National Train Day program set May 11 in Lewes

Lewes Junction Railroad & Bridge Association will celebrate National Train Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, May 11, at the Lewes Junction Railroad exhibit near the Lewes Public Library and Margaret Rollins Community Center.

Association representatives will highlight Lewes Junction history and unveil plans to add a rare 1913 steam engine to the junction site beside the recently restored 1917 Pennsylvania Railroad caboose.

Master of Ceremonies Ted Becker, former Lewes mayor, will introduce various presentations in the library’s main conference room. At 10:30 a.m., LJRBA President Randy Voith will speak about the history of Lewes Junction. Board member David Ludlow will share plans to bring Pennsylvania Railroad steam engine No. 60 to Lewes Junction. The last of its kind, the engine was donated to the association by the Wilmington & Western Railroad.

At 11:30 a.m., keynote speaker Sen. Russ Huxtable, D-Lewes, will present a Delaware Senate proclamation to the association. A ceremonial golden spike will be driven into a rail tie to mark the second year this National Train Day celebration has been held in Lewes. Members of the public are invited to participate in driving the spike. The day commemorates the historic date in 1869 when a golden spike was driven into the rails in Promontory, Utah, thus connecting the United States from east to west.

At 12:30 p.m., Lewes in Bloom member Ed Zygmonski will highlight the new Lewes Station replica that was recently constructed adjacent to the red caboose. The 12:45 p.m. final presentation by Alan Jensen of the Lewes Historical Society will focus on the historical significance of the railroad to Lewes and Sussex County.

Lewes Public Library will showcase railroad-themed children's books. The red caboose will be open for tours throughout the day, and cardboard stand-ins of railroad engineers will be available for photos.For more information, go to lewesjunctionrr.org.