NATIONAL TRAIN DAY

TL 6-11 NATIONAL TRAIN DAY

 

You may think I’m just old and sentimental, but I miss the caboose on trains!  Does anyone else miss the caboose being on the back of the train???  LOL!!!  When I was a kid I liked having to wait at railroad crossings for a train because the man in the caboose would always wave at me!  Even trains used to be more friendly than they are now…  sigh.

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Boys & girls this is a CABOOSE and it was at the back of trains a long time ago. There was always a man in there and he waved to the cars at the crossing.

We all know the effect that everyday stress has on our health. Maybe it’s time for a nice vacation. When was the last time you took a trip – on a train??? We’re going! Get your bags packed! Today is NATIONAL TRAIN DAY!!!

Often we think of other modes of transportation and embrace them, but rarely do we consider getting to our destination by train. I enjoy watching old movies and some of my favorites include trips by rail. Movies such as The Train, The Grey Fox, The General, and The Lady Vanishes have extensive scenes that include trains. I think Agatha Christie’s Murder on The Orient Express is one of my favorite movies. I would love to ride The Orient Express one day. Alfred Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train is a movie I enjoy as well.

There’s a certain ambience on a train ride. It’s so romantic and relaxing.  But with 3 kids along?  Yeah – maybe not.  Here’s a 14 hour train ride…  with 3 kids.  I think at one point they’re asking, “Are we THERE yet???”  Hey – I would be!  Check out the foliage as they travel west – it’s really pretty in October!

My husband and I have taken a couple of short day trips on trains. It was just enough to make me want to go on a longer trip. For our 20th wedding anniversary we rode a dinner train from Branson, MO across the AR state line and back. We also rode a train in Abilene, KS one afternoon a few years ago.

Now I’m ready for my long trip! I have a friend who regularly travels by rail . She thinks I am just as crazy as can be for wanting to take a trip by train. I don’t care. I’ve been called worse.

If you’ve seen the movie Strangers on a Train, you’ll know that it’s not a good idea to get too friendly with anyone else. No, I’d play it safe and just talk with my husband.

Here in Kansas we are in real danger because our Amtrak line does not generate enough to maintain the tracks. Basically, if we don’t start using the train, we could lose our line completely. That would be a crying shame. We have to go to Newton, KS to begin our journey. That is about 20 miles north of Wichita. It’s a small inconvenience really. I hope more Kansans will choose the train to get where they want to go.

Let’s go to Italy and ride this new train!

I’ve always been fascinated with trains and hope to take a nice long train ride one day. I hope you will do the same. 😀