The Great Train Ride of 1961

As I explained back in 2006, in a post titled "Another San Francisco Dead Author," one of my earliest writing efforts still extant is the following account of a second-grade field trip. It could have occurred as early as the fall of 1960, but I think it more likely happened in the spring when teachers wanted to get out of the classroom at least as much as their young charges. If you want to know the tenuous connection between this trip and a dead author in San Francisco, you'll have to follow the link to the 2006 post. It's not worth repeating here.

Click to enlarge.
Today, I had a day off, and spent a few hours driving around the area looking for photo ops. I didn't really think about it till I was driving home, but I had taken pictures of the two train stations I visited almost a half century ago. The Nappanee station has been maintained over the years, but the Syracuse station, now owned by CSX, has fallen into disrepair. There is a movement afoot to save the station, move it, and renovate it. I hope it happens.


Nappanee Station, 2009


Syracuse Station and Passing CSX Freight Train, 2009


Syracuse Station, 2009