These are the second pictures that we have received:

Hi John:  I just read your article in the Creekline.  My family moved to Mandarin in January 1960.  We are very familiar with the Little Train.  In fact some of my sisters worked there selling tickets, popcorn and snowcones.  I can remember the realtor that sold my parents our home in Mandarin Terrace, he gave them 12 tickets to ride the train.  There were six of us kids so we all got two free rides.  Tickets at that time were $ .10.  I think when it shut down the tickets had gone up to $ .25.

My wife has lived here since 1950. Every Sunday her parents would drive from Lakewood to Mandarin to ride the train.  She has a picture of her with her brother and sister on the caboose. She also has a picture that was published in a Mandarin calendar years ago that show her grandfather with the three of them standing next to the train.  Her parents became friends of the Ward's who owned and built the train. They went to their house for dinner and a slide show of trains.  In his garage was the templates of what became the Little Train at Mandarin.  Mr. Ward had the train for the enjoyment of the children.  When taxes were raised, he decided to shut down instead of having to increase prices.

The Ward's had a German shepherd who would always ride the coal car behind the engine.  I think his name was King but not sure about that.

Bobby and Pam (Wendorph) Bethel - Jacksonville Florida

1) three children-Left to right...this is my wife Pam (Wendorph) Bethel her sister Vicki (Wendorph) Butcher and their brother John Vernon (Joe) Wendorph, Jr.

This picture was taken about 1959 in the caboose.

These two other pictures I scanned from a 1996 calendar published by Mandarin News & St. Johns River Pilot.