shelter-in-place activities!!!!!!!!
LINKS AND ACTIVITIES TO GET YOU THROUGH “SHELTERING-IN-PLACE”
Week of May 31 - June 6
Our Railroad Museum trip takes us to New Braunfels. It’s a beautiful town with lots of great ethnic restaurants, old homes and of course the New Braunfels Historic Railroad Museum and Modelers Society (NBHRMS). They host TWO train shows each year. There is lots to see and there is a lot of train activity right next to the museum. In fact, it’s one of the busiest rail lines in Texas.
Week of May 31 - June 6
Our Railroad Museum trip takes us to New Braunfels. It’s a beautiful town with lots of great ethnic restaurants, old homes and of course the New Braunfels Historic Railroad Museum and Modelers Society (NBHRMS). They host TWO train shows each year. There is lots to see and there is a lot of train activity right next to the museum. In fact, it’s one of the busiest rail lines in Texas.
Enjoy these pictures of our OLD TOWN CAMERON TRAIN EXHIBIT...
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Milam County History:
BURLINGTON, TEXAS. Burlington is on U.S. Highway 77 ten miles north of Cameron in northern Milam County. John and Michael Jones, who were among the first settlers in the area, built cabins as early as 1867. The community was first called Irish Settlement. Itinerant priests ministered there until the construction of a Catholic church in the mid-1880s. The name of the town was changed to Waterford when a post office was opened at the home of Timothy Gleason in 1884. In 1889 Gleason renamed the town after Burlington, Vermont. When the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway was built through Burlington in 1891, residents got easier access to markets. Stock pens were set up to hold longhorn cattle for shipment to St. Louis, Chicago, and Kansas City. Cotton and lumber were also important products. The population of Burlington increased from fifty in the mid-1890s to 362 in 1904. The town reached its peak about 1914, when it reported two churches, a bank, a cotton gin, a weekly newspaper, and 600 residents. The population was listed as 200 in the 1930s and 1940s. Burlington reached a post depression high of 326 residents in the late 1960s, but that number fell to 125 in the 1970s. The town lost its rail service in 1977, when the Southern Pacific abandoned the section of track between Cameron and Rosebud. Burlington had a population of 140 in 1990 and in 2000. The Depot was torn down.
BURLINGTON, TEXAS. Burlington is on U.S. Highway 77 ten miles north of Cameron in northern Milam County. John and Michael Jones, who were among the first settlers in the area, built cabins as early as 1867. The community was first called Irish Settlement. Itinerant priests ministered there until the construction of a Catholic church in the mid-1880s. The name of the town was changed to Waterford when a post office was opened at the home of Timothy Gleason in 1884. In 1889 Gleason renamed the town after Burlington, Vermont. When the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway was built through Burlington in 1891, residents got easier access to markets. Stock pens were set up to hold longhorn cattle for shipment to St. Louis, Chicago, and Kansas City. Cotton and lumber were also important products. The population of Burlington increased from fifty in the mid-1890s to 362 in 1904. The town reached its peak about 1914, when it reported two churches, a bank, a cotton gin, a weekly newspaper, and 600 residents. The population was listed as 200 in the 1930s and 1940s. Burlington reached a post depression high of 326 residents in the late 1960s, but that number fell to 125 in the 1970s. The town lost its rail service in 1977, when the Southern Pacific abandoned the section of track between Cameron and Rosebud. Burlington had a population of 140 in 1990 and in 2000. The Depot was torn down.
Your modeling tips link is again from Ron’s Trains and Things. Be inspired by a tour of his layout, the Texas Colorado and Western RR.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb57IH_pg0I&list=PL05wIKjXooC3Inkrcnjfw8DQtrXkL1yXW
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb57IH_pg0I&list=PL05wIKjXooC3Inkrcnjfw8DQtrXkL1yXW
AND...You KNOW you've been waiting for it...here’s our coloring page for our Junior Engineers. Enjoy!
OK, everybody...have a GREAT week.
OK, everybody...have a GREAT week.
Week of May 24 - May 30
Our Museum trip this week is way, way up in the Texas panhandle. After you take a look around their website, you will want to hit the trail to visit. You will spend a full day, maybe two looking at all they have to offer. There are lots of great places to stay, visit and restaurants to eat at too. Palo Duro Canyon and the Panhandle Plains Historic Museum (the largest in the State of Texas) is just 14 miles down the road in the town of Canyon.
Here is the Amarillo Railroad Museum:
Our Museum trip this week is way, way up in the Texas panhandle. After you take a look around their website, you will want to hit the trail to visit. You will spend a full day, maybe two looking at all they have to offer. There are lots of great places to stay, visit and restaurants to eat at too. Palo Duro Canyon and the Panhandle Plains Historic Museum (the largest in the State of Texas) is just 14 miles down the road in the town of Canyon.
Here is the Amarillo Railroad Museum:
BUCKHOLTS, TEXAS. Buckholts is at the intersection of Farm Road 1915, State Highway 36, and U.S. Highway 190, by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway nine miles northwest of Cameron in northwestern Milam County. The community, established in 1881 when the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway built through the area, was named for John A. Buckholts, who donated land for the site. A post office opened there in 1882, and by 1884 Buckholts comprised sixty-one residents, two general stores, two hotels, a dry-goods store, and a lumber dealer. Farmers, including a number of immigrants from Germany, Austria, and Czechoslovakia, were attracted to the blackland soils of the area; cotton became the community's principal shipment in the 1880s and 1890s. The Hope Lutheran Church was organized at Buckholts in 1890, and the congregation erected a building in 1899. Methodist and Baptist churches were also built in the community during the 1890s. A school was built by 1896. In 1900 Buckholts reported a population of 182. In 1903 the Buckholts school had two teachers and eighty-five pupils. By 1914 the community had a bank, telephone service, and a newspaper, the weekly Bulletin. The population of Buckholts was estimated at 800 from the 1920s through the 1940s. In 1948 the community had a school, three churches, three factories, and some thirty other businesses. Though exact estimates vary, the population of the town has slowly declined after the 1960s, reaching 362 in 1980 and 335 in the early 1990s. In 2000, however, the population rose to 387.
We found these photos in the Buckholts City offices where they also have a small museum.
We found these photos in the Buckholts City offices where they also have a small museum.
Members of the community banded together to paint a beautiful mural on the Senior Citizen Hall. This is a scene depicting the Santa Fe Depot.
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The Buckholts Santa Fe Depot in the 1920’s. A railroad work crew is pictured here with a group of citizens dressed to travel.
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Closer view of the citizens.
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This is the official Santa Fe schematic for a #3 Depot which was built for Buckholts.
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The Bill of Materials to construct a #3 Depot. Everything was listed including the nails, screws, door handles and paint colors.
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Our modeling tip this week is about making decisions about your track base. Should you use cork or foam? This is a great video where you can see how easy model railroading can be. www.youtube.com/watch?v=J71L61WvpFU
And of course…we have another coloring page for our young railroaders. We hope you enjoy it!
And of course…we have another coloring page for our young railroaders. We hope you enjoy it!
Week of May 17 - May 23
This week we will find another super railroading opportunity at the Hearne Depot.
hearnedepot.org/
Be sure to check the Hearne Depot Facebook page for their hours.
Bob Batson and his wife are the museum Directors and have a wealth of knowledge.
MILAM COUNTY RAILROAD HISTORY
The Rockdale I&GN Depot is one of the most well preserved Depot’s from the early 1900’s you may ever see. A few years ago however, you might not have recognized it as a Railroad Depot other than it was a building next to railroad tracks. The Rockdale Historical Society has done a magnificent job of creating an important venue to instruct and entertain railroad enthusiasts. In addition to the Depot, you will see a Missouri Pacific Caboose and Dining Car, Blacksmith shop, operating semaphore and more. The baggage room is being transformed into a model train area.
www.rockdaledepot.com/depot.html
Bob Batson and his wife are the museum Directors and have a wealth of knowledge.
MILAM COUNTY RAILROAD HISTORY
The Rockdale I&GN Depot is one of the most well preserved Depot’s from the early 1900’s you may ever see. A few years ago however, you might not have recognized it as a Railroad Depot other than it was a building next to railroad tracks. The Rockdale Historical Society has done a magnificent job of creating an important venue to instruct and entertain railroad enthusiasts. In addition to the Depot, you will see a Missouri Pacific Caboose and Dining Car, Blacksmith shop, operating semaphore and more. The baggage room is being transformed into a model train area.
www.rockdaledepot.com/depot.html
Your modeling tips this week come from Ron’s Trains & Things. Lets put down our base on our layouts so we can begin landscaping. This is a great video. Enjoy!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvwG68-blNs
And our weekly packets wouldn’t be complete unless we had our coloring page. Get out those Crayola’s and get with it!
HAVE A GREAT WEEK!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvwG68-blNs
And our weekly packets wouldn’t be complete unless we had our coloring page. Get out those Crayola’s and get with it!
HAVE A GREAT WEEK!
LINKS AND ACTIVITIES TO GET YOU THROUGH “SHELTERING-IN-PLACE”
Week of May 10 - May 16
This week we travel to the city of Teague to visit the B-Ri (Burllington-Rock Island) Railroad Museum and Heritage Center. The Depot is beside a very active rail yard so there is good railfanning here. Be sure to check ahead of time for their hours of operation. There is lots to see and walking up stairs so wear good walking shoes.
therailroadmuseum.wordpress.com
The Milam County Railroad Museum will continue to be closed until social distancing has been eliminated. Space inside our museum does not allow for good distancing and all of our volunteers are 65 or older. However, some of us have been working individually on creating new displays, organizing our new library of railroad book and magazines and catching up on “chores”. Here is a sneak peak at some of our thousands of photographs we have received.
Week of May 10 - May 16
This week we travel to the city of Teague to visit the B-Ri (Burllington-Rock Island) Railroad Museum and Heritage Center. The Depot is beside a very active rail yard so there is good railfanning here. Be sure to check ahead of time for their hours of operation. There is lots to see and walking up stairs so wear good walking shoes.
therailroadmuseum.wordpress.com
The Milam County Railroad Museum will continue to be closed until social distancing has been eliminated. Space inside our museum does not allow for good distancing and all of our volunteers are 65 or older. However, some of us have been working individually on creating new displays, organizing our new library of railroad book and magazines and catching up on “chores”. Here is a sneak peak at some of our thousands of photographs we have received.
International and Great Northern 4-4-0 Locomotive in Palestine, TX 1900:
Missouri Pacific #902 coming into the Marshall Depot 1930’s:
ATSF 1554 a 4-4-0 in the yard in Temple, Texas:
Here’s some Custom Model Bridge Abutments with Ron’s Trains and Things that might help with your trestles from last week.
www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=6&v=1omOUk2eY_E&feature=emb_title
And of course, our weekly coloring page and activity is ready!
HAVE A GREAT WEEK!
www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=6&v=1omOUk2eY_E&feature=emb_title
And of course, our weekly coloring page and activity is ready!
HAVE A GREAT WEEK!
Week of May 3 - May 9
The Marshall Texas Depot was recently renovated and is now an Amtrak station and Museum. It is worth the time to visit. You will see a beautiful old Texas and Pacific Train Depot in one of Texas most charming towns.
http://www.greatamericanstations.com/stations/marshall-tx-mhl/
http://marshalltxdepot.com
And here are some of the best restaurants in Marshall according to Trip Advisor:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g56236-Marshall_Texas.html
John Johnson and his wife Frances worked tirelessly on the Old Town Cameron layout for nearly 40 years. Each building was researched, drawn out and constructed so the model would recreate the town of Cameron. John and Frances wanted it to look like it did in the 1940’s. The end result is a marvel. Now that Milam County is the caretaker of OTC, the volunteers that look after the layout have accepted the responsibility of preserving its beauty, history and opportunities. The town layout will never change, but John still sees the countryside of Cameron and the other towns of Milam County eventually becoming additions to his creation.
Last year, one of our very skilled craftsmen, accepted an opportunity of recreating the Gause Depot. All he had to work from was two black and white photos and the memories of some of the long time residents of the town of Gause. I think George did a great job (and so does John Johnson!). Here are the two photos and the end result. Well done George.
Last year, one of our very skilled craftsmen, accepted an opportunity of recreating the Gause Depot. All he had to work from was two black and white photos and the memories of some of the long time residents of the town of Gause. I think George did a great job (and so does John Johnson!). Here are the two photos and the end result. Well done George.
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For our instruction video this week, we became inspired by one of our member’s home layout. He is currently installing trestles. Before he began installation he first had to build them. Here is a start to finish video on how to build trestle bridges. We would love to see pictures of your home layout construction.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIRZRLwZGu4
Finally, here is this weeks coloring page for our young railroaders. You know who this guy is!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIRZRLwZGu4
Finally, here is this weeks coloring page for our young railroaders. You know who this guy is!
Week of April 26 - May 2
Keeping with our theme of visiting Texas Railroad Museums and Depots, here’s a trip down to Rosenberg. This museum has been a great help to us as we were trying to open our doors. They have just finished some major renovations to their education building where they also have their model train displays. We hope you put this gem on your travel list. Hint…just a block away is the Ol Railroad Café
https://www.olrailroadcafe.com. They have a great menu and prices.
Link to the Railroad Museum: http://www.rosenbergrrmuseum.org/#about
Bring your camera! You will see lots of operating trains. You can view them on their Railfanning platform or from Tower 17. There is fun for the whole family.
Keeping with our theme of visiting Texas Railroad Museums and Depots, here’s a trip down to Rosenberg. This museum has been a great help to us as we were trying to open our doors. They have just finished some major renovations to their education building where they also have their model train displays. We hope you put this gem on your travel list. Hint…just a block away is the Ol Railroad Café
https://www.olrailroadcafe.com. They have a great menu and prices.
Link to the Railroad Museum: http://www.rosenbergrrmuseum.org/#about
Bring your camera! You will see lots of operating trains. You can view them on their Railfanning platform or from Tower 17. There is fun for the whole family.
HISTORY LESSON
Milam County is overflowing with history. One of our towns has had more than their share starting from its earliest beginnings. From the railroading side of history, Milano has been the crossing point of the I&GN (later the Missouri Pacific and today Union Pacific) running east and west. On the north and south crossing, Milano has seen the Gulf Colorado & Santa Fe (later the ATSF and today BNSF). The town itself has moved twice and at one time had a Country and Western recording studio.
We display Milano Junction on the Old Town Cameron layout as our staging yard. We’ve built it’s own console to control all of the switches in the yard.
Milam County is overflowing with history. One of our towns has had more than their share starting from its earliest beginnings. From the railroading side of history, Milano has been the crossing point of the I&GN (later the Missouri Pacific and today Union Pacific) running east and west. On the north and south crossing, Milano has seen the Gulf Colorado & Santa Fe (later the ATSF and today BNSF). The town itself has moved twice and at one time had a Country and Western recording studio.
We display Milano Junction on the Old Town Cameron layout as our staging yard. We’ve built it’s own console to control all of the switches in the yard.
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Here is a picture of the Milano Depot and tower at the crossing of the I&GN RR and the SF.
Your link to Milano Junction:
http://texasescapes.com/CentralTexasTownsSouth/Milano-Texas.htm
We hope you are enjoying the “How To” videos. Our next YouTube video might help your wiring techniques. We’ve used lots of these techniques on the Old Town Cameron layout.
https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=yfp-t&p=YouTube+model+railroad+Rons+trains+and+things+wiring+techniques#id=2&vid=1143e9d6a1be46153fb9c4d1fa1e6bca&action=view
An of course, here’s our weekly coloring page. We would love to have your page displayed on our Milam County Railroad Museum webpage!
http://texasescapes.com/CentralTexasTownsSouth/Milano-Texas.htm
We hope you are enjoying the “How To” videos. Our next YouTube video might help your wiring techniques. We’ve used lots of these techniques on the Old Town Cameron layout.
https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=yfp-t&p=YouTube+model+railroad+Rons+trains+and+things+wiring+techniques#id=2&vid=1143e9d6a1be46153fb9c4d1fa1e6bca&action=view
An of course, here’s our weekly coloring page. We would love to have your page displayed on our Milam County Railroad Museum webpage!
Week of April 19-25
The Museum of the American Railroad is a absolute “must see” experience.
Take a virtual tour on their website.
http://www.museumoftheamericanrailroad.org/
So, let's see some photos from the Old Town Cameron layout...
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Milano Junction 4-6-0 Chugging through Cameron
Ron’s Trains and Things
YouTube Video about tools you will need when building your model railroad empire.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkSPl7SSWbY
Free coloring page for the younger set... If you will let your child color it, then, if you wish, you can take a crisp photo of it and email that to us, we will post it on the website!
So, there you have it... Activities for the week. Tune in next week for another week's worth of railroad activities!
We hope you enjoyed this and found it useful. Please give us some feed back.
YouTube Video about tools you will need when building your model railroad empire.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkSPl7SSWbY
Free coloring page for the younger set... If you will let your child color it, then, if you wish, you can take a crisp photo of it and email that to us, we will post it on the website!
So, there you have it... Activities for the week. Tune in next week for another week's worth of railroad activities!
We hope you enjoyed this and found it useful. Please give us some feed back.
WEEK OF APRIL 12-18
San Antonio has so much to offer. There are great restaurants, museums, art, music, culture and shopping. But, did you know San Antonio was home to one of the best Transportation Museums in the United States?
Texas Transportation Museum
San Antonio has so much to offer. There are great restaurants, museums, art, music, culture and shopping. But, did you know San Antonio was home to one of the best Transportation Museums in the United States?
Texas Transportation Museum
Here is a ride on our Santa Fe War Bonnet around the Old Town Cameron layout’s Santa Fe route.
Enjoy a unique view of the Old Town Cameron layout!
Enjoy a unique view of the Old Town Cameron layout!
And next is part 2 of building your home model train layout by “Ron’s Trains and Things”. CHECK IT OUT!
5 Important decision to make first.
Free coloring page for the younger set... If you will let your child color it, then, if you wish, you can take a crisp photo of it and email that to us, we will post it on the website!
WE HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEK AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU!
If you enjoyed this and found it useful. Please give us some feed back.
LINKS AND ACTIVITIES TO GET YOU THROUGH “SHELTERING IN PLACE”
WEEK OF APRIL 5-11
Want to build your own train layout at home? Here is a video to get you started. Try it...you WILL like it!
From “Ron’s Trains and Things”
Check this out! Hear from the master himself...John Johnson...
Video from interview done by Austin American Statesman.
Free coloring page for the younger set... If you will let your child color it, then, if you wish, you can take a crisp photo of it and email that to us, we will post it on the website!
When we are finally set free from quarantine, here are some rides you might like to go on to “stretch your legs”. So, take a look at them and start planning your trips!
Texas Five Best Train Rides
So, there you have it... Activities for the week. Tune in next week for another week's worth of railroad activities!
We hope you enjoyed this and found it useful. Please give us some feed back.
WEEK OF APRIL 5-11
Want to build your own train layout at home? Here is a video to get you started. Try it...you WILL like it!
From “Ron’s Trains and Things”
Check this out! Hear from the master himself...John Johnson...
Video from interview done by Austin American Statesman.
Free coloring page for the younger set... If you will let your child color it, then, if you wish, you can take a crisp photo of it and email that to us, we will post it on the website!
When we are finally set free from quarantine, here are some rides you might like to go on to “stretch your legs”. So, take a look at them and start planning your trips!
Texas Five Best Train Rides
So, there you have it... Activities for the week. Tune in next week for another week's worth of railroad activities!
We hope you enjoyed this and found it useful. Please give us some feed back.