Students get history lesson from railroad museum

Ride back in time in old rail coaches

THOMASTON — The Railroad Museum of New England gave a history lesson to Thomaston Center School fourth graders that they will never forget.

The “lesson” on June 19 included a trip back in time with a ride in 90 year-old passenger coaches and a tour of the 137 year-old Thomaston Train Station. Just like the passengers of long ago, before the arrival of automobiles, the 65 students and teachers walked from their school to the station and back.

"Students in the 4th grade at Thomaston Center School have ridden the train at the Railroad Museum of New England as part of their year-long history program for the fifth year in a row,” said teacher Kristin Mosimann.

“We are thankful for the partnership of the museum and their generosity,” Mosimann said. “The ride on the train is a great way to end the school year and is a highlight of our program. Students look forward to

this trip every year."

“Thomaston Station was the point of arrival and departure for all people and product moving in or out of Thomaston,” RMNE president Steve Casey said. “From 1849 to 1910, before the advent of the automobile, everybody and everything was transported in and out of town by rail. This was true for every city, village and hamlet that had a railroad running through it.“

Each child also had a tour of the cab of the locomotive that pulled their train, as well as the 1939 diesel switcher and the 1921 rebuilt caboose on the Thomaston display track.

To learn more about the museum, visit its website at www.rmne.org.

Contributed photo Thomaston fourth-grade students spent a recent day at the Railroad Museum of New England in Thomaston.

Thomaston fourth-graders at the museum.

Contributed photo Thomaston fourth-grade students spent a recent day at the Railroad Museum of New England.