Bartonville Texas to Burlington Ontario, Canada

Canada Trip 2014  #2 A visit to a train museum.

A great painting on the wall of the Museum

So off we went bright and early in a very loaded van seemingly taking everything but the kitchen sink. It  was very full but we did have in the back two large canvas chairs plus all our luggage and other miscellaneous items that we were taking with us. The van was very comfortable and Mike found it easy to drive..

After a very pleasant drive heading north bordering the Mississippi river north of Memphis we then went along the Kentucky Parkway system and eventually toward evening got as far as Bardstown, Kentucky, a town we had visited before and enjoyed. 
As we passed through the town we noticed that there were many cars around and lots of traffic. The first hotel we came to had no vacancies as did the second one. When we inquired why this was, we were told that this was the week of the Bardstown Bourbon Festival. Bourbon is the main production of that whole area of Kentucky. Even the air smells of bourbon! We were directed finally  to a Comfort Inn closer to the main highway and fortunately found a room there. The Indian lady who appeared to be the owner was most accommodating and could see that we were tired and found us a pleasant suite on the ground floor.  We had a good nights rest there and a good breakfast to start the day.

The Kentucky Railroad and Museum. New Haven

Model train layout inside the museum

 The next morning the weather was very foggy but we had planned to visit the Kentucky Railroad and Museum about 12 miles south in a small town called New Haven. That part of Kentucky is very rural  with many rolling hills and the roads are curvy and winding.  The fog or probably I should say mist, was coating many of the valleys. Eventually we found the museum and got there just as it was opening. The museum and railroad appears to be run by mostly volunteers with a small staff and they seemed knowledgeable and very helpful. 

Inside the repair shed

We paid  our entry fee and then started to look around. The museum was full of interesting artifacts and items used by the railroad. There were even some model railroad layouts and specials toy railroads for children to play with .

 Mike enjoyed looking in the railroad sheds at all the other engines and coaches that were being prepared to be exhibited. The attendant said that the problem now is that  many old coaches and even engines are being given to them as donations but the volunteers to fix them were in short supply. Every year it gets worse as the older volunteers are no more and the younger volunteers do not have the necessary skills to fix the engines and carriages. Such a shame to see these old machines and carriages rotting away. 

An old carriage waiting for repair

And then we were on the road again following the River Road through Ohio until we came to  Erie in Pennsylvania and then on to Canada via the Niagara  Peninsula and our stay in Burlington..