Trains | Pad Patter 8/3

I love trains. I don’t get to ride them very often.

if I try to knit or read in a car or on a bus I get carsick, but I don’t on a train. The thought of being able to power knit for a long stretch of time on a train sounds wonderful.

 

We just did a trip on the AutoTrain from Orlando, FL to Lorton, VA and back again 3 weeks later. We booked a roomette. Once we got over the initial shock of the sizeof the roomette, it wasn't all that bad until we tried to sleep. The chairs were comfy enough and there was a table in between. Dinner and breakfast were served in our little room. The roomette was very private and quiet. The bunks were hard and flat and very uncomfortable. Then the train horn blasted all night long. It took 2 hours for our car to be unloaded. On our return trip, we asked for extra pillows thinking that would help us sleep. It did not help, but we were further away from the whistle and didn't hear that. Our car was off in half an hour. But it was great having to drive for only 6 hours instead of 2 days to visit our daughter.

 

Yep! We've done trains as long as I can remember, when we can. We take the subway or light rail's in cities we visit too.

We take the little Port Stanley train in Ontario California from the port to the town and back again. It's more a tourist ride than practical ride. We also rode the Heber Creeper in Utah, again touristy, not practical.
For practical, we rode Amtrak from Seattle, Washington up to Vancouver Canada when we took a cruise out of Seattle. It was cheaper and easier than renting a car. And on that cruise we took the White Pass & Yukon Route train in Skagway, Alaska. My kid used to watch Mighty Machines, and that train is featured on an episode. It's also a gorgeous ride.
We did the subway in New York City, and from New Jersey into NYC. We did the commuter rail in Salt Lake to go back and forth to an amusement park.
We used to ride the Subway in Boston all the time when we lived there. We'd take the commuter train down to the city and catch the subway. We also took Amtrak from Boston up to Portland, Maine in the fall. That was a beautiful train ride with all the leaves changing!
Munchkin and I took the Amtrak from Chicago (well, the first stop outside Chicago - Naperville) to Salt Lake City last summer. That's the longest ride we've been on. It was beautiful and so fun to see places that only kayaks or trains can access. There's even a tradition of the kayakers mooning the train!

Our next trip we are planning is going from Indiana to D.C. by train. That one will take us through some beautiful countryside!

 

My dad was a model railroad/train enthusiast, so I inherited my love for trains from him. My sisters and I all have some of his trains (HO gauge), but I’ve yet to purchase track for mine. Oops!

I try to ride vintage trains when I can: the Sugar Pine Railroad at Yosemite National Park, the amazing wood-fueled steam train at Dollywood, the Tennessee Valley RR in Chattanooga (even stopped by the Chattanooga ChooChoo hotel for a walk around), the Flåm RR in Norway, the Heber Valley RR in Utah, Hogwart’s Express in Universal Orlando, the Green Mountain RR in Vermont, and of course, the lovely trains at Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom - even getting a ride on the Lily Belle car. I’ve ridden on small ride-on trains all over the place (such as Travel Town, and the Griffith Park & Southern Railroads in Los Angeles). But the best one for me is the Los Angeles Live Steamers, also located in Griffith Park. Walt Disney had a railroad in his backyard which he donated to the city of L.A., and they give rides every Sunday. On the third Sunday of the month Walt’s barn is open, which is adjacent to the L.A. Live Steamers, which holds amazing Disney railroad memorabilia.
I could go on and on, but I’ll stop! Here are some of the pages that I made, in case you’re interested in seeing them. I have more but I must not have uploaded them yet. Lol!



In Sweden:


Not quite a train, but close enough!

 

Let me know when you come to D.C.! You know I live in the area, don't you? I'd love to meet you and show you around!

 

Yep! You inDC and @michelepixels in Virginia!

 

I’m in the metro DC area too … near Tysons Corner.

 

I’m also in Virginia, just 5 miles from the DC line. It’s just easier sometimes to say DC…. Lol!

 

I've been to Reston, but not much else. My friend there moved, so I haven't had a chance to go back.

 

There’s a whole lot to see and do in the metro DC area …

 

So I should come alone? LOL!

 

Your daughter may never forgive you if you do! Right?

 

As a kid, I lived next to the railway. So I've had my share of trains during my youth. 4 passenger trains every hour, 4 express trains every hour and then there were several freight trains in that same hour. The last category also passed our house during the night. And yea of course I did ride the train. As a teen I went on "Tienertour", a special ticket for teens to use the train across the county (often) without their parents. People complain a lot these days when they have to travel by train..." they're late, crowded etc. etc. Those people obviously never have travelled on an Italian train. I did when on vacation in Tuscany.... trust me, they'd never complain about a crowded train again... Oh, and we have a special Railway Museum in Utrecht over here in the Netherlands. A real treat for train lovers.