Trains are an important part of everyday life, and most might not think about them that way. It is a unique form of transportation where a huge vehicle follows its way from point A to point B on railroad tracks, using coal as a use of energy to power its engine and the controls all the way to each destination it must go. Trains are also efficient to help items from one manufacturer travel to another in an efficient and stable way, whereas getting packages through the mail might damage it or using planes might also ruin the package due to bad handling on the people’s end when putting stuff away. But, nobody really knows the fascinating history of trains themselves, especially in the town of Hamburg, and their significance at the Reading Railroad Museum here in their town.
Sophomores Kaitlyn Gallagher and Sheila Kern took a visit this past Sunday to the Reading Railroad Museum for an extra credit assignment in their Honors World Cultures class, unsure of what to expect from the experience. Although, reflecting back on their time there, they both started to become interested in the history of trains and their significance in more than just transportation. Sheila Kern really enjoyed the experience, bringing her two year old sister Twyla along for the journey. “I thought the Reading Railroad museum was actually a really informative experience. I do not know a lot about trains, nor did I ever care about them. However, the museum not only told us how they work, but why they were created and how they were used, and I ended up appreciating them after my time at the museum.” Sheila also thought it was interesting how trains were used for militaries or the hospitals and how different trains were created to prevent pollution. “We also got to go on a tour and I made sure to ask the tour guide any more follow up questions, and he even told more about their museum, his passion for trains, and how they go all over the country to show their trains to several different states.” Sheila recommends the museum and thinks people should give it a chance before judging it right away. “They will end up knowing a lot more than they will think!”
Sophomore Kaitlyn Gallagher really enjoyed the experience more than she thought she would. “I honestly was never really interested in trains,” she states, “but I feel like after going to the museum, I have gained a lot of knowledge about them and have a soft spot for their history.” She learned how the trains were closely connected to wars going on at the time, and their importance to the wars and also to the society around them. A fact she learned was that the soldiers would be transported by train to get sent to the hospital near the train station, because it was an easy transportation from one place to another since they were so close. “I have recently been finding interest in military history and specifically gaining more love for history in general, so the museum and learning all the facts about the military and their connection to trains was a nice touch and really stuck with me.” Kaitlyn Gallagher recommends this to those who are also fellow history lovers, but even if people are not, they should try to give the museum a chance. “It is local and does not cost a lot to get in. Even if you are not interested in trains, it is just an easy way to get out of the house but also get some knowledge about where you live, too.”
To learn more about the Reading Railroad Museum in Hamburg, click here: https://www.readingrailroad.org/
