Behind The Tracks

De Train! De Train! A behind-the-scenes look at historic trains.

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The Kentucky Railway Museum is dedicated to restoring old train cars and engines. We toured their operations, gawking at the scale and beauty of bygone technology.

The museum was filled with things of permanence. No planned obsolescence here. Nothing disposable. Imagine a high-tech product from 90 years ago that still works. Try that with a computer from only ten years ago!

The museum’s big barn is a workshop where train cars are restored. There are still guys around who know how to fix things. By hand.

I love the weathered textures of the old passenger cars. Ah, if these walls could talk!

The big engines are stored outside, looming large. It’s a multi-year project to get these old beauties up and running.

Did you know that steam locomotives had ten times the power of a modern diesel engine? Steam engines were abandoned mostly because of maintenance  – they required 238 oiling points versus only eight for diesel engines.

Kentucky Railway Museum offers a variety of train excursions, like a Murder Mystery event, Wine & Cheese party, and holiday themed rides. I like to support these folks, they do such good work preserving our past.