As the work at Caboose Falls moves steadily forward, with improvements to safety and making things a little easier to access, opportunities to host visitors are becoming more frequent. This week we welcomed a guest from our model railroad club: our friend Ray. What a wonderful day it turned out to be.
Our visit began with lunch inside P&LE 565. Nothing fancy, just ham sandwiches and Caboose Stew. (Yes, that’s a real thing.) It’s an old conductor’s recipe with cabbage, potatoes, bacon, and a couple herbs tossed in for good measure. A simple, hearty soup, perfect for a chilly day in a caboose. Meals like that were common among caboose crews years ago.
While we ate, we told stories about how the cabooses made it here and how we’re slowly bringing them back to life. Every time we share that story, we’re reminded of just how much ground we’ve covered since our first day on the property.
Mainlines and Models
After lunch, we headed into New Castle to visit Lou Palumbo and his legendary O-gauge holiday layout. If his name sounds familiar, it’s for good reason. Lou has been writing about the hobby of model railroading and life for decades and even had a regular column called “Views from the Underground” in Classic Toy Trains Magazine.
The Underground Railroad layout is nothing short of spectacular. Every inch of the display bursts with detail, from the tiniest figure to the farthest corner. The animated scenes steal the show: a fisherman hauling in his catch, a backhoe digging deep, a boy climbing a rope into a tree, and countless others. Add in twinkling lights, spinning carnival rides, and trains darting everywhere you look, and you’ve got one of the most thrilling layouts around.
Back at Caboose Falls, we wrapped up our afternoon on the rear platform of 565, listening to trains rumble in the distance. As Ray began his long drive home, the rest of us hiked down to our trackside viewing spot at the edge of the woods. It’s only a few yards from the mainline, close enough to feel the ground tremble as the trains roll past.
Our favorite coal train made an appearance and came to a stop right in front of us, its long consist stretching into the distance. For a moment, everything was silent. Then we heard it, the explosion of slack starting far down the line. It began as a faint rumble and rolled toward us like thunder, car after car, until it hit right beside us. The sound echoed through the valley. Pure railroad magic.
Sunset
As the sun dropped behind the ridge and the cabooses glowed in the dimming light, we just stood there for a moment, taking it all in.
Grateful for our visitor.
Grateful for the progress.
Grateful for this incredibly wonderful project.