THIS IS A STORY THAT ISN’T—


I had driven past the Unusual Junction down there on route 36 east of Coshocton many times but never had an opportunity to visit. It always looked like a string of period railroad cars with a depot of sorts just full of commercial, maybe even historic, activity.

Recently lady friend Sue Brooks, her friend Sandy and I stopped there after a birthday lunch with Sue’s sister Patsy and her friend Karen in Newark. Even though it was a cold, rainy Sunday, the “Junction” was alive with automobiles in the parking area.

There were about a half dozen train cars with a caboose. Out front was a 60’s era Volkswagen Bus gaily painted like those of the flower-child generation. I smiled as I thought of my son Craig who is, at this very moment, restoring one of them.

This one was complete with a pair of mannequin legs sporting combat boots protruding from the rear end. “That’s enough to make some excitable visitor call 911,” I quipped.

There was an old railroad mail cart (above) by the front entrance celebrating a time long past. Down along the cars I could see an old iron cage with the sobriquet “County Jail” on its fading sign.

Inside we found a shop well stocked with confections and lots of artsy, crafty gifts. Along one wall was a generous display of Amish style meats and cheeses leading to a spiffy 50’s era diner still satisfying a few post lunch-time customers.

On the rear wall (below) was a huge sign from the Price is Right TV show—evidently a real crowd pleaser, or so the signs said.

It turns out all the folks from the cars in the parking lot evidently were visiting the adjacent store that specialized in—wedding gowns, of all things.

“How do we get to see the railroad cars,” I asked a gal in the diner. “Oh, they are not open any more,” she explained and went on to tell me about some sort of charity auction which was one of the last activities in the train cars.

So, I walked slowly along the outside of the cars and was saddened to see how badly deteriorated they had become with peeling paint and ill fitting windows and soggy insulation hanging here and there.

As we headed toward home I surrendered the driving chores to Sandy and slid into the back seat for a relaxing ride to day’s end.

The railroad fancier in me was disappointed but, getting to spend an afternoon in the company of these four ladies was, nevertheless, a warm interlude on a dreary winter day.

Besides, we noted the Longaberger Basket Company and Roscoe Village as we ventured through the area down there—more blog material as springtime approaches.

Stay tuned!