★ Funny Name - Funny Train!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Donated by Caroline and Page Skelton - Cackalacky®, Inc.'s "Mom & Pop-preneur" founders, this very special model railroad is a travel destination unto itself for both young and, um, "mature" visitors alike! 

 

The Cackalacky® Railroad is a custom-built overhead G scale train located within the Gift Station at the Historic North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer, North Carolina and is constructed of more than 300' of brass track and stained oak scaffoliding, tunnel and bridges. This marvelous exhibit undoubtedly secures the The Cackalacky® Railroad as the largest G scale overhead wooden suspension railroad in the entire state North Carolina!

 

Gift Station admission is FREE and visitors are encouraged to push the "start" button as often as you wish!

 

Address:

NC Transportation Museum
411 S. Salisbury Ave.
Spencer, NC 28159
 

Hours:

Tuesday - Saturday: 9a - 5p

Sunday: Noon - 5p

 

For museum and Gift Station directions, please visit nctrans.org or, call 704-636-2889

 

Cackalacky® Railroad Fun Facts

- The Cackalacky® Railroad was envisioned, designed, and constructed by expert railroad modelers and fellow members of the North Carolina Garden Railroad Society, "Hot Rod Frank" Simmons, Jay Root, and Marc "Augie" Augustine

 

- The train includes 13+ pieces of LGB and Aristo-Craft (1:29 scale) rolling stock powered by a custom-painted Aristo-Craft Alco RS-3 Diesel Locomotive

 

- The custom rolling stock highlights a few of Cackalacky® Inc.'s landmark collaborations with a Cheerwine® tanker car, a Fullsteam Brewery refrigerator car, and a NC Department of Agriculture "Got To Be NC" caboose

 

- The overhead railroad employs more than 300' of brass track throughout the entire Gift Station at the Transportation Museum

 

- The extensive overhead scaffolding suspension system, bridges, and tunnel are made entirely of custom crafted stained oak

 

- The rolling stock and locomotive lettering were all hand-decorated locally by NC Signs based in Siler City

 

- The locomotive painting - done in the same pigment color as the original Cackalacky® Spice Sauce - was done by Neuse River Valley Model Railroad Club, Inc. expert modeler, George Lasley

 

- The "start" push button for the train initiates a sequence of audio and visual cues when activated by museum visitors

 

About The North Carolina Transportation Museum

The N.C. Transportation Museum is located on the site of what was once Southern Railway Company's largest steam locomotive servicing facility. J.P. Morgan, Southern's owner, chose the site because of its location midway between the railroad's major terminal points of Washington, D.C., and Atlanta, Ga. Construction of the Shops began in 1896, and they were named in honor of the first president of Southern Railway, Samuel Spencer.

 

During its peak, Spencer Shops employed nearly 3,000 people, which directly and indirectly provided most of the jobs for the towns of Spencer, East Spencer and other surrounding Rowan County communities.

 

With the advent of the diesel locomotive, Spencer Shops went into decline. The repair facility closed in 1960, but the classification (freight) yard remained open until the late 1970s.

 

In September 1977, Southern Railway donated four acres of the site, including three buildings, to the state of North Carolina. A second donation in 1979 included several additional historic structures and land. The entire site was eventually placed under the administration of the Historic Sites section of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources.

 

The first exhibit area opened in 1983. Numerous restoration and exhibit improvements have occurred over the years, resulting in the museum's growth in size and popularity. The museum broke its annual visitation record in 2001 with 129.597 visitors, surpassing the old mark - set in 1999 - by nearly 15,000 visitors.

 

The N.C. Transportation Museum Foundation, a support group for the museum, was created in 1977 and is a key factor in the museum's success. More than $2 million in transportation artifacts have been acquired through the group's efforts. Foundation members and volunteers assist in the restoration and operation of these artifacts, which include trains, airplanes, trolley cars, wagons and automobiles.

The museum and the Foundation achieved restoration success with the completion of the Roundhouse, exhibits, Barber Junction Depot, turntable, parking lots and overhead bridge in 1996. The total cost of the restoration projects was $8 million.

The N.C. Transportation Museum Foundation continues to pursue funding for the Back Shop project, as well as artifacts and rail equipment that keep the museum moving. The museum is a NC Department of Cultural Resources destination and a Smithsonian Affiliate.