It all started with a train..........
I grew up in Berwick, Pennsylvania, which was home to the American Car & Foundry Company (a,c,f,), an American manufacture of railroad rolling stock. In 1904 the American Car & Foundry Company built the first all steel passenger car at the Berwick plant. While growing up, a large percentage of the people in our community were employed at the ACF factory. When you visit our facility and ride our 1/2 mile train; you will notice that each passenger car and caboose has a,c,f, Berwick, PA on each side as a tribute to my hometown and those who worked there.
My fascination with trains initially began when I was a young boy, with a Lionel train circling around our family Christmas tree. Eventually, that led to an HO Scale train platform in the basement of our home. By the time I was twelve years old, I was traveling to New York City for my first train ride with my neighbor, who was a retired school teacher and friends with my parents.
Many years later, my fascination with trains was reignited when I saw an LGB train for the first time, in a hobby store. In 1982, I received my first LGB G-scale train as a gift and started collecting LGB trains that same year. I eventually managed to link up with an LGB train distributor in Easton, Pennsylvania, and was able to purchase my trains through them. Over the years, I have expanded my private collection to include hundreds of LGB trains. Until recently, the trains have mostly remained in their boxes, which were stored in a climate controlled “train room.”
My decision to create a train museum was inspired by a very special little boy, whom I'm proud to call my grandson. His love and excitement for trains has motivated me to bring my train collection out of the “train room” so I can put them on display for everyone to enjoy. We created the Gulf Coast & Central Florida Railroad to share our passion for trains with the public.
We hope that you enjoy the experience!
Craig M. Hurst, President
Gulf Coast and Central Florida Railroad Museum Inc