Rolling Victory Weekend

Lou Ann with the Baggage Car Boys!

“I hear the train a-comin’, it’s rolling ‘round the bend,” sang Johnny Cash in his “Folsom Prison Blues” song. I love this song and find myself singing it often especially after the Pleasant Lake Variety Show last April. We were all singing the train blues that night! Now I find myself singing it every time I hear the steam engine 765 rolling into town. From my garden, I can hear that whistle coming down the track and with the chugging along comes the black smoke. I always stop what I am doing to listen and to smile. Actually, I do this every time I hear the train whistle, but the past two years even more so with the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society taking hold of northern Indiana.

I don’t know exactly how it happened that Pleasant Lake, Angola and other small towns have been the recipient of this magical experience, but we are not complaining! Train rides feature the ice cream train, the whiskey train, the fall train, the Christmas train and this past weekend, the Rolling Victory Weekend trains.

It was a marvelous experience, and even though I did not ride the train this weekend, I was part of the event on Sunday. Dressing up in my Miss Columbia dress, last day to wear white by the way, I helped greet the trains along with other Pleasant Lake folks. We were there to hand out maps to the Pleasant Lake Museum and welcome them to town. When I had the chance, I told my story as my costume was a WWI costume complete with the American flag. I said to several folks, “Don’t worry we won the last war, we will win this one!” Of course, I was referring to the WWII reenactments going on all weekend as part of the Rolling Victory train.

As folks clamored off the train one by one, I was certainly in awe of some of the costumes. Some folks went all out including hats, shoes, dresses, suits, purses and much more as they got into the vintage victory experience. Children were sporting suspenders and hats. I took lots of photos of these families and thanked them for getting into the spirit. It certainly makes it much more fun. As a word of advice, start looking around for these fun clothes and accessories for your next train experience!

Pleasant Lake welcomed the “travelers” with food stands and even ice cream from Scoops! Between trains, railroad folks sat around chatting in their vintage uniforms as well. A few soldiers were walking around with their gear. It was easy to find myself back in time for this event. As I was sitting with Carolyn and our new friend, Sharon, the band, The Baggage Car Boys, were set up and started playing. I immediately was in love with their music. They were playing a lot of blues and jazz, popular songs from the forties as all big bands were doing at that time. They also played for the Saturday night dance. I went over and took a video and chatted with the three of them for a while. They asked if they could have a photo with me. “Sure,” I said. I never turn a photo op down!! Afterwards I just hung around listening until the next train arrived.

The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society have taken us all by surprise. I remember hearing the rumor that this might happen a few years ago, but perhaps we needed it to actually happen, and it did. As I sat around the old depot in Pleasant Lake with the train roaring in and the folks in costumes, I felt the excitement much as folks must have years ago when the train came into town. The train brought visiting folks, servicemen, groceries, letters, dry goods, cattle…well, everything. Meeting the train and telling stories while waiting must have been a wonderful town event.

I am so enamored with the whole process that I joined the society. It wasn’t much really, $50 for a single membership. My money will go for train repairs and other necessities of the new adventure. I also am now on the list for volunteers and helping out when I can. I am not sure I would be much help in restoring the trains, but I sure can tell the stories.

We are blessed to have these events in our town and surrounding towns. As Johnny Cash said, “I’d let that lonesome whistle blow my blues away.”