CORDELE, GA (April 30, 2019) — On May 10, 1869, the ‘golden spike’ was driven into the final tie at Promontory Summit, Utah, ceremonially completing the first transcontinental railroad in the United States.

The honor this event, Saturday, May 11, 2019 is designated as NATIONAL TRAIN DAY and the Historic SAM Shortline Railroad in Cordele – Georgia’s only “rolling” state park – is celebrating with the 6th annual Cordele-Crisp “Touch-A-Train” event at their Georgia Veterans State Park depot from 10 am to 4 pm.

This family-friendly event allows kids and adults to get up close and take photos of the SAM Shortline train cars and the Heart of Georgia Railroad locomotives. You can talk to the conductors as well as take a train ride over beautiful Lake Blackshear.

There will also be many emergency and large vehicles on display as well as heavy equipment and race cars. Kids will enjoy the hale bale maze, bouncy house, putt-putt course and corn-hole games and have the opportunity to meet Smokey the Bear and the Georgia State Park’s Gopher mascot.

Admission is $2 for ages 2 & up. Train rides over Lake Blackshear are $5 or ride as often as you want for $10.

The Cordele-Crisp Touch-A-Train, presented by the Historic SAM Shortline Railroad, is made possible by the Cordele-Crisp Tourism Committee, the City of Cordele, Crisp County Power Commission, BigTex Trailers, Planters First Bank, Sunbelt Ford, Mike Fraser’s Auto Repair, Cordele Main Street, South Georgia Technical College, The Cove, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Chick-fil-A, Lake Blackshear Resort, Operation Lifesaver and Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites.