers may also take advantage of a shuttle bus at each destination for an additional $2. Tickets are available online at http://www.nctrans.org or by calling (704) 636-2889 Ext. 232.
The North Carolina Transportation Museum, located in historic Spencer Shops, the former Southern Railway repair facility, is part of the Division of State Historic Sites, Department of Cultural Resources. The museum is located five minutes off I-85 at Exit 79 in Spencer, N.C., and about an hour from Charlotte, Greensboro or Winston-Salem. For information on the Department of Cultural Resources, call (919) 807-7385 or visit http://www.ncculture.com.

[Cove Rebel]

Scott,

They still have the Tweetsie RR around here. It is still a fairly fun time. I like old trains though.

Mark Campbell
Piney Flats, TN

HOLY COW! That name sure yanks a memory out of the old cobwebs! I haven't thought about the TRR in YEARS! I was probably 8 yr old then! :p

[plankmaker]

According to the tourism folks, the Tweetsie is having their best season in almost a decade this year:

http://www.tweetsie.com/

Might be the economy or it could be that the wild west thingy be coming back.

Mark Campbell
Piney Flats, TN

[Rob Weaver]

Out in California, the NCWA used to do an annual Memorial Day event at Roaring Camp, a tourist train site outside Santa Cruz. The battles were timed to coincide with the time of the afternoon train ride so the spectators could view it from the train. :confused:
Anyway, the site had a little "village" that was fun to walk around and good for atmosphere, and they gave uniformed reenactors a free ride on the train on Sunday morning, which was also very gracious and a cool ride. :cool:

[Pete K]

Have you been on a keel boat on the Ohio River??? (me neither, but I just had to joke with you).

[sbl]

I have been on a canal boat on the old Lowell to Boston Canal. There's about 200 yards left open in Woburn, Mass. Horse drawn and all as well! It was a special occasion a while back.

[GaWildcat]

Out in California, the NCWA used to do an annual Memorial Day event at Roaring Camp, a tourist train site outside Santa Cruz. The battles were timed to coincide with the time of the afternoon train ride so the spectators could view it from the train. :confused:
Anyway, the site had a little "village" that was fun to walk around and good for atmosphere, and they gave uniformed reenactors a free ride on the train on Sunday morning, which was also very gracious and a cool ride. :cool:


Talk about a memory... Roaring Camp was actually my first event, EVER..good times, good times. Now that I am back here on the other coast, RC really seems small now. but MAN OH MAN it was fun, especially for a kid still in HS....

[Rob Weaver]

Talk about a memory... Roaring Camp was actually my first event, EVER..good times, good times. Now that I am back here on the other coast, RC really seems small now. but MAN OH MAN it was fun, especially for a kid still in HS....

About 25 of us NCWA folks flew to Gettysburg for the 125th event in 1988. The "event of the month" was at Roaring Camp, although it wasn't the 3-day Memorial Day event. There were people who seriously weighed the options and decided to go to RC instead. The Memorial Day weekend was always the biggest event of the season out there, and I think the only 3 day event on the schedule. I had a good time at every one I ever attended. Probably even shot at you there a few times, 1st Virginia.

[GaWildcat]

I dont even want to talk about the 125th.. I was soooo wanting to go, but ended up with orders for Fort Jackson for AIT... now there is one guy I would LOVE to find from then.. guy named David Dobbs if I recall correctly borrowed some stuff from me, and I never heard back from him, to include a 63 Springfield.. that was 20 something years ago, so who knows..

[The Duke of Hazard]

Every year, in the spring, the Lebanon, Mason and Monroe [Ohio] Railroad hosts an annual Civil War train ride with short battle reenactments, three on Saturday and two on Sunday, between Lebanon and Mason, Ohio, on an old railroad. We also did a similar encampment without shooting, last month, on a steam train. It was a lot of fun, mingling with passengers and playing with them, while doing some recruiting. You might check out the LM&M Railroad web site and join in with your friends. YOU get FREE train rides!

Pvt./Sgt./Captain Leon Harrison, Harlan County Battalion

[The Duke of Hazard]

Here are some LM&M Railroad photos from Mason, Ohio. The brave courageous handsome heroic valiant Pvt. Harrison had his leg amputated for the very first time but did not whine!

Sgt. Harrison, Harlan County Battalion

http://www.topix.com/album/detail/mason-oh/UNJQ0N1DI5J274FO

[Rob Weaver]

I dont even want to talk about the 125th.. I was soooo wanting to go, but ended up with orders for Fort Jackson for AIT... now there is one guy I would LOVE to find from then.. guy named David Dobbs if I recall correctly borrowed some stuff from me, and I never heard back from him, to include a 63 Springfield.. that was 20 something years ago, so who knows..

Wow - I've had loaned stuff walk away, but never to the tune of a shootin' arn, too. I was active duty Army when I lived in California, and I have a vague remembrance of having a kid fall in with us for Roaring Camp one year who was going to AIT that summer. Medium height, skinny blond kid. Does that fit your description at the time? Did you ever do Federal?

[GaWildcat]

Nope wadnt me.. matches my description at the time but I was either with the Smurfs or the 9th VA Cav. That year would have had me with the 1st VA.

[The Duke of Hazard]

The Wildman sold me an "OVI" belt buckle, the one that I wear now, and reluctantly took one of those Abe Lincoln bills in payment, after smacking it. I cheerfully donated to enter and browse through his "museum" and look at all of his stuff. National magazine always publish those photos of his old KKK robe and hood on display with Confederate flags.

Pvt./Sgt./Capt. Leon Harrison, Harlan County Battalion

[sbl]

In the Czech Republic.....

http://www.stonetown.cz/cherokee.php?id=4&lang=czech&foto=20062&zal=zal2006


Train and then by boat!


http://galerie.cacwa.cz/Bitvy/Puvodni_neroztrizene/ostrov10b/

[Poor Private]

The 1st Michigan has been reenacting with the Little River Railroad out of Coldwater Michigan for about 5 yeras now. Some years it was with the 2nd Kentuck and others with a troop of civilian raiders. The 1st rode the coal cars and in side the cattle cars and passenger cars. Lots of fun riding through several towns, and train track intersections and standing on the cabooses rear platform waving at the people. They take a double look first it 's a treat to see a steam train roll by then to see Union soldiers at the platforms and side doorways with weapons -- great picture opportunity. I have several Rolls? discs? of the train and us on them in my photo archives. Even a 2 minute video clip of us stpping the train out in the boonies.