Pictures: Cary Train Day 2013
Story and photos by Hal Goodtree. Additional photos by contributor Ian Henshaw.
Cary, NC – The weather was perfect on Saturday for the 2nd annual National Train Day celebration in downtown Cary. Here are a few pictures to remember the day.
Train Day 2013
This year, Train Day in Cary had more exhibits, entertainment, giveaways and games than last year’s first, surprisingly successful celebration. Crowds were bigger, too, with informal estimates at over 1,000 before noon.
The Cary Town Band set the perfect tone for a town enthusiastic about railroading, a Cary institution since 1856. The train rolled in on time and everybody cheered. Officials from the Town, the railroad and HoCA said a few words then The Back Porch String Band swung into action with that old-time North Carolina charm.
A tiny train zipped back and forth between the Cary Chamber and Page-Walker. Special exhibits and activities were set up in booths, the station and at Page-Walker, with interesting and enjoyable entertainments for young and old.
Pictures: Cary Train Day 2013
This was our second year attending the National Train Day activities at the Cary Station. Many thanks to EVERYONE involved with organizing this event. It was great to see how the event had grown and expanded over the 2012 event, and look forward to the activities planned for 2014 (yes, even heard some of the commercials for Cary Train Day on the radio).
To help celebrate, I took my two oldest boys on a train ride that morning (taking advantage of the $5/one-way ticket for kids that Saturday). We rode on the Piedmont early that morning to Burlington, NC and then took the Carolinian back to Cary. The boys loved getting off the train in Cary to the crowds and bands that had welcomed the Carolinian train to the Cary Station.
Again, many thanks need to go out to EVERYONE involved in making the Cary Train Days 2013 activities memorable.
Thank you Hal (and Ian). Great photos for a great event in Downtown Cary.
So many people deserve recognition, the volunteers, the many members of HoCA, the vendors, Amtrak, but most especially the support by the Town’s many employees–from Mayor Weinbrecht, to Town Manager Shivar’s opening remarks to the crew who made the Depot and surrounding grounds look like nothing had ever taken place an hour after Train Day was over (for this year, that is).
And, of course, what would a festival be without patrons? So here’s a ‘heartfelt’ thank you to everyone who came out to enjoy National Train Day this year. Be sure to mark your calendar for Saturday May 10th 2014’s Train Day event. It promises to be even bigger and better next year!
Well said, Doc! (Ditto what Doc said!).
BTW, who’s the guy upstaging Gawf, Shivar & Frantz in the seventh photo? :-D