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Editor's Note--This train project discussed below was short lived. After many people put many hours and much money into the project, it died a sad death.
Thousands of folks will be able to say "We were there," when this historical story is told.
After following the directions on the leaflet that was distributed all over Beaver County (with a $1.00 coupon discount included), we found ourselves at the right place to take advantage of the area's latest addition to adventure, a ride on the "Little Beaver Creek Valley Railroad" tourist train.
A crowd of about 100 was scattered about the grounds drinking lemonade shakes and cokes. Some were sitting in the shade patiently waiting, others were in the ticket office and gift shop. A team of horses were hitched to a decorated wagon nearby offering the people the option of going for a hayride.
The terminal might be dubbed "neglected industrial" and had the appearance of a location that might be used in a mystery novel; something grotesque but fascinating.
A short while later the train appeared, slowly coming to a stop exactly at a designated spot. About an equal amount of people disembarked as was waiting to board. Soon we were gliding along. In Negley, we were asked to look to our right where three old timers sat on a porch swing. Caron Ganes, our tour guide, said "How about everyone waiving to the old timers they were once all engineers on this run." The train's horn beeped a salute and they all waived back.
We learned a lot of things on that ride that lasted about an hour. The passenger cars came from New England ...About 800 people rode the train on the Fourth of July ...and they have a lot of great ideas for the future ...and that it takes a lot more than wishing to make things happen ...mainly good plans and lots of hard work.
