06/21/2026
The railroad community is an interesting one not often replicated, at least not in the same way. Some of us refer to it as the “train family” and some even prefer the tight-knit group of friends over their actual family. But then there’s the lucky ones who make volunteering at the railroad a family affair. We’ve seen it many times where father and child walk into the shop and are instantly star-struck by the impressive iron horse sitting dormant, waiting for its next call to duty. Or they walk into a hobby shop and see rows upon rows of highly detailed models and think “someday, I want to run one of those”
Once the iron horse nips at your soul, it's sure to leave a mark. It bites some of us harder than others, and some only let it gently sniff their hand. Either way, it’s usually something you’re not soon to forget.
But back to volunteering.
Whether you come with a child or parent in tow, or make the journey to your nearest historical society by yourself, you’ll likely find a community of interesting characters ready to take you under their wing and pass on the knowledge to keep things rolling down the main. Much like the father figures we have, or sometimes wish we had.
So, today we celebrate the fathers, grandfathers, father figures, single fathers, the mothers who had to be father figures, the mentors who became friends, and the ones who taught us lessons along the way.
Happy Father’s Day from the Sumpter Valley Railroad
