LOBLOLLY-RAILROAD: Once upon a time, the most desired Christmas gift among kids was an electric train set. And while times have changed, still there’s something to be appreciated about model trains. Back in 1999, a group of men started the Loblolly Railroad, and since then have taken their railroad to various communities to share the magic that a model railroad brings. Our reporter in East Texas, Wynter Chauvin has this report.
The Loblolly Railroad is back in East Texas this holiday season. The model trains can be seen in Longview at the Gregg County Historical Museum and in Nacogdoches at the historic Railroad Depot. Families come back each year to enjoy the vintage steam and diesel engines pulling passenger and freight cars around the tracks. This is the 8th year that George Ellis has displayed his trains at the Railroad Depot in Nacogdoches. In addition to the trains and trolley there are vintage moving accessories.
” Lionel came into being about 1900, okay and they manufactured toy trains.," explained Ellis. "During the war effort they had to turn all their manufacturing towards the war effort. After the war effort they came back and started making trains again. And they came up with some accessories to enhance the play value, instead of just running trains in a circle. These were the three most favorite accessories-the cattle car, the milk car and the log car”
Ellis says he enjoys doing this each year.
”I enjoy to share my hobby with the public," Ellis explained. "Where else to share it than in the Depot here in Nacogdoches, where I am only 20 feet from the main [Union Pacific] line that runs between Shreveport and Houston.”
The Loblolly railroad in Nacogdoches will be on display weekends through Dec. 9th and the trains in Longview will run from Dec. 1 through the 23rd. For more details web search Loblolly Railroad.
-- Wynter Chauvin , Red River Radio News --
