Everyone knows you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but what about an old train boxcar?
Apple Ridge Farm is teaming up with AkzoNobel to relocate and refurbish an antique railroad boxcar from its worn state and turn it into a high tech learning environment for campers and visitors at Apple Ridge Farm located in Copper Hill just outside of Roanoke.
After the move, the boxcar will become “EBase USA – Blue Ridge”, the third EBase in the world and the first in the United States. The original EBase is at a research station in Antarctica and the other is located in a tiger preserve in Perch, India.
Inside, the EBase will be outfitted with multiple internet capable computers, a satellite television and small scale solar and wind tools for the purpose of educating campers about alternative power sources. The heated and cooled stand-alone learning classroom will run entirely on solar and wind power.
The retired boxcar was donated to Apple Ridge by the Roanoke Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society (NRHS). This boxcar was transported from the NRHS rail yard in Southeast Roanoke last weekend to its newly installed train tracks in Copper Hill by Will Harris, renowned train mover and owner of North Fork Lumber of Goshen, Virginia.
Celebrating its 26th anniversary, 400 students from Apple Ridge Farm’s 2014 Academic Summer Camp have studied S.T.E.M (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) classes and collaborated with professors and students from Virginia Tech’s Ware Space Lab.
“The E-base will be a welcome addition to strengthen Apple Ridge’s capability to continue to deliver educational programs to prepare young people for a successful future” said Peter Lewis, President and CEO of Apple Ridge Farm.
AkzoNobel is a leading global paints and coatings company and a major producer of specialty chemicals. AkzoNobel-Roanoke is embarking on this community initiative with local site employees volunteering over 1,000 combined hours on this project. AkzoNobel is also providing the necessary financial support to make the E-base launch and operation possible.
For further information go to: http://www.appleridge.org/
