Romancing the Trains

I'm in Paris, France and here trains are very popular. We do use the train a lot here and it's easy to travel across Europe. I'd love to ride in the Orient Express, it must be a breath-taking experience... maybe one day ??

When I was in 4th or 5th grade at the end of the school year instead of just having a picnic we got to go on a train ride. It probably only lasted about 15 or 20 minutes at most but it was incredible. At that point in my childhood it was probably the most exciting thing I had ever done. When I lived in Durango Colorado I became familiar with their special narrow gauge railroad trip. It went from Durango to Silverton Colorado. I was always working so I never got to ride it even though once a year residents could ride for free. My sister did the trip though and said it was beautiful. You don't wear light colored clothes on it though because most of the cars are open and the coal dust is terrible. There is also a train ride over by Chama New Mexico that is supposed to be wonderful. When my old boss retired we took up a collection and bought him and his wife a trip on a dinner train down by Branson Missouri. He loved trains and collected memorabilia so we felt like that was a better retirement present than anything else.

Linda Henderson

My grandparent had a train line that ran along their back yard.  I used to love listening to train's whistle.

Maxine, I got your book! Thanks so much. I'm drenched with Desires since I have received 10 books.  I'l post a review when I've finished it.

I love trains, too. And my favorite train station is Helsinki Central railway station. I'd love to travel across Canada in a train.

Isn't there a train in Canada with a glass roof? So you can see all the beautiful scenery above?

Yes, I'd love to travel across Canada in a train like that. I'd even wear a sweater for that kind of trip! Just keep the hot chocolate comin'.

I've never actually gotten to be on a train.  I've always wanted to, the chance just never came out...yet.  My grandfather, when I was a child, had a train room in the house, and we would play with them for hours.  That room was a work of art.

Tappitytaptap - there is, and my inlaws did the tour through the rockies.  We always just drove it.  The only time I've taken the train was going home from university a few times.  But the scenery in the west is gorgeous.  I found this pic from the train packages site.

Donna

That does look gorgeous. Definitely coat worthy!

Previous comment didn't seem to post, so let's try again - sorry if this comes up twice!

I once took a trip from Washington D.C to Florida on an Amtrak train.  It was a nice way to travel.  The train trip I would love to take some time is the trip across Canada from Vancouver to Banff during Stampede time.  My parents took that trip many years ago & really enjoyed themselves.

you do get used to the noise and it does not bother you at night.  We did go through a tornado and for several years afterwards every time a train came through at night we would all wake up.  We did not notice the noise since we lived so close to the train but since it woke us up I am sure the tornado did sound like a train.

Oh, I love trains too. I have never been on a famous train, but I have traveled on them when I lived in New York as a child.  I remember going thru tunnels and shopping downtown with my mother.  I have good memories of those times. 

We took a train to Mexico, getting off the train in the US and walking across the border once.   It was a shopping excursion with my hubby and kids, but now I wouldn't dare do it.  The train was fine, it's all the unrest there now that scares me. 

 And of course, we've been on trains in Knottsberry Farm and Disneyland.  Those circle the park and give you a grand view of the whole amusement park.   

 Great blog today!! 

My sister has always lived at least 2000 miles away from my hometown.  During the past 37 years, I have flown, taken the train, gone by family car, gone by family car with attached trailer, gone by rental car, gone by motorhome, and gone by bus to visit her and her family.

It was 1972 that I remember like it was yesterday.  When I was 13, my brother (18) and sister (23) and I took a train together to visit the eldest sister (28).  First sister stayed 2 weeks and came back home alone via train.  Bro and I stayed from the Friday night that school got out in June until Labour Day weekend.

When my bro and I were coming home, our train stopped in Winnipeg around 12:45 am.  I had been sleeping but woke up when I realized my brother was running off the train to go nearby to buy a sub sandwich.  I was REALLY scared when the train started up and my bro wasn't on it!  I watched and watched, and I saw him running toward the train, just barely able to jump between the cars while it was gathering speed.  Bonus?  He still had the sub, which he did NOT share with me.  Brothers!

Here in Panama we have the Panama Rail Road (known as the Interoceanic railroad)... I mean, we have new trains, but the journey is the same since the 1800s. It runs some 48 miles from Panama City (in the Pacific Ocean) to the city of Colon (in the Atlantic Ocean).

It was of vital importance for the construction of the Panama Canal, because it travels on a parallel route to the canal. It was built in 1855, half a century before the Panama Canal (in 1914). The reason why it was built was because of the traffic to California after the 1849 gold rush. This railraod was the world's first transcontinental railroad.

I haven't been on any famous trains, just British Rail.  I'd like to travel the Rockies by train. 

OOPS!  That great state should be spelled "Colorado"!

Pat Cochran

I've never ridden one of the famous trains, but I have taken trains in my lifetime.  Twice while I was in elementary school, once in 4th grade and once in 6th (a loooooong time ago), I took the old fashioned trains from my hometown in Louisville, KY, to Washington, D.C. and to Jamestown and Williamsburg.  Those were the coal-driven trains (I imagine) that do the clickety-clack down the tracks, and because I was very young and going with classmates, it was an exciting and very special trip both times.  The destinations were pretty spectacular, too, of course.

Then, in 1980 and again in 1983, a friend and I spent a month in Europe, and we traveled back and forth on the high speed electric trains.  No clickety-clack there, but those babies move!  Since we wanted to cover a lot of ground quickly, we appreciated the speed and modern conveniences of those trains.

At our house, we live about a mile and a quarter away from a train crossing.  Sometimes at night we can hear the train whistles very softly in the distance from our bedroom on the 2nd floor.