While we were visiting Kelly’s parents in Virginia we decided to take a bike ride on Warrenton’s greenway path. At the start of the greenway is the Norfolk and Western Railway Caboose 518554, a restored caboose on freshly-laid track where thirty years ago freight trains once served the town. We happened to pass the caboose right as a gentleman appeared to be locking it up, so being the curious sort I asked him what he knew about the caboose.
It turns out the gentleman was Ron Scullin, one of the three main volunteers responsible for obtaining the track and caboose and restoring both to like-new condition. Ron had just finished up with tours of the caboose, which are held once a month, but hearing that we were from out of town, he graciously volunteered to provide a personal tour.
Kelly, Linda, and Hallie decided they’d rather ride their bikes, so they left as Ron showed off the railroad gear to me, Travis, and Neil. Travis got a chance to hold a railroad hammer, pry up a railroad spike using a prybar taller than he was, and was given his own “date nail,” which were once nailed into crossties to indicate their age.
Ron gave us a thorough tour of the shanty, caboose, and track, and told the story of the work that went into bringing the railroad back to Warrenton, if only as a museum. It was wonderful of Ron to humor three train enthusiasts on a hot Saturday morning!