Northern Central Railroad Adventure LbNA #52504
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Add Location| Owner: | Adoptable |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Not specified |
| Location: | |
| City: | Monkton |
| County: | Baltimore |
| State: | Maryland |
| Boxes: | 4 |
| Planted by: | Gunpowder Falls  |
|---|---|
| Found by: | Sister & co. (2) |
| Last found: | Oct 13, 2012 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFFa |
| Last edited: | Mar 18, 2023 |
Northern Central Railroad Letterboxing Adventure
These directions will allow you to follow Billy on his exploration of the railroad while collecting some cool stamps. This adventure starts at the Monkton Train Station, where Monkton Rd meets the Torrey C. Brown (aka NCR) Trail.
Clues are marked from the story by ***
Billy was nine years old and dreamed of growing up to be a train conductor just like his dad. One day Billy’s mom woke up not feeling well, she had the flu. Since she couldn’t watch Billy because she was so sick, Billy’s dad said he would take Billy to work with him. This was a dream come true for Billy. But when they got to the Monkton Train Station Billy’s dad told him he had to stay in the station while he conducted the train.
For an hour Billy explored the station, he promised his dad he would stay put. But pretty soon curiosity got the best of him and he decided to check out the railroad. Billy snuck out the back door of the station and started heading north along the railroad.
Shortly after he started walking Billy saw a metal sign on the left-hand side of the tracks. But it was facing the opposite direction and he had to turn around to read it. From the front the sign was white with a “W” on it. Billy had heard his dad talk about these signs. They were warning signals for the trains; when one of these signs came into view the conductor would blow a whistle. Pretending to be a conductor Billy let out the biggest whistle he could. Then he turned around in a clockwise direction to continue up the tracks. But as he turned he saw a ***big rock sitting by itself***. This rock was bigger then the regular railroad stone so Billy walked over to investigate.
When he was satisfied he continued up the track. On his right he saw a large flat rock that looked like it would be fun to climb on. But the rock also looked slippery and he didn’t want to fall, especially since he was by himself. So he resisted the urge to check it out.
As he continued along the tracks Billy found a dry streambed on his right that ran under the railroad. Billy guessed that it would fill with water when it rained. Along the streambed Billy noticed a bunch of large rocks that lined the ridge. He climbed up the hillside to the very top rock. This ***rock sticking diagonally up out of the ground had a maple tree growing out of it***. Billy was really high up now and had a great view of the railroad beneath him. He told himself he would have to remember this spot so he could come back out and watch for President Lincoln’s train to go by later that summer when he would ride the NCR to Gettysburg.
After taking in the view Billy walked very carefully back down the hill to the train tracks and continued going north. As he walked he saw his friend the line watchman at his house and waved as he went by.
Standing on a small bridge Billy heard the ringing of a railroad-crossing signal and decided to wait where he knew it was safe until the ringing stopped. While he waited he leaned against the railing looking at the little stream that flowed beneath the bridge. Billy wanted to go exploring. He left the tracks again and began to walk upstream. On the left side of the stream Billy saw an old foundation. “I wonder what that used to be?” Billy asked himself as he walked over to check it out. ***Growing in the middle of the foundation was a box-elder tree***. Soon he realized the ringing of the crossing signal had stopped a long time ago and he went back to the railroad, still heading farther north.
Along the way Billy passed a bench and thought about taking a rest but decided against it, there was still a lot of railroad to explore. As he walked he saw a large concrete structure that used to be the base for a train signal. He guessed the signal fell over in a storm or that workers had taken it away for repairs. Just when he was getting ready to return to his hike he spotted a turtle trying to cross the tracks. Not wanting a train to come along before the turtle was off the tracks, Billy helped him cross, being sure to put the turtle in the same direction it was heading. Billy knew that if he put the turtle on the side of the tracks that it was heading away from the turtle would turn around and try to cross again. Billy put the turtle ***at the base of a Sycamore tree that had two Tulip Poplar trees growing right next to it***, to the left of the concrete block.
The sun was starting to drop in the sky and Billy wanting to get back to the station before his dad found out that he had left so he turned around and headed back. What a fun adventure he had that day. But Conductor Billy was ready to go home.
These directions will allow you to follow Billy on his exploration of the railroad while collecting some cool stamps. This adventure starts at the Monkton Train Station, where Monkton Rd meets the Torrey C. Brown (aka NCR) Trail.
Clues are marked from the story by ***
Billy was nine years old and dreamed of growing up to be a train conductor just like his dad. One day Billy’s mom woke up not feeling well, she had the flu. Since she couldn’t watch Billy because she was so sick, Billy’s dad said he would take Billy to work with him. This was a dream come true for Billy. But when they got to the Monkton Train Station Billy’s dad told him he had to stay in the station while he conducted the train.
For an hour Billy explored the station, he promised his dad he would stay put. But pretty soon curiosity got the best of him and he decided to check out the railroad. Billy snuck out the back door of the station and started heading north along the railroad.
Shortly after he started walking Billy saw a metal sign on the left-hand side of the tracks. But it was facing the opposite direction and he had to turn around to read it. From the front the sign was white with a “W” on it. Billy had heard his dad talk about these signs. They were warning signals for the trains; when one of these signs came into view the conductor would blow a whistle. Pretending to be a conductor Billy let out the biggest whistle he could. Then he turned around in a clockwise direction to continue up the tracks. But as he turned he saw a ***big rock sitting by itself***. This rock was bigger then the regular railroad stone so Billy walked over to investigate.
When he was satisfied he continued up the track. On his right he saw a large flat rock that looked like it would be fun to climb on. But the rock also looked slippery and he didn’t want to fall, especially since he was by himself. So he resisted the urge to check it out.
As he continued along the tracks Billy found a dry streambed on his right that ran under the railroad. Billy guessed that it would fill with water when it rained. Along the streambed Billy noticed a bunch of large rocks that lined the ridge. He climbed up the hillside to the very top rock. This ***rock sticking diagonally up out of the ground had a maple tree growing out of it***. Billy was really high up now and had a great view of the railroad beneath him. He told himself he would have to remember this spot so he could come back out and watch for President Lincoln’s train to go by later that summer when he would ride the NCR to Gettysburg.
After taking in the view Billy walked very carefully back down the hill to the train tracks and continued going north. As he walked he saw his friend the line watchman at his house and waved as he went by.
Standing on a small bridge Billy heard the ringing of a railroad-crossing signal and decided to wait where he knew it was safe until the ringing stopped. While he waited he leaned against the railing looking at the little stream that flowed beneath the bridge. Billy wanted to go exploring. He left the tracks again and began to walk upstream. On the left side of the stream Billy saw an old foundation. “I wonder what that used to be?” Billy asked himself as he walked over to check it out. ***Growing in the middle of the foundation was a box-elder tree***. Soon he realized the ringing of the crossing signal had stopped a long time ago and he went back to the railroad, still heading farther north.
Along the way Billy passed a bench and thought about taking a rest but decided against it, there was still a lot of railroad to explore. As he walked he saw a large concrete structure that used to be the base for a train signal. He guessed the signal fell over in a storm or that workers had taken it away for repairs. Just when he was getting ready to return to his hike he spotted a turtle trying to cross the tracks. Not wanting a train to come along before the turtle was off the tracks, Billy helped him cross, being sure to put the turtle in the same direction it was heading. Billy knew that if he put the turtle on the side of the tracks that it was heading away from the turtle would turn around and try to cross again. Billy put the turtle ***at the base of a Sycamore tree that had two Tulip Poplar trees growing right next to it***, to the left of the concrete block.
The sun was starting to drop in the sky and Billy wanting to get back to the station before his dad found out that he had left so he turned around and headed back. What a fun adventure he had that day. But Conductor Billy was ready to go home.