Railroad Men ride the Trace November 13, 2004. This time it was not by a train but by bicycles. Jimmy Moore a retired dispatcher with the Illinois Central Railroad is 83 or maybe 84 years old was on the trace early 600 AM so one of the stand works told me riding his bike for the 4th time on the Birthday Challenge. This is a hard match to meet. Steve Holmes worked as a engineer on the Illinois Central Railroad and remembers making a train run from Prentiss to Hattiesburg and burning out a traction motor on the engine going up the Carson hill account too much tonnage for the one unit he was engineer on. This time he was on a ten speed bicycle and he made the hill with no problem going to Sumrall and return. James Swager a retired Operator and station Agent for the Illinois Central worked with these two men when the Bike trail was a railroad track rode with Steve Holmes Prentiss to Sumrall and return to Prentiss. It was a good trip and may have been a little cool and damp but I have been colder on a deer stand. Steve and I met Randy Valko a senior instructor with Fanuc Robotics from Michigan and Eric Nye from Diamondhead Mississippi a freelance Writer and trombonist at Sumrall and after talking decided to ride to Wards for a frosty Root beer. After the break we got back on the trail to finish the ride. Both of these gentlemen had a lot of good things to say about the trail. If you missed the trail plan on making it next year I hear it will be the best one yet.
Regards
James Swager