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| From 06.2010 - MISC |
Built in the 1830s, the roundhouse was the latest cutting edge technology and the center of Georgia railways. In the early 1960s, the roundhouse was left in the dust with a merger between two rail giants. Twelve locals banded together to save the site, and since then the city has become involved in major restoration efforts.
The site is full of wonderful reflections on the time, especially from a mechanical/technological perspective. The site was designed to be a one-stop-shop for everything required to build, maintain, and repair trains. EVERYTHING could be done at this site!
The kids really enjoyed the enormous model train layout.
It was definitely an impressive sight, with amazing fine details. There was a man fishing under the bridge, a car accident, and intricate details to the "local" homes, just to name a few! Oh yes, I will admit it...I'm definitely a geek.
Of course, the kids were less impressed with the machinery, but I find it simply amazing that everything was done on-site. Isn't this just unheard of nowadays? Things are shipped in from all corners of the globe and assembled with cheap labor. This was a start to finish (and everything in between) facility. Amazing!
There were some interesting architectural points of interest too. Not only are the buildings big enough for a train, but all of the pipes and works to power a steam-operated plant that was later converted to electric.
Zoe loved exploring the grounds. She's nearly fearless with such adventures!
Ian enjoyed holding Daddy's hand and hearing explanations for everything. We can relate to his desire to climb on the trains (in time, buddy, they're being restored).
Patience is a virtue, and we finally got to ride a train!
Ian was so cute handing all of us our tickets (he was a very good conductor), and beaming with joy at the prospect of riding the rails. It was too hot by the middle of the train ride (the tour guide stops and tells you much about the facilities), but I'm glad we went!
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