ALBERTON - The event known as Railroad Day is set to kick off in Alberton this weekend and not only will the community be celebrating its rich, railroad heritage, it will also be celebrating the 30th anniversary of the occasion.

Organizer Richard Werst said Railroad Day was a way for the community to come together and honor the industry that established the town.

“This is a railroad town and people need to remember their heritage,” Werst said. “If you don’t, you’ll lose it. Preserving what’s here is important. This was a place where the crews would get off and other crews would get on the trains. It was kind of a way  station. A lot of the buildings here were built by the railroad.”

Werst said were it not for the railroad industry, the town of Alberton may never have existed in the first place. He said it was the only industry supporting the community.

“A lot of people may not understand what the railroad industry meant to this town,” Werst said. “Back in the day it was the only way to make a livelihood in Alberton. It’s important to know where we came from. We need an identity for this community.”