here's the scoop on this year's event... hope to see many friends there! jim

The N.C. Transportation MuseumÂ’s 17th annual Rail Days Festival will welcome two recently preserved diesel locomotives, offer a living history tribute to Presidential campaign trains and provide a chance to tour the cab of a modern Norfolk Southern engine.

The event, held on the grounds of the museum in Spencer, N.C. May 1 and 2, marks the first operation this year for the museum’s 79-year-old Shay steam locomotive. Visitors can dine on railroad chili and barbecue, watch a heritage slide show and ride coaches or cabooses and even photograph a special freight train consist operated only this weekend. They’ll also be able to learn how tracks were kept straight the old fashioned way—by hand—when the Buckingham Lining Bar Gang begins to chant.

Participants also can ride the cab of a diesel locomotive switcher, take a jaunt on a motor car, shop in a model train and railroadiana show, browse model train layouts, visit with hobos in a replica “jungle,” watch a blacksmith at work, listen to railroad music by Ivy Creek and watch a Railway Post Office car in action as it “catches mail on the fly.” You can even try you hand at blowing a locomotive’s horn with the daily horn blowing contest at 2 p.m.

This yearÂ’s event will see former N.C. Ports Authority locomotive No. 1860, newly added to the museumÂ’s collection from Morehead City, in operation. The rare, Fairbanks-Morse locomotive, will be welcomed to the collection at 9:45 a.m. May 1 before its initial run. At 3 p.m. the same day, Amtrak officials will officially present F40PH No. 307, to the museum as a future exhibit in the museumÂ’s Back Shop exhibit hall.

As a tip of the hat to the 2004 presidential contest, a Teddy Roosevelt impersonator will perform a whistle stop campaign several times each day, arriving, speaking and departing on the back platform of an office car, just as presidential contenders have done for years.

The second annual chili cookoff will take place 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and this year a special barbecue dinner on Saturday will allow visitors to relax at the end of the dayÂ’s festivities, prior to a night photo session featuring Railfan & Railroad Magazine Editor Steve Barry and museum equipment.

Rail Days tickets are $7 in advance, $10 the day of the event, and include all activities, unlimited train rides and admission to the railroadiana and model train show. Chili cookoff tickets are $2 each, barbecue tickets are $10 each, and night photo session tickets are $10 each. To order call (704) 636-2889 or go to www.nctrans.org and print an order form you can mail or fax.


http://nctrans.org
Wrinnbo@aol.com

There's two for sale on eBay, both from NC. Did the FM that recently came to the NCTM come for the same place?

Joshua

1 of 2 FMs on eBay
joshua@joshuakblay.com

Jim,

Any chance that Elvis will be making an appearance this year?

G. Mark

Look at our Revamped Website
aw90@comcast.net

> There's two for sale on eBay, both from NC.
> Did the FM that recently came to the NCTM
> come for the same place?

You know, that paint job alone would cost more than the $1K the current bidding is at.

I think I see friction-bearing trucks, though.

Good move by NC to use eBay for nice, shiny, unique state surplus like this! It'll get a LOT more attention than if it were simply "buried" in some bureaucratic website.........


LNER4472-NOSPAM-@bcpl.net