On Monday morning, April 30, 2007, pre-dawn, KATV-TV, the Little Rock ABC affiliate, hosted it's "Daybreak" program at the Central Delta Depot Museum, in Brinkley, Arkansas. The show ran live from 5 to 7 a.m. with occasional cut-ins from the museum, hosted by Kristin Fisher.
   I arrived at the depot shortly before 4 a.m. and museum director Bill Sayger was already there. The set-up, camera person from KATV arrived about 4:15, and the van with the rest of Channel 7's crew arrived at 4:45 a.m. Following are photos of the event and some of the many local people who showed up. There were also a few trains that passed during the broadcast.
   All the photos were taken by Ken Ziegenbein. To email me, click the 'email' button below.
 


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LEFT-4:28 am. I set my Sony camera to a high-sensitivity setting (3200 ISO) and took this picture of the Monroe depot on display next to the depot museum. RIGHT-The Central Delta Depot Museum in the pre-dawn of April 30, 2007. The Rock Island ran left to right in front of the platform. That line was taken up around 1980.


LEFT-A train passes at 4:38 a.m. This is Union Pacific tracks, once the Cotton Belt. RIGHT-The front of the museum.


LEFT-4:45 a.m. the Channel 7 crew van arrived. This visit by the Daybreak crew was part of a Daybreak Road Trip, where they went to 25 Arkansas towns in 25 days.


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RIGHT-The museum's meeting room (in the old Railway Express section of the station) was set up for the crowd to follow.


LEFT-People started arriving about 4:45 a.m. RIGHT-The camera was set up inside one of the display rooms.


People started gathering inside..

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Museum director Bill Sayger talks with host Kristin Fisher.


Only 10 minutes or so before their first live broadcast. It's about 4:55 a.m.




LEFT-The lady in the center is Amanda Manatt, native of Brinkley, who also works for KATV, Channel 7.


5:25 a.m. - All visitors were told to come into the display room and gather in the background with the first interviews starting shortly.


This was a great turnout. The old railroad handcar used to be on the Missouri & North Arkansas Railroad near Cotton Plant, Arkansas in the early part of the century.



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RIGHT-On the air live nearing 5:30 a.m. I did not want to use a flash while they were live, so the picture is a little blurry.


Interviewing Bill Sayger.








LEFT-Amanda Manatt (L) and Kristin Fisher (R). Sorry about the focus. Guess the Sony camera focused on the wall instead.



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Of course, the Ivory-billed Woodpecker was discussed.






It's 5:55 a.m.










The sun rose right on time!




About 6:15 a.m. - Setting up outside once it got light.




6:18 a.m. a fast and noisy UP freight zips by while they were doing an interview. I loved it!












6:32 a.m. showing the nicely cut and manicured lawn of the Depot Museum, thanks to Steve Hinton.




LEFT-One of the final takes at 6:41 a.m. Everyone gathered outside near the Channel 7 van. RIGHT-Another train comes by at 6:41 a.m.






6:52 a.m.


LEFT-Almost at the end of the day's festivities. It's about 5 minutes to 7 a.m. RIGHT-The quiet after the storm. Normalcy returns to the museum.


LEFT-Looking out from the now-empty room where the first live broadcast was made. RIGHT-You can see the KATV van through the blinds.




RIGHT-Final train of the morning, 7:18 a.m.