Major carving projects are a part of the larger scope of activities the CCA undertakes in its mission to promote the art of caricature carving. The CCA Train is our third major project, beginning as a suggestion during our 2004 Annual Meeting in Dollywood. CCA members volunteered to take on major portions of the project including the steam engine and tender, log car, passenger car, and the old red caboose. The rest of us contributed carvings, buildings, and accessories to complement the train. We returned to Dollywood for our 2005 meeting with the bulk of the train (except for the log car, which was “misplaced” by the airline, and went missing for several weeks).  Collectively, we arranged, rearranged, and arranged again until we felt the train had balance, and each piece was appropriately displayed. It was a job well done…well, almost done. On careful examination it became clear that we needed more carvings to round out the scene. So, after setting the train up for its debut at Dollywood, we agreed to bring the additional carvings to complete the scene to our next annual meeting. What began as a one-year project ultimately spanned two years. In 2006 we added the final pieces, and the train became the final project you see here.
 
Our latest book features the train, and should be available through Schiffer Publishing Ltd. In the fall of 2009.