“They’ve been working on the railroad .. . “ A four-man inmate crew dispatched to West Barnstable from the county jail in Bourne has been busy this week restoring two railroad cars. The one you see here is 110 years old and was built to transport horses. But that was in 1905, about the time Henry Ford was starting to mass produce his Model T. By 1920 or so, cars had so displaced steeds as a form of conveyance that it was converted to a baggage car. Here Jason Ribero and a fellow inmate (orange watch cap) begin basic cleanup before moving on to restoration.
Next project is untangling this same car from its losing battle with overgrowth. You can see from the back portion of the car (right-hand bottom of frame) how badly rotted and rusted the car has become. Inside the two cars (the other is a red caboose, about 70- years-old) the non-profit Cape Cod Model Railroad Club & Museum will showcase items of interest to railroad enthusiasts. “It will be a great place for kids from 18 months to 18 years to learn more about railroading,” says club organizer Chris Hall.
Another look at the work ahead. Hall is shooting for a museum opening of May 4th, which coincides with National Train Day. Concludes he, “That could not happen – this project would not happen – without this inmate labor. It’s as simple as that.” The value of four inmates and a supervising deputy, working four days as they plan to, would exceed $5,000. That figure is based on a volunteer labor wage computed by the state.
A closer look at just what the crew is up against. Supervising deputy Joe Brait, who came to the sheriff’s office with extensive skills and years of experience on construction job large and small, examines the state of decay. Like Shakespeare, Brait is discovering “the state of Denmark” is not the only place that has rotted.
Media release and photos furnished by Barnstable Sheriff’s Office
Speak Your Mind