Taking a Step Back in Time

 

Disclosure: I received two tickets to ride the steam engine for exchange for this review.All opinions expressed are 100% mine.

Today, Raul and I had the privilege of taking part in an event called the 21st Century Steam Excursion. This event is a special event held in conjunction Norfolk Southern Railroad and the Tennessee Valley Railway Museum. These excursions are a 90 minute scenic rides through Spencer through the historic town of Salisbury and onto Barber and back. The event was hosted by the North Carolina Transportation Museum.

We arrived at little early for the event so we were able to check out the site. The museum is only closed on Mondays. I thought the prices were very affordable. For Admission plus a train ride (not on the train we rode but another one) the price is $12 for adults, $10 for Seniors/ Active Military and Children 3-12 $8.00. Of course children 2 and under are free. They have tons of events schedule so you might want to check them out.

We decided that we were going to bring the girls back with a picnic lunch and spend the day there. But today was just about Raul and me. This was our chance to get away and celebrate our 18th wedding anniversary. We have been so busy lately that it seems like we don’t have the time we need to spend with each other. And since our anniversary was Monday April 8, we used this chance to celebrate.

So here are pictures of our adventure.

 When we first arrived, the museum was packed. I did not realize what a big deal this actually was but I soon found out. We had to park in the overflow parking and take a short walk to get to the museum. I did not mind it because we were able to walk over a train trestle and I was able to take a picture of the Southern 630 as it had just come back from its second excursion of the day. The train had three scheduled trips. The first began at 9 am, 12:30 and 3:30. We rode on the last excursion of the day. We were orginally scheduled to ride the 9 am one but after I explained to Sarah, the wonderful person from the museum, that we were traveling from several hours away she was able to accommodate our travel time and switched us to the last train of the day. Which was a blessing in disguise; because another train was coming through we were able to ride the train longer than the 90 minute ride that was advertised. Once we arrived and got our tickets at will call we waited around just a few minutes it was time to board.

 

I was able to snap this shot of one of the cars that was attached to the train. I felt like I had gone back in time to the days of the Wild West and I was off to settle in an unknown land. All I need were my petticoats and corsets and  a cowboy hat and six shooters for Raul. Yep I was feeling very historic today. I have to admit that this was the second time that I have been on  train. I have ridden an Amtrak train from Massachusetts to New York and back but this ride was so much more enjoyable for me. Raul had never been on a train before this one so it was a new experience for him. Let’s just say he was really excited, almost like a kid in the candy store. I was amazed the diverse group of passengers that were on this ride. They aged from baby to seniors. In fact, the people who were sitting behind us came all the way from Atlanta, Georgia to ride the train.  

We even had boarding passes. And yes the conductor did tear off our tickets when we boarded.  Each car had their own host. Our hosts were a wonderful happy go lucky married couple. Judy and Bob made our adventure so much more enjoyable. Especially when they teased the woman  in front of us when she got some coloring books for her grandkids, telling her that they know they really were for her.

Here Bob is giving us instructions on the train ride as well as information about the train. The engine that pulled the train today was 99 years old and fueled by coal.

Raul is impressed and wants to get this show on the road.

How many times are we discouraged by seeing those cross bar downs?? I loved being on this side of them today. In fact, I noticed that most of the cars that were stopped at the crossings people got out of their cars to watch the train go by. Don’t believe me check this picture out.

There were so many people along the route snapping photos of the train and waving that is when I realized what a big deal this actually was.  I snapped this picture when we were waiting to back up.

This was one of the last photos I snapped and I have to say it is one of my favorites. There is something to be said about watching a parent and child watching a train. It brought me back to a time when my girls were little and they were in awe of a train as well.

At last our train ride was over, I hated to see it end. But before I left I managed to get one last picture of our car hosts.

 

The steam excursions do not run every day (this was a special event) but there are lots of other things to check out at the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer, NC. If you get a chance, check it out you won’t be disappointed. 

 

Disclosure: I received two tickets to ride the steam engine for exchange for this review.All opinions expressed are 100% mine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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