How many of you...

[Squeakz2001]

Got addicted to riding trains on your very first trip? When did you catch 'the fever'?

On my first trip (last June) I became an addict and have been trying to figure out a way to take another LD trip.

How about you?

 

[creddick]

I was and still am addicted. The first train ride I can remember was from Phoenix, AZ, to LA. It was back in the late 40's. I was very young and I recall my father had a meeting in LA he had to attend. He took me with him. I don't remember what line it was but I would guess either Santa Fe or Union Pacific or possibly Souther Pacific. Also, my uncle was train master for the NYC in Bay City, MI and later in Jackson, MI. I was around trains a lot as a kid and still love them. My next ride is from Lansing, MI, to Chicago in September. Can't wait!

 

[MrFSS]

Got addicted to riding trains on your very first trip? When did you catch 'the fever'?
On my first trip (last June) I became an addict and have been trying to figure out a way to take another LD trip.

How about you?

My first ride was in 1947 from Louisville to Chicago on a PRR train. I can remember to this day getting off the train and walking down the platform toward CUS and passing the giant steam engine gushing air and steam. I've been in love with trains and even CUS ever since!

 

[ThayerATM]

Got addicted to riding trains on your very first trip? When did you catch 'the fever'?
On my first trip (last June) I became an addict and have been trying to figure out a way to take another LD trip.

How about you?

I think it was the green beans. It was about 1944, and my parents were making a trip from Chicage to Flint MI, our home town. I was about five years old. I remember the green beans (I can still see them today) in that white dish, on the white plate on the white tablecloth. They had pepper on them, and I just scarfed them down. My mom was amazed, since I had always been such a picky eater. I remember the waiter too. I didn't know at the time that I had become addicted, but I guess that I am.

 

[Guest]

1973 or so: riding the Southern Crescent between Birmingham and Charlotte and passing through the mountains with 2 other girlfriends. One was playing John Denver's Rocky Mountain High on her guitar and those around us in coach were singing. The mountains were visible so it must have had a different timetable back then. I was hooked. I even wrote a school report on the trip probably along the lines of "what did you do on your summer vacation".

Jody

PS We weren't old enough to be hippies.

 

[Rail Freak]

1973 or so: riding the Southern Crescent between Birmingham and Charlotte and passing through the mountains with 2 other girlfriends. One was playing John Denver's Rocky Mountain High on her guitar and those around us in coach were singing. The mountains were visible so it must have had a different timetable back then. I was hooked. I even wrote a school report on the trip probably along the lines of "what did you do on your summer vacation".
Jody

PS We weren't old enough to be hippies.

How old do you have to be a hippie? :huh:

 

[tourlink99]

When I was 3 years old I lived in Coney Island, near all the amusement rides. My uncle operated the kiddie choo choo train. My mother would put me on the train in the morning and I would go around in circles all day. I loved it and have been crazy about trains ever since. :lol:

 

[WhoozOn1st]

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, I was BORN addicted to trains. My whole family likes trains, and I'm only the most fanatical example. Nary a family gathering is planned that doesn't include a train ride.

Nobody has ever worked for a railroad. We just like trains.

I consider myself highly fortunate. I know some railfans have loved ones who are unsupportive of their interest.

Once planned out a family picnic at L.A.'s Griffith Park. Major howling because no train ride was included. So I revised the plan to include a visit to the L.A. Live Steamers nearby. That shut 'em up, and was major fun.

 

[jis]

My first train ride was when I was three years old on the Bombay Mail via Nagpur, from Calcutta to Bombay (Mumbai these days). We were going to Bombay to meet my Dad who was coming back from England on a P&O Steamship. I have only very vague memories of the trip but have been certainly addicted to train travel ever since. I have seen pictures of Bombay Mail. Those days. It was a 14 car train pulled by a brand spanking new WP class streamlined Pacific steam locomotive delivered straight from Montreal Locomotive Works, built under contract specifically for Indian Railways based on a design jointly developed by Baldwin and Indian Railways Standards Organization. They were colloquially known as Canadian Locomotives back then. This was 1955. Since then well over a thousand examples of this class were built and deployed on Indian Railways. They were manufacture variously by Baldwin, MLW, some Czech outfit, a Polish builder, and then the most numerous ones by IR's own Chittaranjan Locomotive Works.

My first ride on an American train was on the Senator from Boston to New York in 1965. Trust me, by then that train was falling apart. The AC didn't work most of the way, and a natural form of ventilation, as in open dutch doors was used to keep people somewhat cool. Any random Amtrak train today is better than that experience. We were on a year's visit to the US and we could not believe that the greatest country in the world had such sorry looking trains.

I finally came to the US to settle here in 1977 and my first long distance train ride (as opposed to frequent rides on LIRR from Stony Brook to New York) after 77 in the US was on Amtrak's rendition of the Broadway Limited and the Empire Builder in its first Superliner incarnation. It was then the only train running with Superliner equipment in late 1979. And that was quite an unforgettable experience because the Superliners are so unique and well ... so Super! As I recall, the train was also pulled by relatively new F40-PHs then.

 

[had8ley]

1973 or so: riding the Southern Crescent between Birmingham and Charlotte and passing through the mountains with 2 other girlfriends. One was playing John Denver's Rocky Mountain High on her guitar and those around us in coach were singing. The mountains were visible so it must have had a different timetable back then. I was hooked. I even wrote a school report on the trip probably along the lines of "what did you do on your summer vacation".
Jody

PS We weren't old enough to be hippies.

You're talking about a lot of mileage between Birmingham and Charlotte. If conditions and the time of year was right you could have some light almost to Toccoa going north. The '73 times were almost identical to today's train save a few stops (York, Eutaw, Lumberton and a few others.)

 

[Guest]

"You're talking about a lot of mileage between Birmingham and Charlotte. If conditions and the time of year was right you could have some light almost to Toccoa going north. The '73 times were almost identical to today's train save a few stops (York, Eutaw, Lumberton and a few others"

I think I have pictures of what I speak, and knowing me, probably still have the report. I know I have the pictures at the B'ham station- including the white coated porters(?).... probably summer. At some point we were on a ridge and could see hilltops in both directions. This past fall I tried to spot the same patch, but lots of time has passed. Trees grow.

J

 

[Guest]

"How old do you have to be a hippie? "

Someone else will have to answer that. We were geeks.

 

[RobertF]

Got addicted to riding trains on your very first trip? When did you catch 'the fever'?
On my first trip (last June) I became an addict and have been trying to figure out a way to take another LD trip.

How about you?

My first trip was when I was about 7 years old (maybe 8) or so. My father and mother had divorced and I was living with my mother.

I remember my dad telling me he was going to take me on a train trip. We went from Chicago to OKC (Texas Eagle?) before they

initially stop serving OKC (this would have been in '72 or '73 or so).

I remember taking a big airplane to Chicago (my dad and I had flown in his little plane since I was a baby). It was on an American 727 as

I recall. Landing in Chicago, we drove to Union Station to catch our train. I don't honestly remember a great deal about it, but I do remember

eating in the dinner and I remember the attendant walking down the hall with a set of bells that they rang for dinner.

I remember sleeping on the train (well, trying too) and being amazed at it all.

It was a great trip, and a fond memory (well, what I can remember these days). I've taken each of my kids on a train ride when they were around 8 years old for the same reason.

I also remember my dad and I driving down to the Frisco yard near where I lived. We were on a mainline of the Frisco and we would walk around the cars and the engines and walk through the cabooses. He had a friend that worked at the yard as a supervisor so we pretty much had the run of the place.

All in all these memories really make trains a big part of who I am.

 

[GG-1]

When I was 3 years old I lived in Coney Island, near all the amusement rides. My uncle operated the kiddie choo choo train. My mother would put me on the train in the morning and I would go around in circles all day. I loved it and have been crazy about trains ever since. :lol:

Gee I wonder f we saw each other? but by time I got tho Coney Island I was ?15. Spent more time on Cyclone, only rode the Steeple Chase once as the horse bit me (really pinched in a moving part)

In response to the question about how old do you have to be to be a hippe, I don't know But I dressed to "wild" to get into the Alan Freed Show, in NYC. I AM an original "Rock N Roller"! :lol:

Mahalo

Eric

 

[Rick]

My parents and I rode the Rock Island "Rocket" several times in the very early 1960's. I was approx. 3-4 years old. I still remember bits and pieces of those trips. I loved it!!! Then in July of 1964, my mom, little sister, and I rode Santa Fe's "San Francisco Chief" from Chillicothe, Illinois all the way to Richmond, Calif. which I believe was the end of the line at that time. We had a compartment which I thought was the coolest thing in the world. Our "porter" was named Jesse and he would come and get me for afternoon station stops. He would open the top half of the door and let me stand on the step stool and look out. Well.........that was just the most incredible experience for a 6 year old boy...I was HOOKED!!! The wind in my face...those gleaming stainless steel cars with the fluted sides....just magical.....absolutely magical. I've been completely addicted to train travel ever since......and do so every chance I get!!!

 

[daveyb99]

I have had a blast on AMTRAK back to the days when the Cafe used to be on the upper level of the Sightseer car. Wonderful memories of the trips, even if they were short ones across Texas.

 

[p&sr]

Got addicted to riding trains on your very first trip?

That's right. As a little kid in the early 50's, we took the San Diego Train from Los Angeles Union Station as far as the Beach at San Clemente. After a fine day of digging in the sand and going wading, we took the train back into Los Angeles. There was no engine, the whole train was just two self-powered passenger cars.

I've been looking for good chances to ride ever since.

 

[WICT106]

I got addicted to trains even before my first trip to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. Unfortunately, Amtrak was going through another of its funding crises at the time, and my trip partners, who were accustomed to having nice things in life, proceeded to condemn every little flaw aboard the train, and condemn the entire trip. I enjoyed it a lot -- they went about searching and complaining about every little imperfection. That was when they were not belittling and insulting one another, or having fun at someone else's expense.

Sometimes it is the attitude that makes the difference. B) It has helped me out ever since.

 

[JayPea]

I don't really remember any details of my first train trip---from Spokane to Chicago and back on the old North Coast Limited--as this was in 1963, when I was three years old. I'm sure I enjoyed it, though. I know I did the next Spokane-Chicago round trip I took, this one on the Empire Builder in 1965. I was thoroughly hooked on trains by then, but never got a real chance to feed my addiction until recently. Except for a short overnight ride on a mixed consist train on the UP line from Spokane to Hinkle, OR, and back in 1970, I didn't get a chance to ride on a train until 1990, when, on my visits to Illinois to visit relatives, my uncle and I would take the City of New Orleans from Champaign to Chicago, to go to Wrigley field and watch the Cubs lose. :lol: We did this a few times, but those short trips still didn't feed the addiction. It wasn't until 2004, 39 years after my last long-distance train ride did I get a chance to go again, this time from Chicago to Reno on the CZ. I'm now in a position, both financially and time-wise, to be able to take more Amtrak trips and have done a couple of other long-distance trips the last couple of years and am in the planning stages for another one this fall, as well as several other shorter trips. I'm making up for lost time!!!!

 

[Everydaymatters]

I got addicted on my first Amtrak trip. It was around 1987 from Bloomington, IL to LA. We hit a car on the way there. On the way back home, from LA to Bloomington, we hit another car, a passenger got "evicted" for threatening other passengers around him and we watched the police haul him away, we broke down in the mountains and had to wait hours for another engine to get us up the hill. Sat there with minimal lights and no air conditioning.

All that stuff takes time. We ended up missing our connecting train in Kansas City, took a different train from KC to St. Louis, spent the night in St. Louis and got a train, possibly the Ann Rutledge?, and ended up back in Bloomington a day later than planned.

A railroad fans dream trip!

Betty

 

[Green Maned Lion]

I started riding with my dad back in 1992. I liked taking the train, and I was ok with flying. The train was "nicer", the plane faster. Given the choice I would have taken the train, but it wasn't a strong lean, initially. But that was back then, when airlines served real meals, on actual plates, and treated you like you were spending good money to fly in their plane. Like you were a person, even.

As the service on planes got less, I started to prefer the train more.

But it was a plane flight that addicted me to train travel, really. I've mentioned the flight before. It was the hours late, dumped-boiling-hot-coffee-on-me-and-then-cursed-at-me flight. I sat there in my seat, scalded by hot coffee and some bitchy flight attendant, and asked myself the following question: "I pay for this?"

When the Airline told me that the flight attendant didn't spill coffee on me, and try and make it out like I was looking to sue them (I wasn't, I just wanted that idiot canned) and finally tell me that if I didn't leave (and I never raised my voice at them or anything) they are going to call security, that sealed it. I realized that I enjoyed taking the train, and that I hated flying. And I haven't flown since.

 

[had8ley]

"You're talking about a lot of mileage between Birmingham and Charlotte. If conditions and the time of year was right you could have some light almost to Toccoa going north. The '73 times were almost identical to today's train save a few stops (York, Eutaw, Lumberton and a few others"
I think I have pictures of what I speak, and knowing me, probably still have the report. I know I have the pictures at the B'ham station- including the white coated porters(?).... probably summer. At some point we were on a ridge and could see hilltops in both directions. This past fall I tried to spot the same patch, but lots of time has passed. Trees grow.

J

35 years is a long time ago...I can envision the portion of track north of Birmingham resembling mountain ridges because you are following a river bank. It is an awesome sight with all the kudzoo growing and there really are cliffs up above. I don't doubt you; I just think that the majority of the SR's Crescent's mountain running was done at night unless something drastic, such as a derailment, delayed the train. The Southern ran trains as they are supposed to run~ on time, every time.

 

[TraneMan]

I grew up 3 blocks from the tracks, and I would hear the train pass on by our place. (Lake City MN)

In 1990, it was my Senior year in High School, and every year the Senior groups would have a "Sneak Trip" for 4 days, and our funds wasn't as high we'd like to have for a trip to fly some where, and our class sponsor said why check into the train. so we did and learned that it was by far cheaper to take the train than flying for our group. (Class of 14, plus two class sponsor)

On the day of our trip, we leave campus really early to get to St. Paul to catch the train, but we could not board on to it.. From what I recall, someone has passed on, and had to wait I think an hour or so, then boarded on. Left St Paul I think it was around 8, and got down to CHI, we had a layover time. and at first we did plan on going out into the City and check out the SEARS tower, but time was cut short due to the delay in St. Paul, so we just hung out at the station till was time to board the next train down to St. Louis. Just as we left the yard, the train broke down, so they had to change the engine, I think it was another 45 min delay, and left at last. We had a lot of fun playing cards, and other board games on the trip, and it was a the first trip for all of us.

After that trip, I wanted to go again, and 4 years later went with my parents out to Whitefish MT. We all loved the view on the train into the Mtns!

I am going again this June to see my long lost cousin in CHI.

 

[Guest]

" It is an awesome sight with all the kudzoo growing and there really are cliffs up above. I don't doubt you;"

Had8ley

I know the patch of healthy kudzoo (I wish that it were pointed out as a scenic point in the literature) you're talking about and the stream below. But at that point what hills you see are up above you. Right? The portion I remember was being on a ridge looking down on both sides and it seems like it was long after being settled in. It could have been around Toccoa. I don't remember it being really bright daylight either. Would the train have gone through Toccoa near dusk? Full moon, maybe?

... I have to find that report. All 3 of us were avid diarists, reporting the most minute of details when we traveled by roads such as "passed downtown xxxx at 6:00pm" but that was our only train trip together and we wouldn't have had any clue as to where we were.

Can you imagine what Toccoa looked like in 1973? Interstate 85 did not extend that far at that time.

J

 

[MStrain]

My grandpa used to take me to visit his buddies down at the Illinois Central yard in Jackson, Miss. when I was a lad. I was able to "play" in and around trains with them. My fondest memory, and what hooked me back then, was being allowed to pull the horn chord on an old F7 unit. I have always loved that particular locomotive, and have seen a few photos of some in Amtrak scheme. Anyhow.....I still drive by the old yard and think back on the fond memories of spending my weekends down there amongst the steel giants.

When I was a Boy Scout, we rode the CONO to Chicago, then the Empire Builder to Minnesota for Canoe Base. Some fond memories were made there......we took over that particular car. It was on that trip that I made friends with the conductor who taught me several things about railroading that I still know today.

I cook a good bit and recently came across a book Dining By Rail.....its filled with recipes from the old dining cars! They are great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have since taken many trips aboard the CONO and will be riding the Crescent this Summer to visit my brother in Charlotte, NC.