Retired Drifters: Northport Train Depot

Coker, Alabama

Weather: low 68 degrees, high 83 degrees, cloudy, hazy, humid

I grew up in the south and was used to the humidity and heat until we moved to the Glen Rose area of Texas. It gets hot there, but the humidity is usually lower in the summer, averaging in the 20-25 percent range. In the last couple of weeks here, I have been reminded how humid it can get. Today while walking, even though the temperature was mild, I was wet with sweat because of the humidity. The forecast says we have rain coming and there is a thick haze in the sky, making the humidity terrible. It is so bad that I have been sweating while standing still outside. I'm ready for some drier air.

One of the things I like about the RV lifestyle is the great people we meet while traveling. When we are parked, I try to get to know the area as well as possible. That means we try out the restaurants, use the local stores for what we need, see as many of the local sights as possible, and try to learn something about the history of the area. Today, I decided to check out the Northport Train Depot, built in 1927. It belongs to the city of Northport, which can't afford to do the maintenance required to keep the building in good condition. While taking pictures of the old building and a caboose that looks new, a gentleman named Max Smith noticed and asked if I was interested in model railroads. I told him I was not as interested in the model railroads as much as I was in the old train depots across the country. It turns out that Mr. Smith is the unofficial public relations person for the Black Warrior Model Railroad Society. The city allows the club to use the old depot in return for them taking care of the building and grounds. He invited me into the depot to look around, which I really appreciated. The club has several model trains set up in the old freight area. The other areas are much as they would have been 80 years ago, with a type of wall board that would cost a fortune to use now if you could find it. The floor is the original wide wooden boards, and the blackboard used to list schedules is still on the wall.

It was easy to imagine the depot back when it was being used for travel and freight. I remember the depot in my hometown of Ocala back when I was much younger. The trains would pull into the station with black smoke belching out of the smoke stack, steam blowing, a great hissing and clanging, bells ringing, and the smell of the coal smoke. I would wonder where the people were going, and what they would do when they got there. It never entered my mind that the days of the great trains would end.

As I was getting ready to leave the train depot, Mr. Smith mentioned that I might be interested in the story of the caboose. The caboose and the labor, along with machines required to set it up, were donated. The caboose was not in the best of condition, but it was decided to go ahead and take it. A few years ago, the city spent the money ($43,000) needed to recondition the outside of the caboose. The inside is actually in good condition, considering how old it is.

The model train club conducts tours of the building on the weekends, and runs their model trains upon request. If anyone is in the area and would like to see this off the beaten track piece of history, it is located at 707 25th Avenue in Northport, Alabama. Guided tours will be given with a call to Max Smith at 205-534-0944. He is very easy to talk to, and obviously likes to show the building and caboose off. Below are some pictures of the depot and caboose.