Childhood memories of riding the rails also came in a train trip to Penn State to visit my cousins, Warren and David, when school was officially out for the summer. Eating in the dining car with white tablecloths and shiny dinnerware made it seem so grown-up to a girl of ten. I remember the food tasting delicious and meeting people from all over the place. Settling down into my coach seat and watching out the window as the landscape whizzed by placed me into a happy trance-like space. Farms, fields, and small towns waltzed by my window. This seemed way better than TV!
Riding along in the family car as a kid, I also remember getting stopped at our small town's railroad crossing when the red lights came flashing on and the white gates lowered. I'd wonder where all those passengers were going to. The coach cars' lights illuminated the people as they rocked on by as the engine's whistle filled my ears. The engineer in the red caboose would wave back at me as my mother would sigh in relief at the long wait and delay for our trip along the way. The magic of train travel was never lost on me.
Switching to adulthood, I had a chance at traveling by train one July with my summer vacation and time-off as a teacher. I took an Amtrak trip from Denver to Seattle. The scenery, fellow travelers, and reminders of childhood train trips helped put me into a full-circle moment. During that particular train ride, I woke up and it was jet-black in the middle of the night. The gentle swaying and rocking motion of the train had stopped. We were sitting still. The railroad crew was removing something from the tracks so that we could continue safely on down the ties. Train travel is not meant for folks in a hurry. Although, the restful nature of being passenger instead of driver, getting to walk around when restless, and seeing the sights of endless landscapes offers a round of rewards to those who prefer a journey of a different travel nature.
This past Saturday, I listened for an "all aboard" at the Cedar Park depot outside Austin, Texas. With my DayTripper friends in tow, I stepped right back into the past as I climbed the steps of the Hill Country Flyer to Burnet. The conductor greeted us as we prepared to ride the train. We rode on the excursion coach of the Buckeye Trail. It had air conditioning, a restroom, and a nearby souvenir and snack car. Comfortable royal blue seats with upper storage racks sat on both sides of the aisle. Paul and I sat facing our friends Marilyn and Floyd. The seating arrangement encouraged friendliness and fun conversation. A quick announcement was made over the PA system and then we were off. The train chugged and slowly pulled out of the station. And, I watched out the window, feeling like a girl again. The magic had just begun.
When we arrived in Burnet about an hour later, we had time for lunch, shopping, or a walk in the park. Our group had reservations at Jardin Corona on South West Street. Our table overlooked Hamilton Creek, a beautiful city park, complete with ducks floating by our view. The Mexican food was especially delicious. I had vegetarian enchiladas, and they were some of the best I've ever eaten. Overall, our restaurant choice had a relaxing atmosphere with excellent service. Everyone split up after lunch to pursue their own interests. Paul and I took a leisurely stroll through the park then headed back for our return trip home. Some of our fellow passengers also witnessed a staged western gun fight at the depot at 1:30 p.m. This western battle included the good guy sheriff, the bad guy robbers, and of course, some colorful saloon girls. One of the saloon gals was recruited from the train passenger list. I remember the sheriff asking for volunteers when we arrived in Burnet earlier.
The trip back went quickly. Before I knew it, we were back in Cedar Park. The day went by so fast. I regretted that it hadn't been a longer train ride. Oh well, Paul and I will just have to plan for another ride on the rails in the future. Maybe a journey across Canada . . .
HAPPY DISCOVERIES!
www.CindyMorawski.com
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