*"Unexpected Trip to Oregon" will have to wait another month. It's longer and harder to put together than I would have thought. So, in the meantime, here's one I've written about a few days of enchantment. I hope it proves interesting.

With much appreciation,
Julie (Stout) Crim '57

An Autumn Adventure

 

The first day was a bit overcast, bits of blue peaking out from around a basically gray sky. In other words it was a great day to begin a journey. We began this odyssey early one morning heading east. To my way of thinking traffic was heavy with more trucks than I would have thought there'd be in the whole country. What could they all be carrying, I wondered, especially those unmarked ones? Maybe it was nuclear waste and illegal things like guns or drugs. Maybe illegal immigrants. Who knows . . . maybe even sex slaves??!!!

"Oh, stop it Julie! Stop letting your imagination run away with you . . . again!"

Our goal is in eastern Pennsylvania so why, I wonder, are we heading into West Virginia? We got to this point by way of Richmond, Dayton, Columbus, and Wheeling, West Virginia...!!?? Me thinks I better look at our atlas.

OK, I see it now, that tiny strip of West Virginia stuck up in the air just where it shouldn't be. I wonder who thought that one up? The views, as we travel, are startling with color, the shades of Autumn against a sky full of clouds and sunshine  . . . one minute . . . and the next with shades of gray and black as rain would fall for two to ten minutes at a time. All these colors were outstanding here in West Virginia.

Soon, we were in Pennsylvania with Altoona as our destination for the night. Altoona, Pennsylvania, a large hub for many different railroads of America. I saw tracks everywhere, heard trains often, an interesting and old city. At one place there was a new and modern tower with an elevator up . . . three stories, benches at all levels, just for the serious train watchers. I know at least one . . . train watcher that is.

We were in the middle of the Amish heartland . . . The Pennsylvania Dutch, different than the Northern Indiana Amish Country.

Late morning found us back on the Pennsylvania turnpike again, heading farther east into the "Dutch" country. Passing through Harrisburg we were getting excited about finally reaching our destination, Strasburg -- home to the Strasburg Railroad, the State of Pennsylvania Railroad Museum and everything under the sun concerning railroads on all fronts.

Having arrived, the large complex we visited was filled with working  steam locomotives in top notch condition and perfectly well appointed and maintained cars. Rides were fun and comfortable but the most fun of all was not riding the train but watching it puff it's way down the track towards us with all the noise and steam seen years ago, hearing the big brass bell "ding - ding" and listening to the ear splitting sound of the steam whistle. Watching children and adults alike as they, in turn, watched the train come into the complex after it's 45 minute trip was entertaining in itself.

There was a book store, large and two stories and would you believe, nothing but books concerning trains, train history, old to new. Several books I noticed were in volumes of 200 to 500 pages each, nine, ten twelve volumes! Golly, how much is there for one to know about trains!!? Other buildings were gift stores, the usual souvenir places and restaurants. One of the sweetest places was a whole complex was a store holding nothing but train stuff for small children. "Thomas The Train" must have been in popular demand. He was part of hundreds of items. Ohhh, if only Thomas had been born before instead of after me. All we had in those days was, "The Little Engine That Could." I'd never given it any thought before but I don't think that little hero ever had a name . . . did he? Poor little engine . . . I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. And do you know what?! He did. He got over the mountain!

One of the last stores we visited was an Amish homemade candy store with among many other things "sugar free" homemade fudge. The prices were exorbitant and yet I bought some . . . only to discover, much to my dismay, it was full of sugar! Oh well, whoever said life would be perfect?

Down the road a bit was the toy train museum. Looking through the museums and stores I saw things I had known for years and yet didn't know . . . as they'd been forgotten for decades. It's funny how a sight or a simple tune or a smell can draw us right back to the past in a split second. But it does happen and once again we can pretend we're children and the world lays at out feet.

By late afternoon we were bordering on exhaustion and decided it was time to pay our motel a visit. Marvin had been here before so he knew what to expect. I didn't. WOW, OH WOW!!! How I loved it. The name was The Red Caboose Motel. Our "room" was an honest to goodness caboose, an absolutely real, honest to goodness caboose! Ours was from the Rio Grande line and typical of most cabooses of that era.
 
We climbed the old rusty steps and opened the door to a warm cozy living space. The area consisted of a small kitchen type table and two wooden chairs, one soft chair and back in a corner was a small refrigerator with a microwave on top. In the opposite corner was where the pot bellied stove had sat. Of course as a licensed motel, heating with coal was not allowed so they had kept the base and sat a TV on top.

Proceeding toward the back of the caboose was a door leading to a toilet and small shower stall. In the bedroom was the sink, queen size bed with two night stands and lamps. There were hooks on the wall for clothes and a small window on either side.

The cupola -- that's the small space that sticks up in the middle of most cabooses -- was still there. When in use it was where a trainman could climb up to check the outside of his train without getting out in the weather or danger. I expect running along the tops of trains was mostly saved for the old western movies. The real trainman, in his day, did his best to discourage rail-riders though. Up in the middle of our cupola was a ceiling fan. Somehow it seemed out of place along with some of the other creature comforts we enjoyed. We were cozy and comfortable while trying to image what it was like to ride in this very car about 30 or 40 years ago. What more could one ask for? There were several rows of cabooses and all were different colors as they still sat on their rails.

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