Local train to Schoonhoven- Coming out of The Chocolate factory, keep to the right and you’ll walk on to the Karnemelksloot. Keep the canal to your left. On your left hand side you see the historic drawbridge, which used to be a railway bridge for the local train to Schoonhoven. The station was located on the place where nowadays the prowess of a postmodern example of 1970’s architecture (the Panaromaflat) is displayed. Please keep on the right hand side of the canal.

Walk on past the canal, and take time to admire the Christmas decoration along the canal. The people of the Karnemelksloot arrange them each year themselves.  Walk on to the Burgemeester Martenssingel, Leo used to walk here on his way to town.

In the old days the Karnemelksloot was a dyke, which was turned into a canal in the early 14^th century. In those days it was mainly used for the transportation of fodder to the city by pig farmers and cloysters holding pigs.

The train, mainly used for public transport, drove over the streets on rails at a speed of 30 km/h. It caused many an accident in its time by driving over coaches, cars and people who weren’t quick enough to jump out of the trains way. On august 23^rd of 1942 the train claimed its last victim: the Germans took the iron rails the next day, and the people of Gouda burned the sleepers the following winter.

There was the big railroad but then again

there was also Schoonhovens local train

it ran all over Gouda daily

it just carried through

one might have lost a leg or two

by this iron monster so scaly

Imagine: death afloat

driving over the Karnemelksloot

“mijn eigen Gouda” – Leo Vroman

Translated by Steven de Jong voor Gouda bij Kaarslicht (incl. the parts of the poem “My Own Gouda”)