| Situated in the heart of central North
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| | back. The 6.5 mile track was purchased
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| Carolina along the border of Wake and
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| | from the venerable Southern Railway
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| Chatham counties, just thirty minutes
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| | Company and is now used exclusively by
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| south of Raleigh, is the North Carolina
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| | the museum.Enthusiasts sit in one of two
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| Railroad Museum / New Hope Valley
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| | comfortable open passenger cars that are,
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| Railway. Featuring steam and diesel
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| | in fact, converted flat cars. On a recent
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| locomotives as well as various boxcars,
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| | Sunday, the museum brought out one of the
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| flatcars, and the like, the museum /
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| | aforementioned diesels and added a pair
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| railway has been entertaining train fans
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| | of wood sided red cabooses and a brown
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| at its rural Bonsal location since 1981.
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| | baggage car to round out the set.On the
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| Take a trip down the old railroad line
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| | sprawling museum grounds sits a US Army
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| with me and experience a little bit of
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| | Transportation Corps Tool Car which
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| American train history!Since I was a boy
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| | currently houses the museum's gift shop
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| I have been enamored by trains -- steam
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| | and exhibits. Various other cars and a
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| engines, diesels, bullet trains and even
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| | crane boom tender are located on site as
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| subways. My family feels the same way; we
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| | well; some are being carefully restored
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| marvel at the sight of a steam locomotive
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| | while others are in active use.
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| hissing and wheezing its way
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| | Currently, the museum's steam locomotive
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| clackety-clack down the tracks, imagining
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| | is used on a limited basis, but plans are
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| that we, too, are taking a trip across
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| | to begin using it on excursions more
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| this great nation of our's.This
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| | frequently.The railroad museum is staffed
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| particular rolling museum will excite
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| | by a dedicated group of volunteers
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| train buffs for the variety of equipment
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| | [Saturdays are workdays and skilled
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| on hand, as well as, for the rides that
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| | volunteers are welcome]. Train ride
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| are made available to the general public.
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| | prices are reasonable and passengers know
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| Indeed, when we visited the museum
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| | that the fares are helping to restore a
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| recently the grounds were packed since
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| | little bit of train history to North
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| ride days are held only on the first
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| | Carolina while reliving it at the same
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| Sunday of the month [from May through
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| | time.A "G" scale model garden railroad is
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| November with special Halloween and
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| | on site along with a barbeque restaurant
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| Christmas season rides as well]. Five
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| | and adjoining picnic area. There is
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| excursions are held each ride day;
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| | plenty of parking on the premises as
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| visitors are encouraged to arrive early
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| | well.Yes, there certainly is much to see
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| for the ride they wish to take.Pulled by
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| | and do while visiting the North Carolina
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| a rugged General Electric diesel
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| | Railroad Museum / New Hope Valley Railway
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| locomotive [built in the early 1940s],
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| | in Bonsal, NC -- stop by soon and you
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| the one hour train ride allows passengers
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| | will hear the conductor announcing to
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| to travel from Bonsal to New Hill and
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| | you, "all aboard!
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