TrainFest 2009 will be held Saturday and Sunday, May 2 & 3 at the Customs House Museum and the L & N passenger depot on the corner of Commerce and 10th Streets.
This is the fifth year of the festival that celebrates the history and traditions of railroading in Montgomery County. Saturday admission is $5.00 for adults, $2 for students 6-18 and college students with ID. Children 5 and under, as well as members of the museum and the Montgomery County Historical Society, will be admitted free. Admission tickets can be purchased at either location that Saturday.
Visitors are invited to wear railroad attire. Hours at both locations for Saturday events are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. “Saturday Only” events at the museum include: model train workshops, movies and videos, and a test track for visitors to use for their engines.
On Saturday only, members of the Montgomery County Historical Society will be at the depot to explain and answer questions about railroad history. Costumed story-tellers will share stories about local rail happenings. The depot features a real engine and caboose, which are available for viewing on both days. The refinished ticket master’s office will also be open both days. On hand will be a paper model displays of railway artillery from the Civil War to the World War Two German 36 inch behemoth Dora, also known as Big Bertha, and a Civil War railroad display of Clarksville. On Sunday, both locations will be open from 1 – 4 p.m. and admission will be free.
Several running layouts will be featured at both sites on Sunday, as well as on Saturday. The train theme at the museum continues on May 7th with the “Let’s Find” monthly program for preschoolers, moms’ clubs, and daycare groups searching the building for locomotives. An added bonus is a visit from the volunteer train engineers. “Let’s Find” is free to museum members. Non-members can participate by paying the regular museum admission plus one dollar per child. Reservations are requested for this event.
The Customs House Museum is the second largest general museum in the state of Tennessee. Located at the corner of Second and Commerce Streets, it is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday.
For more information on above events, contact Sue Lewis, Curator of Education, at 931-648-5780 or slewis@customshousemuseum.org
