The Rubber & Rawhide Railroad
Spring Rail Tour 2009
Azalea Trail, Rubber & Rawhide RR Style!
This Page Created on April 21st, 2009
The Rubber & Rawhide RailroadSpring Rail Tour 2009 |
This Page Created on April 21st, 2009 |
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Climbing Towards Hercules Station!This Spring passenger service became an almost everyday affair on the Rubber and Rawhide! Seems folks never tired of the constantly changing colors as the azaleas peaked and the Live oaks renewed their foliage. We've taken the best photos from several of these trips to make the first ever tour page for the Railroad. In this first photo, our double-headered train makes the pull up towards Hercules Station seem like child's play. Alas, somehow, we didn't get a picture posed with Hercules this time! |
Azaleas and MarcellusOur train pulls through the azalea forest behind Marcellus. We'll be calling there in a few minutes, but folks love to wave as we go by. |
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Jupiter's Summit!Jupiter's Garden Terminus is always a popular destination, especially since we rebuilt the track leading downhill from his summit. Only Discobolos summit is at a higher elevation at Leather Oaks. |
Panoramic View of Jupiter's SummitMany may know the story regarding Jupiter's special location. My largest shade tree, a rather tilted Live Oak stood just where the cedar tunnel now serves as a portal for the Jupiter Loop. When Hurricane Katrina finished off the work of some of her elder sisters, I decided not to remove the stump, but merely cover over it. I was rewarded with over a hundred Live Oak saplings springing from the old tree's still lively root structure. Four years and three selective prunings later, I've winnowed the new Live Oak Grove down to perhaps half a dozen healthily growing trees, several of which already exceed ten feet in height! Passengers get a great view of the Live Oak Grove with Jupiter presiding over it, in this through the iris photo. |
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An Aerial Photo!This was as close as the Leather Oaks Helicopter (e.g. a second floor window with the screen removed) could get to Jupiter's Summit and Marcellus Station. It was rather misty that day, but the Rubber and Rawhide passenger operations never consider such trivial conditions in scheduling their services. |
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Discobolos StationThe Southeast corner of the Leather Oaks lot hosts the oldest established planting. The azaleas tower over practically everything, encouraged by an almost inaccessible Live Oak! The train has left Discobolos Station heading North for Hercules. |
The Back Yard Beckons!Many of our passengers only book tours of the Magic Area of Leather Oaks. The deep shadows broken only occasionally by blinding light seems to suit our oldest supernatural being quite well. Neptune's always wanted to begin the tour, so Your Most Aquatic Highness, this is your chance!Please click the linked photo to continue the tour. |
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