Good memories, bad blood and varnish on the LL branch

[E.M. Bell]

Friday (the 13th) I finally got up the nerve to go shoot something I have been meaning to for a few weeks now, the new new Corman Lexington dinner train.

As many of you know, I worked for the G&O for several years, and the majority of that was here in Ky on the LXOH, running the old Southern LL branch between Lexington and Versailles. I have had some very bad feelings towards Corman and the G&O for a long time about the way the Three of us (LXOH employees) got treated when the line was sold back in 2003. We had worked our butts off since 1994 to take a line with few customers and bad track and turn it into a busy, profitable little RR. A lot of my time, blood sweat and tears went into that, just to have the rugged pulled out from under us and get kicked to the curb the first year we made a profit and the G&O promptly sold it. I guess things have really worked out in my favor looking back, as I have a better job than I could have ever hoped for now, but I still miss railroading every day. Its just one of those things that gets in your blood and wont go away.

Anyway..bad blood aside, I felt the need to go and get a few shots of the new Dinner Train RJC is running on the branch, for no other reason than to document it. With Mr. Corman's recent passing, I have my doubts if the Dinner trains (Bardstown and Lexington) will have much of a future.  While I  dont have a clue as to what direction the company might take in the future,  I cant imagine these trains can be overly profitable and personally feel they will be gone in a year or Two...maybe I am wrong about that, but only time will tell

Carmon kept pestering me to just go do it, so we did. I only came away with a handful of shots, but I will have to admit that it was good to see our old RR in good shape and the train running close to 25mph. The train looked sharp in the low evening light, but I still cant get over the sight of an engineer wearing a Tux and bow tie!

Enough Blabbering...check the link for a few pics >>> http://www.pbase.com/kd4jsl/railshorts13

The 6pm dinner train sits at the new "Station" behind Rupp Arena in Lexington, ready to head West with a handful of passengers on board.


The train rolls through the valley at a location we called "57 Farms" between Elkchester and Pisgah, Kentucky


With the light fading fast, the Dinner train enters the small yard at Versailles KY. Check out that sharp dressed throttle jockey, complete with a bright red bowtie!

[Ponce de Leon]

In short, EM, I certainly understand why you had mixed feelings. I knew you worked for the G&O when Pete's outfit owned the line, and I knew you and your colleagues were "kicked to the curb" when Corman took over. I know that sucks. But---what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and you've done well since then.

Those points aside---I have some memories of inspecting track on the branch (seems like we did it on Wednesdays) from Lawrenceburg to Lexington and back. This was in 1970, and we used one of those bright orange Fairmont motor cars ("speeder"). I recall the line being much lighter rail, and nowhere near as well ballasted and surfaced as what shows in your photos. I also recall the depot and agency at Versailles still being open back then.

Times sure have changed. (And--as always--excellent images)