The truth

Allways at War with anybody that think Railroads dont haul Freight anymore.

Even good friends cannot understand why anyone would want to ride a particular route (or train).

A few years ago, my wife and I, as part of one of our month-long trips (some travel by rental car to get to places unreachable by rail passenger service) made a roundtrip from Victoria to Courtenay and back. Back home, I was showing some of the pictures taken on this leg to our daughter’s father-in-law, and he could not comprehend going somewhere and back just for the rail travel and not to do something other than travel by train, or see something other than what could be seen from the train. On this trip, we did spend two nights at the Chateau Lake Louise, in a room with a wonderful view of the lake, and drove down to Banff for lunch at the Banff Hot Springs Hotel.

I know that he would have utterly failed to comprehend the great pleasure my wife and I had three years ago as we were crossing Northern Virginia while sitting in a bedroom on the Cardinal while on our way back home towards the end of another delightful trip by rail.

Both my wife and I have enjoyed travel by rail from our youth, and we met on the City of Portland in April of 1951; we were both on it because it was about to be discontinued.

Sometimes I get the same reaction to my Ridewithmehenry tripping. We’ll actually drive up to 150 miles from the Binghamton, NY area to the New York Metrpolitan area to ride from MNRR and NJT stations into the city then the LIRR, MNRR, or Amtrak or to NJT points or SEPTA connection to Phiiladelphia. Just for the fun of it. Train crews are amused and very accomodating, some even impressed that we take such interest in their railroads and their jobs; even other passengers comment in the positive (always adding that we wouldn’t want to do it everyday like them!). At home, mixed reactions from “boy that sounds like great fun for a day” to “why would anyone want ot do that” (the latter’s reaction more about going into city and suburbia rather than riding the trains). We do it strictly for fun. I grew up there and miss a lot of the railroading I grew up with; some I missed when I lived there, too. So I show my friends what parts of NYC area railroading exist today against what used to be. In some cases it is easier to do today than 50 or so years ago thanks to NJT’ Mid Town Direct and Sec. Jct. instead of each individual railroad having its own seperate facilities. Some lines and railroads are gone entirely. But its a relaxing day for railfans who like to see what is happening, find photo angles, see what you can’t see from highways and see how railroading operates. Yes, it helps that most of us use the OFF (Old Fart Fare) with up to 60% savings, but even before qualifying, it was well worth the fare…can’t do a night of bowling for less! Surprisingly, there are many who never rode trains, others who may have, but all who encourage us to do more and maybe take them sometime. Train traveling, even commuter train travel, for us railfans and for a few non railfans, can be actually be a relaxing and enjoyable adventure. But I wouldn’t want to do it everyday…just be able to.