Ron has sent in these railroad memories from the 1950’s:

The call to board. The pulling out of Tampa Union Station around 9:00. The smell of diesel smoke coming through the closed gate of the converted cattle car. The aroma of cooking hamburgers on the grill while you waited – how good they tasted as I stood by the gate watching the Florida pineywoods roll by – how excited all the people were knowing they were going to watch their Florida Gators play.

My father would get free train tickets since he worked for the railroad. That meant we didn’t have an assigned seat but who cared. Stopping in Waldo and moving the engines to the other end of the train arriving in Gainesville around 12:30 and detraining to awaiting buses for the ride to the stadium. Reversing this process for the return trip to Tampa.

All these and more are profoundly etched in my memory from childhood. The people were so excited after a Gator victory but so down after a loss. But everyone was in agreement that this Gator Special was a wonderful way to experience college football in the 50’s.

The Seaboard ran these trains for a long time and I can’t begin to tell you how much fun they were. The Seaboard was one of the forrunners of CSX, and I guess, as with all good things, it had to come to an end. I regret that I couldn’t carry my kids and grandkids but am so grateful for my father who did carry me. Thanks for the memories, Dad.

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