SPENCER — Each year, the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen holds a family day to celebrate union workers at Norfolk Southern, gathering at the N.C. Transportation Museum in Spencer. This year’s event shared a sunny day with the Cheerwine Festival after some early morning rain, and despite the competition, was well attended.

The organization merged with the Transportation Communications International Union (TCU) in 1986, so the event celebrates an even wider swath of workers. Each year, tickets for train rides and entry into the museum, along with lunch and other entertainment, are provided. The Cooper Hurley Law Firm was the sponsor of this year’s family day, and representatives were on hand to answer any questions as the firm works with rail union members as needed.

“This is our opportunity to say thank you not just to the workers but to their families, because these jobs have tough schedules, so families sacrifice a lot,” said local TCU President Landon Bowen. He said families are allowed to choose tickets for the train rides at whatever time they like during the day, and can tour the displays in the museum at their leisure. A lunch is offered and there is “swag” for kids and information for adults. “It’s absolutely the perfect place to hold this. Not only because of  the Spencer Shops, but because even our lodge office is here. We meet in the general foreman’s office, so this is home in a lot of ways.

“And the railroad in general has a very heavy veteran presence in workers,” he added, “so this year, we wanted to find a way to honor them as well.” And Bowen is not just a union man and a railroad guy, but he is a veteran as well. He is still an active member of the National Guard. He said Lee Burton of Norfolk Southern helped pull together veteran participation, and just before lunch, all veterans were called together to be recognized for their service.

Burton had reached out to a group of Vietnam veterans who were helicopter pilots who travel around the state, with helicopters like the ones they flew, to talk with visitors about the aircraft, let folks sit inside and see what it feels like to hold the cyclic or control stick. A number of children with a wide range of ages clambered in and out of the pilot seats, exploring the aircraft and asking questions about all of the instruments.

Marcus Neubacher, director of administration for the NC Transportation Foundation, which is the nonprofit arm of the museum, said they are always delighted when organizations bring family celebrations or other events to the museum.

“A lot of people think, because this was the Spencer Shops where work was done on trains, that the museum is purely a train museum,” he said. “But this is the state transportation museum, celebrating all forms of transportation, so we are glad to have the helicopters here. They fit right in. And of course we are honored to have the veterans here.”

Meubacher said the foundation has about a $30 million impact on the state through funding of transportation infrastructure projects and management of the State Highway Trust Fund.

Among the veterans there to show visitors the choppers they flew was Jerry Phelps, a career military man who flew an 086 Alpha, one of the smaller helicopters, during his one-year tour in Vietnam. A quiet man with a constant smile, Phelps does not talk about his time in Vietnam. But he proudly served the United States from 1963 until 1989, and will confirm that he was shot down five times during that one-year tour. Asked how he managed to come home alive, all he said was “well, they came and picked me up.”

As Burton notes, America is now losing Vietnam veterans, and many, like Phelps, can’t, or won’t talk about their time there. So many are beginning to work to find ways to document their stories.

Along with the helicopters and their pilots, a display of vehicles from the Price of Freedom Museum in China Grove was on hand for exploration as well.

Eddie, a four-year-old from Kannapolis who was at the event with his granddad, said at first he thought he’d like to be a pilot as he jumped out of the helicopter seat he was in. But then as he raced across the grass to one of the bug trucks from the Price of Freedom, he shot back over his shoulder that “I wanna drive this big one.”

The event ran from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and plans are already being discussed for next year.

“I know this means something to the families and to the employees,” said Bowen. “So we’ll keep it going.”