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Featuring Southern destinations along the highways and byways, and exciting Rail tour options in the United States.
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Featuring North America’s Leading Travel Destinations
Traveling SouthRiding the Rails
Byways • 3
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Welcome to another issue ofByways, as we focus onTraveling South, and bring
back our annual Riding the Rails issue.We begin our adventures in the South,
with a visit to Colonial Williamsburg inVirginia. This is a fascinating story
about how one of the leading historical attractions in theUnited States came to be. Beginning in 1699, and last-ing for 81 years, Williamsburg was the largest, most pop-ulous, and mostinfluential of theAmerican colonies.
Men like GeorgeWashington, ThomasJefferson, Patrick Henryand George Mason werefrequent visitors. It washere that the ideals thatinfluenced the foundingof our nation were estab-lished.
And then it was gone.Forever lost in time. Untilone man with a dreamapproached another withthe financial resources tomake that dream cometrue. And the rest, as theysay, is history!
We travel west on I-64to the modern capital ofVirginia, Richmond.From the RevolutionaryPeriod to the Civil Warera, we visit a capital thatwas at the center of America’s most devastating war. It’ssaid that the path to freedom burned through Richmond,and as you’ll discover, that is literally true. The rise andfall of Richmond is at the heart of the 150th commemo-ration of America’s Civil War.
Further south we arrive in Arkansas, and cross theArkansas River into North Little Rock. We’ll visit theNorth Shore Maritime Center that houses the ArkansasInland Maritime Museum featuring the USS RazorbackSubmarine and the Arkansas Queen Riverboat. Over theBig Dam Bridge to tour the William J. ClintonPresidential Library, and return to view the Old Mill andtake in a baseball game at Dickey-Stephens Park.
One of America’s favorite group tour destinations isPigeon Forge, Tennessee. Some 20 years ago PigeonForge wasn’t even on the tourism map. And then a ladyby the name of Dolly Parton decided this part ofTennessee needed an economic boost, and she lent hername, resources and contacts to make it happen.
Today Dollywood is the center of this active place, andthe launch of the Wild Eagle coaster will bring evenmore screams to Pigeon Forge this year.
But with theaters everywhere, and attractions like theincredible Titanic drawing huge crowds as the 100th
anniversary of the liner’smaiden and final voyageapproaches, it’s a great timeto be there.
Several of our Riding theRails destinations are also inthe South. In easternTennessee, plan time to ridethe Three Rivers Rambler inKnoxville. We also redis-cover an incredible and longlost railroad that went overthe sea to take travelers toKey West in Florida. Andthe streetcars of NewOrleans are celebrated aspart of the informativestreetcar coverage.
But we’ve not forgottenthe West, with features onthe Durango and SilvertonNarrow Gauge Railroad inColorado, and the full storyof the amazing GrandCanyon Railway in Arizona.And the streetcars in San
Francisco complete the history and present day use ofthis memorable mode of transportation.
West Virginia rounds out the coverage of scenic rail-roads, with the Mountain State offering a different per-spective to railroad and transportation history.
In What’s Happening, we note the 40th Anniversary ofan Arkansas State Park that produces diamonds, visit theNewseum in Washington, DC to catch up on thePresidential race, and return to Moline, Illinois, to cele-brate the reopening of the John Deere Pavilion.
There’s plenty in this issue of Byways to keep youentertained. We hope you enjoy.
PREVIEWBy Steve Kirchner, Editor & Publisher
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Abraham Lincoln visited Richmond 10 daysbefore he was assassinated.
6 • Byways
Southern KitchenHome Cooking Since 1955
Close to Bryce Resort, Shenandoah Caverns& New Market Battlefield
New Market, Virginia I-81 Exit 254Steaks • Seafood • Chicken • Breakfast
540-740-35149576 S. Congress Street
Open 7 Days a Week 7 am - 9 pm
Come by and meet your hosts,Randy & Rebecca Newland
Free Parking, Free Internet, Fresh Air,Open Roads and Hassel Free.
[email protected] www.VisitRedding.com
Tour Shasta Dam
Explore Shasta Caverns
Stroll the Sundial Bridge Mount Shasta
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FeaturesTraveling South . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Colonial Williamsburg Virginia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 The Path to Freedom Burned Through Richmond, Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18The Rise and Fall of Richmond. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20In the Heart of Arkansas, North Little Rock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Screams of Delight in Pigeon Forge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Riding The Rails. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36The Story of the Grand Canyon Railway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Knoxville’s Three Rivers Rambler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42Riding the Rails in West Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50A Tale of Two “Streetcar” Cities: New Orleans & San Francisco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
DepartmentsByways Instant Connect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Byways Preview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Free Byways Subscription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
What’s HappeningArkansas’ Crater of Diamonds State Park Celebrates 40 Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56The Newseum: Every Four Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58John Deere Pavilion Reopens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Coming in future issues of Byways… Favorite destinations along our Oceans, Rivers and Lakes, The Old West, and the Mid-Atlantic States, Great American Roads, and much more are upcoming in future issues of Byways magazine.
Volume 29, Issue No. 1, 2012On the cover. A steam engine on the Durango and Silverton Narrow
Gauge Railroad in Colorado is featured. For more on Riding the Rails, turnto page 34.
Right: Sunset viewfrom VirginiaBeach, VirginiaLeft: The Old WestVirginia City,Nevada
8 • Byways888-733-5287 • [email protected]
The National Reservation CenterCharter a motorcoach anywhere in North America
motorcoach.comSweet Magnolia ToursTrieloff Tours
www.arrowstage-lines.com
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Fifes and Drums at Colonial Williamsburgin Virginia
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Traveling South
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Williamsburg was the thriving capital of Virginiawhen the dream of American freedom andindependence was taking shape and the colony
was a rich and powerful land stretching west to theMississippi River and north to the Great Lakes.
For 81 formative years, from 1699 to 1780,Williamsburg was the political, cultural, and educationalcenter of what was then the largest, most populous, andmost influential of the American colonies. It was herethat the fundamental concepts of our republic -- respon-sible leadership, a sense of public service,self-government, and individual liberty --were nurtured.
In its shops, taverns, government build-ings, homes and streets GeorgeWashington, Thomas Jefferson, PatrickHenry, George Mason and other Virginiapatriots established the ideals that influ-enced the founding of our nation and haveinspired generations of Americans and oth-ers around the world.
Named in honor of William III, King ofEngland and designed by Royal Gov.Francis Nicholson, Williamsburg is one ofthe country’s oldest planned communities.
Near the end of the Revolutionary Warand through the influence of Thomas
Jefferson, the seat of government of Virginia was movedup the peninsula to the safer and more centrally locatedcity of Richmond.
For nearly a century and a half afterward,Williamsburg was a simple, quiet college town, home ofthe College of William and Mary.Restoration Begins
In 1926, the Reverend Dr. W.A.R. Goodwin, rector ofBruton Parish Church, shared his dream of preserving
Colonial Williamsburg
Colonial Williamsburg was theRevolutionary City of its time.
The Prentis House in winter
the city’s historic buildings withphilanthropist John D. RockefellerJr., and the restoration began.
Dr. Goodwin feared that scores ofstructures that had figured in the lifeof the colony and the founding ofthe nation would soon disappearforever. Rockefeller and Goodwinbegan a modest project to preservea few of the more important build-ings. Eventually, the work pro-gressed and expanded to include amajor portion of the colonial town,encompassing approximately 85percent of the 18th-century capital’soriginal area.
Mr. Rockefeller gave the projecthis personal leadership until hisdeath in 1960, and it was his quietgenerosity of spirit and uncompro-mising ethic of excellence thatguided and still dominates its development. He fundedthe preservation of more than 80 of the original struc-tures, the reconstruction of many buildings, and also theconstruction of extensive facilities to accommodate thevisiting public.
In the preservation of the setting of Virginia’s 18th-century capital, Mr. Rockefeller and Dr. Goodwin saw anopportunity to ensure that the courageous ideals of thepatriots who helped create the American democratic sys-tem live on for future generations.
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Carriage rides are fun at Colonial Williamsburg.
The stockade is a popularstop for picture-taking.
Colonial Williamsburg TodayThe Colonial Williamsburg Foundation operates three
world-class museums whose collections enhance andenrich the guest experience beyond the living history ofthe Historic Area. The award-winning DeWitt WallaceDecorative Arts Museum houses the Foundation’srenowned collection of British and American fine anddecorative arts dating from 1600 through 1830.
The exhibitions, “Richard Newsham’s Fire Engine”and “Tall Case Clocks” opened last year. The award-winning Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum isthe oldest institution in the United States dedicated sole-ly to the collection and preservation of Amrerican folkart.
Colonial Williamsburg also operates Bassett Hall, atwo-story, 18th-century frame house on 585 acres(including woodlands) near the colonial Capitol build-ing, was the Williamsburg home of Mr. and Mrs. John D.Rockefeller Jr.Dining
Colonial Williamsburg’s dining experiences are as richas its history. Guests may choose from 10 restaurantsincluding four historic dining taverns. Brunch served inthe elegant Regency Room in the Williamsburg Inn, or
the sumptuous Friday seafood buffet in the WilliamsburgLodge Restaurant. If an authentic colonial tavern is yourchoice, you can enjoy Breakfast with Citizens of the
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Evening program at the Capitol
Revolution Fridays through Sundaysin the King’s Arms Tavern or tea withMrs. Campbell seasonally afternoonsin Christiana Campbell’s Tavern. Fora special evening, reserve the Chef’sTable in the Purdie House Kitchenbehind the King’s Arms Tavern andenjoy a five-course dinner inspired byrecipes from the 18th century andlearn from the chef how each was pre-pared.
When the lights go down, ColonialWilliamsburg’s Historic Area doesn’tgo dark. Through Live After 5, guestsenjoy new Historic Area and diningprograms every night. Guests canexperience cresset lighting everynight in the Historic Area as the towncomes to life while choosing from avariety of evening programs.
Celebrate America through the newprogram, “A Salute to the Nation,” astirring tribute to our nation that includes ColonialWilliamsburg’s Fifes and Drums and military staff. Theprogram concludes with a short fireworks salute. Thisprogram spans 250 years of ideas that have created aunique spirit and identity – the American identity – in itsinfinite variations.
Notable Colonial Williamsburg VisitorsMore than 100 million visitors have enjoyed the
Colonial Williamsburg experience since 1932, amongthem have been world leaders including U.S. presidentsFranklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower,Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, JimmyCarter, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton. More than 100heads of state and government have toured the site ontheir way to visit the White House. Various other offi-cials, ministers, and celebrities have also visited.
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Operating HoursColonial Williamsburg’s operating hours generally are
9:00am–5:00pm, but vary by season. ColonialWilliamsburg’s Historic Area is open seven days a week,365 days a year.
General Information: 1-800-HISTORY (1-800-447-8769)
Mailing Address: The Colonial WilliamsburgFoundation P.O. Box 1776, Williamsburg, VA 23187-1776
http://www.history.org
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The Powder Magazine now serves as an exhibit space for Colonial Williamsburg.
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THE PATH TO FREEDOM BURNEDTHROUGH RICHMOND
Walk the same path that Abraham Lincolntook to the White House of the Confederacy
when he visited Richmond just 10 days before he was assassinated.
On to Richmond! was the battle cry that inspired19th century Union troops to conquer the capitalof the Confederacy. Today these words invite
21st century visitors to discover the places, stories andexperiences of a region that helped reshape America’shistory.
The American Civil War was one of our nation’s mostimportant and defining struggles. It shook the country’sfoundations culturally, politically and technologically. Itmarked the end of slavery in America. It sparked newinnovations in science, medicine and transportation. Butthe conflict also divided families, strained loyalties andpitted brother against brother on the battlefield.
Few areas of the United States were affected like theRichmond Region. Richmond was “ground zero” duringthe Civil War—the capital of the Confederacy and thescene of several major battles. The Richmond Regionbecame the backdrop for a multitude of historical eventsthat changed the face of our nation.
This year you can visit the beautiful Virginia Civil Warsites, museums, historic homes, battlefield parks, ceme-teries, slave-trade sites, and interpretive trails and walk-ing tours. Enjoy some of America’s most authentic andcompelling historical experiences—in a modern destina-tion with world-class dining, lodging, shopping andentertainment. Visit our world-class Civil War andEmancipation attractions and museums.
Civil War and Emancipation history abounds in theRichmond-Petersburg Region. Walk the same path thatAbraham Lincoln took to the White House of theConfederacy when he visited Richmond just 10 daysbefore he was assassinated.
Explore the lives of African-Americans during the war
at the Black History Museum and Cultural Center ofVirginia, located in historic Jackson Ward. ExperienceCivil War history brought to life at Pamplin HistoricalPark in Petersburg. Learn about America’s darkest hoursat the Confederate War Memorial Chapel. And visit TheAmerican Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar—thenation’s first museum to interpret the Civil War fromUnion, Confederate, and African American perspectives.Walk along the slave trails of Richmond at night guidedonly by the flicker of torches just as in centuries past andvisit the Reconciliation Statue that is linked to identicalmemorials in Liverpool, England and Benin, Africa.
Other not-to-be-missed Richmond and Petersburgattractions include the Museum of the Confederacy, theLibrary of Virginia, the Virginia Historical Society andthe Chimborazo Medical Museum. There is somethingfor everyone to choose from among our excellent spec-trum of museums and attractions.
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The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar
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Before the War: Richmond was a thriving centerof commerce in the years preceding the AmericanCivil War. Richmond’s merchants supplied
Northern markets with tobacco; its flour-milling firmsdominated trade with South America; and Tredegar IronWorks produced railroad iron and ordnance for the fed-eral government. Richmond was also an integral part ofthe slave trade in America. Thousands of enslavedAfricans passed through Richmond on their way to thevarious auction houses within the city.Secession:
Torn over the decision of whether or not to secedefrom the Union, Virginia was geographically, economi-cally, socially and culturally “between” the North andSouth. The debate to remain in the Union had raged formonths. On April 4, 1861 Virginia had in fact, voted tostay in the Union. Only after war had broken out betweenthe North and South did Virginians make the decision tosecede.The New Confederate Capital:
In May of 1861 the Confederacy moved its capitalfrom Montgomery, AL to Richmond. The RichmondDispatch reported President Jefferson Davis arrived inRichmond “to resounding, deafening cheers, oft repeat-ed, for Davis and the Southern Confederacy, from sever-al thousand willing mouths, honest hearts, and warmhands.”
The War Years: Richmond played many roles during the war. Capital,
hospital and prison center and manufacturer of war sup-plies for the South, and a strategic military objective ofthe North. One-fourth of the war’s battles and 60% of itscasualties occurred within a 75-mile radius of the city.Civilians suffered as well. Food and other items wereoften in short supply in addition to the continual threat ofUnion invasion.The City Burns:
On April 2, 1865 orders were given to evacuate the city
The Rise and Fall of RichmondBrilliant lights shine on modern-day Richmond.
American Civil War reenactmentat Gaines Mill
and burn all the cotton, tobacco and other property whichowners could not carry away to prevent it from fallinginto the hands of the advancing Union troops. By dawnof April 3, the warehouse district was in flames. Asoutherly wind spread the fire to many other parts of thecity. Witnesses observed mobs had formed and “brokeopen and pillaged stores and committed excesses ofevery kind. From midnight until dawn the city was a pan-demonium. A greater portion of the principal businesspart of Richmond was a blazing furnace.”Union Occupation and Reconstruction:
By April 3, 1865 the Confederates had evacuated andUnion troops entered Richmond. Efforts were organizedto extinguish the fires and on April 4, Lincoln toured thecity just days before his assassination. During the nextseveral decades Richmond rebuilt a new and thrivingcity from the ashes of war.
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Civil Rights Memorial
Robert E. Lee Memorial on Monument Avenue
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The North Shore Maritime Center houses the Arkansas Inland MaritimeMuseum featuring the USS Razorback on the Arkansas River.
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In the Heart of Arkansas,North Little Rock
Resting in the heart of Arkansas sits the charmingCity of North Little Rock. With its magnetic per-sonality, North Little Rock surprises its visitors
by offering diverse recreation and entertainment venuesfor all to enjoy year-round.
Enjoy the scenic Arkansas River by visiting the NorthShore Maritime Center that houses the Arkansas InlandMaritime Museum featuring the USS RazorbackSubmarine and the Arkansas Queen Riverboat. If youwish to stay on dry land then take a stroll on the ArkansasRiver Trail, a multi-use 17 mile trail that connects NorthLittle Rock and Little Rock via, the lovingly called, BigDam Bridge.
Elevated 90 feet above the Arkansas River, the BigDam Bridge is the longest pedestrian/bicycle bridge inthe world designed and built for that purpose. Also alongthe river, visitors have the opportunity to stay at theDowntown Riverside RV Park where they can enjoy thestriking view of the William J. Clinton PresidentialLibrary and the capital city’s skyline.
Stop and see a little movie history at The Old Mill. Areplica of an old grist mill seen throughout the OldSouth, The Old Mill is featured in the opening scenes ofGone with the Wind. Whether it is the blooming flowersin spring or the snow covered paddlewheel in winter, TheOld Mill is the place for the perfect picture.26 • Byways
The Old Mill
The Arkansas River Queen is featured at the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum.
See the city in a fun way by ridingthe Electric River Rail Trolley thatwill take you into the Argenta ArtsDistrict full of art galleries, restau-rants, retail shops, and nightlifeentertainment.
While you’re in Argenta take in aball game at Dickey-StephensBallpark. One of the finest facilitiesin minor league baseball, Dickey-Stephens is home to the ArkansasTravelers.
If you need a little retail therapy,visit the newly renovated McCainMall and the Lakewood VillageShopping Center.
As you plan your next visit, don’tforget to visit our website:www.northlittlerock.travel
or visit the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/NLRVB
Check for events and local pack-ages in the area. Do yourself a favorand Do North!
Byways • 27Dickey-Stephens Ballpark
Elevated 90 feet above the Arkansas River, the Big DamBridge is the longest pedestrian/bicycle bridge in the world.
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Screams ofDelight in
Pigeon Forge
Screams of delight from a blazing new roller coast-er at Dollywood and more placid “ooohs” and“ahhhhs” from rides underneath a giant helium bal-
loon are among the new sounds in the group-populardestination of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
Dollywood unveils its Wild Eagle rollercoaster – for awhile the first of its design inthe U.S. – in late March, and WonderWorksplans to add its Wonders of Flight balloonride later in the year.
In addition to those two new attractions, theSmoky Mountain Opry Show joins thePigeon Forge entertainment scene, the GreatSmoky Mountain Lumberjack Feud willpresent its first full season and the TitanicMuseum Attraction will commemorate thecentennial of the sinking of the magnificentocean liner.
The Wild Eagle got a lot of attention fromride enthusiasts as soon as Dolly Partonannounced it. It is a “wing coaster,” meaningthat you sit on “wings” extending along eitherside of the coaster’s track – with nothing butair above and below you.
It starts on Dollywood’s highest peak and rises 21 sto-ries into the sky. You experience the sensation of flight asthe coaster’s twisting track swoops and soars along a3,127-foot-long journey that reaches 61 miles per hour.
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The nearly two-and-a-half minute“flight” affords you panoramic GreatSmoky Mountains views before youplummet down the initial 135-footdrop. There are four inversions,including a giant loop, a “zero-G”roll and a giant flat spin before “land-ing.”
Wild Eagle won’t be the only newride providing views of the GreatSmoky Mountains.
WonderWorks, that attention-get-ting, upside-down science-orientedattraction, is working with theFrench company Aerophile to launchthe Wonders of Flight, a tethered bal-loon ride on a major scale this spring.
A giant helium-filled balloon 72feet in diameter will lift a 30-passen-ger gondola 500 feet above the cityfor day and evening flights.Aerophile has been giving people alift since 1994 and has permanentinstallations in destinations such asParis and Walt Disney World inOrlando.
Owners call it ideal for weddings,birthdays, special occasions andgroup outings.30 • Byways
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This is a year of specialcommemoration at theTitanic MuseumAttraction because April15, 2012, marks the cen-tennial of the magnificentocean liner’s sinking.
The attraction, whichhonors the memories ofthe 2,208 passengers andcrew members who whereon board, has a year-longseries of special activities,
including Irish Month at Titanicin March, saluting the ship’sIrish builders and the many Irishaboard.
A new exhibit is dedicated toJames Cameron’s Hollywoodblockbuster, “Titanic.” It usesvideo, photos, costumes andprops to give you a behind-the-scenes look at the making of themovie.
Movies will be honored morepermanently when theHollywood Wax MuseumEntertainment Center opens lat-er in the year. It will featurereplicas of famous movie setsand movie stars and actually willbe three attractions in one – theHollywood Wax Museum, theCastle of Chaos and Hannah’sMaze of Mirrors.
The Smoky Mountain OpryTheater, the new name for thevenue formerly known as theMiracle Theater, is home to theSmoky Mountain Opry Showstarting in March.
The Smoky Mountain OpryShow is a project of Fee/HedrickFamily Entertainment, whichalso presents the Hatfield &McCoy Dinner Show, theComedy Barn and the CountryJamboree Breakfast Show.
Another new theater housesthe Great Smoky MountainLumberjack Feud. It opened lastfall, offering a roaring – literallyroaring – show featuring ESPNtimber athletes. Axes fly, chain-
saws flash, lumberjacks race up 60-foot poles and timbercamp dogs show their competitive spirit, too.
Shopping always is a popular Pigeon Forge diversion,and the landmark Stages West western-wear store isgearing up to offer even more cowboy hats, boots, jeans,jackets and leather goods.
A 3,300-square-foot addition, which is to be finishedin June, will make Stages West the largest store of itskind in the Southeast.
Information about all aspects of Pigeon Forge is avail-able online at MyPigeonForge.com or by calling toll-freeto 1-800-251-9100.
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Riding The Rails
The route from Durango to Silverton Colorado Tourism photos by Matt Inden /Weaver Multimedia Group
The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroadoperates 45 miles of track between Durango andSilverton, Colorado. The railway is a federally
designated National Historic Landmark and is also des-ignated by the American Society of Civil Engineers as aHistoric Civil Engineering Landmark.
The route was originally built between 1881 and 1882,by the Denver and Rio Grande Railway, in order to car-ry supplies and people to and silver and gold ore frommines in the San Juan Mountains.
The line from Durango to Silverton has run continu-ously since 1881, although it is now a tourist and heritageline hauling passengers, and one of the few places in the
United States with continuous use of steam locomotives.The route to Silverton is an unforgettable journey
along the spectacular Animas River. The Animas River isone of the last free-flowing rivers in the entire westernUnited States. The route along the Animas, which beginshigh in the San Juan Mountains and ends in a confluencewith the San Juan River in New Mexico, boasts some ofColorado’s most striking canyon scenery.
Durango was founded by the Denver & Rio GrandeRailway in 1880. The railroad arrived in Durango onAugust 5, 1881 and construction on the line to Silvertonbegan in the fall of the same year. By July of 1882, thetracks to Silverton were completed and the train beganhauling both passengers and freight.
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The Durango & SilvertonNarrow Gauge Railroad
From the verybeginning, the rail-road was promotedas a scenic route forpassenger service,although the linewas constructed pri-marily to haul mineores, both gold andsilver, from the SanJuan Mountains. Itis estimated over$300 million in pre-cious metals hasbeen transportedover this route.
The train crossesthe river five timeson its journey toSilverton, offeringspectacular viewsfrom both sides ofthe train. It passesfertile farmlands,old stagecoachroads, the breath-taking “Highline,”the remote TacomaPower Plant, oldmining camps. Thetrain stands in theshadow of peaksreaching over14,000 feet, often
with year-roundsnow.
Secluded in amountain valley at anelevation of 9,318feet, Silverton cameinto existencebecause of the richtreasures that the sur-rounding mountainsheld. Though thereare no longer anyoperating mines, the
mining legacy pervades every aspect of the town, as avisit will show. It is a legacy that glitters in Silverton’selaborate Victorian-era architecture, reflecting the mil-lions of dollars drawn from the earth during the miningboom of the late 1800s to early 1900s. DowntownSilverton along Greene & Blair Streets boasts of a boldpast and is designated as a National Historic District. Besure to stop by the Silverton Museum, Jail and MiningHeritage Center and uncover many artifacts of San JuanCounty’s past. Still craving more? Visit the MayflowerMill, Old Hundred Gold Mine Tour, be deputized by theSilverton Gunfighters, or take a listen to the SilvertonBrass Band; all offered May to October.
Today the Durango & Silverton Narrow GaugeRailroad continues to provide year-round train service,operating a historical train with rolling stock indigenousto the line. The locomotives used to pull today’s trainremain 100% coal-fired, steam-operated.
The locomotives are 1923-25 vintage and are main-tained in original condition. The coaches each featurerestroom facilities and are heated during the wintermonths for passenger comfort. Open gondola cars pro-vide a panoramic view of the mountains. Concessionsare available on every train. The Durango & Silverton isowned and operated by American Heritage Railways.
Reservations: 970-247-2733 General Information: 970-247-2733 Toll Free: 877-872-4607http://www.durangotrain.com
Colorado Tourism photos by Matt Inden/WeaverMultimedia Group.
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It wasn’t the cowboys and it wasn’t the cavalry, but thelocomotive that finally conquered this great wilder-ness.
And there’s no better example of hidden treasuresrevealed by the locomotive's journey west than theGrand Canyon.
While the canyon’s potential was realized as early asthe 1880s, the journey at the time was difficult to say theleast. The remoteness of the area would have sealed itsfate as merely a very deep hole in the earth marked on amap, had it not been for William Owen “Buckey”O’Neill and his grand visions of a railroad to the canyon.
O'Neill, who was mayor of Prescott at the time, ownedseveral mineral claims and had built a substantial cabinon the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. But while he’dfound his wealth, he wasn’t able to unlock it from thecanyon due to the high cost of transporting the ore. A
man of action, he lobbied for nearly five years beforesecuring the funding for the Grand Canyon Railway.
On Sept. 17, 1901, O’Neill’s vision became a realitywhen the first steam train took passengers and suppliesfrom Williams, Ariz., to the South Rim of the GrandCanyon. And while O’Neill wasn’t there to see it forhimself, having been killed while serving as a RoughRider in the Spanish American War, his spirit was smil-ing as the steam rose through the forest en route to theGrand Canyon.
The Railway revolutionized the canyon, sharing itsnatural wonder with the general public. In its heyday,Grand Canyon Railway -- then a subsidiary of theAtchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company -- hadtwo scheduled arrivals per day at the South Rim, but asmany as six special trains might also arrive at the GrandCanyon in one day.
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Passing through the Coconino Canyon on the trip to the Grand Canyon.
Notable passengers included President TheodoreRoosevelt, President William Howard Taft, John Muir,President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, King Paul andQueen Fredericka of Greece, President Dwight DavidEisenhower, Clark Gable, Candice Bergen,Jimmy Durante, Doris Day, ArizonaSenator Barry Goldwater and ArizonaGovernor Rose Mofford.
It was the preferred method of traveluntil the advent of the automobile. And asAmerica fell in love with the automobile,the locomotive’s romantic wail faded likean Arizona sunset.
The final rays of golden sunlight disap-peared June 30, 1968 as Train No. 14, adiesel locomotive pulling only one bag-gage car and one coach car, left Grand
Canyon Depot with just three people aboard. Beginningthe 65-mile trek to Williams, the engineer gave the horntwo short blasts heard only by those aboard and canyonwildlife. No one was present to send the train off, or to
The Story of theGrand Canyon
Railway
Byways • 39In the 1950s, visitors came to the Grand Canyon by rail.
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celebrate the contributions the Railway had made. As thelast passenger train traveled out of sight, the tracks grewquiet and stayed that way for nearly 20 years.
The tracks began experiencing minor rumblings againin the late 1980s. Investors came and went, promisingrestoration then fleeing when financing went awry. Thetown of Williams was struggling, but still daring todream that the Railway would return oneday and with it, rebuild a small town cel-ebrated as the Gateway to the GrandCanyon.
It wasn’t until a determined cropduster and his wife entered the scene thatthe Railway had a chance of comingback to life. Reaching deep into theirpockets and tapping all the resourcesavailable to them, Max and ThelmaBiegert dedicated everything, includingan initial $15 million, to reinstate trainservice to the Grand Canyon.
Pulling together a talented team ofpeople including steam locomotiveexperts, Max and Thelma went to workrestoring the dilapidated Williams andGrand Canyon Depots as well as the 65miles of weather-beaten railroad track. The team rebuiltwashout areas and bridges, replacing 30,000 railroad tiesand countless more rails, beams and spikes.
Their hard work paid off, and on Sept. 17, 1989 -- 88years to the day from the first train to the canyon -- Maxand Thelma Biegert brought the powerful pull of the
steam locomotive back to Grand Canyon National Park.More than 10,000 people and dignitaries arrived in
Williams to celebrate the return of the Railway, withmore gathered to greet the passengers arriving at GrandCanyon Depot. It seemed as though the whole world rec-ognized the importance of returning train service to thecanyon.
Grand Canyon Railway gained momentum with eachpassing trip to the canyon, growing into the operation itis today. Providing daily service and transporting morethan 225,000 passengers to the Grand Canyon each year(more than 2.5 million since 1989), the Railway is muchmore than an alternative mode of transportation.
Parlor car seating
Dome-Class Service, photos courtesy Xanterra Parks & Resorts
The simple act of returning trainservice restored an integral part ofthe Grand Canyon’s history. Thewail of the historic locomotives trav-eling the rails today, shares the storyof how the Canyon came to be.
No, the West was not won bycowboys or cavalry, but by the trainand the people whose vision ofgrandeur was matched only by theGrand Canyon itself.
Grand Canyon Railway is anauthorized concessioner of theNational Park Service and the U.S.Forest Service. For more informa-tion, visit www.thetrain.com or call1-800-THE-TRAIN (1-800-843-8724).
Grand Canyon Railway is operat-ed by Xanterra Parks & Resorts.Xanterra also operates lodges,restaurants and accommodations atthe South Rim of Grand CanyonNational Park. For reservationsinside the park and for more infor-mation go to:
www.grandcanyonlodges.com.
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Knoxville, located in eastern Tennessee, is thestate’s second largest city and home to the maincampus of the University of Tennessee.
Knoxville is also the starting point of the Three RiversRambler, an excursion train operated by the Knoxville &Holston River Railroad.
This shortline, created in 1998 from former NorfolkSouthern trackage, is owned by Knoxville-based Gulfand Ohio Railways, a family-owned company whichoperates railroads in three states.
The locomotives are either steam or diesel. No. 203,former Washington & Lincolnton #203, known as Lindy,was built in 1925 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works.Oil fired, she is a Consolidation-type locomotive withtwo pilot wheels and eight drivers (2-8-0). A coal-firedsister locomotive, No. 154, is a former Southern Railway2-8-0 built by the Schenectady Locomotive Works wayback in 1890. Donated to the city of Knoxville in 1953,she was lovingly restored and returned to service in2010.
The 90-minute ride starts at the boarding area inVolunteer Landing in the downtown riverfront area, nearthe UT’s Neyland Stadium. The train then follows the
landing down NeylandDrive, going past theCounty Building, andunder the Henley Streetand Gay Street Bridges.The train passes the Starof Knoxville riverboatand the locomotive’swatertower and shed atthe end of VolunteerLanding, where it paral-lels the Knox CountyGreenways down theriver to Governor NedMcWherter RiversideLanding Park. BeyondMcWherter Park thetrain goes through theGeneral Shale BrickCompany and theKnoxville UtilitiesBoard water treatmentplant. The train then fol-lows the river for a
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Knoxville’sThree Rivers
Rambler
ways past Knoxville DowntownIsland Airport, before turning awayfrom the river and going underRiverside Drive and past the HinesCompost Company. The train thenreaches Three Rivers Trestle, wherethe French Broad River and theHolston River come together toform the Tennessee River. The trainslows on the bridge to allow passen-gers to take pictures of the ospreynest built above the tracks.
Once on the other side of the riv-er the train reaches the quarry atMarbledale, where the locomotiveuncouples and runs around the trainand then pulls it back along thesame route in reverse.
One of the nice things about the Three Rivers Rambleris that it is a fairly a short ride and at modest cost, whichmakes it a perfect outing for group tours or for familieson a busy schedule. The train includes closed coaches, asnack-bar/gift shop car, and an open car. Weekend-onlyservice is seasonal, from Spring through Fall, but in lateNovember and December the Christmas Express pro-
vides a fun-filled holiday experience. Check with therailroad for more details, reservations, and to find outwhich locomotives are in use.
Three Rivers Rambler, PO Box 2408, Knoxville, TN37901. Phone: 865-524-9411 Fax: 865-546-3717
http://www.threeriversrambler.com
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Riding the Rails in West Virginia
by Bonnie Branciaroli
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Cheat Mountain Salamander at ElkinsDepot. Photo by Mark Branciaroli.
New River Train, along the“Grand Cayon” of the East.
Courtesy Collis P. HuntingtonRailroad Historical Society
There’s no better way to experience the diversity ofrailroad history in the Mid-Atlantic region of theUnited States than a trip to West Virginia. Known
for its dense forests and beautiful mountains, theMountain State offers a different perspective to railroadand transportation history.
The turn-of-the-century steam locomotives used herewere invented to do the impossible... to climb steep,mountain grades, swing around hairpin curves, andnegotiate temporary tracks laid to bring virgin timberfrom the mountains to the valley mills.
Other excursion trains found in West Virginia are art-fully refurbished locomotives that mirror the age of pop-ular rail travel – the streamline diesels produced in thefirst half of the 20th century that featured comfortablequarters, gracious dining, and a convenient mode of pub-lic transportation that suited a young, industrial nationwell.
A ride on any or all of West Virginia’s excursion trainsis definitely a trip into the history of our nation.
Groups coming to West Virginia will find refined andwell-organized itineraries that feature excursion trainoptions that, combined with the area’s natural scenicattractions, cultural, and entertainment venues, create awell-rounded journey into the heritage of our nation andstate.
Cass Scenic Railroad State Park
The Cass Scenic Railroad, located in PocahontasCounty near Snowshoe Resort, is the same line built in1901 to haul lumber to the mill in Cass. The locomotivesare the same Shay locomotives used in Cass and in therainforests of British Columbia for more than a half cen-tury. Unlike standard steam locomotives, Shays and thesimilarly designed Climax (Durbin Rocket) are drivenby direct gearing to each and every wheel. The smooth,even flow of power enables the engines to negotiatetwisting mountain grades – which is the trademark of theCass excursion.
In 1911, West Virginia led the nation with more than3,000 miles of logging railroad line. Only 11 miles ofrestored line remains now at Cass, known as one ofAmerica’s authentic operating museums of lumber rail-roading lines. The Cass collection includes 3 Shay loco-motives, including Shay #5, the second oldest still inoperation, Shay #2, an example of a “Pacific Coast”Shay, the only one ever to be used east of the Mississippi,and the Big 6, the last Shay ever built and the largest stillin existence, weighing in at 162 tons.
Groups traveling to Cass can experience not only theride up the mountain in authentic restored logging cars,but can shop at the Cass Country Store, dine at the Last
Byways • 45
Cass Scenic RailroadCourtesy Cass ScenicRailroad State Park
Run Restaurant, visit the Cass museum, and take a guid-ed tour of the Cass locomotive shops where cars andlocomotives are repaired and restored.
Group Information: Cass Scenic Railroad304-456-4300geraldine.e.bartels@wv.govwww.cassrailroad.com
Durbin & Greenbrier ValleyRailroad
The Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad operatesseveral trains in two adjacent counties. Just down theroad from Cass in the century-old town of Durbin, theDurbin Rocket offers excursions along the banks of the
scenic Greenbrier River. This rare steam locomotive isOld #3, one of only three operating Climax geared log-ging locomotives on earth.
Groups can ride in an authentic 1920-era coach and/orin an open-air car on this two-hour trip into theMonongahela National Forest. Lunch can be served asan option, and a visit to the Rail & Trail Store on MainStreet across from depot is a must!
The Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad also oper-ates two diesel locomotives in nearby Elkins, located inRandolph County. The New Tygart Flyer excursion fea-tures a four-hour journey into the “Wild Heart of WestVirginia”. This smooth climate-controlled passengertrain has gained a reputation among groups of all sizesfor its wonderful mountain wilderness excursion overcanyons and rivers, two mountain grades, an “S” curve,
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New Tygart FlyerPhoto by Scott Lothes
and its final destination, the inspirational High Falls ofCheat.
The Cheat Mountain Salamander is the most group-utilized diesel locomotive, offering a 6.5-hourSouthbound and Northbound option, plus an all-day,two-train outing with meals provided. The six-hourexcursion is similar to the New Tygart Flyer journey, butextends past the High Falls of Cheat, terminating (orbeginning) at Cheat Bridge.
In addition to the trips suggested here, the Durbin &Greenbrier Valley Railroad offers a wide array of specialevent trains, plus dinner served buffet-style in theRailYard Restaurant, located adjacent to the ElkinsDepot, and nearby live music and entertainment venuesfor groups larger than 25 passengers.
Group Information: Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Ralroad1-877-MTN-RAIL (686-7245)Naida Vonne Simpson, Ext. 100www.mountainrail.com
Potomac EagleThe historic Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad traverses
the tracks of the South Branch Valley far to the north ofCass, Durbin, and Elkins in the counties of Hampshireand Hardy. This three-hour narrated excursion runs from
Romney to Moorefield, through the South BranchValley, between two forested mountain chains, and alongthe South Branch of the Potomac River. This area isknown as “The Trough,” the home of the Mid-Atlantic’spopulation of the American Bald Eagle. It is not unusualto be able to watch these magnificent creatures in theirnative habitat.
Like the New Tygart Flyer, the Potomac Eagle is adiesel locomotive that offers comfort, convenience, andoptions to groups. The Potomac Eagle cars include first-class cars that feature climate-controlled lounge and din-ing cars with classic, 1940s-1950s stylish interiors.These cars offer table-style seating for catered meals onperiod railroad china for groups.
An open-air car and open-top gondola car is also partof this train and allows for easy viewing in good weath-er. A car containing a snack bar area is also part of everyrun.
Group Information: Potomac Eagle304-424-0736www.potomaceagle.info
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Potomac EagleCourtesy Potomac Eagle
New River TrainIn the southern part of the state, the Collis P.
Huntington Railroad Historical Society operates theNew River Train excursions through the renowned NewRiver Gorge. This excursion, available on October 20,21, 27, and 28, 2012 only, traverses the formerChesapeake & Ohio mainline from Huntington toHinton, WV, and through one of the nation’s newestnational parklands, the “Grand Canyon of the East,”along the New River.
Other excursions include the 65-mile Greenbrier DayTrip and the three-day, two-night Greenbrier Overnightexcursions that periodically run throughout the yearthrough the New River Gorge to the world-renownedGreenbrier Resort in Greenbrier County.
This diesel locomotive offers both Parlor car and table-top seating for small groups (42 and under). The Societyalso operates two railroad history museums inHuntington.
Group InformationNew River Train1-866-NEW-RIVR (866-639-7487) [email protected]
About the author: Bonnie Branciaroli is a free-lancewriter who resides on the beautiful Pegasus Farm inElkins, West Virginia.
Byways • 49
Henry Flagler’s Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroadceased operating in 1935, but two Keys womenvividly remember childhood experiences riding
the “railroad that went to sea.” Completed in 1912, it was called the Over-Sea
Railroad because its track stretched more than 100 milesout into open water. For 23 years it carried passen-gers from mainland Florida to and through theKeys, affording them a breathtaking sense ofsteaming across the ocean.
This year the Florida Keys are celebrat-ing the 100th anniversary of the Over-Sea Railroad.
Minnie Dameron, who spent much ofher childhood on Plantation Key in theUpper Keys, remembers trips to visitfamily in Key West -- and taking thetrain’s final journey just before portionsof its track were irreparably damaged ina 1935 hurricane. Marie Gasser, whospent childhood summers in Ohio and win-ters in Miami, recalls her family’s one-waytrain trip from Miami to Key West.
Dameron remembered her father flagging downthe train at the Plantation Key freight station with a whitehandkerchief, and a lantern signaling the family hadboarded.
“We’d get so excited when we knew we were coming-
to get the train and go all the way to Key West -- we puton our best clothes,” said Dameron, 86, who now lives inKey West.
“My sister and I used to love to ride the train and lookout the window,” she recalled. “But when we’d come tothe Seven Mile Bridge, it looked like you were riding on
the water, so we’d get scared and hold one another’shand.”
For Dameron, arriving at Key West was thetrip’s highlight. On special occasions, she
remembered, Cuban bands and dancersgreeted arriving passengers.
Gasser, 95, recalled her family board-ing the train in Miami when she was 5and walking back to the last seat,which resembled a church pew. Hermother sat by the window and herfather on the aisle, while she rodebetween them.“Everybody was excited -- take a train
down to Key West,” said Gasser, now anIslamorada resident.During the journey, they walked to the din-
ing car.“It seemed like a long ways to get to something to eat,”
said Gasser, who remembered a waiter in a white shirtand black pants helping her. “He brought a highchair forme, lifted me up and put me in the highchair.”
The journey was pleasant, she said, until her mother50 • Byways
Florida KeysOver-Sea Railroad
looked out the open window as the train crossed a bridgeso narrow it seemed she was sitting over water. Afterarriving in Key West, her mother refused to take the trainback to Miami and insisted they return by boat.
“She said boats were made to go on water and trainswere not!” Gasser chuckled.
Dameron and her family’s last ride was the train’s finaljourney to Key West just before the Labor Day 1935 hur-ricane that slammed into the Upper Keys, damaging thatarea’s railroad line. The trip wasn’t inspired by fore-knowledge of the storm, but instead to get treatment forher sick sister.
“She had a temper-ature and my mothertried everything toget it down andcouldn’t, so we gotthe train to KeyWest,” Dameronsaid. “We wouldhave been in it (thehurricane), but I wason the last train inhere (Key West)because of my sisterbeing ill.”
Three years afterthe hurricane, theOverseas Highway debuted, built on a foundation thatincorporated most of the original railway spans. Today, itcontains 127 miles of roadway and 42 bridges over waterconnecting the Keys. The original train bridges wereretired in 1982, but many became fishing piers.
“It changed the Keys forever, and what a blessing itwas,” said Dameron. “I just wish it was still there -- that’show much we loved it.”
(Content contributed by Jerry Wilkinson, Florida Keyshistorian).
Byways • 51
Henry Flagler
Artists from the Art Guild of the Purple Isles and Island Christian School finalize a 60-foot-wideoutdoor mural in Key Largo. The mural at mile marker 95 depicts Henry Flagler’s Florida KeysOver-Sea Railroad. Photo by Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau.
By Dr. John A. Kirchner
Streetcars, or Trolley Cars as they were also called,were once the primary mode of transport inAmerica’s larger cities. By the 1960s, however,
only a half- dozen cities still had street railways and theirfuture was in question.
But surprise! With the energy crunch of the1970’s, a newer, more modern version of thestreetcar, known as “Light Rail,” began to appearacross the U.S. and today we have over twentysystems in operation, plus others under construc-tion.
The rebirth of rail transit in our cities had yetanother dimension -- the creation of touristfriendly “Heritage” streetcars, either rebuilt vin-tage cars or modern cars built to look like the carsour grandparents or great grandparents oncerode. In some cases these vintage trolleys oper-ate over the modern “Light Rail” lines, while inother places they have their own tracks, often incity streets shared with automobiles.
Two U.S. streetcar cities have a very special story totell. New Orleans and San Francisco never gave up ontheir trolley lines, and today both exploit the public’slove affair with the old vehicles.
New Orleans’ tree-lined St. Charles streetcar line,which still operates dark green Perley Thomas cars builtin the 1920s, connects Canal Street with the beautiful“Garden” and “Uptown” districts. It is the world’s old-
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A Tale of Two “Streetcar” Cities: New Orleans and San Francisco.
Streetcar arrives at Pier 39 in San Francisco.Photo by John Smatlak.
Fisherman’s Wharf in San FranciscoPhoto by John Smatlak
est continuously operating street railway,dating back to 1835! It was operated bysteam power and animal power prior tobeing electrified in 1893.
New Orleans once had other streetcarlines, but by the 1960s all had beenreplaced by buses. The first hint of astreetcar renaissance came in 1988 withthe new Riverfront Line, providing aneco-friendly link paralleling theMississippi River.
With its tourist-based economy, it wasno surprise that when New Orleansdecided to resurrect the Canal Street carline. Reopened in 2004, its trolleys aredesigned to look like vintage cars, butwith modern perks like air conditioningand disabled access.
Hurricane Katrina, in 2005, badlydamaged the city’s streetcars, and forcedthe new Canal cars to be rebuilt, buttoday, happily, the cheerful red streetcarsonce again trundle by every few minutes, connecting theMississippi with the famed above ground Cemeteries tothe north.
With streetcars so much a part of its tourist venue, itcomes as no surprise that New Orleans is planning fur-ther streetcar extensions, including turning back theclock to the era of Tennessee Williams’ 1947 classic AStreetcar Named Desire. Yes, there really was a FrenchQuarter streetcar line named “Desire,” and if NewOrleans has its way, it will run again.
San Francisco has long been famous for its cable cars.These classic non-electric streetcars are hauled up anddown the city’s hills by a wire rope located beneath thestreet. These simple conveyances, celebrated in filmand song, are, however, not the only street railway showin San Francisco.
When San Francisco in 1980 opened a Light Rail sub-way under Market Street to accommodate the cities fiveremaining conventional streetcar lines, it left the surfacetracks unused. Backed by public advocacy organizations
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New Orleans’ tree-lined St. Charles streetcar line
like the Market Street Railway preservation group, theMunicipal Railway of San Francisco operated occasion-al historic streetcar festivals, using vintage trolley carsfrom San Francisco and other cities.
Popular with both locals and tourists alike, the festivalscoalesced into a greatly expanded regular service -- lead-ing to today’s F-Market & Wharves heritage trolley line.Starting in the Castro neighborhood, the F-Line rolls eastalong Market Street to the Ferry Building, and then turnsnorth to Fisherman’s Wharf, oneof San Francisco’s best knowntourist spots. The waterfrontEmbarcadero tracks follow theroute of the formerEmbarcadero Freeway, whichwas torn down after the 1989Loma Prieta Earthquake ren-dered it useless.
The hugely successful F-Line,today crowded with riders, isoperated entirely with vintagestreetcars, most of themacquired from elsewhere in theU.S. and overseas. The largestgroup are PCC cars, a “modern”lightweight streetcar developed
in the 1930s. They have been painted in the colors of theNorth American cities that once operated them, so eachcar has a distinctive legacy. There are many foreign carsas well, including ten “Peter Witt” cars built in 1928 forMilan, Italy.
So when you hop aboard the F-Line, look closely. Itmight be a PCC car from your hometown -- Baltimore,Boston, Cincinnati, Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City, LosAngeles, Philadelphia, St. Louis, or Washington DC, just
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Streetcars serve San Francisco’s famous Ferry Building.
New Orleans streetcar decorated for theholidays. Photo by John Smatlak.
to name a few. Or you might find yourself on a “tram” from
Melbourne, Australia, an open air “Boat Car,” fromBlackpool, England, or maybe even on one of SanFrancisco’s original “Iron Monsters,” built prior toWorld War I.
Like the movie “Back to the Future,” we really havegone back in time, returning the once neglected streetcarto a recognized place in both modern urban transporta-tion and tourism. Welcome aboard!
Learn more about streetcars in North America at thefollowing websites:
http://www.railwaypreservation.com/vintagetrolley/vintagetrolley.htm
http://www.streetcar.orghttp://www.sfmta.com/cms/mfleet/histcars.phpAbout the Author: Dr. John A. Kirchner is a professor
emeritus of Geography and Transportation at Cal StateUniversity Los Angeles.
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Cable cars and streetcars in San Francisco
By Zoie Clift, Arkansas Department of Parks andTourism
North America’s largest diamond and more than75,000 other diamonds have been found in a fieldsoutheast of Murfreesboro since farmer John
Huddleston discovered the first gems in the field in 1906.Since 1972, the site has been preserved as Crater ofDiamonds State Park.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the park.Park Superintendent Justin Dorsey says special pro-
grams will be held on March 15th, the anniversary dateof the park’s creation. “We’ll be doing programs on thehistory of the park and how it has changed over the past40 years,” he said. “Because the anniversary falls on aThursday, we’ll continue the special programming overthe weekend and through the next week, which is SpringBreak.”
Many are surprised to learn there is a place in Arkansaswhere one can go and dig for diamonds. The park, theworld’s only diamond-producing site open to the public,is located above an eroded volcanic pipe. For a small fee,visitors can dig for diamonds and other gemstones andkeep what they find.
The search area at the park is a 37 1/2 acre plowed fieldon the eroded surface of the eighth largest diamond-bear-ing deposit in theworld (in surfacearea). More than500 diamonds werefound at the parklast year.
“It was a recordyear for large dia-monds,” saidDorsey. “We regis-tered 30 diamondsover one carat.” Headded that two ofthem, the 8.66 ctIllusion Diamond(3rd) and the 6.67 ctT e a m w o r kDiamond (9th), areamong the ten topdiamond finds at thepark in the past 40years. “I hope to see
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Arkansas’ Crater of DiamondsState Park Celebrates 40 Years
The park is the world’s only diamond-producing site open to the public.
this trend continue into 2012,” he said.“We are also nearing the milestone30,000th diamond mark (as of January20, the mark was at 29,933). I expect itto be found this year.”
What sets Crater diamonds apart arecolor (the vast majority of diamondsfound here are white, brown and yel-low), luster (many look like smallpieces of metal) and shape (if not bro-ken they are usually very smooth andwell rounded). The largest diamonddiscovered by visitors since the sitebecame an Arkansas state park was the16.37-carat Amarillo Starlight foundin 1975.
It is stories like these that park inter-preters enjoy sharing. “Every day wemeet people who have just learnedabout our park,” said Waymon Cox, who has worked asa park interpreter at Crater of Diamonds for fouryears. “They don’t realize thes t a t e
park has beenhere for 40 years now, and they
haven’t heard of the many fascinating discoveries folksjust like them have made over the years. It’s always a lotof fun to share some of the park’s best stories with some-one new.”
March also marks the start of a new program series atthe park called Visit with an Expert Miner. The program
(scheduled forMarch, June, andOctober) offersvisitors a chanceto meet thepark’s regulard i a m o n dprospectors.
The idea start-ed after a similarscenario wasfilmed as part ofa reality showdemo this pastsummer. “Peoplereally enjoyedthe opportunityto hear fromsome of the ‘reg-ulars’ that searchhere almostevery day,” said
Dorsey. “They have a chance tointeract and
ask ques-tions that only they can answer.
The miners are equally excited to share their story withhopeful visitors.”
More than 106,000 visitors came through the park lastyear. “My favorite aspect of this job is the visitors,” saidCox. “Every time I do a demonstration, I ask where peo-ple are visiting from. It’s fascinating to hear all the dif-ferent states people name off. I also love pointing out thesocial aspect of this park. While searching for diamonds,visitors will often talk to each other and make connec-tions with people from all over the country. Not onlymight someone from Michigan be working right next tosomeone from California, but as they talk they often findthey either know the same person or once lived in thesame area. It’s a visitor experience not often found at oth-er parks.”
Dorsey said he is honored to be a part of the park staffthat will be celebrating this landmark year. “Over thepast 40 years we have had a number of special peoplework here, and the current staff and I continue that lega-cy,” he said. “We realize this park will be here for visi-tors to enjoy for many more years after we are all gone.And as we celebrate how far we’ve come, we rememberthat we are charged with ensuring future generations thesame experience.”
Crater of Diamonds State Park is located two milessoutheast of downtown Murfreesboro. For more infor-mation contact Justin Dorsey, park superintendent,Crater of Diamonds State Park, at 870-285-3113, oremail him at [email protected].
Byways • 57
What’s HappeningWhat’s Happening
Every Four Years: Presidential Campaigns andthe Press at The Newseum
Every four years, Americans elect a president. Andevery four years, battle lines are drawn as presi-dential candidates and reporters face off in the
conflict zone known as the campaign trail. From WilliamMcKinley’s front-porch campaign toObama’s Internet campaign, thisexhibit examines the strategies andtactics used by politicians -- and illu-minated by the press -- to put democ-racy to the test and a candidate in theWhite House.
The Newseum in Washington, DChas opened an exhibit to honor thePresidential campaigns.
A lighter side of the exhibit featurescostumes and props from “SaturdayNight Live,” “The Daily Show WithJon Stewart” and “The Colbert Report,” comedy showsthat have become almost mandatory stops on the cam-paign trail as politicians try to show a sense of humor andcourt new audiences.
Among the 120 artifacts on display include items usedby campaign press and candidates, as well as items relat-ed to political parody:
•A microphone used by Franklin D. Roosevelt todeliver his famous “fireside chats”.
• Handwritten notes taken by John F. Kennedy duringa 1960 presidential debate with Richard Nixon.
• The jacket worn by Hillary Rodham Clinton whenshe became the first person to use her own website todeclare her candidacy for the presidency.
• “Florida, Florida, Florida” white board used by
NBC’s Tim Russert on election night 2000 to predict thekey role the state would play in the outcome.
• Guitar -- labeled “The Prez” -- played by GeorgeH.W. Bush at a 1988 inaugural ball.
• Dallas Cowboys football jersey, with “Reagan 84” onthe back, presented to Ronald Reagan at the 1984Republican National Convention in Dallas.
• Suit, flag lapel pin and eyeglasses worn by Tina Feyas Sarah Palin in a 2008 “Saturday Night Live” sketch,and the blue suit with a Barack Obama pin worn by Amy
Poehler as Hillary Clinton.An interactive area allows
Newseum visitors to create theirown campaign photo ops by mix-ing various backgrounds and pre-vious candidates including HillaryClinton, John F. Kennedy, SarahPalin and Ronald Reagan. Visitorsalso can choose their candidate forpresident in a special Newseumvoting booth. The exhibit will beupdated throughout the 2012 cam-paign to highlight the latest news
and photos from the campaign trail.The Newseum -- a 250,000-square-foot museum of
news and history -- offers visitors an experience thatblends five centuries of news history with up-to-the-sec-ond technology and hands-on exhibits. Within its sevenlevels of galleries and theaters, the Newseum offers aunique environment that takes museum-goers behind thescenes to experience how and why news is made. Followthe Newseum on Facebook and Twitter.
The Newseum is open from 9:00am to 5:00pm dailyand is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and NewYear’s Day. For additional information, call 888/NEW-SEUM (888/639-7386) or visit http://www.newseum.org
Group information: [email protected] • Byways
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Byways is published bi-monthly by Byways, Inc. and distributed electronically throughout North America.Byways is emailed to more than 4000 tour operators and 20,000 travel agencies through the internet. Subscriptionsare complimentary.
Byways’ distribution includes motorcoach companies, tour operators, travel agents, bank travel managers, schoolband and athletic planners, and meeting planners. For advertising rates, editorial deadlines, or to place advertisinginsertions, contact: Byways Magazine, 42 Cabin Hill Lane, Mount Jackson, VA 22842. Telephone 540-477-3202.Fax 540-477-3858. Toll-free 800-469-0062.
©Copyright 2012 by Byways, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be duplicated in anyform without express written permission of the publisher.
Editor and PublisherStephen M. Kirchner
Advertising Director1.800.469.0062 • 540.477.3202 • Fax 540.477.3858
Internet:bywaysmagazine.com [email protected]
Advertisers IndexAmerican Mountain Theater, West Virginia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47Bedford Tourism, Virginia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Byways Magazine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62Clarion Inn, Strasburg, Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Virginia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Comfort Inn Charleston, West Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Durbin & Greenbrier Valley RR, West Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47Franklin Hotel, Silverado Casino, Deadwood, South Dakota. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55Harrisonburg Convention & Visitors Bureau, Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Galax Visitors Center, Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Heritage Farm, Museum & Village, West Virginia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49Louisville MEGA Cavern, Kentucky. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41Medina Railroad Museum, New York . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49New River Railroad, West Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47Niagara Country Byways, New York . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33North Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau, Arkansas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5motorcoach.com - National Reservation Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8PA Dutch Hotels, Clarion Inn, Strasburg, Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Redding Convention & Visitors Bureau, California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Richmond Convention & Visitors Bureau, Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Ross-Chillicothe Tourism, Ohio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41Shenandoah County Tourism, Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Shenandoah Caverns Family of Attractions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Shipshewana Flea Market, Indiana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61Southern Kitchen Restaurant, New Market, Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Staunton Convention & Visitors Bureau, Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Sumner County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Tennessee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31Valley Forge Convention & Visitors Bureau, Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Virginia Tourism Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
The John Deere Pavilion in downtown Moline,Illinois, has reopened to the public following anear total transformation of the visitor experience.
The renovation coincides with the 15th anniversary ofthe Pavilion and the year-long celebration of the found-ing of John Deere’s company 175 years ago.
The new experience offers an up-close look at thecompany’s global businesses and products, rich historyand heritage, and solutions for the challenges of provid-ing food and infrastructure to the world’s growing popu-lation. Interactive displays, original artifacts, and avariety of media engage visitors in a fun and excitinglearning environment for the whole family.
“We reopen the doors to the John Deere Pavilion andoffer the public a fresh, exciting, and entertaining expe-rience where guests can learn more about how we are alllinked to the land,” said Sam Allen, chairman and chiefexecutive officer of Deere & Company. “The Pavilionprovides a superb destination for customers, employees,and fans to celebrate their personal connection to JohnDeere.”See, Hear, and Feel the New Experience
Although the Pavilion building remains the same, thelook and feel inside the facility has changed dramatical-ly. Several machines are displayed in their workingenvironments so visitors unfamiliar with the productscan see how they operate on farmsites and worksitesaround the world.
Through videos guests hear owners and operators ofthese machines describe a typical workday and how JohnDeere equipment helps them work and shape the land.Visitors also see previous concept machines explored by
the company, now on display for the first time at thePavilion. These machines were produced to test andevaluate new technologies and designs, elements ofwhich are now used in current products.
The interior of the John Deere Pavilion
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John Deere Pavilion Reopens
Machine simulators give visitors achance to try their skills at operating anexcavator or crawler dozer in a fun learningenvironment that looks, sounds, and feelsvery much like the actual machines whenthey are in operation. The simulators arethe same ones used to train professionaloperators.Other New Exhibit Details
•The Legacy of John Deere – profilescompany decision makers from the past175-years, examines the company’s corpo-rate culture, and tracks Deere & Companyhighlights in relation to significant eventsin American history.
•Our Growing Planet – examines bigchallenges facing a growing global popula-tion and showcases ways John Deere isworking to help address these challenges.
•Innovative Solutions – highlights break-through designs and innovative technolo-gies that John Deere has introduced to helpcustomers make their businesses more pro-ductive, efficient, and profitable.
•John Deere Discovery Zone - provideseducational, interactive, and hands-on edu-cational opportunities for kids of all ages toexplore where food comes from, the need for roads and bridges, and taking care of the environ-
ment.•Cotton to Blue Jeans – weaves the story of cotton
from seed to shelf where the end product is the ever-pop-ular blue jean. It is the first in a series of rotating exhibits.
One carry-over from the previous Pavilion’s offeringsis the film, “Anthem: A Song of the Land.” This awe-inspiring film, presented in high-definition, salutes thededicated work of farm families worldwide.
The John Deere Pavilion is a free attraction and is openyear-round. The John Deere Store, located adjacent tothe Pavilion, stocks a large selection of the latest offi-cially-licensed John Deere products including clothing,toys, books and collectibles. For more information visitwww.JohnDeereAttractions.com.
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