Bob, Elizabeth and I went to the Waffle House for a good breakfast before driving to the NRHS Convention hotel and I picked up new batteries for my radio then we went into the NRHS Lounge where we waited. There were two other convention events this day, a visit to the Historic Railpark in Bowling Green and a ride on the Kentucky Railway Museum train. Elizabeth had been asked to be a bus host on these two, so she did that and would have to wait until 2024 to ride My Old Kentucky Dinner Train.
In the lounge was a life-size cardboard picture of Paris Hilton.
Skip Waters, a fellow bus host and friend, then added a NRHS Nashville Convention T-shirt to her. We boarded Bus 2 and at 8:00 AM, proceeded north, stopping at a Kentucky Rest Area before we drove the rest of the way to Bardstown.
My Old Kentucky Dinner Train HistoryThe Bardstown railroad branch was originally constructed by The Bardstown and Louisville Railroad in 1860. Subsequently, the Louisville and Nashville Railroad purchased the line at a foreclosure sale in 1864.
R. J. Corman Railroad Company purchased the twenty-mile branch from CSX Transportation in 1987 and developed the Dinner Train which had its inaugural run in 1988. In addition to the Dinner Train, the railroad provides freight service to local industries.
Depot HistoryThe depot was constructed in 1860 and was used as a freight and passenger depot until 1953, when passenger service was discontinued on this portion of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. The depot is constructed of native limestone and is the last remaining "dry-laid" limestone depot in the state of Kentucky. Because of its historical significance, the depot is listed on the "National Register of Historic Places." The original freight portion of the depot has been preserved intact as much as possible, while the passenger portion was demolished in 1953. A new waiting room addition was constructed in 1992.
The Train ConsistOur train consisted of the RJ Corman FP7A's 1941 and 1940, RJC 011 {ex Eisenhower funeral train}, RJC 777, RJC 021 and RJC 007. The tracks we are going to be taking were built in 1860 as the Bardstown and Louisville, later become part of the L&N then CSX who sold the line in 1987 to RJ Corman. Dinner train operations started in July 1988 with a GP7 and two cars, the 007 and 011. For six months all meals were catered. In 1989 kitchen car RJC 777 arrived and all meals were then cooked on board. Car RJC 011 arrived in 1992. The trip is 32 miles round trip at 20 miles per hour. They carry over 20,000 passengers a year and there are even murder mysteries. The line also does a good amount a freight business mainly distillery products, plastics and they serve brickyards. Our trip will go from Bardstown to Limestone Springs and back.
Our tripThe bus arrived and everyone stayed on board while Bus 1 was given their tickets then Skip Waters came on and made some announcements. The lady from the dinner train passed out our tickets for my car, after which I had time to photograph the train before the rains of Tropical Storm Cindy started.
RJC table car 007, nee Pennsylvania Railroad 60-seat coach 40xx. built by Budd Company in 1946.
RJC kitchen car 021, nee Santa Fe blunt end lounge/observation car, built by Budd Company in 1946.
RJC table car 777, nee a coach built by Budd Company in 1946, history unknown.
RJC FP7 1941, ex. Norfolk Southern 3497, nee Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railway (Southern Railway) 6138, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1950.
RJC FP7 1940, ex. Norfolk Southern 3496, nee Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railway (Southern Railway) 6141, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1950.
The train at Bardstown prior to departure.
My Old Kentucky Dinner Train caboose 1988, history unknown. The "1988" is the year the dinner train commenced.
The My Old Kentucky Dinner Train depot built circa 1860.
The buses that brought us to Bardstown.
The salad that was on our tables when we arrived.
We started the journey in a light rain courtesy of Tropical Storm Cindy. This was my second time riding this train; the other time was a dinner train experience in December when I rode the whole line in the dark so I have never had the opportunity to show you the features of the countryside and the train until now.
An old distillery building.
Kentucky farm scene.
Typical central Kentucky scenery.
The direct control block sign ending Deatsville and beginning Bardstown.
The former Louisville and Nashville depot in Deatsville with Chesapeake and Ohio caboose 903177 built by International Car in 1968.
The T.W. Samuels Distillery Bourbon Warehouses.
The vestibules were open and I took advantage of them.
The view ahead.
Looking to the rear.
I do not mind what type of diesel locomotive is leading an excursion train, but having two F units was a treat.
An old loading dock.
About to round a curve as we continue our journey.
Looking back to where we had just travelled.
An old Louisville and Nashville concrete milepost 28 sign.
Nearing the Jackson Hollow trestle.
Approaching the trestle.
Crossing the Jackson Hollow trestle, the only remaining all wooden railroad bridge in the United States. I came back to my table and found my food was covered to keep it warm. We had a lunch of excellent roast beef and mashed potatoes which was fantastic.
The Jim Beam Distillery. We continued the rest of the way to Limestone Springs.
Limestone Springs, where the locomotives would switch ends to pull us back to Bardstown.
Limestone Springs water tower.
Louisville and Nashville concrete milepost 24 sign.
The process of the engines running around the train as seen from the rear vestibule.
Distilleries in Limestone Springs.
Louisville and Nashville Limestone Springs Junction station built in the 1880's. It was used in the film "Stripes" starring Bill Murray.
The view from the rear of the train.
On the way back to the Jim Beam Distillery.
Passing the Jim Beam Distillery.
On the way to the Jackson Hollow Trestle.
Crossing the Jackson Hollow Trestle, after whichI enjoyed the rest of the journey to Bardstown.
The engine ran around the train again so it could be ready for this evening's trip. We returned to Bardstown where I was let off with the bus drivers and since it was pouring rain, everyone else would walk through the kitchen car to exit the train. A special thank you to My Old Kentucky Dinner Train for having the NRHS conventioneers here today.
Once the buses were able to move, they pulled down by the depot and our passengers had a much shorter walk to their proper bus. When we had all of our passengers, we left and returned to Nashville in the rain which continued until just south of Bowling Green, so we made a rest stop at the Welcome Tennessee center. From here, we stayed on the Interstate through the Nashville stop-and-go traffic to get onto Interstate 40. The one advantage about going this way was I had the opportunity to see where the Nashville Predators and the Tennessee Titans play. We returned to the Nashville Airport Hotel where we debussed everyone and I returned my clipboard to Eileen in the registration room.
Bob and I then went into the lounge to wait until I thought Elizabeth would be ten minutes away. She arrived and did what she needed to do before we drove back to the Days Inn, ending another great day despite Cindy.
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