
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, June 27, 1994                   TAG: 9407070094
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: By ROSE M. JONES
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

DEPOT DAY WAS A BELL-RINGER

I LOVE old steam trains, and riding on them does things to my heart. Even riding on restored trains excites me, although I greatly miss the clickety-clack, clickety-clack of the old days. Modern rails have so improved that they've done away with the clickety-clack that's such a big part of nostalgia and old train songs.

Still, riding on the old 611 from Roanoke to Pulaski recently was a wonderful trip. When we got off the train in Pulaski, there was a big festival going on. It was called Depot Day, because they had restored their wonderful old train station. Inside were exhibits of wonderful old things, and pictures of the old station in use. Even the original scale used to weigh luggage and freight was in use outside. Everyone, except me, had the courage to get on the scale and weigh themselves in public. One woman said it weighed ``heavy.'' Ha! A likely excuse.

At the festival, they had Pulaski's first mechanical fire engine. It had been restored and had been polished real pretty to its original splendor of 1909. I was surprised that it wasn't roped off, with the usual ``don't touch'' signs all over it. But instead of signs, it was covered with little kids. They were all over it, cranking up the siren and ringing the fire bell. Of course, I was up there with them - the oldest kid of all.

Beyond the depot were a classic-car exhibit, arts, crafts and food booths. The food smelled as good as that at Festival in the Park, but was half the price. It was delicious, and a good many of the people spent most of their time eating and drinking. Great music was being played. There were two bandstands - one behind the train depot, and the other at the festival.

One block from the festival was an antique furniture auction with rare and beautiful pieces put on the block. It was a mecca for antique furniture buffs.

At about 4 p.m., rain started to sprinkle lightly. We had time to grab one last pit-barbecue sandwich and run for the tent behind the depot where a band was playing real down-to-earth, foot-tapping country music. There we sat until old 611 pulled into the station at 5 p.m. We loaded up and headed for home, tired but happy. A good time was had by all.

Rose M. Jones of Roanoke is a retired foreman of the city's sewage-treatment plant.

by CNB