The Train

There is something quite romantic about the gentle lull of a train as it rockets through harvested fields of corn and wheat. One can watch a bulk of Illinois pass by without having to even think about it. The engineer will take care of the trip for you, as the conductors make sure you get to where you want to go. The rest is really up to you. Will you read a book, watch a movie, write your blog update, listen to music, play solitaire, have a snack from the dining car (or if you’re smart, one that you brought with you), or simply watch the landscape as it passes by? Or, will you do all of those things?

The best type of trains are those with the sleeper cars. Wait, maybe the best trains would be the Hogwart’s Express, with the cute little cabins and the lady that comes around with the snack trolley. But the best kind of Muggle train (and yes I’ve been reading Harry Potter on the train) would be the ones with sleeper cars. Those are pretty awesome, although I only have the trip to Memphis as a kid to go off. The idea, when you’re a kid, of folding down your bed and climbing up into it as the train continues to move and your family sleeps comfortably in their own room, on a moving vehicle is just so COOL!

As an adult, on a short three hour trip from Macomb to Chicago, the greatest thrill is the double decker train car. A narrow spiral staircase will take you upstairs. (If you were in Mr. Alsworth’s first grade class, you will remember that the best reading places in his jungle gym of a classroom were those you got to climb to). The double decker at night couldn’t be any nicer either. If your car is quiet, the people are respectful and not too noisy, you can sit back and relax like no other trip. There is WAY more legroom than in first class on an airplane. There are curtains on the windows. The lights are dim, just right for letting go of all the cares from the day. You can still hear the clacking of the railroad tracks beneath your train and the comforting blasts of the horn several cars in front of you.

And if you plan it right and book at least three days ahead of your trip, you can get discounts if you are a AAA member, AARP member, or in the military. It makes it one of the more economical ways to travel, on top of being one of the most fun. Round trip with my discount cost me a grand total of about 46 dollars. I would have spent more than that on gas to drive down to Macomb this weekend, on top of having to drive myself there and back. With the train, someone else did all the work and I not only saved gas money, but also wear and tear on my car and the emissions into the environment.

The only downside to the train is that you are traveling with lots of other passengers. So, when I get so excited about being on the train and wishing all sorts of wonderful things about the future, I just want to burst into song. It doesn’t tend to help the situation when I happen to be listening to music. I mean, how can I keep all the joy inside me when I’m listening to some really happy song? I just want to join in and sing. In a car I could just sing out loud. Oh sure, in the movies or on Glee if someone starts singing a song everyone else joins in. Now, my brother could never figure out why, in the middle of Oklahoma, people just randomly burst into song. It’s silly. And that mentality doesn’t change on a train at 9 0’Clock at night. So, I have to keep all these songs bottled up in my headphones and wait to sing them later.

Anyway, if you’re looking for a fun way to travel that doesn’t require a great deal of effort on your part, and can offer a bunch of adventure, consider the train. They’ll even let you keep your shoes, belt, watch and jewelry on.