Wonder, No. 7 of a Series

There was once a time in America, when just about every young boy wanted to be an engineer, or work for the railroad. Back then, the railroad was a more accessible and visible to the American public. From hanging out with the telegraph operator at the local depot, to the Railway Express Agency truck delivering a box of baby chicks, the railroad was an ever present force in our lives. Today, it still is, but much less visible. When I rode the Strasburg Railroad, I noticed this scene at Leehman Place Junction, while the locomotive ran around the train. Like me, the boy and his father were caught in the wonder of watching a real, live steam locomotive run around the train.

I see this look at IRM and at many other museums. While the railroad may not be as visible in our lives, it still has the ability to make young and old watch with wonder.