200
One now serves as a showplace It is now home to dozens of interfor smaller items, including hisesting artifacts and informational toric uniforms, signal lights and displays. Several trunks are stacked lanterns; linen, china and cutlery along one wall just below a schedfrom early train travel; and lots of ule board, and benches stretch historic photos. down the center of the room. “We have an extensive collec- Dozens of old rail cars sit in the yard at the Heart of Dixie Railroad “There is a lot of Civil War histion,” says Garnett as we walk Museum in Calera. PHOTO BY MARK STEPHENSON tory associated with the depot as around the gallery. well,” says Forest. “Union Forces “Our organization dates back to the 1960s,” he says as we walk occupying Huntsville during the Civil War used the depot as a outside for a closer look at some of the railcars. “We started out in prison for soldiers in the Confederate Army in 1862. Birmingham, but in the ’70s we realized we needed a bigger area “Come on upstairs,” he says. “The graffiti the soldiers wrote is to store our collection. still on the walls.” Protected by Plexiglas, the pencil-written sig“A lot of our collection has been donated by railroad companatures, messages, drawings and dates can still be seen. nies, or the cars are surplus and we bid on them to add to our Another display helps explain the importance of cotton in the collection,” he says. “We have tank cars, box cars, railroad post South and how it was grown, harvested and prepared for transoffice cars, flat cars, passenger cars, baggage cars; we even have a port to mills. Several photographs show the depot in its heyday, camp car that was used by employees working on rails in remote and a large model railroad illustrates the local rail history. Alabama has a wonderful and rich train heritage spanning nearareas. It is equipped with beds and a small kitchen.” ly two centuries. A visit to one of these museums, or another reOne car Garnett is especially proud of is a planetarium dome stored depot or rail museum, is a worthy history lesson. Volunteers car. “We have extensively restored it,” he says. “We’re lucky to have and train enthusiasts are always available to answer questions. it in our collection.” Garnett says the non-profit museum’s train rides are their main source of income. Throughout the year regularly scheduled exRailroad museums and attractions in Alabama cursions as well as special events provide more than 40,000 guests Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum, 1919 Ninth St., Calera. (205) 757the opportunity to ride the rails. 8383; www.hodrrm.org.
Huntsville Depot and Museum
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Huntsville Depot dates to 1860 and is the oldest train depot in the state, and one of the oldest in the nation. “The Depot served passengers and was the corporate office for the eastern division of the Memphis & Charleston Railroad,” says museum tour guide Winter Forest. “It was used until 1968.” We start the tour in a life-size diorama complete with moving animatronic ticket agent, telegraph operator and mechanic catching 40 winks. The figures are surrounded by antique furniture and equipment showing what it was like to work for the Southern Railway at the turn of the last century. The next room once served as the waiting area for passengers.
Huntsville Depot and Museum, 320 Church St., Huntsville. (256) 564-8100; www.earlyworks.com/huntsville-depot-museum. North Alabama Railroad Museum: 694 Chase Road, Huntsville. (256) 851-7276; www.northalabamarailroadmuseum.com. Bessemer Hall of History: 1905 Alabama Ave., Bessemer. (205) 426-1633; www.bessemerhallofhistory.org. Foley Railroad Museum: 125 E. Laurel Ave., Foley. (271) 932-1818; www.foleyrailroadmuseum.com. Fort Payne Depot Museum: 105 Fifth St. NE, Fort Payne. (256) 845-5714; www.fortpaynedepotmuseum.com. Wales West Light Railway: 13670 Smiley St., Silverhill. (251) 9431818; www.waleswest.com.
1. Winter Forest explains the cotton industry and its importance to the South and the railroad; 2. A recently restored planetarium dome car is featured at Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum; 3. Protected by Plexiglas, the Confederate soldier pencil-written signatures, messages, drawings and dates can still be seen at Huntsville Depot and Museum; 4. A telegraph operator is one of the life-size characters welcoming visitors to Huntsville Depot and Museum PHOTOS BY MARILYN JONES
2
1 Alabama Living
3
4 FEBRUARY 2017 17