Randy Pirkle, SRM Administrator

September was a busy month at the museum and we're grateful for all your support.  We could not have met our goals without your smiles, friendship and continued patronage.

One of our biggest projects from September was the TV production of an episode of MacGyver. Links to TV news coverage can be found on the museum's website HERE. This project required moving a lot of our rolling equipment and all the busses that are in building 2.  It provided us an opportunity to re-align exhibits and to prepare for our upcoming Christmas events. Specifically, we've been able to add a second car for additional shows and a car specifically for refreshments and staff prep area (freeing up a party car to host parties). Additionally, it's allowed us to re-position transit exhibits in a more walkable fashion.

The month has also included a lot of work on the minature train (park train) both mechanically and to the track structure. There's a team of folks that have been working 2-3 evenings each week and much of Saturday so we can return it to operation in an improved condition compared to last year. We know that a lot of you are just as anxious as we are for it to return to service.

We hosted a terrific 2nd Thursday pre-school program on September the 10th featuring school busses while in the midst of the MacGyver project too. Thank you to everyone that came out and participated. A big Thank You to our education staff & volunteers who made a great day of it while working around the MacGyver set. The education department also hosted our annual homeschool open house this month with a tremendous turnout. And to close out the month, we hosted a terrific car show on September the 24th, over 40 cars participated.

We have a number of exciting events and activities coming up during the fall and into the winter.  Up next on our events calendar is our annual Train-or-Treat event on October the 29th. A great way to trick or treat and explore history at the same time. In November, we'll have our annual Model Railroad Days (Nov 5-6) followed by Santa & Christmas events. The additional showings of Polar Express Experience created by adding an addtional railcar added almost 50% to our capacity and that event is selling well.

As we've previously reported, we have started moving on executing a contract for our new building to the west of building two.  Related to that project, you are invited to the ground breaking ceremony Tuesday, October the 25th starting at 1pm.  Please RSVP via email .

We look forward to your next visit to the museum and hope you enjoy seeing the evolution and growth!

Kristen Fredriksen   After graduating from the University of Georgia with a M.A. in Linguistics, our friend Kristen worked several years with the Georgia Department of Education at the Governor’s Honors Program in Valdosta, a state-run program for gifted high school students. Between programs, she spent her time working on movie and television sets around Atlanta, learning all about the production aspect of filmmaking. Kristen has always been interested in local history, so when she saw the Southeastern Railway Museum on a list of local attractions, she knew she had to stop by. Her first visit to the museum was with a friend in late December 2015. After using up the entire memory card on her camera in one visit, Kristen knew she wanted to be involved somehow. She got in touch with Sue, and Sue introduced her to the Education Coordinator, Jim Polihronakis. Jim then invited Kristen to join the museum’s education department as a tour conductor and tour scheduler. Ever the outgoing, Kristen enjoys representing the museum at outreach events like Lawrenceville’s Brown Bag Summer Concert Series and the Georgia Department of Transportation’s 100th-year anniversary symposium at the Georgia Archives. Recently, she has been busy helping with the museum’s two Summer Railway Camp sessions as a camp counselor and videographer. Outside of the museum, Kristen is involved with NASA’s outreach events. She has attended launches, visited mission control centers, and gone behind the scenes at air and space museums around the country as part of the NASA Social program. Kristen is proud to be a part of the team and is instrumental in promoting the museum through social media. So when she's not up in the office, you can usually find her around the museum Snapchat-ing or Instagram-ing various people, train cars, and equipment!

Thank you for all that you do, Kirsten!
You are greatly appreciated!

The 2 lines that came out of this show over and over again was, “not the biggest car show, but by far one of the classist, and with some of the most beautiful cars”, and “we have had a great time, thank you”!  Love the museum, the prizes, the awards, the music and the food!  It has been a really fun day!”   We had over approximately 45 cars that participated this year!

Thank You, Participants for showing up and for bringing your breath taking magnificent cars! Our car show and all the effort we put into making this a very special day for you wouldn’t have happened without you! We appreciate all the volunteer’s and visitors who came to enjoy the day and brought their family and friends!
 

• Bill Buckley/ Car Show Judge
• Specialty Engraving
• Allegra Printing
• IC RACING
• BILLS GRILL’s ON WHEELS
• Best Ice Cream On Wheels
• Lyle Dysinger & Martha Gilleland / DJ

• IC RACING
• Piatto
• Cottage Salon
• Firestone
• Chipolatas
• Marlow’s
•  The Chocolaterie

• Morgan Pirkle
• Cheryl Hardt
• Donald Lower
• Jordan Rice
• Steve Storey
• Bill Bickley
• Virginia Washington
• Ernie Braunschweig
• Sue Kelly
• Gate House staff and additional volunteers for the day
• Train crew
• Randy Pirkle, SRM Administrator

Community is one of the friendliest and best part of the creation of an event! 
There will be an article in the November Crossings newsletter with more pictures and a great story because of all of you! 

Did you know that the museum hosts birthday parties for children of all ages? For one group rate you get 20 people into the museum, train rides for everyone and 2 hours in an airconditioned railcar to have your party. Stop by or call us for more details!