Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Arriving in Style

train train

Back when I was still a college student, I decided, one year, to have an adventure and take the train home for Thanksgiving.  With romantic visions of club cars, and steamy railroad station platforms in my head,  I laid out the clothes I intended to pack.  I set aside my travel outfit.  A skirt and sweater, sensible heels, and my long wool peacock green coat.

Valerie!  My friend Heidi said.  No one dresses up to ride the train anymore!

But I still did.  And yes, I was in the minority.  As for the actual trip, well-I got to Tacoma just fine, but not in the manner I would like to have been accustomed to.

I often feel like I was born into the wrong era.  And the way train travel has changed over the decades is just one more reason why.  Sure, it is still wonderful to travel, by any means, to see family and celebrate a holiday as wonderful as Thanksgiving.

But just imagine what it would have been like to get to your destination like this…

train car

Champagne cocktail, anyone?

9 comments:

  1. My daughter and I are longing to ride the train to Spokane to see my folks... What a wonderfully nostalgic mode of travel♥ I'm sure it wouldn't be as we have in our mind but would be fun!!!

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  2. I still want to take the transcontinental across Canada!

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  3. We have a transportation museum nearby and I love to go tour through the old prestigious cars - all the luxurious furniture - and even the china! Once I spent 30 minutes just reading about the different china and silvers that the railroads used over the year.

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  4. I've always wanted to travel across the country in a train like that- wearing a beautiful dress, heels, and white gloves of course! :)

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  5. Oh, fun! Too bad it's not still like that. Have you ever seen the train scene in the movie White Christmas? I love that scene, when the four of them are sitting in the Club Car. Bing and Danny and Rosemary and Ellen, those were the days ...

    Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Valerie :)

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  6. Lisa-I hope you and your daughter get to take that trip-you would have fun together!

    Cam-the scenery would be breath taking!

    Lisa-I can just imagine how elegant it would have been to eat in the dining cars back then-silver and china... So ritzy!

    Crystal-That would be so much fun-a real event!!

    Joanne-I love that scene too! "Snow, snow snow..." Those were the days. Sigh. Happy Thanksgiving to you too. :)

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  7. You and I are kindred spirits (as you know) and I couldn't agree with you more. When I took the train in England, it wasn't the best experience. I took a train from Denver to L.A. in high school on a band trip to Disneyland and that wasn't the best, either.

    We need to develop a time machine!!!

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  8. Melissa-we do need a time machine! There are so many things from the past that just aren't the same today.

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  9. I do believe in some ways you were born in the wrong era...but then I'm glad you are here now to take us all back to a dreamier time. I'm envisioning a beautiful peacock coloured coat!

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