♪♪ >>> WHEN YOU THINK OF THE RAILROAD HERE IN OHIO TODAY, DOESN'T IT SEEM KIND OF LIKE A NOVELTY?

YOU MIGHT TAKE A SCENIC RAIL TRIP, OR YOU GET STOPPED AT THE TRACKS BY A FREIGHT TRAIN.

IF YOU WENT BACK IN TIME BEFORE PLANES WERE AN OPTION, THE RAILROAD WAS THE EASIEST AND QUICKEST WAY FOR PEOPLE TO TRAVEL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

IN FACT, DURING WORLD WAR II 1.3 MILLION SOLDIERS PASSED THROUGH THE TRAIN DEPOT IN DENNISON, OHIO, WHICH SERVED AS A CANTEEN STOP FOR SOLDIERS TRAVELING TO SERVE IN THE WAR.

ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN JEFF DARBEE VISITED THE DENNISON DEPOT WHICH NOW OPERATES AS A MUSEUM, AND HE TOOK A TOUR OF ITS UNIQUE EXHIBIT SPACE.

♪♪ >> WE'RE IN DENNISON IN EASTERN OHIO.

WE'RE GOING TO VISIT THE RAILROAD DEPOT HERE WHICH HAS BEEN A MUSEUM FOR SOME YEARS.

THIS WAS A BUSY RAILROAD LINE AT ONE TIME.

IT'S JUST A FREIGHT ROUTE NOW, SO NO MORE PASSENGER SERVICE.

THAT'S BEEN GONE FOR 40-PLUS YEARS.

THE RAILROAD DEPOT MUSEUM IS DOING WONDERFUL THINGS.

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN INTERESTING VISIT OF THE DEPOT RAILROAD MUSEUM.

HI, WENDY.

>> HEY, JEFF.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

WELCOME.

>> IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.

I'VE KNOWN ABOUT THE MUSEUM FOR A LONG TIME, BUT I DON'T KNOW ALL OF THE HISTORY.

LET'S START WITH THE RAILROAD.

WHAT RAILROAD ARE WE ALONG?

>> RIGHT NOW YOU'RE ON THE GENESEE AND WYOMING OHIO CENTRAL RAILROAD PROPERTY.

IF WE GO BACK IN TIME, WE'RE GOING BACK AS -- EARLIER THAN THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD.

>> SO IT GOES BACK WELL INTO THE 19th CENTURY.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> WAS THIS A MAJOR ROUTE?

>> THIS WAS A MAJOR ROUTE.

THIS WAS THE MOST DIRECT ROUTE FROM NEW YORK TO ST. LOUIS.

THE WATER STOP BETWEEN PITTSBURGH AND COLUMBUS, AND DURING WORLD WAR II AS PART OF THE NATIONAL DEFENSE RAILWAY ROUTE.

WE ALWAYS LIKE TO TELL PEOPLE IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHERE IN THE WORLD YOU ARE, YOU ARE EXACTLY HALFWAY BETWEEN PITTSBURGH AND COLUMBUS.

THERE'S A REASON, THE STEAM ENGINE CAN ONLY GO 100 MILES BEFORE IT NEEDED COAL AND WATER.

IT WAS GOING TO STOP HERE.

THERE WAS NO TOWN, THE TOWN GREW UP AROUND IT AND CREATED SOME OF THE MOST EXTENSIVE AND COMPLETE RAILROAD SHOPS IN THE 1900s.

>> DENNISON DEPOT WAS KNOWN AS A CANTEEN DURING WORLD WAR II.

WHAT WAS THE CANTEEN, AND WHAT DID IT DO?

>> WELL, DURING THE WAR, THE LARGEST MOBILIZATION OUR COUNTRY HAD SEEN AFTER PEARL HARBOR, THERE WAS A MILITARY PROBLEM.

MOST TROOP TRAINS HAD 500 TO 700 PEOPLE.

SUCCESSFULLY YOU HAD TO HAVE HAPPY, WELL FED, GOOD MORALE WITH YOUR SOLDIERS.

THE TESTING FOR THE MILITARY IS HOW THEY WERE GOING FEED THEM DURING TRANSPORT.

THE SOLDIERS HAVE NO MONEY, THEY USED EVERY DINING CAR, YOU COULDN'T FEED THEM.

IN YOU STOPPED TO FEED THEM ALONG THE WAY, YOU WOULD RUIN THE SCHEDULES.

VOLUNTEERS ON THE HOMEFRONT CAME ONE THE IDEA OF A CANTEEN SERVING FREE FOOD AND COFFEE.

AS A TRAIN TO GET WATER.

THIS IS A WATER STOP IN COLUMBUS.

EVERY TRAIN WAS GOING TO STOP HERE.

THEY CAME OUT AND STARTED GIVING THE SOLDIERS FREE FOOD.

THERE WAS A LADY WHO STARTED THIS PROCESS BY RAISING A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY, THEN IT GOT SO BIG SHE COULDN'T HANDLE IT.

SHE BROUGHT IN THE SALVATION ARMY.

EIGHT COUNTIES PARTICIPATED HERE IN THIS CANTEEN.

>> WOW.

>> IT WAS 24/7.

NOBODY WAS PUBLISHING TRAIN SCHEDULES FOR ANYONE TO SEE.

SO YOU HAD TO BE READY AT ANY TIME.

NEVER RAN OUT OF FOOD.

NEVER RAN OUT OF VOLUNTEERS.

AND IT SERVED 1.3 MILLION SOLDIERS.

>> ISN'T THAT AMAZING?

NOW, THERE WERE OTHER CANTEENS, WEREN'T THERE?

>> RIGHT.

>> ACROSS THE COUNTRY?

>> THE STATE OF OHIO SHOULD BE VERY PROUD.

THE STATE OF OHIO HAD 12 CANTEENS.

OUT OF ALL THOSE WE'RE THE ONLY ONE LEFT THAT RESEMBLES ANYTHING LIKE THE WORLD WAR II CANTEEN.

THE NATION HAD OVER 200.

WE'RE THE BEST EXAMPLE OF A HOMEFRONT CON TEEN, AND WHERE YOU ARE NOW, WE ARE WALKING AND STANDING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF AMERICAN HEROES, THOSE WHO SERVED ON THE HOMEFRONT AND ON THE WAR FRONT.

>> I WOULD LOVE TO GET A TOUR OF THE DEPOT.

>> HAPPY TO DO THAT.

FOLLOW ME.

♪♪ >> YES, THIS IS DEFINITELY A RAILROAD DEPOT.

WHEN WAS THIS BUILT?

>> 1873.

>> IT'S EARLY.

EARLIER THAN I THOUGHT.

AND FOR SOME REASON, NEVER GOT TORN DOWN.

SO MANY HAVE.

>> RIGHT.

THE VILLAGE OF DENNISON ALMOST TORE IT DOWN, BUT WHEN AT THE LAST MOMENT WHEN IT WAS ONE OF THE LAST AND ONLY REMAINING RAILROAD BUILDINGS LEFT, IT WAS SAVED BY THE COMMUNITY.

THE MAYOR DECIDED TO SAVE IT.

LITTLE DID WE KNOW YEARS LATER IT WOULD BECOME A NATIONAL LANDMARK.

THANK GOODNESS HE SAVED IT.

WHERE YOU'RE STANDING WOULD HAVE BEEN THE MEN'S WAITING ROOM.

YOU WOULD HAVE COME IN, WAITED FOR YOUR TRAIN RIDE, GOT YOUR TICKET, AND JUST, YOU KNOW, HUNG OUT UNTIL THE TRAIN CAME.

WE'VE MADE IT A LITTLE BIT NICER THAN IT WAS AT THE TIME.

WE'VE ALSO TAKEN A PLAQUE, THIS PLAQUE WAS AWARDED TO DENNISON FOR ITS CANTEEN SERVICE, AND IT USED TO HANG ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING.

WHEN THE BUILDING WAS ALMOST TORN DOWN, THE COMMUNITY ACTUALLY TOOK THE PLAQUE OFF THE BUILDING AND HID IT IN A BARN UNTIL THEY WERE SURE THEY COULD KEEP IT.

AND THEY PUT IT IN HERE.

IT ACTUALLY WAS PRESENTED TO THE COMMUNITY FOR ALL THE VOLUNTEER WORK AND MONEY RAISED FOR THE CANTEEN DURING WORLD WAR II.

>> BOY, THAT REALLY WAS SUCH AN ACCOMPLISHMENT.

AND THE NUMBERS ARE ASTOUNDING.

1.3 MILLION SERVICEMEN -- >> 13% OF ALL ARMED PERSONNEL.

PRETTY MUCH, EVERYBODY GOT ONE CUP OF COFFEE FROM DENNISON, SON, NAMED DREAMSVILLE, USA.

MIGHT HAVE BEEN ONE OF LAST HAPPY MEMORIES FROM HOME.

AND THE LADIES HERE TOOK IT VERY SERIOUSLY.

AND THOUGHT IF THIS IS THEIR LAST MEMORY THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE IT THE BEST.

THEY FELT IF WE'RE TAKING CARE OF FOLKS HERE, OTHER PEOPLE ARE TAKING CARE OF OUR LOVED ONES IN ANOTHER PLACE.

>> TO SHOW THAT KIND OF LOVE FOR THOSE PEOPLE IS ASTOUNDING.

>> YEAH.

THERE IS NO RECORD.

WE DON'T KNOW THE PEOPLE WHO STOPPED HERE.

WE HAVE SUPERVISORS OF THE CANTEEN, BUT WHAT TOWN DID GET WAS TONS AND TONS OF LETTERS AFTERWARDS.

>> STILL RECEIVING LETTERS.

>> THANKING THEM FOR THE SERVICE AND MAKING A POINT OF HOW THAT CHANGED THEIR FEELING TOWARD THE WAR, TOWARD TRAVELING, FROM BEING AFRAID TO FEELING SUPPORTED.

SO YEAH, THAT'S WHAT THE CITY GOT WAS A LOT OF LETTERS.

>> I'D LOVE TO SEE MORE OF THE BUILDING.

MAYBE THE WOMEN'S WAITING ROOM.

SOME OF THE OTHER FACILITIES.

>> WE HAVE MORE TO SHOW YOU.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> WE'LL GO TO THE WOMEN'S WAITING ROOM.

>> CONSIDERABLY BIGGER.

NICER THAT THE MEN'S WHICH SEEMS APPROPRIATE.

WHY DIFFERENT MEN'S AND WOMEN'S WAITING ROOMS?

>> IT WAS JUST A NORMAL VICTORIAN CUSTOM THAT CARRIED OVER TO ALL RAILROAD STATIONS BECAUSE OF CHILDREN TRAVELING WITH THE MOTHER.

YOU KNOW, MEN WOULD SMOKE CIGARS OR CHEW TOBACCO, SO IT WAS SORT OF POLITE TO KEEP THEM IN THAT ROOM AND THE WOMEN OVER HERE.

>> SO THE GENTILE HERE AND THE MORE SAVAGE -- I UNDERSTAND THERE'S SOME CARDS HERE THAT WE CAN LOOK AT ON THE INTERIOR?

>> I CAN'T WAIT TO SHOW THEM TO YOU.

FOLLOW ME.

I'M EXCITED TO SHOW YOU THIS WING TO OUR MUSEUM.

IT'S HAVE WE DOUBLED OUR SPACE FOR KIDS AND OTHER EXHIBITS.

THIS IS A CHILDREN'S CAR.

SO KIDS CAN CLIMB UP INTO A PULLMAN BUNK, THEY CAN COOK IN A DINING CAR.

THE BACK END OF THIS PARTICULAR CAR IS FULL OF PLAYHOUSES BASED ON THE RAILROAD SHOPS AND YARDS.

YOU CAN LOOK AT THE FINANCIAL HOW TO, PUT SOME COAL INTO THE ENGINE.

GO INTO THE CLERK'S OFFICE AND SEND TELEGRAMS.

THROUGHOUT THE SPACE WE'VE SPRINKLED ARTIFACTS AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

SO IN A VERY FUN WAY KIDS CAN LEARN ALL ABOUT RAILROAD HISTORY.

JEFF, NOW WE'RE ENTERING OUR HOSPITAL CAR.

TWO HOSPITAL CARS, YOU SEE THE DOCTORS' AND NURSES' QUARTERS.

YOU CAN SEE THE BUNKS.

THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN FULL OF WOUNDED SOLDIERS WAITING FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE OR SURGERY.

OUR STAFF FAVORITE ARE THE SANDWICH BAGS, 50 YEARS OLD, THAT TWO VETERANS BROUGHT BACK TO US ON THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF WORLD WAR II.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE SAVE THEIR SANDWICHES BAGS AND BRING THEM BACK, BUT THEY MEANT THAT MUCH TO THOSE SOLDIERS TO BRING THEM BACK.

THE LAST PART OF THIS CAR IS SET UP AS A 1940s LIVING ROOM.

BECAUSE WE WANT SCHOOL KIDS TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO LIVE IN THE '40s.

YOU SEE THE RADIO THERE FOR THE FIRESIDE CHAT, THAT'S YOUR TV.

THE ROTARY PHONE, YOU KNOW, THE OLD -- WOULD OLD STOVE, FRIDGE.

THIS WAS LIFE IN THE '40s.

AS CHALLENGING AS IT WAS, AS YOU KNOW, THERE WAS RATIONING GOING ON.

SO A LOT FOR KIDS TO LEARN THERE.

THIS IS OUR LAST EXHIBIT CAR, VERY FUN, CURVY, ART DECO CAR.

WE DECIDED TO PUT ALL OF THE OTHER CLAIMS TO FAME FOR DENNISON, OHIO, AND YOU KNOW, WHEN SCHOOLKIDS COME HERE, WE LIKE TO ASK THEM WHAT IS YOUR TOWN FOUNDED FOR, EVER TOWN WAS FOUNDED FOR A REASON.

THEY START TO THINK ABOUT THEIR OWN LOCAL HISTORY.

>> WE'VE SEEN THE MUSEUM IN THE DEPOT, THE CARS.

WHAT ARE OTHER THINGS YOU DO HERE?

>> WELL, WE HAVE OTHER PIECES TO THE MUSEUM.

ONE OF OUR FAVORITE PIECES IS THE MODEL TRAIN ROOM WHERE OUR VOLUNTEERS HAVE USED THIS TO RE-CREATE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.

IF YOU GO OUTSIDE, YOU WILL NEVER SEE IT IN A RAILROAD TOWN.

MOST THINGS ARE GONE.

IT WAS A HUGE 40-ACRE TRACT OF LAND, 3,000 PEOPLE WORKING HERE.

AND THE MODEL TRAIN LAYOUT WHICH THEY CAN PUSH AND WATCH THE TRAINS OPERATE REALLY ILLUSTRATES THAT.

BUT AS FAR AS WHAT ELSE WE DO, WE ARE OPEN YEAR ROUND, EVERY DAY EXCEPT FOR MONDAY.

WE HAVE A RAILROAD FESTIVAL HERE.

WE DO POLAR EXPRESS TRAIN RIDES.

MULTIPLE EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

FOOD TRUCK FEST, ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

WE HAVE A WEBSITE TO SHARE WITH PEOPLE, JUST CONTACT US.

>> THERE'S SO MUCH TO SEE WHEN PEOPLE COME.

IT'S GOT TO BE A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE FOR EVERYBODY, CERTAINLY HAS BEEN FOR ME.

>> WELL, THANK YOU.

WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO MAKE IT BIGGER AND BETTER.

>> MANY THANKS FOR THE TOUR.

>> THANKS FOR COMING.

>> WONDERFUL TO SEE.

♪♪ >>> PLENTY OF PEOPLE ARE FASCINATED WITH TRAINS, BUT FOR SOME WATCHING TRAINS IS A REGULAR ACTIVITY.

ALMOST LIKE BEING SPORTS FANS.

THAT IS CERTAINLY THE CASE IN OUR NEXT STORY WHERE A GROUP OF FRIENDS ALONG WITH OTHER TRAIN ENTHUSIASTS GET TOGETHER TO WATCH THE TRAINS GO BY.

WE TAGGED ALONG TO SEE WHAT WAS THE APPEAL.

♪♪ >> THERE'S EIGHT OR NINE SPOTS JUST HERE IN COLUMBUS THAT RAIL FANS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS WILL HANG OUT JUST TO SEE WHAT GOES BY.

HAVING BEEN A KID, 12 YEARS OLD, STANDING BY THE TRACKS AND WATCHING THE ENGINEER WAVE AT YOU, THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST THRILLS IN THE WORLD.

[ HORN ] ♪♪ YOU'VE COME OUT HERE A LONG TIME.

>> I'VE BEEN COMING OUT HERE SINCE 1974.

AS THEY WERE BUILDING THE COOK ROAD UNDERPASS.

THERE IS A STRONG COMMUNITY, ECLECTIC.

YOU SEE YOUNG PARENTS WITH LITTLE CHILDREN, YOU SEE OLDER PEOPLE, PEOPLE COME UP TO TAKE PICTURES, PEOPLE COME UP JUST TO HANG OUT.

I THINK THE COMMON DENOMINATOR, EVERYBODY HAS AN INTEREST AND/OR LOVE OF TRAINS.

IT'S REALLY A SOCIAL THING.

IN MANY WAYS, YES, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS FROM POLITICS TO WEATHER.

MUCH OF IT CENTERED AROUND TRAINS, MODEL TRAINS.

WHEN I WAS A KID, MY GRANDFATHER ON THE EAST SIDE OF PITTSBURGH USED TO GO UP THE STREET AT NIGHT, AND THAT'S WHAT HE CALLED IT.

WOULD SIT AND TALK WITH THE OLD MEN.

AND I GUESS I'VE REACHED THAT POINT.

>> BEEN COMING OUT HERE FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS.

IN THE PICTURES OF THE CONTAINERS AND CARS ARE PRETTY GOOD.

I'D SAY THE PICTURES OF THE DOUBLE STACK IS A REALLY GOOD PICTURE.

>> BRANDON, WHAT GOT YOU INTERESTED IN THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE?

>> WELL, MY DAD ALWAYS HAD LIONEL TRAINS IN THE BASEMENT, AND MY GRANDPA WAS ALWAYS BIG INTO PHOTOGRAPHY.

EVENTUALLY THE TWO INTERESTS AND HOBBIES COMBINED, AND IT TURNED INTO THIS.

>> I MIGHT GO OUT IN THE RAIN OR A LITTLE SNOW, SHOOT SOME PICTURES EVERY NOW AND THEN.

BUT I'VE SEEN PICTURES OF YOURS THAT ARE LIKE 2:00, 3:00 IN THE MORNING, AND IT'S DARK, AND YOU'RE IN SOME PART OF TOWN THAT NOBODY WANTS TO GO TO.

WHAT DRIVES YOU TO GO AFTER THE PHOTOS YOU GET?

>> I ALSO WANT THE PHOTOS TO BE DIFFERENT BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAID NOBODY'S GOING TO WANT TO GO TO THAT PART OF TOWN AT 3:00 A.M. TO GET A PICTURE.

IN ORDER TO CREATE A DIFFERENT SCENE, DIFFERENT LIGHTING.

>> WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO SET UP FOR THAT FREIGHT THAT'S COMING ACROSS THE SCIOTO RIVER?

>> I LIKE TO INCLUDE ELEMENTS IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND SHOWING WHERE THE TRAIN IS IN THE PICTURE.

SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE CAN IDENTIFY WITH COLUMBUS, LIKE A BRIDGE OR A BUILDING, FOR EXAMPLE, THE LEVEQUE TOWER.

ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS IS THE LIGHTING IN THE SCENE, OR IF THE LIGHTING ISN'T COOPERATING, AN INTERESTING TRAIN -- SOMETHING FROM A DIFFERENT RAILROAD, LIKE A RAILROAD FROM OUT WEST, SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T TYPICALLY RUN THROUGH THIS AREA.

>> WHAT IS PROBABLY YOUR FAVORITE PHOTO IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU HAD TO GO THROUGH TO GET IT EXACTLY HOW YOU WANTED IT?

>> IT WAS ON THE WEST SIDE OF COLUMBUS WHERE WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE SCENE IT WAS POURING WITH RAIN, BUT THEN THE SUN BEGAN TO COME OUT, AND THE TRAIN WAS GETTING CLOSER.

AS THE TRAIN MAYBE A QUARTER MILE AWAY, A RAINBOW APPEARED OVER TOP OF IT.

MADE THE PICTURE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

NOT WHAT I EXPECTED.

ONE OF THE CRAZIEST EXPERIENCES I HAD PHOTOGRAPHING TRAINS, JUST PHOTOGRAPHING THE LANDSCAPE, WAS IN EASTERN NEW MEXICO AND WEST TEXAS WHERE ME AND TWO OTHER FRIENDS GOT CAUGHT UP IN THE LIGHTNING STORM.

AND WE HAD GOTTEN AHEAD OF IT, SO WE PULLED OVER AND GOT OUR CAMERAS OUT.

BASICALLY IN A LIGHTNING STORM, REALLY INTERESTING PICTURES.

WE WERE ALL RUNNING ON ADRENALINE, AND IT WAS WORTH IT.

[ HORN ] ♪♪ >> EVERY NOW AND THEN SOMETHING UNUSUAL SHOWS UP.

THE SUMMER BEFORE LAST, A RAIL MUSEUM DOWN IN CAROLINA HOSTED A GATHERING OF THE REMAINING STREAMLINED LOCOMOTIVES, BUT THERE WAS ABOUT HALF A DOZEN OF THEM THAT CAME UP THROUGH HERE.

ON A NORMAL NIGHT, YOU MIGHT SEE ONE PERSON OUT HERE.

ON THAT DAY, THERE WERE LIKE DOZENS.

>> THERE IT IS.

COME ON, WE GOT TO GET ACROSS.

>> THE LIGHT ON.

>> THERE IT IS.

>> GOING DOWN THERE IS GOING DOWN.

>> WHAT'S THE MOST TRAINS YOU SAW IN ONE DAY, DAVID?

>> OH, MY GOSH.

LIKE SIX?

>> YEAH.

YOU NEVER BEEN -- >> I HEARD IT'S GREAT FOR TRAIN WATCHING.

>> YES.

>> WHEN DID YOU FOLKS START COMING OUT HERE?

>> GOSH, IT'S PROBABLY BEEN TEN YEARS NOW.

A FRIEND OF OURS IS ALSO A RAIL FAN AND WAS TELLING US DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.

LIKE BELLEVUE AND MARION AND HERE.

>> HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO ASTORIA?

>> NO -- FOSTORIA?

>> NO, I HAVEN'T.

WHAT'S IN FOSTORIA?

>> A TRAIN -- IRON TRIANGLE.

>> THEY BUILT A PLATFORM WITH HEATED BATHROOMS.

>> NICE.

>> HERE IT COMES.

>> I DON'T THINK IT'S FIDDLE STICKS -- >> I THINK IT IS.

[ HORN ] [ HORN ] >>> A SMALL TRAIN, GUYS.

>> LOOKS LIKE -- >> REALLY COOL.

>> THAT'S A LONG COAL TRAIN.

>> YES.

>> PRETTY CUTE SITTING THERE.

>> HAVE YOU ALWAYS BEEN EXCITED ABOUT TRAINS?

>> YES!

>> EVEN WHEN YOU WERE A LITTLE BOY?

>> YEAH.

>> WHAT'S SO EXCITING ABOUT THEM?

>> I JUST LOVE THEM.

>> DAVID LEARNED SO MUCH FROM WATCHING TRAIN MOVIES.

HE COULD TEACH ME ABOUT THE ENGINES AND THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE WHEELS AND EVERYTHING.

>> YEAH.

>> I WAS WATCHING YOU GUYS WHILE YOU WERE WAITING FOR TRAINS.

YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF TIME TO TALK AND JUST HANG OUT TOGETHER, DON'T YOU?

>> YES.

>> LOT OF TIME TO VISIT.

>> YES.

>> A LOT OF THE CONVERSATION IS I HOPE THERE WILL BE ANOTHER TRAIN.

♪♪ ♪♪ >>> I LOVE WATCHING OLD FILMS BECAUSE THEY GIVE YOU A GLIMPSE INTO BYGONE ERAS.

SO I AM THRILLED ABOUT THIS NEXT STORY.

WE'VE ACQUIRED AN OLD FILM FROM 1932 THAT FOLLOWS THE COLUMBUS, DELAWARE, AND MARION INTERURBAN ON ITS JOURNEY FROM MARION TO COLUMBUS AND BACK AGAIN.

WE INVITED HISTORIAN JEFF DARBEE TO BE OUR TOUR GUIDE THROUGH THE FILM.

SO ALL ABOARD THE COLUMBUS, DELAWARE, AND MARION INTERURBAN.

♪♪ >> TRANSPORTATION'S IMPORTANT NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE, AND OVER TIME IT'S BEEN THE REASON THAT PLACES LIKE OHIO DEVELOPED.

WE STARTED WITH ZANE'S TRACE IN 1796, BARELY A TRAIL THROUGH THE WILDERNESS MUCH THE NATIONAL ROAD CAME IN THE '30s ACROSS THE STATE, THE FIRST PAVED ROAD.

THE RAILROAD ERA BEGAN IN THE 1850s FOR OHIO.

YOU COULD GO COLUMBUS TO CLEVELAND AND COLUMBUS TO CINCINNATI.

BUT THERE WAS A VERY INTERESTING PERIOD, TOO, THAT BEGAN LATE IN THE 19th CENTURY, THAT WAS THE INTERURBAN ERA.

INTERURBAN, BETWEEN CITIES IS WHAT IT MEANS, WERE ELECTRIC.

THEY HAD OVERHEAD WIRES.

THEY CARRIED PEOPLE.

THE PROBLEM IS THE STEAM RAILROADS WOULD SERVE PEOPLE ADEQUATELY, BUT THEY DIDN'T SERVE ALL THE LITTLE TOWNS.

THERE WERE PLACES ALONG THE RAILROAD ROUTES WHERE THE TRAINS NEVER STOPPED.

SO THE INTERURBANS HELPED FILL THAT GAP.

THEY ALSO CARRIED FREIGHT.

THEY WOULD CARRY MILK FROM FARMERS TO DAIRIES.

THEY WOULD PROVIDE MAIL SERVICE.

THERE WAS EVEN ONE LINE THAT SERVED GRANVILLE THAT DELIVERED THE AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER TO HOUSES ALONG THE ROUTE.

SO THE INTERURBAN ERA WAS AN INTERESTING ONE.

IT DIDN'T LAST LONG.

ROUGHLY THE LATE 19th CENTURY TO ABOUT THE 1930s WHEN IT WAS PRETTY WELL OVER.

SO IT WAS THE ADVENT OF THE AUTOMOBILE AND PARTICULARLY HARD PAVED ROADS THAT LED TO THE DEMISE OF THE INTERURBANS.

WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE A FILM FROM THE EARLY 1930s BEFORE THE INTERURBANS WENT OUT OF BUSINESS IN 1933 THAT SHOWS A RIDE FROM MARION TO COLUMBUS.

THE COLUMBUS, DELAWARE, AND MARION DATED FROM 1901 WHEN IT BEGAN CONSTRUCTION IN COLUMBUS, FINISHED IN 1903.

IT WAS ABANDONED IN THE FALL OF 1933.

IT WAS ONE OF SEVERAL THAT SERVED COLUMBUS.

THERE WERE TEN DIFFERENT ROUTES THAT SERVED THE CITY.

A SHOT IN MARION OF THE TERMINAL.

HAD FREIGHT SERVICE, YOU CAN SEE HOW THEY ADVERTISED TO THE VARIOUS IMPORTANT CITIES.

THEY PROVIDED ELECTRIC POWER, AS WELL, TO COMMUNITIES ALONG THE ROUTE.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE, THE FILM JUMPS AROUND.

THOSE DOORS WERE ON THE CAR BARNS IN DELAWARE WHERE THEY USED TO STORE THE CARS WHEN THEY WEREN'T IN USE.

NOW WE'RE BACK AT MARION, LEAVING PLAYERYON, GOING DOWN THE -- MARION, GOING DOWN THE STREET.

MOST OF THE RANDOM STREETS THAT THE CITIES SERVE.

ONCE THEY GOT INTO THE COUNTRY, THEY WERE CROSS COUNTRY, THEY DIDN'T GO ALONG THE HIGHWAYS.

THEY PARALLELED THEM BUT DIDN'T GO ALONG THE HIGHWAYS.

U.S. 23 IS WHAT THE COLUMBUS, DELAWARE, AND MARION FOLLOWED, EAST OF THE HIGHWAY.

AND YOU CAN STILL SEE SOME REMAINS INCLUDING THE ABUTTMENTS FOR A BRIDGE OVER WATERWAYS SOUTH OF DELAWARE IN THE VICINITY OF THE STRATFORD AREA.

WE'RE MOVING SOUTHBOUND HERE ALONG THE RIVER.

VIEWS FROM THE FRONT AND THE BACK OF THE CAR INTO DELAWARE.

THIS IS DOWNTOWN DELAWARE.

DOWN ON SANDUSKY STREET.

MEETING ANOTHER CAR.

THE COLUMBUS, DELAWARE, AND MARION HAD A REGULAR PASSENGER SERVICE IN TERMS OF A CAR OF PROBABLY 30 OR 40, 50 PEOPLE COULD RIDE IN IT BUT TWO PARLORS CARS, 501 AND 502.

PARLOR CARS IS WHERE YOU PAID EXTRA AND YOU GOT A PLUSH SEAT THAT YOU COULD MOVE AROUND.

SOMETIMES THEY WOULD HAVE WHAT THEY CALLED BUFFET SERVICE.

THIS AGAIN IS THE DELAWARE CAR BARN.

AND ONE OF THOSE CARS STILL EXISTS AT THE OHIO RAILWAY MUSEUM IN WORTHINGTON.

CAR NUMBER 501, THE WOODEN PARLOR CAR, STILL IN EXISTENCE.

IN FACT, THE RAILWAY MUSEUM IN ARLINGTON, IT HAS A -- WORTHINGTON, IT HAS A TRACK WHERE YOU CAN RIDE A TRAIN THAT WAS THE RIGHT OF WAY OF THE COLUMBUS, DELAWARE, AND MARION ALONG THE EAST SIDE OF WORTHINGTON ON -- CROSSES ROUTE 161.

IF YOU TRAVEL 161 GOING INTO OR OUT OF WORTHINGTON, YOU'LL SEE THE SIGN THAT SAYS OHIO RAILWAY MUSEUM.

SO WE'RE GETTING DOWN TOWARD COLUMBUS.

THIS IS ONE OF THE BIG BRIDGES NORTH OF COLUMBUS WITH THE CAR CROSSING IT.

THE THING ABOUT THE INTERURBANS WAS IT TOOK SOME ENGINEERING FOR VALLEYS LIKE THIS TO GET ACROSS THESE VALLEYS.

BUT THEY COULD ALSO GO UP AND DOWN HILLS THAT STEAM RAILROADS COULDN'T.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO CHANGE THE COUNTRYSIDE THAT MUCH.

AIU, THE REFERENCE TO THIS BUILDING, OF COURSE, IS TODAY KNOWN AS THE LEVEQUE TOWER.

AND OF COURSE WE HAVE THE STATE HOUSE, ALL THE MAIN FEATURES IN DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS.

THE TERMINAL IN COLUMBUS WAS AT 3rd STREET, INTERURBAN, AND YOU SEE THE CARS, THEIR COLOR SCHEME WAS RED AND WHITE.

YOU CAN SEE THE BANDING IN THE LOWER PART RED AND WHITE UP ABOVE.

AND THAT'S THE INTERURBAN TERMINAL THAT WAS AT 3rd AND RICH STREETS.

NO LONGER THERE.

IT'S BEEN REPLACED BY NEW CONSTRUCTION OF A RESIDENTIAL BUILDING.

THIS IS ANOTHER VIEW OF THAT BIG BRIDGE.

THIS TIME WITH A CAR GOING NORTHBOUND HEADED BACK TO MARION, SOUTH OF DELAWARE, HEADED NORTHBOUND TOWARD MARION.

WHAT AN ADVENTURE RIDING A BRIDGE LIKE THIS.

STRATFORD WAS THE LOCATION OF THAT BRIDGE.

HERE'S ANOTHER ONE COMING INTO THE SOUTHERN END OF DELAWARE.

CROSSING THE CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO RAILROAD, CSX NOW.

THE INTERURBANS TENDED TO GO OVER OR UNDER THE INTERVENING STEAM RAILROADS RATHER THAN CROSSING THEM AT GRADE.

THAT WAS USUALLY WHAT THE STEAM RAILROADS WOULD NOT ALLOW.

THEY WOULD REQUIRE THE INTERURBANS TO AVOID THEIR ROUTES ENTIRELI.

HERE IT'S MEETING A SOUTHBOUND TRAIN ON THE CHESAPEAKE AND IOWA IN THE STEAM DAYS.

YOU COULD SEE HOW FAST THESE INTERURBANS COULD GO.

SOME COULD GO 60, 70, 80 MILES PER HOUR.

THERE WAS A LINE CALLED THE CINCINNATI AND LAKE EARA THAT WENT TO CINCINNATI AND THAT GOT WELL OVER 90 MILES PER HOUR.

IT'S BEEN AN INTERESTING RIDE.

AND HAVING FILMS LIKE THIS IS SO VALUABLE.

MORE THAN JUST STILL PHOTOS.

YOU GET A FEEL FOR WHAT THE TIMES WERE LIKE.

THE CARS, THE BUILDINGS BEFORE THEY GOT ALTERED, THAT SORT OF THING.

WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE FILMS LIKE THIS WHEN WE CAN FIND THEM, AND IF BY ANY CHANCE YOU SHOULD RUN ACROSS MOVIES LIKE THIS, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU, AND SO WOULD WOSU.

THESE ARE VALUABLE DOCUMENTS OF TIMES THAT ARE GONE AND WON'T BE BACK AGAIN.

♪♪ >>> THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.

AND REMEMBER, YOU CAN CATCH ALL OF OUR EPISODES ON YOUTUBE OR COLUMBUSNEIGHBORHOODS.ORG.

PLUS, SEE OUR STORIES ON THE WOSU MOBILE APP.

AND YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE'LL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT WEEK ON "COLUMBUS NEIGHBORHOODS."

♪♪ ♪♪