This was the view from the cab of ABC No. 1502 as it headed northeastward on the former Erie Railroad mainline from Kent on Saturday, July 4, with an excursion train. Just ahead, near the light tower, is the bridge over CSX (former Baltimore & Ohio). At one time, this area was part of a major yard. Today, the yard is gone. (Photograph by Richard Thompson)
Akron Railroad Club member Richard Thompson surveys the passing countryside from his perch on the porch of ABC No. 1502 during his July 4 cab ride on an excursion train in Kent. (Photograph by Craig Sanders)
The Akron Barberton Cluster Railway again operated excursion trains this year as part of the Kent Heritage Festival, held last Saturday (July 4, 2009). Some Akron Railroad Club members were on hand for the trips.
David Mangold worked as a car host on afternoon trips while members Craig Sanders and Marty Surdyk were trackside to photograph the train. But topping that was member Richard Thompson who landed a cab ride during the 4:30 p.m. trip.
Rich has described his ride and other experiences chasing and riding the train — as a passenger — in a Trackside Tales post. To read his report, and see more photographs, go the far right margin of the ARRC blog and click on “Cab Ride on Kent Festival Excursion Train.”
The excursions trains began on the former Erie Railroad tracks just north of the Main Street crossing and proceeded northeastward to near the Ravenna Road crossing by Towner’s Woods park. The train had ABC No. 1502, two coaches and a caboose. The train ran locomotive forward on the outbound leg and back up on the return.
Tags: Akron Barberton Cluster Railway, Akron Railroad Club, Craig Sanders, David Mangold, Erie Railroad, Kent Heritage Festival, Marty Surdyk, Richard Thompson
