Volume 66 – Issue 5                                                     1 May 2026

From the Brass Hat
Welcome to May and hopefully less pollen. As I write this, Working on the Railroad Day has successfully ended. 470 visitors turned out to ride this year’s trains on April 25th. The event attracted more people this year with multiple exhibits staffed by our volunteers. This is a labor heavy event with extra volunteers needed to staff the exhibits. It’s work, but well worth it. I escorted a few young visitors and their parents to some of the displays and the children were definitely excited to try their hand at putting in a spike (with parental help, of course), throwing a switch, listening to docents describe the rail cars on the property, or visiting a locomotive cab. This type of event hopefully encourages children to learn about railroading and maybe one day volunteer themselves when they are old enough. Many thanks go to Juli Buker, Jim Jatko and the several other volunteers who did the heavy lifting to make this a great event. We also thank the Green Level High School National Honor Society for coming out and
volunteering. 14 students came out to work a four-hour shift. Their help was much appreciated, and I think they had fun too as they might be back to help with Halloween. It was truly a team effort.
Last Saturday’s ride was not the only noteworthy event. We received a visit from long time member Paul Baschon who turned 100 last week! For newer members who do not know him, Paul was very active in his time at Bonsal over 20 years as a former board member, Christmas train organizer and countless other activities.
Sharp as ever, when I mentioned it was great to see him again, he did not miss a beat and stated that it was “good to be seen”. Check out articles in this edition on both Paul and the ride day.
Also on display at Working on the Railroad Day was the newly completed “Caboose” tunnel on the G Scale layout. If you haven’t visited lately, check out all the work the G Scale crew has put into the layout this winter. It’s looking great!
Also looking good is the Locomotive 3 (71) exhibit and the Swift Reefer. Great additions to the exhibit side of our museum. Coming soon will be a special display honoring America’s 250th Birthday. Tom Snyder will be heading up the decorating of Engine #10, the 25-ton GE which has been moved to the main line at a spot just after the pedestrian bridge. It will be the first thing visitors see when they me over the bridge. The plan is to have it ready by July 4th.
There are more special ride days coming up this month, Armed Forces Day on May 16th along with the regular week day rides. If you have not volunteered in a while, please consider coming out to help our crew caller Kevin. He would be thankful.
Unfortunately, I end this article on a sad note. As most now know, long time NHV engineer, and former board member Joe Mills passed away unexpectedly in April, after battling illness. Joe was definitely one of the Bonsal characters. He served as one of the principal Operate-a-Loco engineers for several years receiving numerous compliments from OaL students for his knowledge and humor. He will be missed. Clear track ahead Joe.
As always, thank you to everyone for what you do for our museum.
-John
John Morck, President, NCRM

Get to Know a Member – by Tom Hutchinson

Name: Eugene (Gene) W. Ezzell, Jr

How long have you been a member? Since summer 1998

Where are you originally from? Godwin, NC

What was your job in real life? Licensed Electrical Contractor (commercial) since 1982, Mechanic (large equipment, backhoes, drag lines, cranes and generators and transfer switches), Sales & Installations (commercial generators & transfer switches). I attended Fayetteville Tech, Central Carolina Tech, General Motors Training Center, Caterpillar Tractor Training Center for Power Generation, Cummins Onan School, and Kohler
Generator & Transfer Switch School and various other technical classes. I have been a volunteer fire fighter at Wade Community Fire Department for 47 years.

Where do you live now (City & State only)? Godwin, NC

Any family…Spouse, Kids, grandkids? Wife Sharon (8 grandchildren), son (deceased) and 1 granddaughter

How did you become interested in trains? The train tracks were in my backyard. I have had a lifetime interest in trains because of watching them as they went by, specifically the Atlantic Coast Line and CSX.

How did you learn about the New Hope Valley Railway? Mike Everette, NC State Highway Patrol, was a member of the NHVRR. He told me to come up and take a ride. I did that and was hooked.

What has been your favorite activity at the New Hope Valley Railway? It is hard to pick just one thing that I have enjoyed at the RR. Some of the things I have enjoyed include: operating locomotives and cranes and working on them, holding the office of President for several years in the early 2000s, working on replacing the ties on the bridge with the burro, driving the locomotives, working on the burros and locomotives, rebuilding the engine on the backhoe, and changing the engine on 67 and changing one engine on 70. I’ve made some good friends at the NHVRR, such as Bill Brooks, Billy Brooks, Doc Wright, Roger Koss, Gray Lackey, Joe Mills and many others. I love watching the look on the kids’ faces on the train when driving the passing track at the North End. They are waving and so excited to be able to see the engineer and the locomotive go by.

If you do not receive the operating crew calls, please contact the crew caller Kevin if you are interested in participating in train operations! We need all the help we can get to keep the trains running safely.

WHERE ARE YOU?
Just a quick reminder from your friendly editor: If you move to a new mailing address or change your email address, PLEASE let the Membership Committee know as soon as possible! Tom Luke 

Welcome to new members Tim and Jenna Phillips. Current members, please welcome anyone you don’t know and make them feel at home. Explain what you do for the Museum and teach them how it is done so they get a feel for things. Start their training early!

Working on the Railroad Day Was a Success! – by Juli Buker

On Saturday, April 25, we proudly hosted our first Working on the Railroad Day in nearly a decade—and it was a tremendous success!
Our mission is to educate current and future generations about the science, technology, and development of America’s railroads while preserving the heritage of railroading and its impact on the land, people, and industries of North Carolina and our nation. This event truly brought that mission to life.

We featured 15 interactive exhibits designed to engage and inspire guests of all ages. Visitors explored wheel design concepts, learned how track systems support heavy locomotives while touring the Swift Reefer, and even stepped into a locomotive cab to experience the engineer’s view down the line. Additional exhibits offered close-up access to a model steam locomotive, video presentations inside the baggage car, and insight into the role of cabooses with tours of #5228. Guests also toured caboose #302 and the Rail Post Office car, and had the opportunity to ask questions about ongoing restoration work on #17.

Hands-on experiences were a highlight of the day, including the chance to drive a railroad spike and see how a track switch realigns rails.
The NC Transportation Museum contributed telegraph machines, lanterns, and historic artifacts, while Operation Lifesaver and NC DOT RailSafe provided important rail safety education. The Memory Lab helped capture the day with free digital photos for guests.

Train rides at 10:30 am, 12:00 pm, and 1:30 pm carried 461 passengers on a scenic journey through the woods, providing a peaceful respite from the heat.

The energy throughout the Railway was truly special. Both guests and New Hope Valley Railway volunteers shared how much fun and excitement filled the day, making it a memorable celebration of railroad history and education.

 

Last Run – Joe Mills

We are sad to announce the passing of long-time member Haywood Joseph (Joe) Mills on 13 April 2026 after a battle with leukemia. Joe was preceded in death by his wife Vicki less than a year earlier.

Joe was one of our diesel engineers, and perhaps more importantly, a trainer of our engineer trainees. Most of our newer engineers made their early runs with him looking over their shoulder offering his pointers and instructions. His legacy there will continue for years to come. He also served on the NCRM Board of Directors for several years.

Joe was a very kind soul who would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. He loved running large equipment of all types and really wanted to drive a military tank, but never got the opportunity. One of the things he enjoyed most was roasting a whole hog for various parties. Some of the best pork BBQ to ever grace a plate came from his grill. He was also one of the funniest people one could ever meet. His passing came as a shock to us all and he will be sorely missed.

Last Run – Kate Horn

We were recently informed of the passing of life member Katheen (Kate) Horn back on 4 January 2026 at age 80. She was the wife of life member Dick Horn for 57 years. Kate was a nurse for many years, even serving as a substitute nurse after her retirement. She was also an accomplished musician, playing the piano and organ at her church, as well as singing in various choirs. She is survived by her husband Dick, a son, John and his family including several grandchildren, her brother, Thomas and his family. Kate and Dick have been large financial contributors to the NCRM since their joining in 2020. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Dick and the family. We will miss her.

Happy 100th Birthday to Paul Baschon!

Longtime member Paul Baschon has reached the incredible milestone of 100 years. We were honored to welcome him to the Railway during our Working on the Railroad Day event.

Carmen Chasco had arranged a card that was passed around and later presented to Paul, and he was clearly moved by the thoughtful gesture. Although the 12:00pm train had already departed Bonsal Yard, volunteers from the infield exhibits and the #17 work crew took a brief pause to spend time with him.

The group gathered to sing a heartfelt rendition of “Happy Birthday,” and cupcakes were shared in celebration. Many volunteers had the chance to chat with Paul, and he appeared truly delighted by all the warm wishes and conversations.

Congratulations, Paul, on this extraordinary milestone. We wish you many more wonderful years ahead!

A New “Caboose” at the Museum

To make it easier and quicker to get the Garden Railway operational for each ride day, our G-scale trains are stored in various structures that cover the tracks. The wooden storage shed over tracks 1-3 had been showing its 25-year age. It was rotting, leaking, the belly crawl to retrieve derailed cars inside was very inconvenient given our operators’ median ages, and it was difficult to access the control systems that were also contained in the shed. It was a high priority to replace it with a more long-lasting, convenient structure.

After much thought and discussion, the garden railroad operators decided to build a new structure this year that evoked a caboose. One of our volunteers, Jeff Portzer, used his CAD skills to develop various drawings, then we went to work demolishing the old structure in late January. After a longer than expected construction period (in common with most projects at the museum), the new caboose-like structure has just been completed. It is longer than the old one (24’ vs 16’) to store longer trains, the circuitry that runs the railroad is all contained in the “cupola” on a convenient slide-out shelf at waist-level, and removable roof sections make it easier to access the rare derailments in the longer shed. Its framework is treated lumber, plywood sheathing covering the framework is primed and painted on both sides with edges protected from moisture that might wick in, and the finished siding is PVC beadboard to prevent the rot that most things constructed of wood around the railway are prone to. And of course, it is painted a bright caboose red with black roof walk. We added a master on-off switch for the entire layout which also controls two simulated red marker lights on the caboose so we don’t leave the power on when we shut down after a ride day.

Below is a picture of the completed structure as seen from the “public” side of the layout.

And here is a picture of the side that faces the garden railway operators

The operators LOVE the easily accessible electronics shelf…

And love even more the removable roof sections which provide access to derailed cars.

Since these pictures were taken, a pair of faux windows have been added to the cupola to further give that “caboose vibe”…so stop by the garden railway to see it in person.

Autism Society of NC Charter Ride – April 18

On April 18, we were honored to once again host a special charter ride for the Autism Society of North Carolina. We were also pleased to welcome adult riders from Ignite, who joined the group for a fun and memorable day on the railroad.

A highlight for many families was the Garden Railroad, where guests enjoyed watching the miniature trains
operating before and after their ride.

With a 2:00pm departure, guests experienced a refreshing ride through the woods that provided a welcome break from the heat. To help ensure a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable experience for all riders, we reduced our maximum capacity to 220 passengers. This adjustment allowed for additional space throughout the train and helped create a more relaxed atmosphere for everyone on board.
As always, our crew worked together throughout the ride to support the needs of our riders. A key part of that
effort included providing advance notice before the train horn sounded, helping reduce surprises and creating a more predictable and comfortable experience for guests.
In addition, the Birthday Caboose was available as a designated calming space for anyone who needed a quieter environment during the day, offering flexibility and support as needed.
It was a fun day for all involved, and we are grateful for the continued opportunity to partner with the Autism Society of North Carolina and Ignite.

Throwback to our first ride of 1988 season!

A recent social media post featured two photos from our first train ride of 1988.

Does this bring back memories? Were you one of our riders 38 years ago? This photo captures the very first ride of the 1988 season.
Leading the train is #67, a locomotive that still sits beside our Garden Railroad today. Right behind it is caboose #5228, celebrating its 100th year and now located across from our boarding platforms, where it transforms into our Haunted Caboose during Track or Treat rides. Next comes an open flatbed car, used by our earliest passengers before today’s excursion cars were introduced. Bringing up the rear is caboose #308, also marking 100 years and still a cherished part of our train consist.
Have photos from our early days? We would love to see them. Share them in the comments below!
#AllAboard #TrainMemories #RailroadHistory #Railfans #Caboose #Locomotive #TrainLife #NewHopeValleyRailway #NorthCarolinaRailwayMuseum #TriangleTrain

In the comments, longtime member David Campbell shared a photo of the train crew posing after that very first ride in front of the newly restored tool car NS 711 (below).

Some of the people in the photo are Dr. James Wright, William Brooks, Sr, David Younts, David Campbell, Blair Slaughter, Beth Slaughter, Maynard Slaughter, Dr. Robert Majors, Gray Lackey, Robert Middour, Melvin Best, Linda Cross, Billy Brooks and Jim Meade. Not pictured were Mac and Peggy Lackey, Roger and Mary Barham and Edna Snyder.

It’s a wonderful testament to the dedication of our members that so many people from that 1988 photo are still active volunteers at the Railway today!

If you have pictures of the early years of the New Hope Valley Railway, please send them to info@triangletrain.com so we can share those treasured photos with our followers.

 

Around the yard