The Rubber & Rawhide Railroad

Railway Azalea Trail
Page Two

This Page Created on April 21st, 2009

Bronze Trio Junction!

Well, this is rather rare: A visit to the Bronze Trio when there's no train in sight! Since the redesignated mainline takes in both its original route and the Beyond the Briars Loop, this has become a very popular place. They like being able to see folks both before and after their visits with Neptune.

Neptune's Knoll with no Trains

It would be hard to duplicate this photo now, as the ferns are growing rapidly. If one looks very carefully, just to the right of Neptune's big toe, you may catch a glimpse of the Beyond the Briars route. Alas, there are no trains on this photo either.

Horse's Plaza and Sago Palm

For such a stern looking individual, Horse has quite a following. Perfect strangers walk up to him just to touch the hem of his bronze garments. He sure knew how to choose his real estate too, and his train service can't be beat!

The almost inaccessible Rubber Creek Iron Bridge

Just up the line from Horse's Plaza, the Rubber and Rawhide enters one of its least accessible areas. The rugged terrain near the Fazzio Falls gave a supreme challenge to our right of way folks. It didn't help that Horse was watching over them to prevent any despoiling of HIS view, either!

Our engineering staff is rightly proud of this daring solution to that daunting crossing. The only commercially manufactured structure on the whole route, the Rubber Creek Iron Bridge is very popular with those who have come upon it in surprise.

The almost inaccessible Rubber Creek Iron Bridge

Crossing the Garden Path

If Horse were to look over his right shoulder, he might see this view. Again, Route inclusiveness triumphed over efficiency as the Memorial Bell Tower Loop was redefined as part of the Lot Circumnavigation Route. The original trackage is now only used for work trains bound for the Frozen Frog Falls. Adrian can be seen through the shrubbery tunnel.

Leather Oaks Memorial Bell Tower

Despite a lot of competition from some really hard to control wild grass, the azaleas in the Memorial Bell Tower Garden always manage to put on a good show.

Operations has voiced some complaints about the unexpectedly steep grade trains must traverse in reaching the MBT Garden. Right of way points fingers at Engineering, and Engineering shrugs that they didn't have a whole lot of choices! We suspect one morning a work crew will quietly regrade the short section of line between the Bridge over Lake Orin and the MBT Garden. It's no big deal, really!

The Magic Garden Aerial Photo!

While our helicopter was deployed, we prevailed upon them to take this picture of the Leather Oaks Back Garden. It was a rather drizzly day, and the Chinese Bamboo was weighted down more than usual, masking part of the Leather Oaks Pond.

The photo link will take you to the third page of our railroad tour. We may actually get to the Leather Oaks Pond!