Florida East Coast Historical Railway and Transportation Museum

            The Florida East Coast Historical Railway and Transportation Museum is a unique experience located in Ft. Pierce, Florida. When I arrived at the museum, I found locomotive Engine 253 sitting on the track. I did not expect to see an actual train at the museum, so I was pleasantly surprised. This authentic locomotive was built in 1924 and rescued from a future home in a salvage yard in Texas. The train was purchased, moved to Hialeah, Florida and then eventually moved to Ft. Pierce where it is in the process of being fully restored. I found it remarkable that a piece of history such as this could be exhibited in our local area. I am not someone who has an interest in trains or their history, but I found the museum to be fascinating.

            The experience consisted of a guided tour of the train and an area with train related exhibits and pieces. I liked walking through and looking at the pieces on display, but I really enjoyed the tour of the train. I learned many things on the tour about the history of the train as well as how the steam engine worked. My guide was very knowledgeable and offered much information. It was shown and explained in detail to me how Engine 253 produced the steam to run the engine. This was quite interesting. The guide spent time really going through the process for me. I liked standing on an authentic train engine learning how it works.

           Although the train engine and how it worked was my main interest, I also enjoyed walking though the other train cars which were also being restored. The first car I visited was a work car. It held the tools needed for working on the train while the train is on the move. I liked seeing the work car and understanding some of the things that needed to be done to keep the train going when repairs are needed. While discussing the repairs on the train, I learned that the electric system on the train produces 440 watts of electricity and is converted to 110 watts to be used. This is one example of the many types of fun facts that I would have never known.

            From the work car, I continued into the dining car. The dining car was fun to walk through. I could imagine myself as a passenger riding on the train, sitting at a table having a meal as the train carried me to my destination. I liked the experience of being able to place myself in the past before my time to have a sense of history. It really did make you feel like you had gone back in time. I also walked though the kitchen which I thought was impressive for a train.

            This museum offers a little piece of the past and preserves part of our American history. I enjoyed the whole experience at the museum. I hope the museum continues to receive the funds needed to complete the restoration project and keep this museum operating. I would love to see the train when it is fully restored.