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Folkston Attracts Train Watchers This Weekend For Annual Festival

Cyd Hoskinson
/
WJCT News

Hundreds of train lovers will descend on tiny Folkston, Georgia, this weekend for the annual Folkston Funnel Spring Rail Watch.

Around 90 percent of all the trains heading to and from Jacksonville are funneled through the middle of Folkston on a set of double tracks owned by CSX. And crowds gather twice a year for a train watching festival.

Even on non-festival weekends, train lovers like Jacksonville resident Donald Ewing flock to the Folkston Funnel. Ewing was there a couple weeks ago.

“When I was a youngster, I wanted to wear the little blue striped cap and be an engineer, blow the horn and drive the train, I suppose," Ewing said.

There’s a covered train-watching platform with lights and ceiling fans beside the tracks in downtown Folkston.

The Folkston Funnel’s annual Winter Rail Watch is held in December.

Cyd Hoskinson began working at WJCT on Valentine’s Day 2011.