Keeping The Railroad Magic Alive

Trains and Christmas just seem to go hand in hand. A train track around the tree was a part of almost every home when I was a kid growing up.

I remember my uncle Gene taking up his entire finished basement with four 4x8 sheets of plywood for the base if his train layout. He began in late August and finished somewhere around Halloween. It was the most beautiful thing in the world to me. This weekend a little bit of that returned with a visit to the Owensboro Museum of Science and History.

In a newspaper story Monday they talked about the trains. Monday morning after my radio show I met with Paul Walker, Editor of the White Flag Extra, a publication of the Owensboro Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. He talked about growing up in Owensboro just three houses away from the railroad tracks that ran along what is now J.R. Miller Blvd. His love for trains from full sized to HO Scale continues to this day. "My grandkids played with this train for hours the Saturday of the Christmas Parade. Many other kids came in to try their hand at running the trains after seeing it in the Museum window on second street. Trains were the video games of several generations and today they are seeing a comeback", said Walker. I had to return to the station after about an hour. Paul stayed at the museum to work on the track a bit more. A train buffs work is never done.

The museum setup is interactive which means kids young and old can run the trains, turn on lights, horns, crossing guards and a host of others things using the buttons and switches mounted on the front of the exhibit.

Owensboro has always had a love affair with railroads. Prior to the introduction of the automobile in Owensboro street cars reigned as the city's major form of transpotation. The Owensboro City Railroad served the city from February 16, 1887 when the first mule drawn car left th barns, until April 13, 1934 when buses replaced the electric streetcars. The original line ran from Main and Triplett to Frederica and Fith. The fare was five cents. More than 600 passengers road on the first 2 days producing revenue of $30.

Today with the exception of freight trains crossing the city every few hours the tracks are either gone or silent. Still many of us remember with fondness how trains impacted our lives.

There are several passenger lines running today with the closest being in French Lick, The Indiana Railway Museum runs several different trips. They are currently doing the Polar Express trip but if you want to go aboard you must wait till next year. The Polar Express for this year sold out in early October.

Bowling Green, Nashville, Jasper and Bardstown all operate trains with various trips. I suggest if you are looking for a train adventure you google several of them for information.

This Holiday Season if you really want to see the little ones eyes light up take them to the museum on 2nd Street downtown Owensboro and let them operate the trains and use their imagination in ways video games just cant do.

Those interested in train trips, collecting, preserving or just remembering are invited to join the Owensboro Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. They meed the second Friday of each month at the Elizabeth Mundy Center, 1650 W. Second St. Meeting time is 7 p.m.

If you are interested in having your own train setup around the Christmas Tree or anywhere else you can find a beginning set at most stores that sell toys but hobbie shops like Extreme Hobbies on Burlew Blvd. might be your best bet.