“From coast to coast the railroads roam, yet every inch of rail stays home.”
The wind is fierce on this very cold day. I had to go to the dentist this morning, and his office is by a field. The wind came whipping across, and I was freezing as I walked from the car. Today is a day to be home, warm and cozy.
A wind advisory is in effect with winds ranging from 30 to 50 MPH. It’s 24° but, according to the weather channel, it feels like 10°. From my window I can see even the tallest pine trunks swaying to the wind. The backyard will be filled with their dead branches. Pine trees, even the largest, are not hearty. Tomorrow will be in the 40’s, a virtual heat wave will be upon us.
I’m amazed when I think back to my childhood and remember walking to school in every sort of weather. Nothing fazed us. We’d open our arms to the wind and hope to fly. When it snowed, we’d stick out our tongues to catch the flakes and throw snowballs at each other all the way home. Rain was the least popular weather. We would take advantage of any large puddles, but mostly, we just got wet.
I really like traveling by train. My favorite trip was from Quito to Guayaquil, a route no longer available. The train left Quito and my first view was of the volcanoes which lined both sides of the rail. From there we started mountain climbing through to the summit at Urbina. Then the train went down the mountain and continued into the tropical zone where we could see bananas growing on farms on each side of the rail. It was the very first time I had seen bananas in the wild, so to speak. The most exciting part of the ride was the switchback when the train zig zagged up the mountain then switched and rode backwards to the lower line. Okay, that was a bit scary. I admit it. The train ended at Duran where we had to take a boat across to Guayaquil.
I know there are spectacular train rides here and in Canada, but I just haven’t gotten around to taking one. I’ve put it on my to do list, but I’ve always said I want to do my overseas travel when I’m young and save the US for when I’m old, and I’m not there yet.
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keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
February 15, 2011 at 2:44 pm
Nasty cold winds over here too and I´m glad I don´t have to go out any more today! Not even my old boys thought it was especially nice outside and they can take any weather otherwise.
I love to travel by train, but I have only gone by train here in my own country. I like to watch people, how they behave and where they might go after they left the train 🙂
The ambulance helicopter just flew over my cottage and everything started to vibrating 🙂 Some spices fell down from the wall because of it 🙂 🙂 Unfortunately that most probably means that something bad has happened.
Have a great day now!
Christer.
February 15, 2011 at 5:25 pm
Christer,
I took a cozy nap; Gracie joined me as she didn’t like the weather much either.
I know what you mean by that helicopter. Here it means a really bad case is being moved to a specialty hospital.
February 15, 2011 at 3:00 pm
Our trip from Oslo to Bergen by train was beautiful. Seeing the farmlands and fields along with the glaciers was a great way to see the Norwegian countryside. Of course, everytime we’d come upon an especially beautiful sight,,,, we’d go through a tunnel. Now, any time Sandy and I see a bit of scenery that is exceptional, we invariably yell “tunnel”.
February 15, 2011 at 5:28 pm
John,
I got a laugh from your last sentence.
I didn’t take the train in Norway. just Denmark and Finland. The Finnish train went from Helsinki to Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland. It was a marvelous ride though I don’t remember any tunnels.
February 15, 2011 at 8:34 pm
Did you take the train across the Øresund Bridge from Copenhagen to Malmo? What a neat ride. We then took another train from Malmo to Kristenstadt and then on to Ronneby by bus (tracks down) and finally arriving in Karlskrona. Later our daughter and her family went with us by train from K’na to Stockholm. A wonderuful ride. And wonderful trains. Fast, comfortable, and quiet.
I also took a train “Coast to Coast” from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic one afternoon while I was serving in the Army. It was a marvelously interesting trip.
I’ve always loved trains. One of the highlights of my school years was the kindergarten trip on a train our class took. We went to the town west of ours, got off, ate a box lunch at the park at the depot, and returned on the next train.
Then, of course, was my many excursions on our local railroad:
I’m the handsome guy in the foreground.
I worked for the Illinois Central during the 60’s before entering the Army. It wasn’t ’til the trip into Chicago for my Army induction physical that I actually rode a train as an adult.
Now, a commuter train to Chicago is about the extent of my rail journeys. But, one day….
February 15, 2011 at 3:41 pm
I love train rides. I love going from car to car to get to the diner. And the people are friendly and usually a happy group. I haven’t read much on the trains in Canada but thanks Kat, I’ll catch what’s on the net as I love Canada. The wilderness is better than Germany. And I agree with what you wrote about our youth loving the wind as if it were a magical note to swing from; and the rain?? we made good use of it too. Really good post today Kat, thanks.
February 15, 2011 at 5:31 pm
Z&Me,
I am always pleased and amazed when my experiences as a kid resonant. It didn’t matter where we grew up but we all shared so many experiences.
Even the subway was a great ride for me as a kid.
February 15, 2011 at 5:50 pm
http://www.kettlevalleyrail.org/
Cheers
February 16, 2011 at 4:42 pm
Minicapt,
A steam locomotive-I’d love that!
February 16, 2011 at 4:41 pm
John,
I didn’t take that train, but I did take one from Copenhagen which was put on a boat then the boat and all the passengers went across to the continent where the train was put back together, and we rode it all the way to Hook of Holland where we then took a boat across the channel.
That’s a great picture, and I remember kiddie trains. We rode one at a park, and I loved it. That is probably where my love of trains started.
In Ghana trains used to run all the time. I read where they don’t except on one line now which is a shame. I used to take the train to Kumasi then a lorry to go up north. One time I was going to Takoradi on a night train. I had a compartment and at every stop people looked in the window. It was great. I woke up when it derailed. That was a shock. I had to grab my stuff, walk over a trestle bridge and then wait for another train. Fun ride!
February 16, 2011 at 7:23 pm
Nostalgia for passenger trains from the first half of the last century is fun to think about but Amtrak has lost billions of taxpayer dollars trying to make trains a viable option for travel. Except for some specialty trains and some high speed lines between big cities with shot distances it’s a pipe dream.
Modern jet airplanes have made long distance train travel in the United States a ridiculous option for business or even pleasure travel. Trains run slow on the ancient tracks and sit on sidings to give way to the profitable freight trains. Most of the scenery in this country is flat and boring and is best viewed from 35,000 feet going six hundred miles per hour.
In early March I am going to New Jersey. I can not imagine having to sit and sleep on a train for two nights and a day to go from Dallas. It’s three hours and thirty minutes by air.
The deregulation of Europe’s airline industry has spawned low fair airlines such as Ryan Air and Easy Jet. They are beating the pants off of the state run railways, even though European cities are separated by short distances. The airlines are offering low fares and frequent service.
February 16, 2011 at 7:40 pm
Bob,
I still love a train despite the time it takes to travel. There is something wonderfully nostalgic falling asleep to the click of the train as it travels. On the Ghanaian train, in the first class day compartments, were leather chairs and those doors which slide to let people inside. I always felt a bit like a character in an Agatha Christie novel.
February 16, 2011 at 11:07 pm
Exactly, It’s nostalgic and not practical.
February 17, 2011 at 12:23 am
Kat – –
My only experience on a train trip was a long-ago excursion on the Auto Train to Florida…
I loved it. Except for one thing – –
The first day I went to the bar car for a soda to take it back to my seat. Ummm…I have a mild case of cerebral palsy and have ABSOLUTELY no balance. Especially if I am in motion. Oftentimes carrying liquids can be a um, disaster. Worse if EVERYTHING AROUND ME is in motion.
Methinks I sat down with a lot less than when I started out on the journey. And I never sipped a drop. Boy, that was some rocking motion I had to fight! 🙂
What’s the old joke I used to hear from those who used to enjoy their cocktails? Oh, yeah…
“I spilled more than you ever drank”
Guess that’s why the good Lord made sippy cups and lids for Dunkin’ Donuts coffee!
Hey Bob – – where are you going to be in Jersey? I live there. Just curious.
Have a great day, Kat
February 17, 2011 at 11:09 am
Hi Colleen
I have a similar story, well maybe not so similar as I was the victim. It was on the boat across from England to Ireland. I was sitting at a table in the lounge falling asleep. All of a sudden the boat lurched and two whole cups of coffee were dropped on my pants by a woman who couldn’t keep her balance in the lurch. I jumped up. She apologized, but I was soaked.