Moberly celebrates Railroad Days

Bailey Newcomb is the first place winner in the girls 30-35 months age division of the Railroad Days Baby Show. Color photos of all the winners can be found on pages 7, 8 in the Moberly Mirror.Moberly was founded because of the railroad. The citizens of Randolph County and beyond came last weekend to celebrate that history and to have some fun as part of the fifth annual Railroad Days, sponsored by the Moberly Rotary Club and the Moberly Area Chamber of Commerce.

It was a fair atmosphere, with rides, carnival games and food, politicians and all sorts of vendors. Families were celebrated with father-son/mother-daughter look-alike contests, pageants and the baby show. More rides were added to the carnival to accommodate the little ones.

Great entertainment was provided in the newly remodeled Municipal Auditorium. Local entertainers sang, played instruments, told jokes and performed skits. George and Gracie Burns visited on their way to Kansas City for a second honeymoon. Speaking of Honeymooners, Ralph Kramden and his sidekick Ed Norton were here trying to think of ways to improve their lot in life. All performers returned to the stage as veterans and country were saluted with “God bless America.”

There were the Sycamore Queen contestants, beautiful belles reminding us of a side of Moberly many would prefer to forget existed. But the six lovely “ladies” who participated in Saturday’s contest dressed to the nines, with hair, makeup and clothing assistance from Merrell University, did it in fun to help benefit their special causes.

There were bands, some more of the taste of the baby boomers, while others were preferred by the boomerangs.

And there were trains. The museum was open to teach and to show some of the things from a past era. Many of the volunteers at the museum and throughout the Railroad Days event were once railroad men themselves. The mini train left the park and came to town to give young and old alike rides near where people used to catch the real train at the Moberly Depot. The newly refurbished caboose was also on display, a life-size reminder and teaching tool for those who never made a trek out of town aboard a passenger train.

The Moberly Mirror and County Observer covered as much of the Railroad Days excitement as possible and has included much of it in this Wednesday’s pages. Look for the baby show, the Railroad Follies, the Sycamore Queens and just a page of kids having fun.

Please see Mirror Photo Gallery for Baby Show, Pageant, Follies and Sycamore Queen contest. Click on your favorite photo for a caption.