The place: Somewhere in France, where the allies are closing in one by one. You are a French citizen and are boarded on the Von Kessinger’s Express in order to evade capture, under the watchful eyes of the feared special police. Once you are on board, your train heads east towards Germany in the hope of evading capture by the allies!
My duty is actually a car host for the two weekend days of the Von Kessinger’s Express, which was held on Saturday, 16 November 2013 and Sunday, 17 November 2013. Instead of reporting to our usual location in the Florida Railroad Museum’s maintenance complex in Willow, I along with the several other crew members report to the train station in Parrish. When I arrived in Parrish, the station was transformed into a true to life World War II German military installation, complete with security checkpoint.
Sometime after us crew members get in we board the train for the mandatory crew meeting where we receive our crew assignments. I managed to get assigned to the open air flat car where seating is two rows horizontally down the middle as opposed to individual coach seats.
Meanwhile, our passengers were preparing to board the train. The order of the day was that our ticketed passengers were given souvenir passports to be stamped by the German guards. After all, travel in Germany during World War II was very restrictive – you had to have permission to travel if you wanted to. This is why we live in the greatest country on Earth where you don’t need permission to travel and we Americans today cherish that liberty.
After passport stamping the passengers were lined up, two single file lines, ready to board. Those German officers were constantly reprimanding anyone who dared to cut or hold up the line for any reason.
Boarding time came. As I was assigned to the open air flat car, I got yet another responsibility: Greeting passengers as they came on board. Don’t pull tickets, it was decided, it would take extra time to board: Just check to make sure each passenger had their ticket and their stamped passport.
Right after we boarded our Saturday morning passengers, the last ones on board were General Von Kessinger and his lovely wife (played by actors, of course). Once all were on board, passengers were given the standard safety briefing over the public address speakers plus the German officers telling the passengers that they were not to speak with General Von Kessinger unless spoken to among other things.
Departure time! We pull out of the station somewhere in France (actually, a decorated Parrish train station decked out in German World War II paraphernalia) and roll down the line. Once on the way, the German officers on board were demanding papers one by one.
When we got to our halfway point on Dickey Road our train has stopped. We just got report that an American landed in German held territory and the German officers disembarked to find out what was going on. Sure enough, the American was found and apprehended by the Germans. After a few minutes of World War II action the Germans reboarded the train along with the apprehended American and we continued north.
On the way north the interrogation of the American by the German officers began. While the interrogation was taking place the German officers were interviewing several other passengers on board which would lead to a surprise once we got to Willow.
Once in Willow the passengers that were picked by the German officers plus the apprehended American were ordered off the train and onto the field. The passengers were told to line up while a group of German soldiers was lining up as a firing squad. Oh no!
Just as the Germans were getting ready to open fire, suddenly – out of nowhere – the allies consisting of American, French and British officers – move in and save the captured American and the passengers from the firing squad! After the brief skirmish, the captured American and passengers were permitted to re-board the train.
Once everyone was on board, an announcement was made: The allied forces have liberated the train! Vive le France! Vive le Americain! At last, the allied forces took the train! By that time, it was time to head back south.
Everyone on board was celebrating the American and French troops that liberated the train from certain doom. The only ones that were not celebrating were the German officers who were captured by the allies.
In fact, all of the passengers were having a great time on board! But it was time for all the passengers to detrain when we arrived back in Parrish. Once back in Parrish, the order of business was to detrain the allied troops and the captured German officers first, then our regular passengers. I thanked them for coming out and invited them to return soon!
After we cleared the train of all the passengers, it was time for a quick clean up and lunch on board the train with the crew. I snacked on some potato chips and a drink from the concession stand (after all, the museum takes great care of us crew members with free concession stand items!). We sit in the New Georgia car (the 5416) and have our lunch.
After all, it’s the calm before the storm.
It was time to board our Saturday afternoon passengers! For the Saturday afternoon run, I was assigned to double duty both running the concession stand and being car host in the New Georgia car. At least the New Georgia was nicely air conditioned, as the humidity of the Florida air was making its presence.
Departure time once again! We had a good sized number of passengers on the Saturday afternoon run. The majority of the passengers on board were seated in the SAL 821 car as well as the open air flat car; that’s where you can see plenty of the action as it unfolds. Unfortunately, on the trip north the New Georgia was empty.
But things changed so quickly in the New Georgia right after the train was liberated and we were headed south. Practically everyone was headed into the New Georgia to take advantage of the concession stand; I was busy with customers one by one! Running the concession stand is very simple: The passenger picks out what they want, press a few buttons, and collect the money. Simple as that.
Once we arrived back in Parrish it was time for me to close down the concession stand in the New Georgia as this was our last run of the day. Everything had to be put away and items had to be returned to the ticket office at the train station. But there was more for our crew after the passengers left!
We were treated to a catered dinner from Sonny’s Pit Barbeque as a reward for all of our hard work. I had me a roast beef – it was so good with the mild barbeque sauce! That was sure a great dinner – it saved me from going out to dinner that night.
Then it was back home to rest for the next day’s activities. Luckily I had a place close by so that I didn’t have to travel a considerable distance.
Sunday morning came. I was able to get up a little later because we only had one train run for Von Kessinger’s Express. As soon as I got to Parrish (where the train was parked for the night) I along with my fellow crew members got on board, starting off with the mandatory conductor’s briefing. I got assigned to the open air flat car and greeted the passengers as they boarded. Just before departure, our final passenger was General Von Kessinger and his wife, played by actors.
Sunday’s Von Kessinger run was the same as Saturday’s run: Give the safety briefing, try to keep the passengers entertained, and all the other odds and ends as a Car Host. Once we got to Dickey Road we picked up the American that “landed” in enemy territory only to be taken by the German officers and questioned. Then it was on to Willow where at the right moment the Allies come in and liberate the train including the American we picked up earlier.
Shortly thereafter we were on our way back to Parrish. Von Kessinger’s Express was one of the best times I had over the weekend in November. And I am looking forward to the museum’s next greatest event: The North Pole Express!
Now if you’re wondering when the Florida Railroad Museum holds Von Kessinger’s Express, it usually takes place the weekend after Veterans Day in November. You might want to check the Florida Railroad Museum website for the exact dates; while you’re there you can purchase tickets for this event when they become available.
Leave a Reply