I’m thinking about trains this week. There have been several articles in our local papers about how the relatively new Connecticut Railroad’s Hartford Line has exceeded expectations and reached the One Million Passenger mark well ahead of schedule. I like this train, and I’m thinking about taking a ride just for the fun of it.
Our options for rail travel now include, taking the Hartford Line to New Haven and transferring to Metro North (commuter railway) into New York City’s Grand Central Terminal. We can also transfer to AMTRAK in New Haven with service into New York’s Penn Station. Of course, I can take AMTRAK right from our town to New York or anywhere along the Northeast Corridor. I have taken AMTRAK, numerous times, to New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.
Note: I could take AMTRAK to Boston from New Haven, but the trip would be over an hour longer each way than driving.
I found an AMTRAK one-liner in my drafts folder, and I just had to laugh. This is an announcement the conductor makes at every major station.
“This is AMTRAK 141. This is NOT the Acela”
Check out the gallery to see why it should be unlikely for anyone who paid more to ride the Acela, to be stepping onto a Metroliner. Also, once inside, the Acela resembles a modern single-aisle passenger jet while the Metroliner looks like a 50-year-old train. Still, I have seen people scurry to the doors when the conductor makes that announcement.
This post is part of Linda G. Hill’s fun weekly series One-Liner Wednesday. And, given the time of the year, it’s also part of Just-Jot-January. If you have a one-liner, I’d encourage you to join in on the fun. You can follow this link to participate and to see the one-liners from the other participants.
I like traveling by train, and I guess others are finding the convenience a real bonus too. DD always makes any trip better. :-)
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It was a very nice surprise when AMTRAK switched to serving Dunkin. I may not be traveling for business, but I’m sure I’ll keep riding the train.
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I miss trains. Growing up in Jersey it was a common form of transportation and even if you didn’t ride them, you saw them, heard them and passed their lovely old stations everywhere. Maine is sadly bereft of trains.
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Oh, that’s sad. I don’t know that I’d want to be somewhere without trains. We can hear the whistle from our house. I like hearing it.
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I grew up hearing it every night…. a soothing, rather plaintive sound.
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You make me want to do a long train ride, Dan. Back in the early 90’s I traveled from Washington DC to Seattle (and back) via Amtrak and had a blast. I have also crossed the country via Greyhound bus a couple of times and the train was definitely an upgrade. Back then, people actually talked to each other to pass the time as they gazed at the passing scenery–now I suspect that the heads of all the people are buried in their electronic devices.
I must say that you confused me with the title of your posting. When I read “Big Wheels,” I immediately anticipated a certain kind of tricycle. My second thought was that you would be posting on a riverboat–think of Proud Mary’s “Big wheels keep on turning…” It’s funny how a word combination can bring forth such different mental images. :)
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I’ve been from here to DC, Mike, but I’ve never done a truly long journey by train. I would love to go to Seattle, and roll through the Cascades Tunnel. I have had some nice conversations on the train, but mostly it’s a quiet ride these days.
Sorry about the confusion with the title. I was listening to John Fogerty’s “Southern Streamline” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spgipn3Q6z4
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Thanks, Dan, for the back story of “Big Wheels” and thanks for introducing me to a John Fogerty song with which I was not familiar.
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sigh I miss the train. Only freight service in these parts.
Make the trip, and report back, so that I might live vicariously through your story, k? Just for the fun of it.
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I will make that trip, Maggie. I want to take the Hartford Line north to Springfield, MA so I can ride over that railroad bridge.
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Choo-chooo!!!!!
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Hee hee – thanks GP.
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I’ve thought about taking a trip on a train, at least once in my lifetime, except I have to drive down to Milwaukee or Chicago to get on one. It’s great that you have local train service to New York, D.C., etc. so that you can feed one of your passions once in awhile. And get a cup of Dunkin’ to boot. Have a great day, Dan!
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I would consider a long trip. In theory, I could get to Iowa from Springfield, MA with only one connection (in Chicago). That might be fun.
From Chicago you could take the Capitol Limited to DC – and you can take your bike with you – maybe after you retire and aren’t rushed to fit a visit in inside a vacation window.
https://www.amtrak.com/capitol-limited-train
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When I retire, I have aspirations to throw the bike into the back of the car and drive to Virginia, hitting bike trails and any sites of note along the way. What I would love to do, though, is ride a winter train in Canada. I think that would be beautiful.
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If I lived where I could travel by train, I would take advantage of it! I love trains.
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I am so happy they added this rail service for us. We always had AMTRAK, but it was an expensive option within the state. I can take the train to Hartford or Springfield for about $2. I’ve taken it to Hartford to visit my buddy. $2 is less than an hours worth of parking.
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That is amazing, Dan. Gas alone would cost more than that.
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I like this conductor and his funny one-liner! I’ve only been on a train twice in my life, from White Plains, NY to NYC. But I love watching trains go by and counting the cars, and hearing their screechy whistles. There’s something definitely magical about a train.
Really like those foggy photos!
🐾Ginger 🐾
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Thanks Ginger. The town just south of us is trying to eliminate the whistles! I would be very sad if they tried this in our town. I don’t think they will, as we have a much more active grade-level crossing. I hear the whistle every morning while sitting on the couch with Maddie and I like it.
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Trains are really the only civilized way to travel. You can read. You can go to the dining car and get food whenever you’re hungry. But the most important advantage is this–you can actually get up and stretch your legs any time you want. Every other kind of travel is something like a prison. Strap yourself in and make sure you stay there. You can go use the toilet as long as you don’t do it too often.
But not on trains. I can take a walk from one end to the other just because I feel like it. Trains rock. : )
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That is all so true! I like walking up to the cafe car, and maybe sitting there for a while. Watching the world go by in a comfortable chair and a restroom I can turn around in.
Thanks!
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I worked right across the street from the train station in NJ, so was a frequent rider into NY. They talked about doing something with the Amtrak station here in town, but nothing……
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AMTRAK has a lot of wonderful plans. The problem? CONGRESS. Someday, the bozos in Washington are going to realize that people will use trains if they are reliable and go where people want to go. I’ve talked to people riding the Hartford Line, and they say they’ve been waiting forever for the opportunity. The state made a deal with AMTRAK, and it’s worked out better than anyone thought it would. They are talking about extending it north to Amherst. If they did that, I could take my bike on the train, get off and be on a rail-trail within minutes. I would do that often.
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I loved the New Haven line when I lived in Darian Connecticut. It was the best way to the City. Although I had an office in Norwalk there were times I had meetings in NYC so I always took the train on those occasions. As far as Washington and Boston were concerned I flew. (Shuttle to Boston was a regular trip) Thanks for more trains, Dan
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Thanks John. Since I always had to travel to DC the day before our meetings, I would always take the train. Door-to-door, I could save two hours by flying, if everything went right, but one hiccup and I could lose those hours in a heartbeat. I would get the early train here in town, which was straight through to DC in 7 hours. Get coffee, sit down, plug in, connect and relax. I cannot get to Boston by rail. I have to go to New Haven and then wait for a train to Boston. The trains are timed on the assumption that I’m going to NYC, so I end up with a layover in New Haven on both ends. I can drive to Boston in 1:45 unless during rush hour (when, as they say in New England, you can’t get there, from here).
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Brings back memories. In my day there was no way to hook-up. When you left the office you were on your own. Had to hang on the payphone and hope your secretary didn’t decide to get drunk for the afternoon. First thing you hit when you landed was the payphone to get messages. Usually a line too.
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I remember those days John. Sometimes, I wish we could be out of touch for a while.
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Made for some anxious moments when flights were delayed though. Now one can book a conecting flight while sitting on the plane.
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Taking the train to NYC or DC would be the top two destinations for me. The trestle bridge looks neat in the fog behind the bare branches.
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Good choices, Deborah. I need to get up to that trestle when the CT Rail train is coming across on its way to Springfield, so I can get a nice picture. I have one of an AMTRAK train emerging from the fog, but the CT Rail is so much prettier. I also want to take the CT Rail over that bridge.
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Oh, great goals! I think the CT rail is nicer looking too. I’m looking forward to making those goals happen. 😀
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Good one-liner. I miss seeing passenger trains around here.
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Thanks. I hope we get to see more destinations become available.
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I did a lot of work at Metro-North about 30 years ago. Nice folks.
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That’s cool. Now I’ll think of you when I ride that train. I love little personal connections. Proving that whole 6-degrees-of-separation thing.
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I haven’t ridden on a train for a very long time, Dan. In the US, it would have been when I was growing up in Omaha and we sometimes took the train to San Francisco to visit my grandparents nearby. In recent years, when my s-i-l and b-i-l lived in Provence, I would fly into Paris and then take the TGV to Avignon. My b-i-l and I also took at train from Frankfurt when our flight to Basel was canceled.
When I saw “big wheels” and Connecticut, I thought maybe you were going to talk about Tom Brady and his move there. :-)
janet
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I would like to take a longer trip by rail, Janet. I may do it now that I’m retired.
I’m not really interested in where Tom lives, plays or doesn’t play. I’m not a fan and even some of my friends who are fans are ready for him to retire.
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I’d like to take a train trip across Canada or maybe take an Alaskan cruise up the coast and the train back down.
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We are the end of the line for our AMTRAK trains (the southernmost point the Pacific Surfliner service goes). It’s a beautiful ride up and down the coast, especially when sitting on the ocean side of the train. Recently, though, we had some serious cliff erosion (imagine those trains rumbling along the fragile cliffs 26 times a day – 13 round trips) which prompted disruption of the service while they made repairs. Supposedly it’s “fixed” but I’m not sure I’d want to test it.
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I rode along the coast in the late 70s. I’m not sure I’d want to take that risk.
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Love this post since I like trains. Our old steam locomotive here in Cheyenne is great yo see and listen to.
Sent from my iPad
>
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I’m glad you liked this. I love listening to steam engines.
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Love these bridge pictures.
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I’m glad, those are some of my favorite images.
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Pictures of foggy scenes are high on my favourites. There are so calming, yet can be mysterious too. They make my mind drift to creative places.
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You know I love the Hartford Locomotive. 😀
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Me too!
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Funny. At the same time it seems like the sort of thing I’d do — I can get remarkably discombobulated while traveling so ending up on a train so obviously wrong isn’t out of the question. 😆
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I guess if you’re running, and it’s a busy station, it can happen. It certainly seems to happen on a regular basis.
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Hi Dan – most of our trains need a new life-line – but the really touristy or city to city ones are a delight … just not many down here – but at least I can get to London on a ‘crummy’ train … they work and that’s the main thing. I’ve got in the wrong bit of the train, as ours splits half way down and one assumes that the part that goes to Eastbourne will be always in the same place – no! So I ended up having to backtrack half way – I was unimpressed … but life goes on! Cheers and enjoy your selected travels – which you can do now … that looks mighty cold. Cheers Hilary
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Thanks Hilary. If I’m not in a hurry, I will skip the express train into NYC in favor of the local, simply because I know it will be less crowded. I’ve been riding in a nearly empty car in the local, and have been passed by an express train that is standing room only. The difference is only about 12-15 minutes on a nearly 2-hour trip. They are the older, crummy trains, but I’m not squished.
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Yes – I play the travel game … just do what I’m comfortable with … enjoy all the rural rides … cheers Hilary
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That’s the best way to travel – comfortably.
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I like train travel too. I want to take our grandsons by train to Philadelphia to go to the zoo and the Franklin Institute. Maybe when it’s not so darn cold!
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That would be a fun day!
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Those foggy pictures are hauntingly beautiful!
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I’m glad you like them, Pam. I love seeing that bridge in the fog. It’s so big, and yet it almost disappears.
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I was on Amtrak once but, because I was alone, I was sitting on the lower level going from Tennessee to Denver. It wasn’t all that pleasant a ride. I would like to travel by train but on the upper level where I could see something when looking out the window. A cross-country journey would be good.
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Tennessee to Denver. I’m guessing a lot of flat farmland on that ride, until you got close to Denver. I would like to go on a longer trip. The eastern seaboard does have some nice scenery, though.
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LOVE those fog pictures! You know, you’re starting to get me interested in pictures of trains. That’s ebil, you know that, right?
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I do, but trains are magical.
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Lovely bridge in fog. Fancy train is fancy!
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I love that train. Thanks.
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Great train photos, Dan. Thanks for the post.
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I use to take the Amtrak “Pacific Surfline” all the time from north San Diego to Los Angeles. The other choice is Metrolink serving LA metro area (only came down to Oceanside in San Diego County)….it never ceases to amaze me how many options there are in the Northeast corridor. Whenever I would travel to New York on business and then would need to go up to Boston to work with that group…I ended up just renting a car as it seemed the quickest way to do that commute. Love the pictures…love the fog on the bridge!!
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I have driven into NYC, only when circumstances required it, Kirt. I routinely drove to Boston, but if I could get a train, I’d take it. Boston trsffic is nuts. I image San Diego to LA is not a pleasant drive. I’m glad you like the bridge picture.
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