Union Pacific Railroad City of Los Angeles Astra Dome dining car
BY KIMBERLY MAYER
It was first thing in the morning and if I was looking for a writing prompt, I didn’t know it yet. But one came in with a “ping” by the head of my bed. My sister was riding a train between Boston and New York and texting me.
Our father gave us our love of railroads when we were very young. On trips out West and to and fro Florida, what I recall most is my sister and I being all over that train. The giant sucking sound as we pressed the button to open the sliding doors between cars and the rollicking floor underfoot as we crossed between luxury Pullman, coach, dining, cargo, and caboose. We couldn’t believe children were permitted to do all this while steaming across thousands of miles.
The train was our world. The porters our friends. It was as simple as that.
I have but one vivid memory of my parents on these trips. One evening, on a return trip from Florida, we had all gone to the dining car for dinner—how I loved the starched white linens and shiney silverware. While there, at a stop, cars were rearranged. Walking back, we found our sleeping car missing. Gone with all our luggage. It isn’t often you see your father befuddled like that.
As advised we disembarked and waited by the tracks for another train—to connect us with our car on yet another train. In the dark of night, deep in Georgia, at a deserted station. The real South. This was beyond thrilling for a couple of Connecticut girls in patent leather shoes and white ankle socks.
Did my sister and I ever wonder, ever ask, why all the porters were black? How did that not capture our imagination? Did it occur to any of us that we were traveling in a frozen moment of time? Although we’d been texting back and forth—my sister was the one who remembered riding on the tail end platform of a caboose—I hadn’t time to ask her this question. Her train pulled into Penn Station and I lost her to New York.
a little elbow room
a little elbow room 
Thanks for bringing back my memories as well! — but going north to Maine.
🙂
========== Alice B. Acheson, Book Marketing/Publishing Consultant P. O. Box 735 Friday Harbor, WA 98250 360/378-5850 http://sites.google.com/site/alicebacheson a little elbow room wrote on 5/23/2018 10:03 AM: > WordPress.com > a little elbow room posted: ” Union Pacific Railroad City of Los > Angeles Astra Dome dining car BY KIMBERLY MAYER It was first thing in > the morning and if I was looking for a writing prompt, I didn’t know > it yet. But one came in with a “ping” by the head of my bed. ” >
I love that you summered in Maine, Alice. The San Juan Islands are the “Maine” of the west coast, don’t you think?
What a nice reminisce.
It’s funny, writing about trains really makes me want to hop onboard!
I am taking the train from Orlando to Charleston, SC this August!
so beautiful, Kim!
Someday let’s do the Canadian Rockies by rail, Deb. There are lovely excursions out of Vancouver–and we can write!
Bill & I are planning on doing the train trip through the Canadian Rockies!, hopefully next year!
Oh, that’s the one I want to do too. Let us know when you & Bill will be in Vancouver BC. Not too far from here, perhaps we can rendezvous or you can visit?
Here’s the referred to sister – Beth. Yep, Kim and I use to sit outside on the Caboose and hold on to the railing. When I mentioned our love of trains to
our 94 year old Dad, he proudly proclaimed that he told us to always hold onto something strong when we moved about in the the train. Such a good life lesson.
Thanks for the writing prompt and the caboose memory. You got me going and I may have another train post inside me.
Thanks for sharing your ride down memory lane!