Published: June 18, 2009 03:17 pm      

I SAY: Caboose is nice addition

This country has long held a romanticism toward trains and the railroads, sparked in part because the rails played such an important role in the development of this country. Today the railroad is still an important mover of goods from one point to another.

The three Rotary Clubs of Cumberland County, under the vision of the late Bob Patton, took on the project of saving Crossville’s historic railroad depot and with the city of Crossville’s blessing and help, made what was once a centerpiece of Main St. a modern day show place.

The attractive building really does add to the downtown aura and now the Crossville Rotary Foundation, along with the city of Crossville and Downtown Crossville Inc., are bringing a caboose to be permanently displayed at the Depot.

It may already be here by the time you read this.

I do find a bit of irony in the fact that now that we don’t have railroad tracks coming into town, we have a restored depot and caboose. And that’s a shame.

For those who have not lived here as long as I, in the early to mid-80s Crossville hosted a fall festival called the Autumn Leaf Special. It was a delightful celebration of the splendor of the Cumberland Plateau on the second and third weekends in October and local arts and crafts.

Main St. was closed, much like it is for Depot Days, and vendors and food booths lined Main St.

The train would leave Nashville with a load of tourists armed with their cameras to record our wonderful falls on the mountain and with their pocketbook to take home a treasure to remember the trip by.

The train, pulled by a vintage engine, would arrive in Crossville about mid-morning on Saturdays and stay for several hours. Those who wanted to spend the time would stay at a local motel. Locals who wanted to go to Nashville would hop on the train, if space was available, and enjoy a night in the Music City.

Cumberland Countians would return to Crossville the next day, along with another load of tourists. All would be home by Sunday night.

The weight of the old engine on the weakening tracks and the lack of funding for proper repairs resulted in the railroad abandoning the line through here and I always thought that was tragic.

It made sense to have a festival in the fall. The cool but pleasant air filled with the aroma of goods baking and good old mountain and bluegrass music just made it feel like autumn.

Now that we have our restored Depot and caboose in hand, maybe we could return to a fall festival that all could enjoy.

• • •

Michael R. Moser is the editor of the Crossville Chronicle. His column appears periodically. He may be reached at mmoser@crossville-chronicle.com.