Most of what you are going to see and read about in this edition of my personal scrapbook will be about those mechanical things which run on two rails, better known as Trains!
YET, I URGE YOU . . . DON’T MISS GOING TO THE VERY BOTTOM OF THIS MUSING!
On one of the last days of the 2024 holiday season, which proved to be one of the better days, weatherwise, of this period, my friend and I visited Longwood Gardens, the huge, ever-growing botanical garden in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. It lies southwest of Philadelphia and just a few miles north of Wilmington, Delaware.
How do you describe Longwood? It is simply a botanical wonderland featuring several indoor conservatories and outdoor displays and shows.
We first visited the new conservatories before exploring the outside grounds … which is where we found these floral delights!
And, outside, we quickly encountered the Garden Railway … which is only on display and operational during the annual holiday period!
Next, let’s turn to a group of photos taken by William Martin, a professional news photographer who loved all things rail-related. When he passed away in 2017 at too young an age, he left instructions that his collection of railroad photos, videos, books, timetables, and employee handbooks from various railroads be donated to the National Railway Historical Society (NRHS).
While I became the recipient on behalf of the NRHS, I kept very little; in fact, I only made copies of a few photos, four of which I’ll share here.
All of the print materials were forwarded to the DeGolyer Library at Southern Methodist University, which has a large section devoted to rail-related materials and is the repository for the NRHS’s collection of books and the like.
The visual portion of William’s bequeath now resides with the rest of the NRHS film and photo archives in the historic train station in Phillipsburg, New Jersey.
The first photo was taken in Smithville, Georgia, in October 2005, at the town’s big annual event, the Chicken Pie Festival. The Festival began in the mid-1990s, and for at least a few of its early years, the Georgia Southwestern Railroad offered attendees a ride on the Chicken Pie Express!
The photo on the right is of a Georgia Southwestern RR freight crossing the Etowah River at Dawson, Georgia.
Next, a photo of Bay Line RR locomotive 509 is simply waiting for an engineer and an assignment. The Bay Line is a shortline with no more than 100 miles of track and operates between Panama City, Florida, and Dothan, Alabama.
I’m not quite sure when the photo on the right was taken, as the Apalachicola Northern Railroad ceased to exist in 2002 and was renamed the AN Railway upon change of ownership. The railroad no longer reached its namesake community. It now operates just under 100 miles of track, running between Port St. Joe and Chattahoochee, Florida.
It may well be that this loco remained in use after the change and simply to this point had not yet been re-painted. Do you have an answer or knowledge? Let us hear from you.
Making one final stop … back in early October 2024, the NRHS held its Fall conference in Wilmington, Delaware. As a special outing, we were bussed over into southern New Jersey to visit the fairly new tourist operation called the Woodstown Central Railroad.
In one of the historic former Pennsylvania Railroad passenger cars we rode in, I spotted this framed poster, which I think speaks for itself!
Before leaving the subject of trains, I’d like to note that this year of 2025 marks the 200th anniversary of the beginning of railroading, at least as we know it … a group of cars with steel wheels riding on wrought-iron rails and being pulled by a steam-powered locomotive! However, this did not occur here in the United States; rather it was in England. Here in America, it’d be nearly five more years – the beginning of 1830 – before what was considered a true railroad – the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad – would begin hauling both freight and passengers on a regular schedule and powered by steam locomotives.
Wrapping up … recently while out for a walk in a nearby park, I couldn’t help but notice a bumper sticker carrying this very profound message. When I first spotted it and took the photo, the car was simply parked; however, a little later I came back and there was a young woman in the driver’s seat, who I’d guess was in her early 30s!
That’s all for this edition of my Picture Show. If you found anything particularly interesting or have a comment or question, please let me hear from you – thank you!
Image Credits: Longwoods Garden sign courtesy of Longwoods Gardens
