America 250 train visits Coshocton County

The America 250 OH Buckeye Train came through Coshocton County April 25-26. The train traveled from Columbus to Dennison Saturday, followed by a roundtrip excursion from Newark to Coshocton to Dennison April 26.

The America Train event was a two-day celebration for Ohio's transportation history. There were 14 passenger cars on the train, making it the largest passenger train on the historic Panhandle Line since 1968.

The train traveled from Newark with a stop in Coshocton before arriving at the Dennison Depot Saturday. On Sunday the journey repeated the route from Newark with a stop in Coshocton before arriving in Dennison for the second day of festivities. The event was open to the public each day with free admission to celebrate Ohio’s heritage with transportation and WWII.

"The train left here in Coshocton this morning with about 60 passengers," said Hannah Gallagher, economic development specialist for the Coshocton Port Authority. "Pizza Depot Plus had breakfast pizzas ready, and everyone on the train loved it. Gov. Mike DeWine and wife Fran tried them, and they were blown away. They worked really hard getting the pizzas ready and on the train this morning.

"We left Coshocton, went on to Dennison and spent about three hours in downtown Dennison. Historic planes flew over. There was old-time music in the gazebo at the square. The whole town was beautiful. People had decorated their homes, and there were lots of kids waving American flags.”

Gallagher said on the train there were different actors from different time periods.

"Abe Lincoln and his wife Harriet Beecher Stowe and World War II reenactors were on the train," she said. "Gov. DeWine was with his family, and they walked through saying hello to everyone. All along the route, people in all of the little towns were standing outside waving to the train. People are excited about the America 250 year celebration."