If These Rails Could Talk, Oh the Stories They Could Tell!

If These Rails Could Talk, Oh the Stories They Could Tell!. . , Early railroads of the 1820s and 1830s were established to move farm goods to and from ports and to serve the expanding inland communities. By 1900, most of the network of railroads throughout the United States were in place and railroads began to take on new purposes., Presidential Rail Cars: A private rail car was built for Abraham Lincoln. He did not use it while in office, but it became part of his funeral train in 1865. The Pullman Company rebuilt the 1929 Ferdinand Magellan for Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War II. The car served as Presidential Rail Car, U.S. Car No. 1, between 1943 and 1958., Whistlestop Tours: Prior to Theodore Roosevelt, presidential candidates made speeches from the back of a train. However, not until his campaign in 1900 did trackside campaign rallies - whistlestops - become the norm. Lady Bird Johnson was the first First Lady to campaign alone. She embarked on a whistlestop tour for her husband which stopped in Ashland on October 6, 1964., Santa Claus, Orange Juice, and the Circus All Travel by Train, Ashland Santa Train: In 1955, an Ashland mother convinced an RF&P executive that Santa Claus should arrive in Town by train. No longer pulled by a steam engine, Santa and his elves continue to ride into Ashland on the train to the delight of children., BMWs and OJ: Amtrak introduced its Auto Train in 1983. This 855-mile, non-stop route transports passengers and their automobiles between Lorton, Virginia, and Sanford, Florida, along these tracks. You will also see the Juice Trains moving Tropicana juice from Florida orange groves. Refrigerated box cars cooled to 34°F bring the juice to New Jersey through Ashland., "Ladies and Gentlemen, Children of All Ages": Beginning in the late 1800s, circuses and carnivals traveled by train. More than a mile long, the circus train for Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus had 60 cars for animals, equipment, and performers. The train was home for the circus as it traveled the country, including through Ashland, until folding in 2017., (captions) , Interior of the Ferdinand Magellan, U.S. Car No. 1. , Lady Bird Johnson and Ashland officials in 1964. , 1956 Santa Train, Railroads Link Virginia with Global Markets, A regular sight on railroads, intermodal containers allow freight to be transferred between ocean vessels, barge, rail, and truck to maximize the transportation mode., The Port of Virginia, with its deepwater terminals in Hampton Roads and inland terminals in Richmond and Front Royal, moves cargo through its technologically advanced facilities to create economic opportunities for communities across the Commonwealth and the nation by creating connections with global markets., The Port of Virginia is the U.S. east coast's largest intermodal rail port, offering quick, efficient, and affordable service to markets across the nation, including the two largest inland logistics hubs: Chicago and Memphis., (captions) , At Richmond Marine Terminal, the port operates a strategic, streamlined weekly barge service for customers in Central and Western Virginia., Port of Virginia, Newport News Marine Terminal