Sam Shortline Excursion Train Nov.7/08

We first saw this train at Georgia Veterans State Park last year and ever since have thought it might be fun to take a trip. The train left Cordele at 9:30 and we didn’t return home until 5. It was a long day but entertaining. There is nothing fancy about the train; it is mainly run by volunteers except for the engineer and mechanic. It makes about 90 runs a year. Americus is a town with 2 restored buildings; the Windsor Hotel and the Rylander Theatre. There are restaurants and shopping. We had lunch at Forsythe’s a typical small town bar/restaurant.

Then we went to the Habitat for Humanity Visitor Centre. That is the other (only?) claim to fame of Americus. There is a Global Village there with sample homes built by Habitat in countries all over the world. A replica of a tin shack community typical of poverty stricken Africa has been built there as well. It was quite an eye opener.

Plains Georgia was our next stop. I think it is about the size of a blink and that may be generous. Of course this is Jimmy Carter’s home town and he still lives there. There are a few shops catering mainly to antique hunters and you can buy all kinds of Jimmy Carter souvenirs and books. I didn’t realize he had written so many books. Oh, don’t forget the peanuts! I had some delicious peanut flavoured ice cream! We were only there for an hour but any longer might have been monotonous.

Would you want to live on the other side of the tracks? This cliché took on more meaning for me yesterday. As we chugged along through small town America I was struck by the, homes, trailers, shacks, industries, and small businesses that were in ramshackle condition. You do see some of this while traveling back roads by car but not to this extent.

The train had at least 8 cars and it was about half full. Churches, schools and other groups arrange to take this excursion along with a handful of brave tourists like ourselves. We were sitting near the most fun group of all; I think from a group home. They loved the train: clapping when lights came on and off, imitating the choo-choo sounds and grooving to the train style Chatanooga Choo-Choo music that came over the P.A.

All in all it was day of getting real!