European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 6, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Ghosts of the age of steam the 1926 Baldwin steam locomotive is being restored to its former splendor. By j Barlo Herget National geographic i f was loud Lirly and Lull of 1153 and Sloam hammers clanged on Bleul and men shouted to be Hoard Over the noise. It  Day and night seven Days a week almost 3 000 people toiled in is stalls and Chambers it was a sweating real life picture of Industrial America at work this was the Spencer shops one of the country s largest Railroad shops Lor steam locomotives in Spencer no today it provides a quiet gathering place Lor retired railroaders and a real life setting Lor North Carolina s new transportation museum ii you did i want to get dirty or listen to noise you dict i go Over  declares  Pappy Spear 62.  mayor of Spencer. He started work in the shops at age 17, learning to make boilers for the engines that got overhauled there the shops were built in 1806 and the town soon , Bolh name bakes of Samuel Spencer the Southern rail a Baton their principal Virlio was i hair location at mile Post 33.  Between Washington and the iwo rail Hub at Atlanta s Toni Loco olives had to to serviced every 150 Miles and the Spencer shops became the Southern s largest service Stalion the hops Are mostly empty today they stand silent a Hull Iraj rho Al factory built for another time too solid to fall Duan but Lite Mirs in what once was Hie master Mechanic s building adjacent to the Highway that separates the 57 acres of shops from the Small Piedmont town there s a certain flavor of the Railroad in the  says supervisor Michael c Wells Many of the people who live Here retired from the Railroad and worked at the shops " in the museum is the Spencer ties room where Many of the retirees come and Swap stories and drink Coffee they re proud of their Railroad heritage says Wells that heritage looms Over the town in the massive Iron and Brick buildings that compose the shops. There is the main repair station known simply As the Back shop largest of All the structures seven stories tall and cavernous 596 feet by 150 feel. Pigeons Roost among its broken windows and on the superstructure that held giant overhead cranes. The special wooden Peg flooring helped to absorb the noise a-.,  i j it a wicca of Lite old 97 ii was to Spencer  the Ltd Onu tie \-., speeding in 1903 when it Lilc Dlo nip a i curve and plan Ord into a Ravine killing to ?r nerf 1q Olheis and not in torn the shop one october Nijm in 1901  of in Llano Bill i wild West Sitov. . Collided i wad on  freight engine no 75 ninety two horses perished and 40 More had to be Shol amazingly no people were killed but the wreck ill Mark woman Annie Oakley partially paralysed supervisor Wells Hopes to bring Back Many of the Spencer shop memories with help irom townsfolk and museum patrons some 40 pieces of rolling Slock and six engines Are being restored. They include a Baldwin no 4 steam engine and elegant private cars once owned by steel and tobacco magnates. Wells also helps organize Railroad excursions through the Blue Ridge mountains with retired conductors and open air coaches the Spencer shops Are Only live minutes Oil interstate 85, but by rail one can alight no nearer than Salisbury several Miles away. The trains Don t Stop at Spencer anymore Page 18 National Geog pc North Carolina s transportation museum Onee served As Southern hallway s main servicing facility. The stars and stripes sunday july 6, 1986