Welcome to the grazing. Podcast for Robertson s
Farmers C. My name is Clint. And I
will be your host as we record live
from our beautiful Springfield Tennessee location inside our
podcast studio.
Robertson C is a member own farm supply
cooperative. You've can learn more about us on
our website, your farmers coop dot com in
addition to our Facebook and his instagram.
Welcome back to the grazing podcast for Robertson
and C Farmers coop.
If you happen to live in Robertson County.
If if you hadn't figured this out already
if you weren't born and raised to Robertson
County
has a very rich history. If you go
to each community, it has its own little
story.
In history to tell. And Rich top Tennessee
is no different from that. In fact, Rich
top,
arguably
may have some of the most
history in the county...
Especially when you're talking about trains.
And the thing about, you know, history, a
lot of times I've heard people say it's
you know, maybe right underneath your nose and
you never knew about it. Where your house,
you might have old dinosaur bones right underneath
your nose, and you might never know about
it or Indian bones or air heads or
something something's there. And if you happen to
be driving from green to rich top,
some of the richest history is literally right
under your nose with the rich top train
tunnel.
And it's something a lot of people don't
know about, and that's what we're gonna be
talking about day on this podcast. So if
you're interested in local history
and trains,
you are not gonna wanna, miss this because
this is good stuff we're we're about to
discuss. So we're talking to mister Tony Re,
and,
Tony, that
We're we're here at the Stop train museum?
Alright. Would you be your title here. Are
you the curator or the founder? What what's
what's your title here? I'm 1 of the
founders of 2. Okay. But got... Have my
hand in all of it. Okay. So... Well,
And the first question,
next question I'm gonna, and this may be
the most important question I'll ask all day.
Okay. So
you're born and raised here.
No. Where you... Were you born in east
Nashville.
Okay. And my wife,
Lisa. Yeah Smiley Re.
Is lifelong resident, which the smiley have been
in up since 18 05I
moved up here in 67
8,
and started from there. I thought you'd born
and raised here. So where did you go
to high school lane? I went to Green.
I went there Green bar middle, which is
or Green bar junior high which is a
City Hall of Green,
the old city hall, and where a public
work says now. That's where our junior high
was. But but mister miss Reese are your
parents, they were originally from east Nashville.
Yes. Okay I see I didn't know that.
I'm. Although go down gideon road.
Got 20 something acres and my mom still
there. Yeah. Shall? I was under the impression.
I... I had no why. That... Oh, that's
why we need to sit down and... And
and talk about this so you can... So
you can scoop me on some of this
stuff. Not what I've always wondered,
the nickname you... You're known by community is
we.
Right? You're correct. And I remember asking my
dad when I was young 1 time, because
I heard he referring to you as well?
I said, why the? Why is he Why
does he have that name? And I don't
ever remember him give me an explanation. He...
I think he just said, I what he's
always been known by, so I'm just at
of sheer curiosity.
Had you get that nickname? I'll make it
a short story. Alright.
Played junior bay ball up at Walt talk
School. Excuse me. At Walt School.
It's was 11:12 year old, and I was
11 years old. I played Center field and
it was a saturday.
Bright day,
my wife's uncle now,
or
being too, but he was our coach, John
Love,
hit me a ground, and he went right
through my legs and why I do not
know, but amongst other words was we.
And that stuck.
So
everybody, but the preacher in my mama would
call me We. Isn't it funny just how...
Just a
1 second of a scenario like that can
happen you get labeled to nickname that sticks
with you the rest of your life. You
know? You're longer. Well, I remember not asking
that. And he didn't have an explanation. I
said, I gotta ask him on. This would
be an appropriate place to in time day.
Serious.
Yeah. Thanks a lot.
So... And then you and you you met
Lisa, Y'all got married. She was a smiley.
Yes And the smiley has been here since
18. Yes. O first ones. Yes. 1 of
the first 1 of the founders. I think
of... I've reached up, which he used to
be called something else years ago.
She's lived here all her life, went to.
We went scoop med in school. And started
dating in high school seniors, stuff like that.
Graduating said me 7, got married and 78
and it's just in history from there. Right?
Got married...
Ain't got married 78...
Yes. It's 78.
46 years. Oh what congratulate.
Yeah. 46.
April.
You know, and most people know the smile,
you know what the the Smiley pro.
In the stand out there. And you know,
I I didn't I knew the spouse had
been here for a long time, but 18
o 5. That's... Very good waste. Goodness Gracious.
So they've seen the the transition of what
it's become compared to what it, you know?
Yeah. What it used to be. Yeah. But,
you know, something that hadn't changed
is,
when we when we think about trains, you
know, we got the the railroad that runs
right through Rocks County.
But there's a a fascinating
feature here that
a lot of people, especially people have moved
here from somewhere else. They... They don't... They
have no idea that we have a train
tunnel here. Definitely. And it's not just any
train tunnel. It's at 1 point in time,
not long after it's it's...
Construction I guess would be the best word.
It was the
longest
freestanding tunnel in the world. Right. For a
at least in the United States in the
United States. United states. That's waste it's printed.
And, you know, before that, before the the
tunnel was
dug out
the railroad still came through here, but it
was a tres going up the ridge?
Right. Hence the name ridge time.
What what was the catalyst that made somebody
stop and say, hey, I think we're gonna
need a tunnel here instead of what we
got going on now. I think the final
shawl they was going south toward gu towards
National.
They would always stop at the top of
the reach
and put another train on to help it
break going down. This was in December,
of 19 o 1,
and they think that when it started down
that the brakes were froze,
it couldn't stop at all
and there was a pretty good high tres
down that way bridge,
and I, I think it dropped a hundred
and 37 foot a mile.
And that's a pretty good drop for a
train. And when the engine jumped track, got
2 going too fast. It took everything else.
3, railroad railroad workers died,
on, they had horses on the train. Mh.
And they said quite a few of them,
died with it.
That'd be a bad feeling. You know it?
Oh my goodness. Had to be. Cow that
happened. That was 19 o 1.
And had to be later in the year
19 o 2. They started to digging out
the tunnel.
So that was a pretty quick turnaround for
to do that. So the the elevation change
compared from where we're sitting now to the
bottom of the ridge. How many that we
know exactly a roughly,
what kind of discrepancy there is?
Outside our front door here to museum,
up the road about a hundred feet is
the air shaft for the tone.
A dug it it's at the midway point,
and you can see it off a gray
road. It's a hundred and 89 and a
half feet down to the to the rail
from the top to the bottom.
The the van out here. It's that deep.
It's had no kid. Solid wrong.
So I'm a pushing 200 foot deep. Yes.
Golly. Kill. III was thinking it might be
30 or 40 feet down there. It's it's
hundred and 89 a half and actually, what
makes this something is when it would Doug,
started in 19 o 2.
They started at each end North and South,
and then started the center air shaft in
the center, dug that down and started again
north and south.
So back in, you know, you don't have
computers. You don't have drones. You don't... You
know, you gotta guy with maybe a transit
in pick and shovel dynamite.
Stuff like it. And we're talking about
not quite a mile or 9 tenths mile.
If if... I remember, you know, Being on
the interstate 1 time to have those mile
markers. And when you pay attention to from
1 mile marker to the next,
It's a long way. Yes. And you're talking
about 19 o 2.
So they started at the same time though
from the North and South and worked their
way to the middle. Sure.
And again, this is 19 o 2. There...
Like you said, there's no computers.
The technology. It's pretty primitive. You know, we're
talking about
labor, man labor.
And, of course, they had mules back in
and Yep. Team mules that kind of thing,
but there wasn't bore those. There's there wasn't.
News and horses and they backed in. I
think we've... We're getting pictures made to put
down here to museum where when they was
working on the tunnel and their air shaft
itself.
That'll be... I'm waiting to see that when
it blows up a little bit. But it
only took
3 years pretty much. Think the first train
was November 6 of 95,
when the first train went through it.
Considering the fact they're doing all this by
hand, that doesn't seem like that much time.
To today
we don't... Because we're talking about, you know,
the tunnel of the height of it is
a minimum. I think I read over there
20
22 feet.
From the ground level, which it we call
tracks
to the to the highest point in which
it opens out.
So, yes. That was
that was a feed in itself. It's rich
really fascinating, but you gotta think they're going
through. I would be Limestone or just when
I say,
When they're tunnel through that, obviously, with they're
cutting through, they, it has to be taken
out a little bit of time. And I
guess they were just...
You know, they back wagon in there with
a mule and feel and take it out.
Yeah. It's kinda hard to comprehend him. With
these days. Yes. Because you see all the
automation and the and the machines that go
in and out. It it's...
This is totally different. It's... It's amazing to
me. I would've have but through... The fact
it took him 3 years to do it.
That just... That's a really quick turnaround. That'd
have been much... If if somebody asked me
I'd say, that took at least 10 years.
You would think so? Do we know the
amount of
people that were employed?
Not really. The the only thing that we
found out is they've had a group of
men,
which is down from smelly produce on that
heel side
before you get the retaining wall where the...
Mh. Tunnel comes out. They had a count
down there. And they had 1 at the
bottom which they called Baker Station heel. Mh.
On the lower side and they had a
count right here.
With a air shaft
camp. So... But and they said,
it was a costly adventure, but nobody knows
how many dad.
They had gas explosions
on the people
that lived and out helped them out because
they had
a sas tree, and they used to got
Sas
the juice out of it and put it
on their eyes and said he quit burning.
So
That's
just what they say.
You know the sad thing about that. We're
losing all our sas fresh trees. If you
noticed that? Got right. There's a black coming
and killed them, which is that's sidebar. Know.
Another conversation, but the fact that, you know,
we had... You know, people that lived in
the community rich top back then that offered
aid people?
You got... And I... You know, when I
think a hard labor these days,
course tobacco. You. You know? And there's not
there's not even to tobacco a lift in
the rich top green brick area. Sure. But,
you know, my experience were... That's all, you
know, man labor, now you got tractors more
not to pull the wagon.
But you talk about going into the side
of a hill with a pick.
In a shovel. That did... I'm assuming they
had some dynamite did Say they did.
1 of the pictures that we've seen I
hope to get up here It looks like
smoke coming out of the tunnel, like it
hadn't been long since they blow debt,
and... But I... That's what I'm hoping it
is.
But there's there's nobody tell us
anymore that
just leaving.
It'd be fascinating to be able to go
back in time.
And just watch those guys. What? Because, you
know, they didn't they didn't know any different.
As far as hard work, that's just what
they did. And they probably didn't get paid
much.
For back in that time? And we don't
we don't know that information. We know. Don't
have a... I don't think we have a
sheet 1 or any kind of a pay
scale Back thing. I might be thinking of,
like, the Pacific railroad spanned the the whole,
you know, United States. But for some reason,
I was thinking somebody told me 1 time
there was a lot of foreign labor used
in the tunnel, like Asian labor. Well, actually,
it's written where there was Greeks and Italians.
Most whoever ever wanted a local job.
Could do that too. They was looking for
anybody they could get.
But
only thing we know from outsiders is Greeks
and italians.
Do we know as far as the what
it finally cost from start to finish. Ever
have I've seen a price on anything that
was done on this tunnel
besides the length and the height and what
it called... What it... False man wise.
Do we have information as far as... I'm
sure, you know, the railroad itself had a
stake in it, but was this something that
the? That the state and the local governments
had to sign on too for all this
to get done? Or think so,
actually,
reason for the tunnel was a wreck in
the first place, but before this what train
was here
before the civil war.
And, morgan's Raiders, which we've got a plaque
on a north end the tunnel,
they would come in after the union came
down and tried to overtake it and they...
I don't how bigger group they were, but
they would fight them off. And finally,
union was so big. They overt took it
went all way to Nashville national. For donaldson.
And, but they would steel morgan Razor would
come in and raid the place and then
start tearing up track where they couldn't use
it. Which goes back to the re enactment
they have in enriched top every. Yeah. I
spoke to the the the gentleman that put
that on. He we actually talked on here
and he was telling me there was
the battle that actually took place where some
union soldiers
were killed by the railroad, and he said
there's there's some graves over here now it's
on private property?
But back there behind that storage facility before
you get to, you know, Lan Marsh on
the left. Yeah. You tell me, there's, you
know, there's union soldiers bay right there. And
that's something that you drive past and every
day, you have no idea. And a lot
of people don't know that the the train
when it comes by of museum, even though
it's a road here.
It connected on through and went through Lan
property with now straight down his driveway. You
still see the gravel that's turned over on
the sides.
However you should do. It's kinda to hold
the retention water back. Right. And
it pretty neat we're looking to. It's fascinating
stuff, and it's just
It's a shame we've never had a place
dedicated to that history until now, which is
where we're at. But I... I'm I'm curious.
Do you recall the first time. I'm sure
you're were probably a young man. When you
first saw the tunnel?
Well, when we was in has,
appeared to air shaft, it used to be
like a little old wood
pitched roof with shingles on it and half
rotten.
We would ride bikes over here during the
summer,
and that's probably 3 miles away
which didn't really mean nothing he didn't have
nothing else to do in Spencer Williams.
Would get on that we... You'd lay on
top of the the holes in the roof
and you could hear the train coming from
Green, blow that horn.
And when it come through
that,
the rain coming through not to rain, but
anything dropping through the rocks, it would blow
back up and pick you up, like, 4
or 5 inches. Off the roof and you
thought that was big time.
And then you either the wait there for
the next trainer or you on your bike
and ride somewhere else. Spencer have shoes on.
Well, when you y'all were doing that he's
barefoot food everything. I gets my consistent then.
Yes. Very consistent.
We we would go down to the south
end of the tunnel. Towards Gi and go
back in that way. You used be a
logan road really. Mh. And years later, it
turned out. We'd go down through there with
fire department when the train decides it track
on fire. With the brush over brush. And,
but we'd go through there,
and it's a long way through it Walking,
and you can't see your hand in front
of your face.
When you get in the dead center, you
can see a pin
for each end. Mh.
But m days, 1 train would come through
like, once every 3 4 wires, but now
since the track been doubled,
you don't dare do that no more. Because
it comes back, like, 30 minutes to 45
minutes, coming back through the other way.
And how fast is there a speed limit
as far as what they can run? I
have no idea how that works, But do
you think if they're if they're coming from
the north to the south, obviously, they're going
downhill going in that direction.
When it comes that, it's gotta be cooking
pretty good. At that point. It's it's...
I don't think there's a speed limit. I'd
have to talked somebody my railroad for that.
Because there's no buildings, no nothing there, so
after as they go they better they like.
Yeah. I remember... Now, that login room of
what you're talking about. So I remember I
was probably
9 years old. And it was the same
thing, you know, with my dad, They used
to... You're probably with him sometimes, y'all always
used to go down there, But I I
remember probably 9 years a week parked somewhere
back there.
What's... Is it baxter?
Right behind City hall,
shell station, post office just right behind you?
We knew some folks that live back there,
so we we
took our horses back there. Mark the truck
and trailer,
and that logan road course, I guess... Is
that private property? Yes. I don't know who
owned at the time, but we were able
to, you know, ride horses and it's, you
know, the was in the fall time of
year, So it was really beautiful. Things were
changing.
And that logan road, you know you kinda
snake around the the hill down there to
it. And like I, I was probably 9
years old, and we
found some sap and tie the horses off
too and went down there. And
I vividly remembered the first time I laid
eyes on. Because back then, you know, that
was we didn't have access to Internet and
stuff now. So I never even seen a
picture before. Okay?
And when I first saw it, it was
almost...
It's almost eerie.
When you see it. Because it's it's this
this massive
feat of engineering that was done back in
19 o 2 that for what... And it's
right there literally under your nose and you
don't even know it's. Know it. And then
you lay eyes on it, and it's
It's kinda spooky when you first see it.
You just kinda developed this reverence for it
like, oh my goodness Some... Had no idea
to. This was here and the fact that
this was all hand dug.
And you're talking about it... It's a structure
that has to accommodate train. Yeah. So it's
big, and I remember you know there's 2
streams of water.
Running down each side of the track.
And
I remember... I walked into it, the tunnel
of little ways. And, like you said that
pin drop of light at the other end,
you can see it.
And
it's just...
It's really something you just kinda develop a
reverence for. It is. When you lay eyes
own it. How much you feel small. If
you ever dug a ditch or something like
that, you respect the guys who done it
because either side of the tunnel,
he's got just it's still got rock walls
that had to be blow out. Mh. And
doug got 2 for that train. It's it's
just amazing.
The the streams a lot of it run
down both So is that spring fade? Or
is that just run off from however they
did the
excavation back the end? That water. So was
where is that coming a little bit of
both. A lot of comes out of that
rock. Now the springs that come to there,
this past
was a month ago, we had that storm
come through and good friend of ours, Lan.
Morris,
Pawn broke, washed out the o
where the train bed was. Mh. I've I
got video of where it hit the tracks
own tracks. I think they had to shut
down the re for a time. Didn't they?
Like 2 foot deep, 2 or 3 foot
deep, and they couldn't, and it was just
pure just smooth.
So that's that's the first I've ever seen
that.
And hopefully it won't say it normal.
Got a thing. The amount of water we
had to bust that dam on that pond.
As as a lot of weight. That's been
against it. Yeah. That's the old pond. And
I think the either the Covert was stopped
up where the drain land was. And then
when he come over the top, it just
eat out and took it out.
It it's it's amazing.
Show.
You when when they were digging that thing.
Obviously, you said they started the north and
south and worked their way toward middle. Is
there a is there any kind curvature 2
or is it pretty
pretty well straight in narrow.
Actually, it's pretty straight. The coming out of
goals for a little curve right before you
go into it,
and I reckon backing up the straight or
the better. So they probably done all the
curve
before they got to it. I just wonder
because you know, but
if I started digging a hole, I'm gonna...
By the time I end up getting finished.
If I'm trying to go on a straight
line, it's not gonna be straight for me.
You gotta think them guys back then. I
wonder what kind of
communication they had to to
stay on track like that in a straight
line. I'd be fascinating to with be. Because,
like, the halfway shaft is almost a half
a mile,
and then you're probably a hundred and
at least 75 feet lower on the gu
side to south side. So you really can't
see nothing. So you wonder how they
started
and were shooting the same grade. When that...
Like you just said, I haven't even
that hadn't registered my brain. If, you know,
if we're cutting a if we're cutting a
tunnel inside of mountain, and we just wanna
come out on the other side. We we
don't have to worry about depth.
Increasing or decrease, but with, like you just
said, there's a grade they're going on. Yes.
So it it seemed like it could it
could've have been easy where they could overs
shot or under shot.
And it wouldn't have come out right. And
they said just really the the elevation was
right, but the side walls were like,
2 to 4 inches difference was all.
And for going a half a mile, digging
4 different directions. That's pretty good. It really
took some brilliant men back then. Yeah. To
engineer that. And like we said free freestanding
me... It... There's no structural support. It's just
No
no bricks. No blocks, No peers.
Just solid wrong. Well, it seems like we
have a pretty good amount of information about
it. But is it still kind of elusive
as far as find new information. Like, you
know, we don't know what it costs. We
don't know
necessarily how many how many casualties there were.
It seems like it's just kind of this
thing that You just don't hear much about.
Right. Never have.
I think there's
There's a few tunnels you can, but so
far everything we've been through with the county
and the state
of trying to find pictures or information. We've
kinda
to a block wall.
And... You think part of that is maybe
because... And I'm assuming on the north and
south side, it's all private property.
So there's no way to for the public
to even access it if they wanted to.
At the time... Yeah. At the time, and
still not really. It's not
I mean, we had a gentleman fall off
in it, probably 3 weeks ago. I heard
about that. It took a while to get
him out.
And we thought we were gonna have to
lift him up with a rope and a
stretcher,
and we got a gentleman
with Cs to get on the train at
he's Martin Park with his... I mean, get
on a track with his truck. Mh. And
it worked for Cs x, and he got
permission to go down and haul all out.
Oh, that was... Did he fall off the
retaining wall side. Actually, he was on the
rich side in bar wood. And from right
there at that point, it's about a 55
foot drop.
But
that's why it was leash. But he but
he he cover front. Show. It showed just
took a while. I think it started, like
the call come in like 09:15
something, and I think we got through about
12 or 12:30 at night. Mh. Trying to
find him
and figure out how to get him out
without hurting anybody else. So... It that that's
a treacherous.
A treacherous ascent right there. Of course, all
trains were shut down that whole amount of
time. So we didn't not worry about that,
but taking that much light.
And come in actually from the north end
to Louise Martin Park is probably
a good mile.
It should seem like it, but it probably
is.
And if you're walking on cracks or trying
to carry your stretcher
that'd being even worse. Well, I...
Like I told you, we wrote horses to
the the south end. Now when I was
in high school, I senior year,
I was a big group of us, went
down to the north or halloween 9, in
not kids. Okay? And we got down. There
in a train came through, and it
it it kind of... Because it's 1 of
those deals it's... We had this the structure
here that nobody ever knows about and there's
really no way to access it without tres.
And so people can't really do it. Right.
And I... You know, I remember people just
kinda being be biden, you know? Because it
it this train were... It had to be
running.
I'd say at least 40 mile an hour.
Probably. It was going it was going from
north to south. And going into this giant
hole cutting this rock, and it's just... It's
kinda mesmerizing
in some ways.
It's just
you just kinda like go back in time
to see how they did it. Sit on
the
sit on the sidelines. It's it's humbling. It's
really humbling. And it's just
I guess there's no possible way because,
you know, there's just no way to access
it publicly. You'd have to have permission from
somebody.
I and I don't really want need anybody
downer there. From a liability standpoint, just like
what happened to that... That's right. A gym
when you're talking about. If if somebody hadn't
seen him actually step off there
and he'd might still be down her day.
I remember here the story. You I... It
probably happened, but I remember my dad telling
me when I was little boy.
And, like you said that the train schedule
was much different back then. You may have
had 1 every 3 or 4 hours. I
think what you said, but there was a
girl
rode or horse down, it was riding through
tunnel, and a train ended up coming and
it spooked the horse.
And the train ended up hitting the horse.
And she was able to... She was able
to get off and get on the side
up against the the tunnel itself, but there's
not much room there. Not. It's when the
train going through it, how much
on from side to side, how much room
are we talking about a couple feet if
that?
It actually maybe
Most them because there's so much water on
the side of the ditch Mh. In the
tunnel. You stayed on the track.
Or tried to, we never went through it
when the train come through, But I've heard
talk that when you got you... It didn't
matter what kind of water was there. You
hooked a side wall
where that train won't suck you back home.
And
that... I don't know if it would be
going forward or 50 or 60. I don't
know
Have you ever now, You walked halfway in,
as you said at 1 point when you
were younger? Oh, yeah. Well, we've been all
the way through it and come back. But
when you got to the halfway point,
you put your hand up and couldn't block
that little piece of eye and that all,
you can hardly see it. You couldn't see
your hand.
Have you ever been on a train going
through? Bad. That'd be interesting. Because you know
what?
I wondered if if Cs x did, they
have to do, like, annual spec... I mean,
whatever there is to inspect. I don't know
what you'd be going in looking for. At
1 time, they...
It's not a grander. It's a piece of
equipment on a truck.
And they'll go down through it and knock
and chip off any loose rock
that where it won't drop on the train.
Right Of course when it was built, and
that's when 1 of our pictures are gonna
be up here.
They had a, ray walker. And every time
a train went through the track,
a man had to hit had a fork
stick,
and he put it on them tracks and
walk all the way to other end and
wait for the next 1 to come in.
That would make sure that 1 no big
rocks
strength. Because I'm sure that does happen from
time to time. How you do.
With a vibration above, but a hundred and
80 something feet down. So
that's pretty good be. Yeah, if a train
comes through now, could you put your ear
to the vent, Can you hear it underneath
that or field? You can hear
We... You can really hear it coming through
Green, rolling at the Crawl,
and then at the Louise Martin Park, which
is the last 1. You can hear that.
So you know it's coming.
When we started this museum, a guy that
helped us out that did the Van children
museum... Van Children train
at the hospital,
he was up here. Kinda tells us what
we need to do. And I said, well,
here comes the train. You're gonna hear that.
He said, well, where. I said, well, right
there. So we had to walk over there
and call. It's got a fence around it.
And when it comes through, it's just a
bush.
And it'll slowly die down after that engine
goes through.
What was was the purpose of it back
then for
ventilation
essentially? Yes. For smoke, because it was all
steam. Right. And they said if it was
a passenger train, all that cold dust would
roll back in the cabins or rolling the
cars.
And everybody... When you come out, you... Bring
you, you know, had sued all over.
That probably didn't know too good.
That was the reason that was given.
How as far as the
the dimensions zone? And how many feet by
how, is it a perfect square or right
rectangle? Or is it just a circular hole?
Will say a 12 by 18, 16 somewhere
in there.
It looks bigger because you can't get really
that close to it. Mh. He hence up.
But it's... We... When we was lu, I
remember looking down in it, and it's just
slick all 4 sides.
Wait. Just and it's a a hundred and
almost... Hundred and 89 a half feet
up to the track.
So that's Pretty good be it. I going
vertically down that in 19 o,
what early 19 hundreds. Yes.
It's... I can't really wrap my mind around
it. You know, Just. There's the pictures that
1 of them that we're hoping to get
up here, it's got a
They come... They call it a bucket that
they lowered and put the gravel in as
they were going down. And it's a pretty
good structure, wood structure.
It looked like
like, 16 to 16 beans wood beans, and
they're... They've just built something to horse that
bucket up.
And
You wonder if that was news
hauling it up or people pulling on ropes,
but that's a lot of hauling. Oh, would
be fascinating to go back. Yes, it will...
Oh, my god... Are there... Do we know
if there's any local folks that are, you
know, still living that they're... You know, they're
great great grand or the great grand daddy
would have been
involved with the construction of it. Not
of. I got a dead law that remembers
the assembly Hall, which is... Used to be
right across the street from here.
And his sisters remember some of that. But
lot the old folks that do remember that.
They're pretty much going. Oh, it's a Travis
deal. You know it? Show... You wish you'd
sit down with him with a camera and
notebook. Yes.
Yes. Took took the time to do it.
Sure.
Well, the good thing about it, what y'all
got going on up here, You know, we
have a... It's called the rich top train
museum now. Right? And
let I mean, you can't see it right
now. This is just audio, but the amount
of work and time that y'all have put
into this
is
it's
very impressive, which Been able to do here.
Now this has been... We're talking about... It's
only open
for the first charity of each month,
1PM to 4PM. Mh. And we
Our hope is get our paperwork right when
school starts, we'll have
field trips for any school that wants to.
We've got a church coming in in July.
Really anybody that's interested in trains. Won't see
something a little different. This is it. Now,
you're...
I... Oh, you your pitch. It's a tony
reason a founder slash director. How long have
you had this in your mind that you've
been wanting to do something like this? Well,
we've had the lights out front. For almost
20 years. Was gonna put them over to
Wilson park, which is across the highway.
But they wasn't really gonna suit us over
there, so we've had them pretty much in
storage.
We moved them when somebody gets tired of
having in our backyard. We moved them somewhere
else. So we brought them over here. Hope
to have them working
I hope a month. Mh. Or, hope sooner.
But,
it... It's been a while.
Of course, we built this bill in 85.
It was built as a fire.
We moved out of it in 4001
went to highway across from city hall just
turned into a public works.
After pub... After they got building up at
the City Park,
this time to be a junk, place, storage
junk,
so we... That's when we decided this time
to do something for building got worse off.
So we started and probably,
20 the middle or end of 20 21,
cleaning it out, which I took a while
and
the start of paint walls, paint and ceilings.
Was it in bad shape when y'all when
y'all finally got it cleaned down? Nothing has
been done to it since pretty much we
it was built in 19 85.
Still had the same siding, which was,
cream,
faded
same shingles up till probably January. It when
a storm come through and put a bunch
of holes in it.
So that's a pretty good run on shingles.
But we had to get the doors adjusted
we still got the whole fire hall rolled
up doors in it. We put 2 bathrooms
in it.
Painted it. But everything else is is pretty
good shape. Oh, it it looks fantastic. It
really does. Did did you find anything interesting
when y'all are cleaning any old newspaper clipping.
No. We did. Treasure or anything like that?
I scale it. No.
Nothing we can comment me All. Well, no.
It looks it looks really fantastic. I could...
I didn't... I... For some reason, I was
thinking this...
Was an old church at 1 point, but
Maybe I'm thinking about across the street over
there. It's, like, 3 doors down is highland
Chapel. That's what... I was think. That was
owned that property is owned by the railroad
and they agreed to let them, and I
won't say 19 o 1. Don't hoping me
that. They built a church or pulled the
church in there and it burnt, then they
built a church. I'm understanding. Right? Same around
same time.
And why that While they were building assembly
hall, which we have the picture of that
here, they would meet in there until the
church was finished. Mh. He went down there.
A lot of stuff here in the building,
we couldn't have done it without a lot
of donations. We got 1 wall is pretty
much Ryan Horton, which a good friend of
mine. From Nashville. He passed away.
His wife donated
pretty much a whole wall. You'll have come
see it.
1 train track which got 2 trains zone
come from Brent wood, a man woman give
it to us. They was going back to
moving back to New Jersey to be with
her
grandkids, and she said he wasn't gonna take
it.
Our our other H o train
from Kevin Smiley, which used to live in
r up, lives in South Carolina.
So he put it. He called, said,
I'm ready to let somebody else play with
it.
Of course, he's grown man like me. Well,
he pretty on a you hall and holler
down the force.
So... And then the our biggest train, which
is, like, 12 by 16,
which has also got 2 trains on it.
We actually have 4 or 5 of us,
started from scratch, and then with a lot
of help from,
designers, welder,
carpenters,
we got that 1 done. And it's it's
worth scene. What, when you... You know, when
you y'all picked all the bill and it
was it was vacant at that point, and
you had this vision for it.
Is this kind of exactly what you had
mind or
did you not really expect to have all
because you got...
Let's see. I I I'm counting.
I guess it's 2 altogether, but the 2
in the center are connected with her... Well,
there's 3 separate tracks with 2 trains on
each. Okay. When each layout, A b and
c or whatever you call.
We just wanna to do some of this
building because the train used to stop.
Right in front of here in 19... Early
19 hundreds. As soon as the train got
built... Soon the tunnel got built 19 o
5. This took a lot out of city
reached rooftop
because nothing come on the top of the
ground. Everything went underneath it and it didn't
stop.
They stopped at the bottom of the ridge
on the Go side.
And that mail out 3 times a day.
So I take a. Was only 3 times
a day, a train would come through. I
do not know. And then they would haul
it by mule,
horse buggy to the center of town where
holt cro stories,
and That's where the mail room and all
that would be and right there to red
like.
So it it changed the town when they
took the train away from the top.
Because this right here where the building sits,
used to be the middle of town. 2
stores.
If you going down towards highland chapel,
there,
They call them hotels, but we would call
them bid breakfast.
A lot of...
I will say,
millionaires or big money people. Would come up
here during the summer because we was higher
elevation.
H g Heel.
I was trying to think the other guy
at work for the railroad owned a house
up here. There's probably 10
that that big houses around here that they
owned, and they would come up for the
summer. It was a getaway for them. Yes.
And it was... They tried to train and
get off. And the big thing was they
say, you didn't get your afternoon.
Newspaper Nashville, you'd wait till you got off
the train and wrist up. Post office which
pick the mail up. Get you evening and
paper. You go home.
It's a different time altogether back then, what
it. It's fascinating know the... The concept, you
know, they they constructed this tunnel to,
you know, make life,
or safer for 1 for the rear, I
guess, that would be the main reason.
But once that occurred,
the town didn't
yeah I didn't necessarily died. I don't guess.
Maybe parts of it did, but it completely
altered the town to where
We
kind of lost the memory of it to
some degree or the history. If you don't
say the train, Like you say the train
going through Green.
And you can see the old part, you
know, behind allergies and all that's the old
buildings. You can see them, they look neat.
They've really done good.
But when you don't see a train come
through roost up, you don't think
and people today when you say, oh, the
other. There's a tunnel. Well, they don't use
it, and I said, yeah. They use it
every hour. Mh At least.
So it's
It it's something sake. It's just... It's... There's
nothing that you can visually see with your
eye that ties it back to that. So
that's why we have this here now, which
kudos to y'all for taking the time to
do this. You know you... I think you
20 20 wrong
coronavirus. That's when y'all. It it started working
in in paperwork kinda,
cd
we took it to the board.
I forgot who was on board time it
don't matter, but they was in for it.
They put... We put, course, a new roof
on it or the weather,
because it was same roof since 85. Put
new siding on it. It was cream. That's
white.
We painted to roll up doors. It it
made it look. Even the neighbors around here
says, we couldn't believe how much better that
looked. I said, well, it needed didn't. And
they said, yes, it did. Oh, the amount
of work y'all done in the place. I
mean, it's
not even talking about the models themselves. I
mean, that's kinda hard how how wonderful they
are. It's hard to describe, but the building
itself. It's just it's really incredible the the
amount of work and time it's been put
in of this. So obviously, you know, you
walk in.
First thing you... Well, I don't know what
your eye gonna go. There's so much good
stuff to look at. It's it's kinda hard
to pick out, but the models themselves.
When I was looking at it, of course,
I always like... What around Christmas time, You
know, people lifetime they'll set out these little
I don't know... There's a word for These
little villages, these little people around them in
my, you know, my mom always did that.
And as a kid, I would just stand
there for... I don't know how long a
long time, just your your imagination
kinda comes to life, and you start making
a story of what's going on here, What
are these people do? And
And these models y'all have set out.
I mean, it's really incredible to look at
because we have entire
businesses and communities and establishment. And some of
this is... A lot of it's been modeled
actually after rich top. Yes. Is and Green
bar. Very much. For some local landmarks here.
Y'all included these in the models and themselves,
which make it that much special I think.
But
you got a
part of it. You... There's a carnival
part you cut on
fair wheel, and Mango random and bumper cars,
and then you you're over there and hit
the button and you had 2 trains running,
and I could sat here for probably
shoot.
I could priced sat there for a good
30 minutes. Just let my imagination run wild,
watching that stuff. It's for a grown man,
it's kind of because obviously, this is a
hit with kids. Oh, yes. B. Very big.
But with with grown man too, like, we're
were talking for 3 you 40 to, you
know, 60 or whatever. They'll just come. Because
this... You know, model trains were
for a certain generation of time,
little kit... It will grown men and Apple
when they're were little boys, they used to
collect stuff like this and build them. Most
of them did,
had the little ones that went around under
Christmas tree. Mh. Had just a circle.
And I think
Ryan the 1 got this wall
covered. That's what he had and his brothers,
and he kept it don't how long had
it but anyway, it's been that long and
to me,
60 and 70 euros olds. That come here
and just lean over the rail and stare
at it. It's amazing
there 1 guy that,
he... I was... I tried to talk to
everybody. I can, but he was leaving and
I said, well, where you live close or
something, and he goes, yes, I live over
in borrow. I said, well I'm glad you
come. He said, I've been here every time
you're open. This it's just amazing. I said
well, I'm glad to hear that.
I I think for me, and I'm I'm
sure a lot of men can test. It
just makes you... It it kinda brings back
the inner child and you like that. That
child like mentality of because, you know, you're
looking around and
it's hard for me to describe in words.
Like, I'm sitting here looking at at the
models right now, and, you know, you've got
these little houses and trees, and there's a
there's a load of logs on 1 of
those
1 of those trains right there and the
little people everybody's smiling and happy and waving.
And it it just looks so in it
looks like I wanna shrink myself down and
go live with these people. You know what
I mean, It's kinda okay. It's kinda like
a
it's kinda like a form of dope. Kinda
like an escape from reality just sitting there
and looking at it. You know what I
mean? That's kinda how my mind associates with
it. You just kinda... It takes you back.
It's.
It kinda take it it it it helps
you forget for a second, How screwed up
it is out there by by looking at
the...
Just how Innocent it is. I guess is
word.
Just in ent. Did you did you have
any crow up.
Sure did. So this is all new to...
Is all new. When we start on this
main track
I said there was 5 of us and
1, with 2 brothers. I think they had
a track that ran around a Christmas tree.
And their mama had to figurines or whatever
to put the buildings around it and that's
all they had. So when we started this
1, that's put
Well, we had 1 with Luke. I, well,
we'll have to go with that because we
didn't. And
I always said I couldn't afford 1. Y'all,
Rich kids.
But it sounds like you had a team
that, you know, they had knowledge
of how to put this together and they
were familiar with it. And 1 thing led
to another and,
you know, the the I... The
donations, you run strictly off donations I'm assuming.
Pretty much. For the... Now the city, City
does do pay for the electro bill. They
do the sewer bill.
We had a heat and air put in
it because it wasn't never any in here
when the building was built at 85.
So they they swallowed a debt,
and
that's where we're at. It and more so
just people volunteer their time.
This is all volunteer run. I'm a assuming
Oh yes. Definitely.
In the amount of hours y'all have in
this place. I can't imagine what it is
because it's if if you haven't been up
here, it's it's very meticulously set up. I
mean, this was
this wasn't something y'all just came in here
on Saturday afternoons that. We're gonna them together
and that's it.
No. It went. Once. Once you...
So we're talking about December let this past
December, December the first when it first open.
How long did it take... Once you got
the building, you know, where you wanted it
to be? As far as the models and
themselves and the platforms they're sitting on? How
many know, did it take a year to
get it to that point to have everything
where you needed it? Or...
Well,
good question. We
It was done a little bit at a
time. I'm sure. At too. We would go
and get...
We went to Manchester to get the angle
iron to put her this main drag.
The guy give us a great deal because
I told him what we doing with it.
So 2 of us went down there on
the trader. Got it. And then,
Gentleman from ralph welding out rear road. He
coming in here and put that up for
us.
Actually, we... I told him the wrong heights
and stuff, so he came back and dropped
it force because kids couldn't see it.
My height is perfect. But Z62
is a little high for a free footer
to look at it. So he come back
in and dropped it down. Where it made
it normal.
Did you underestimate as far as...
Because I know I know we were talking
before this. So I guess December was was
the first month it was open? Yes. Yeah,
obviously, you know, January to to where we
are now.
Did you...
Did you underestimate the amount of people that
you think you'd have come in during that
time?
Yes.
Actually, because as far as I knew, somebody
put on Facebook. I don't really do that.
But they put it on the city sign
on Highway 41 in of city hall.
And besides words mouth, which
we had a gentleman last month,
stopped in here from Jolt,
and Seen it was the first saturday
he was on way to his grandkids ballgame
in White House. He said, I ain't up
at 30 minutes. I've been waiting y'all to
get open and when he came in,
He was amazed, and he said, you know,
I got a 35
piece train Carnival. Circus train like with elephants
lines, like you'd see Bar Bailey do, He
said, I'm gonna bring it down here. We
all run it. I said, okay. You bring
it to us. So that's that's kind of
people you get.
Which is great.
And I reckon a lot of word word
a mouth.
Well, I can imagine the people that come
in. It's
you know, that they're interested. I'm sure the
history of it. But a lot of them,
we know at some point in time their
life. They were... This was their hobby.
And they see what you got going on.
They're like, hey, you know, I've got I've
got this certain piece where I've got this
set, and then
it kinda snowball balls into, you know, this
is how you can you can keep growing.
Right. From new people coming in and, you
know, if they have something y'all are interested
in,
they can donate it, and you know, it
just keeps growing from there. We're getting... When
when you come in front doors there's a
place you can sign up if you want
to. You don't have to. It's a...
Just a notebook that you can put your
email on. We're trying... Again, I'm gonna email
person type. So somebody younger,
they can type.
They're gonna put that in. And if you
do your email whenever we get... If we
get the circus train. Mh. We can let
them know, like, what month that's coming. Mh.
Because I would be interested to see that.
Oh, yeah. Heck. 35 piece train run on
this track. Oh, yeah. That'd be amazing. So
it would fit with what we already have
set up here. Yes. We just take 1
off and put that 1 on. Oh, that'd
be good. Got elephants and everything on. Say?
What do you say it?
We've had people. Like a guy from a
a friend of another guy goals for to
come up. He came in from Louisville,
to visit, and he heard about this through
that guy so they came up and looked
1 day, we had guy from Georgia
that was coming up to see his grandson
son's birthday, which live somewhere in reached out.
They stopped in end stay for probably 2
hours. And then he said, we're gonna be
late for that birthday party.
I'd work. That's what the grandma said, and
then he said well, we'll make it. So
But I, you the amount of work and
effort that you have in this. When you're
having people from... You know, anybody that comes
in, I'm sure you're... You know, you're grateful
to have them come in and enjoy it.
But when you're having people from other states
get wind of it and come in and
stay for that duration of time. That's...
That's gotta be a gratifying feeling. It's very
gratifying. And especially,
I don't know what it is. Well, I
do know what it is, because I I
have it in me too, but when you
come about with with little kids that
the child like wonder that comes out. Well,
when you... Actually have, you know, 4 or
5 6 show kids, whatever, little older than
that come in. They're just walking around the
plexiglass looking at dude.
That's a good feeling. See. And they're a
big smile on their face and they don't
wanna leave.
It's just that... That's what we're... That's what
we should told. No, yeah. And you don't
know the the the ripple effect that could
have in their life. You know they might
end up wanting to
it's it's it... I don't know if it
sends cliche your corny. But if, you know,
if 560 kid comes in, and this might
spark something within him or he might... We're
for Cs 1 day. You know what I
mean like I do it. It's it's a
might help us out. Yeah. Here. Yeah. But
we're getting old. And y'all... As far as,
you know, volunteer, do y'all take volunteers if
somebody wants to come in and, you know?
If they do, we've got a so far
everything, everybody brings us, like, last month,
we've got 4
picture albums,
trains. And the guy, I wouldn't hear had
to go to wedding. And he came in
late.
And he just left him here, he didn't
put his name on him.
So if he listens to us and you
brought 4 photo albums and come back and
give me a name where and put him
on him. Case you want them back 1
day. Can give them to you. But it's...
Right now, there's 1 or 2 that knows
a little bit about trains that says, hey,
if you're gone, I can sit in for
you. Which is what we're looking for. Mh.
And they live pretty close. So that that's
gonna help out. Have knowledge of the trains.
And once a month is really not that
bad right now.
But like, last month or once before it's
kinda raining, had a big crowd.
We thought he got pretty weather, we would
die down in numbers
that hadn't happened,
probably our first
Saturday,
December second.
Probably they had a hundred and 50 people
here at least
from 1 to 4.
And then it's probably gone down a little,
but we're still over a hundred mark every
month. Oh, it's great.
That's fantastic. Oh, yeah. Heck yeah, man, That's
fantastic.
So as far as what's you envision for.
Right now, you're the first Saturday every month
from 1 to 4.
For admission. Yep.
Is you... Is there a point in time
in which you envision it being open, you
know,
more
more often than than that? Or do you
like it the way it is? Or what
do you kinda envision for? We steal farm.
And still run the produce store on 41.
But... And then, Daniel, the 1 who does
the H o track. He's off Friday and
Saturday.
Because he's got a regular job in Goes.
It's just the manpower. Mh. And I would
love to be open, like, on Sundays too.
I just have to take a little time.
Mh. And
everybody's volunteer. Is. Yeah. Should be. So maybe
that day's coming. We figured we start 1
day and see how this goes and maybe
widen that out in Go america. But it
takes a team. It'll be able to put
this on. I mean, it's it's and and
me coming from not knowing what a
much of a train hat works.
And Daniel trying to teach me it's a
hard job, but I'm willing to learn owns
it brings us smile to our kids face
man. And I like to watch them too.
I'm not I ain't a lot Oh yeah.
No. It's it's AII
don't know, man. I...
Because it's very creative We're talking about it
because you've got
within the model, you know, you've got a
little bit of everything. We got, you know,
a dinosaur section. We got a church section.
We got a grocery store. Got people swimming
in the lake. Any any setting you can
think of is is there. And it takes
a lot of creativity
and kind of a vision to be able
to put this together and make it all
make sense. Yep. Does. And that's what I
was looking. It just may just make sense
when I look at it. Well, when this
was a blank table,
There was 4 of us. That stood around
it and says, well, we don't... We tried
to tried to make the top tunnel
the main focus, and we... There was some...
So much else to get in. We really
couldn't, and we think we're gonna change that.
We've got a tunnel.
And we think we're gonna change that 1
day.
But right now, we'll let it go for
a little while.
Marathon Hall, she's the 1 that... We got
a mural of Cs coming out of the
tunnel?
Yes. That looks great. And lot of people,
that's a that's the picture taken wall.
So more everybody got their phone out, and
they got their family in front of it,
and that's where it goes right there.
And she's doing a lot of the besides
that. A lot of the decorating and fixing
on this track.
It takes a woman's touch in that way
that's... On this 1 for sure so they
wasn't me.
Other, the mural. And now we hadn't even
talked about that. I mean, there's a
a very large section of the wall that's...
The mural is is painted on of the
tunnel and train coming out. And
It's pretty accurate,
especially the shape of it. Yes, it is.
I don't even know what you call that
shape. It's... How they cut. It's not a
circular tunnel. No.
It's it's more...
Well,
like a trap or something. It's a it's
kind of a strange shape. Like it straight
up.
But you got the curves at the top,
like a train you'd have to have. Yeah.
But it's just...
It's almost shaped like the state of Georgia,
maybe.
Alabama or something, you know what it when
I'm thinking about it, like the geographical shape
of it. It's an interesting shape.
But it... But she did a great job.
She did. It's did a fantastic job. Of
course, I... She stayed here, mo... She was
here, about but she done it all by
myself. But when you would come in and
see kinda like where she started and you
saying.
I don't look a bit like what I
wanted.
But I didn't say nothing. And then the
next 2 or 3 days after she'd had
been here, you could see something coming in.
Right say,
Okay. That's a train. Ain't goes...
Yeah. Just leave me alone. I said, okay.
Is that kinda hard to watch it first?
Like, III don't know if that's what I
want and then very
in trying to hold. But I didn't won't
make her man for sure. She she's doing
great.
I'm getting you ever get the Tossing and
turn bad at late at night. Like, I
can't sleep. I a better go up there
at the museum and when weight was... And
and we was just getting cleaning out and
starting work, like, some of the bathroom work
or the walls we put up and I
could do that. When when nobody else was
here, and then when we got the trains
actually on.
It was trying to kinda like, let's get
1 running and just see what it looks
like. Well, we did that. We laid 1
out on we had a building in 1,
and we just sat there and let it
ruin.
Probably did it for an hour. I don't
remember. That's my next question. What's the longest
you sat here? Just watching the train you
think. I can't say you because my wife
might be listening. 1.
Don't inc yourself.
She knows
she say, what you getting up early for
where are you being this late night not
that well down there. It's hard not. It's
just kind of... You kinda fall into it
hit no.
Watching it a little bit. A little bit
h sizing. And it's... When of course Said,
3 4 or 5, I was here,
where won't we do this, And somebody else
the Idea in, and we'd go from there.
So it was a help of all of.
Mh. Had to be. Yeah. It takes a
team like that that, you know, different people's
visions and opinions to
to make it all kind of mesh together
like it has. But may... That's that's the
word. I'm... I'm it mesh everything messes together
extremely well in here.
And To hear that. That's what the... What
we're shooting for.
And I know we talked about, you know,
maybe around... The good thing about it is
this is still relatively new. Yes. Very nice.
And they're still, you know, I'm sure y'all
have plenty of ideas on what you wanna
do and you've you've shared some of those
and, you know, like around Christmas time, you
can have a a Christmas themed.
Type of train
display here. Put lights out front. Flicker them.
We got lights gonna be flashing, hope within
a month.
That'll draw anybody's attention.
But actually, they got Christmas trained,
plus actually build them however you want them.
And then make maybe,
into Carnival, if we turn that into a
Christmas thing.
There's there's just just whatever imagination. Yeah. Yeah.
Well, it just the fact that we have
something here now to
Kinda commemorate them.
It's almost like the trademark of the town
that's it's it's a trademark, but it's invisible.
Yeah. It's right on underneath this and we
can't see it. That's right. So we... I
think it desperately needed something like this to
make just make people aware. I hope so.
And a lot of people in town that
don't know its therapeutic period. Right. And when
you tell them that air shafts over there,
they said, oh, can't be. I said oh,
yeah.
Show is?
So that's... It's it's something. Not to mention
if they, you know, little kids or grandkids
kids,
bring them up to your first Saturday the
month. I right. And they will have a
big time. I can look all day long.
Least wonderful.
3 hours, and that's not enough time. I
don't think.
So Tony, I mean, we've we talked at
length here. I mean, what as far as
the museum itself, is there anything that we
have not mentioned or gloss over that. We
got t shirts and people... That's a great
Looking t shirt about t shirt. Got that
big locomotive coming at you on the front.
Coming out the tunnel.
Few sweatshirt shirts, of course, the ain't time
of the year for sweatshirt shirts and hope
we were gonna start getting more of them.
Mh.
But, really, we're not in of course, somebody
come up with a... They're gonna bring a
train whistle
with Bridges stop museum name on it. We're
gonna see how that Looks in case we
will sell that.
Right now, we just want people to come
out, especially bring your kids. Mh. And see
the train. Yep. That's what. Me that's what
it's all about. Oh, it's a it's a
wonderful resource.
For people now, the it... Are not familiar
with it. Okay. And even if they offer
me with, like, I've got some knowledge of
it, I've seen the tunnel, you know, 345
times whatever, but
It really gives you that much more of
an appreciation for it. Looking around some of
these old photos and whatnot. These some of
the things that have been donated.
Hopefully we'll get more photos when the next
month or so. That's a slow thing come
and trying to put them on these walls.
You gotta do some detective work in this.
Don't you? As far as... Yeah. Hunting around
trying to find some of this stuff. I
got a brother all,
Troy Smiley. He found out the old o'brien,
which is a road down towards next to
hoax.
Is they used to... The people that oh
o'brien was the people who lived on no
O'brien.
And we found out they still got
Ken fo down in...
I wanna say Brent Wood or bail meade
1 of the other. He's contacted them now.
He's trying to see if they got any
photos.
O family photos of when they was up
in this area.
So
that's where we're trying to shoot for. So
if anybody's got.
Photos of green brie. I don't mind putting
them up or rich top or easy.
And long as you put your name on
the backup and bring me, and we'll try
to We got room Whoop put them I...
You know, there's probably a... There's somebody out
there. Yeah. It probably has
photos and
documentation.
I hope so. If there... You just hadn't
stumbled on too yet. And more light, you
know, might be somebody older aids that ain't
on the Internet. But hopefully by word mouth,
people coming in and out,
know, let's... It hey So and So you
talked to them. If, you know, they've got
quite a bit of information about it. There's
somebody out there that that's hoarding it. You
because like I said, somebody's got it stored
away and actually forgot about it until somebody
brings up about a museum, train museum and
pop.
Because, now, we get people that when we've
been working here,
actually, before the doors were put in, it
was kinda open air. They were stop at
to stop signs, I, hey, I gotta a
train. I'm gonna bring you because I don't
use it no more. I okay. We'll
we'll put it up. Now I'll get a
edge or something and write their name on
the bottom of it.
They whoever want it back. It's ours. So,
that that's why we've accumulated a lot of
stuff in here.
Well, I I tell you. It's
it's just high quality stuff, Really high quality
stuff. Thank you. I'm just... I I didn't
know what to expect when I came in
because, like, I hadn't been here for 1
of the Saturdays, and
My boss heat... He told me like, I
think they're... They... This was not that long
ago. I didn't... I'm not really on the
internet, So I don't know
what goes on much, and he he told
me so you need to reach out to
the the Trent museum. And after for some
reason, I saying you think... I think about
the park over there,
and then I was driving by 1, and
I saw the sign I said, oh, there's
actually a museum.
But I didn't know. It was you heading
it up. I... It was it was all
new to me. So I didn't know what
expect, but it's
it it really...
The expectation I had it surpassed it. Good.
So y'all... Great to hear. Yeah. I yeah.
I can't brag on y'all enough, and... Maybe
would just get better.
First Saturday,
every month, rain or shine.
Snow. No matter. Wonderful. Get. Wonderful. And it's
free. Yep. People like free. They do. I
like free. Now. Also out, we do have
a donation bucket.
But don't worry about that.
People come. So, you know, obviously,
monetary
monetary, you know, financial donations, but also if
if people have
in Memorabilia,
anything that has to do with train. Y'all
are open to that as well. And if
we can display it which there's not much
stuff that we hadn't,
we'll put it up and put your name
on it
whatever whatever it is. Pay homage to who
the original owner. It's exactly right Yeah. We've
done that. Well, it's it's just fantastic man.
And I can't I can't brag on with
enough.
Don't, this has been great. I appreciate you
sitting down with me and educating me on
some of this stuff.
Mean, we really have a... It's a
it's a shame. It doesn't get the publicity
that it gets. Tired. You know what I
mean? Tired.
Well, I mean, just the the tunnel itself.
You know, this this massive structure that is
just right underneath this and
think about all them guys that
talk about some hard labor going. I just
hate to I hate to think that, you
know, I... If that was me working back
then, that I want somebody appreciate all that
work I did. You know what I mean??
And I wish they was... In that day,
I wish they had more pictures.
We've got quite a few that were getting
done, but it's not nowhere near like you
would do today because everybody has a cell
camera and or cell phone Can't... Pictures every
minute. That would have been something to have.
Sure. Because 19 o 2 you say. So
that's
hundred and 20
hundred 24 years. Is that right?? Yeah. Which
in the grand scheme to time at ain't
that long.
Really?
Wasn't that lie it wasn't that long go.
But it's just
I don't know. It's just something we've got
this beautiful thing here and, you know, to
be able to have reverence forward and the
fact that now we've got this museum that
it makes... It just puts the awareness out
there for people,
pretty neat stuff. So I can't I can't
brag on y'all enough or
having the vision to to make all this
come to life because it... It's
really beautiful. What we got going on here.
And hope it'll be something different each time.
If people wanna come every month with so
far they have.
Just something extra form to see or something
different.
Of course, you'll be here to type if
people have questions and wanna be educated you
here. Go no more weddings.
So, hopefully, I'll be here.
Or Mark or anybody, they know the town
history better than I do. So
But if it gets you out of a
wedding then, you know, that's just there go.
Yeah. Hey, I'm Hey, if I need to,
I'll come volunteer your too, Okay. I remember
that.
Long as you bringing your mom and Daddy.
Yeah. I think Danny think dylan him cup
up here and look at. We love you.
Yes. He will.
Show wheel. Well, Tony, heck... Man. Thanks again
for, giving me your time doing this. And
again, it's a wrist top train museum. It's
if you're sitting at the red light,
looking south. You hang a ride on gear
road, and it's just right Smack dab here.
Hard mission. And, of course, you y'all have
a
It has a Facebook page. Right? Yes. And
you... There's some... You can...
I don't really know what you call that,
we can take your cell phone and take
a picture of that. And it'll get you
here.
I don't know what you call it. I
think they call it, and I'm not really...
It's a Qr code. Qr code. You're are
correct. I don't know. I don't need to.
Well, works.
Daniel, the 1 does O train, he come
up for that. I said, okay...
Good to have a young man that
is is, what do you call it? Technologically
savvy for that kind of thing. That takes
a lot off of You ideas for me.
Well, the information is out there.
If people are at first Saturday every month,
1 to 04:00. See it. Stop trainees. Thank
you very much. Alright, everybody. Appreciate you listening.
Be sure to tune in next week for
another episode. Bye bye.
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