Kiwanis Club's train marks 60 years in operation
By Kirsten Ballard
Published in News on June 24, 2015 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Mary Adams holds her 2-year-old grandson Devlin Smith as they ride the Kiwanis train at Herman Park Saturday. Devlin's favorite part of the ride is the flashing train lights and he points to them each time they pass.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Brooklyn Vaughn, 15, raises her hands and laughs as she and a group of friends pull into the Kiwanis train depot Saturday. The train, a Goldsboro institution, is marking its 60th anniversary of operation in Herman Park.
"You must yell and scream when entering the tunnel."
It's in the rules.
The Kiwanis train has brought fun to Herman Park for the past 60 years.
Some children refer to the shiny blue engine as Thomas the Train, but she is just the Kiwanis train.
Goldsboro Kiwanis president Jim Vernon took tickets for the birthday celebration.
The heat index did not stop the loyal passengers. The engine runs from April through September, with a few celebratory runs in October and December.
Vernon estimates that more than 3,000 children ride each year.
"It's definitely more than that," he said.
A ride costs $1.
Devlin Smith demanded to ride, a request that his grandmother Mary Adams obliged.
"This is his third time today. He's really burning a twenty," she said.
Mrs. Adams held the excited 2-year-old in her lap.
"He's not big enough to sit alone, so he rides with me," she said.
For Devlin, the train is a speeding bullet around the track. He smiles and claps as it rumbles to a start.
"It's fast to him, not to me," Ms. Adams said.
Recently the Kiwanis club has had problems finding conductors.
"Membership is down," Vernon said.
There are four Kiwanis clubs in the area. Vernon says the Goldsboro Kiwanis Club is down to 18 members, but he remembers the glory days where the roster had 100 names.
"We need people," he said.
Driving the train is not difficult.
"I can teach someone to do it in minutes," he said. "Though one kid asked me where the steering wheel was."
For 60 years, the train has brought joy and laughter to Herman Park.
Vernon reminisced on some of his favorite memories. The Make-a-Wish party for Tyler Mendygral in May was at the top of his list.
The youngster is battling cancer.
His wish? To get to ride a train. His debut as a conductor on a real train began with a practice run in Goldsboro on the Kiwanis train.
"That was really neat," he said.
The rides for special needs groups have a soft spot in Vernon's heart.
"They have a great time, I like riding with them," he said.