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Just a thought that comes to mind after reading the 'First Train Ride' thread and seeing how many of us mentioned a first train ride with (or without) dad even in the 50's or 60's.
Given that we're most certainly talking about dad's who are no longer here, I'm curious what role your father's did (or did not) play in your becoming a railfan, enthusiast, advocate - whatever.
I'll add mine in a separate post shortly -
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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As I've noted here in the past, I am from what could be described as a train hating family.
I previously reported how "during The War" my Mother(1913-1978) and Father(1909-2001) saved up their gas rations so as to use them for drives from Pittsburgh to the family in New York.
My Father, who resembled to a great degree in both appearance and mannerisms "Duck" Phillips in "Mad Men", regularly 'drove in' to work in Manhattan; probably just as well as when he did ride the train, all too often it was "that G#$ D@mn#$ (New Haven) railroad - late again; Alice, I need a "double" on the quick'.
My Sister today apparently "drives in' (from Greenwich) more often than not for social events. "Oh what if I want to pop over to Brooklyn first to bring something to any of the kids". Apparently she is quite a "pro' at gutter parking 'Midge" (a 20 year old Bennie) even in Manhattan.
To each their own!!
I can recall a 1956 journey to a canoe trip camp in Quebec (those here who know me face to face can surmise how much I'm "into that kind of stuff'). I wanted to take a camera in the hope of having some CN steam photos 'You'll just loose it" was the reaction I got.
My college years afforded me the opportunity to ride Pullman any routing between NY and Chicago, but I can recall once my Father coming over to Harmon to collect me off the (on-time) Century and his comment was simply "its the end of an era". Other comments such as Dec 1961 when I intended to ride the NKP-DL&W #8 and I missed the connection. I phoned the family, and not surprisingly all I got back was "Why can't you just fly like everyone else does?"
My Father did ride the Zephyr during 1963, Denver to Glenwood then Glenwood Oakland the next day, with my Mother and I. However he was as good as a caged Tiger when he found out it would not arrive in Oakland until 4PM (he was of thought I had told him it arrived in the Morning). He also thought Compartment B in a 6-5 "rattled and bumped' so I gave him my Roomette #4 and took the Upper in the Cpt. Needless to say, we 'abandoned ship' at 3rd St and took a taxicab to SF; so I never rode that last mile 3rd St to Middle Harbor Rd. Be it assured on that journey it was heard "Denver to Glenwood; fine - OK we did it, but why didn't we just rent a car in Aspen, drive it back to Denver, been on a plane, and out in San Fran - a beautiful city we don't get to see everyday - instead of being stuck on this "slow boat" rattletrap. Now Gil, you meant well, but 24 hours of this is just too much". On that trip, we all flew (planned) KSFO to KSEA; for the return to NY, needless to say, he jumped ship; my Mother and I took the Builder and Broadway.
Of course we should note that my Father's second wife (1922-1992) was all in favor of mass transit, or otherwise "get those people off the roads so I can get around faster".
It seems to me once there became a faster (air) and more convenient (auto) way to get about, trains simply became of no use to the Type-A's in this world. Somehow from a family of hyper-competitive Type A's, I turned out differently. Maybe that is why I first went to school and subsequently came to reside in Chicago.
But finally, I find it interesting to note how many here picked up rail travel and even railfanning from their families, as such was simply an "unknown' in my case.
notelvis Member # 3071
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Finally back - Got distracted and have been offline -
My dad was not a railfan and just barely a passenger. As a teenager he would shuttle back and forth on a Southern Railway local between relatives in Canton, NC and Sylva, NC. This small train, (small 4-6-2 locomotive, combine, and coach) was off the timetables by the time dad went off to college (via bus) in 1950.
As an adult, dad took his Mars Hill College marching band on the train from Marshall, NC to Jefferson City, TN for a road game at Carson-Newman in the 1960's....back when Southern was still up for running football charters.
My rail enthusiasm was fed by my grandfather, a big fan, who would take me trackside to watch the daily freight switch the Champion Paper Mill in Canton and then chase the train a bit up the road.
The tribute part, I suppose, is an appreciation of my dad sometimes taking the time to try a little railfanning with me after my grandfather passed away. I'm thinking of getting me trackside in Georgetown, KY to watch the remnant of the Royal Palm roll through in the late 1960's or a now hilarious attempt by my father to keep up with Amtrak's Floridian through the streets of New Albany, IN in the mid 1970's. No one had bothered to explain to my dad that keeping up with a branchline freight was an easier proposition.
My dad didn't have much use for passenger trains in general and he wasn't very good at the whole railfan thing but I do appreciate that he made the effort.
RRRICH Member # 1418
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Good question-------- as I recall, back in the 50's, my dad now and then took the train from Cleveland to New York on business (he worked for U.S. Steel then). Later in the 50's we moved to the northern suburbs of Chicago, and for the first few years, my dad took the Chicago & Northwestern commuter train from Waukegan to Chicago quite a bit, but then he changed companies, became more successful in business, and began working late and never knowing what time he would get home, so he began driving the company car (he was President of Ozite Corporation by then, and they finally moved the corporate headquarters from Chicago to the suburbs!)
Then through the 60's, I remember my grandmother taking the train from Cleveland to Chicago on a few occasions to visit, during the "last days" of the 20th Century Ltd and other such trains.
Then during my tenure working for the State of Michigan, in the 70's and 80's, I usually took AMTRAK from East Lansing to Chicago to visit, and for the first few years, my folks thought I was nuts to take the train (and especially on my then-annual "circle trips" around the country), but in time they finally accepted it as a sensible and safe way to travel!
dnsommer Member # 2825
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My father often brought my brothers and I to Rye, NY on Sunday afternoons in the 60's and early 70's. We would have Baskin & Robbins ice cream. I would keep an eye trained on the NH Line bridge that crossed the main street of the village. Every so often a New Haven local m.u. train with wash-board sides would glide by. Those days are fond memories.
-Dave S.
John Hull Member # 4465
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I lived in Harwich, Essex,UK, a railway-owned port, and most of my family worked for the company. Employees got free or cheap travel on the trains, so until I left college at 21 I travelled all over the UK. So it was thanks to my step-father that I got so interested in trains. However, I do not think he ever came with me except on one occasion when we went on vacation to Cornwall. Ironically, it was one of my sons who got me interested in Amtrak. He spent a year at SFSU in 2005 as part of his degree course, and insisted we visited him. I arranged a ride on the Zephyr to Denver and return, an experience never to be forgotten. John
Railroad Bob Member # 3508
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I've been steeped in the lore of the RR since Day One; though my dad was not a RR worker, he grew up next to the ballast of the Grand Trunk mainline in CHI in the Depression (the first one.) My uncle lost a leg after falling off a freight he was hitching a ride on near their home. The brakeman actually saved his life by tying off his femoral artery! That same uncle is 94 yrs. old now. My mom's side was almost pure RR-employed and I remember near age 5 going down to the GM and O yards in Bloomington to see off my Uncle Eldred, the freight engineer on his early morning assignments. I vividly remember the beautiful burgundy-colored "E" units with the "flying wing" logo! One of the cousins ran a switch engine in the ATSF yards near CHI and I would sit with him as he shoved cars around the yard. My mom's Uncle Henry ran steam engines for the Missouri Kansas and Texas-- the "Katy." There is about 200 years of RR seniority in my family, including my 23. One of my CHI cousins kids is a Metra conductor; he will probably be the last "rail" in the family; no one else seems to be interested in that line of work...
sojourner Member # 3134
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There is an article in today's NY Times (or yesterday's or tomorrow's, I'm not sure which, but it's on line now) about a father humoring his train-mad son taking a train ride to Baltimore. It's called "That Not-So-Lonesome Whistle." I think the URL is http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/10/10/travel/escapes/10rituals.html?8td&emc=td
Note: You have to sign up at www.nytimes.com to read it, but it's completely free, and they don't hassle you with a lot of junk mail unless you ask for it.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Actually, that article appeared in Friday's Times, Ms. Sojourner.
Now what has me stumped is where was that photo taken.
Anyone?
Ocala Mike Member # 4657
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My father was a professional musician (saxaphone and clarinet), and, until my mother "put her foot down", used to be on the road a lot in the early 1930's. I remember him telling me of riding the "Rock Island Rocket" somewhere in the midwest touring with left-handed fiddle player Johnny Long's band.
Ira Slotkin Member # 81
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It wasn't my Dad but my Grandfather who lit the spark when he gave me an American Flyer train set when I was 4, 1954. I still have it. It still runs with the original transformer. I didn't have many toys, and that was/is a cherished one. My grandparents traveled by train from NY to St Louis several times a year to visit us. That meant a trip to Union Station to meet them and drop them off when there were many trains a day still. Vast, cavernous space with announcements ringing and trains leaving and arriving. I used to enjoy going down to the station on a Saturday night even as a teen, to just sit on the platforms, and watch the occassional train arrive, or walk the station, listening to the echoes of arrivals and departures gone by...
My mother would also tell of the trains she took across country following my father while he trained in various places around the country, before going overseas during during WWII. Once in a while my Dad would take me out to what was then the "National Museum of Transportation" out in St Louis County, to climb on the locomotives and walk through the old passenger cars. Subway stories were an important part of my father's life in NY, and then I would take the trolley down to see him at work in St Louis as I grew up. Reminiscing.....
Thanks notelvis, for starting the thread.
Ira
Judy McFarland Member # 4435
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My father-in-law worked for NKP in the yards in central Ohio. I heard from my husband many horror stories about family vacation on the train (always in coach) - trips Ohio to Florida that took 3 days, etc. As a result, I could never get my husband on the train. After he died, I decided one thing I wanted to do was try long distance train travel - and I loved it. I'm sorry I missed the "glory years" of train travel. OTOH I grew up in northeastern NY and remember taking the D&H from Fort Edward to Lake George (about 10 miles) with my Brownie troop. I thought it great fun - but that trip is no longer possible as the Lake George station is now the office for steamboat rides & the trains long since were torn up to make more parking near the beach. I know I took the train to Savannah GA when I was about 3-4 back in the 40's, but I don't remember much of it - just a vague memory of fascination with the toilet that dumped on the tracks.
Henry Kisor Member # 4776
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Like Ira, I was blooded in railfannery by my dad's Christmas gift in 1948 of an American Flyer trainset with a glorious 4-4-2 Atlantic steam locomotive. (The following year a 4-6-2 Pacific joined it.)
Dad, my older brother, and I built a 4 x 16 foot layout in the basement, on quarter-inch plywood braced with 1 x 4 joists, the tracks nailed directly to the plywood with brads. That layout was NOISY, even for a small boy who couldn't hear.
Later, when I was at college, my mother gave away all the American Flyer trains. What a pity. They would have been worth quite a bit today.
A friend, however, gave me a beautiful American Flyer 4-8-4 Northern when he cleared out his attic a couple of decades ago, and it is still in my attic somewhere. I should get it out and make a display case for it.
To this day I still believe (almost) in the American Flyer credo that Two Rails are Good, Three Rails are for Chumps. But I envied the kid next door who had a magnificent Lionel GG-1 in PRR Tuscan Red.
Urdahere Member # 8938
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Reading all of the entries brings back such great memories. My first train ride was on the Erie in the late 40’s. It was between Hancock, NY and Susquehanna, Pa. My grandparents had a farm outside of Susquehanna and grandpa earned extra cash working in the "Shops" of the Erie there.
I was probably 4 or 5 and was wowed by the size of the monster engine. My brothers and I had window seats and as we crossed the Starrucca Viaduct we all backed away from the windows as we passed over the houses below. Dad commented that this was the only train that could fly. As we crossed the viaduct it certainly looked like it was flying to 3 naïve boys. Here are some pictures of the viaduct that I took a few years ago. http://www.lightlink.com/joeurda/starrucca.htm
During our summers we would spend time on the farm in Thompson and go to Susquehanna on Saturdays for groceries. While Grandma shopped I would sit in the windows of the “Shops” and watch the railroad cars and locomotives being worked on. The “Shops” are gone now and replaced by a mini mall, but there are still remnants of them if you look. I can still picture them as they stood.
The great Starrucca House ( http://www.starruccahouse.net/ ) still stands though. The building was built to feed and house passengers of the Erie on their way from Hoboken to Chicago. See http://www.trainweb.org/rshs/GRS%20-%20Susquehanna,%20PA.htm for more information or just Google the Starrucca House. We had my daughters wedding reception in the great hall about 9 years ago. What a beautiful and historic place. A must see if you are a railroad history buff. The same goes for the Starrucca Viaduct.
Another memory was the Phoebe Snow. In the sixties I took it to Chicago when I was heading for the Great Lake Naval Base and then again when I was station at the Hospital Corps School. As a young boot I was familiar with Phoebe only by name and not its history. I became a part of history though when the conductor informed me that I was on the last trip of the Phoebe Snow in November 1966. That was the last time I rode a train until I was stationed in Japan and then I rode them every day.
I’ve ridden the Bullet Train from Tokyo to Kyoto and my wife and I travel via the XCP in Australia. Just a week ago, we did a round trip from Philly to Atlanta in a roomette. So from that first ride I’m still in love with trains and now I look forward to making more trips to see this beautiful country.
Joe
Henry Kisor Member # 4776
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Joe, we were sort-of neighbors during those summers. My grandparents had a horse farm at Hallstead, several miles west of Susquehanna, and although the DL&W roundhouse had closed long before, the coaling tower still stood (and may still; I haven't been back in a few years now). We often drove to Susquehanna to behold the Starrucca Viaduct, and in later years had lunch at Starrucca House. You're right, it's a place full of railroad history.
mr williams Member # 1928
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I was unlucky that I was born in the era of the UK going through a time of widespread passenger rail closures and often wish I had been born a few years earlier so I could have seen and remembered them first hand as opposed to just old photos. As it is, my rail memories as a child were of deserted track beds and withdrawn services although I do remember being taken on a scheduled steam service in about 1964/65 to visit a zoo. I twice went on a day trip to some historical site by train with my junior school at the age of 10 or 11 but I can honestly say that I think that was the only three times I travelled by train before the age of 17 or 18. My family had no connections whatsoever with the railroad industry so where my interest comes from is baffling.
notelvis Member # 3071
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Joe,
Great pictures of the Starrucca Viaduct. Thanks for sharing them.
I was up last month for a Steamtown excursion over the Tunkhannock Viaduct and looking down on Nicholson, PA from the train was very much exactly what you described.
amtraxmaniac Member # 2251
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My memories are not of my father, but of my mother. My father never travelled anywhere with us. He was in a pot induced comatose 75% of the time, but that's another thread. We lived in Santa Maria, CA growing up. For those of you that don't know, its between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo on the Central Coast (a little inland). There was no Amtrak there, so my father would drive my mom and my brother and I down to Santa Barbara (this well predates Amtrak bus service) My mom's side of the family lived in San Diego, so we would travel by train from Santa Barbara to San Diego at least once per year. I still hold fond memories of the Pier in Santa Barbara and those good ole' Amfleet Cars!!! LOL. I miss the classic F40's tugging a consist of Amfleet cars. LOL-yes I am a youngin' as has been stated many times in here, and obviously I can't relate any pre A-Day stories (I wasn't born until 77). My mom loved the train and that was our preferred mode of getting to San Diego when I was little.
However, she was never as fanatical as I was. I sort of made my own way. I made travelling a bit of a past time in college and took my first long distance train trip at 22. It was from LA to Chicago. I had just about given my mom a heart attack-despite the fact that I was 22 and no longer living at home, I got back into town withj about 30 minutes to spare before she called the police and placed a missing person's report out on me. Needless to say, I continued in my travels to this day, but I tried to let her know a little more information than 'I'm going to a ball game (that lasts 4 days)' from there on out.
Moral of the story-let your loved ones KNOW when your going to be 1,500 miles away and gone for 4 days.
I still do some CRAZY things, but my loved ones know that I'm SMART and that I will be safe. Little did my mom know that yearly train trips to San Diego to see Grandma and Grandpa would turn into a fascination.
Jerome Nicholson Member # 3116
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Before he met my Mom, Dad ws a porter on the C&O. I guess he got a feel for trains then. When I was a kid, he took me to Richmond's Broad Street Station, where we watched trains from the balcony overlooking the big loop of tracks that enabled all trains to enter and exit the station in the same direction, no matter which direction they were headed. Being a child of the '50's, I got my share of model train sets, first O, then HO guage. I fantasized over the trains in the Sears Christmas catalogue, and the mighty Lionel book as well. Dad had a vision of building his own model train layout when he retired, but like too many things, he never "got around to it". My first train trip wasn't quite intercity; it was a local on the Southern Railroad from Hull Street Station that I dimly remember on what would be a suburban trip to tmy Mother's home town of Hallsboro. I couldn't have been older that three or four. I remember crying as we left the station while my Dad waved from the platform.
I don't recall much from my first intercity trip; it was a school trip to Washington, D.C. My only memory is seeing a D.C. Transit PCC streetcar and wondering how that "bus was able to move around without tires"! i'd seen my first streetcar and didn't realize it!
Urdahere Member # 8938
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Henry Kisor,
Check your private e-mail if you are still using it. I sent you a private message re: Susquehanna and Starrucca.
Joe
bill haithcoat Member # 6773
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Both of my parents were generally supportive of my hobby.My father usually walked with me from one end of the train to the other to look at it,even as I became older.He did not really learn much about them. But he did have a good sense of what trains went where and when and from which station. That was helpful as any of us were to take trips through the years.
Mother had an emotional love of trains just because her "poppa" worked for the NC&StL in Chattanooga as a car inspector.He, my grandtather,died before I was born so I never knew him. Too bad.
The best memory I have of daddy was how often he took me to see trains late at night, Do not get me wrong--he could and did sometimes say "no"--but he often said "yes" as well. Now,as an adult myself I realize what a pain it was to get dressed and go out again, go outside just for your kid to see a train,not even board it.
My main two trains to watch were the northbound Georgian, about 9 p.m. Also the southbound Dixie Flagler(re-named Dixieland in Dec. 1954) at 10 p.m. They were not too much of a problem,and were almost always on time.
The real challenge was getting to see the southbound/westbound Tennessean, about midnight. If was of interest beause it by that time had a confused identity as to whether it was a streamliner(they had stopped calling it such in the timetable). Also, it both added a set out sleeper in Chattanooga and also detached a sleeper in Chattanoga to be taken over to the NC&StL to get to Nashville. All this at a stub end terminal. I wanted to see the switching.
Getting daddy to take me to see a midnight train involved, well, I guess, "mother". We made some tentative tries to see it and it was always late.
Finally,one beautiful evening mother and daddy were both in some kind of good mood for some reason and they actually asked me if I wanted to see the train that night. It was only 25 minutes late,so that was close enough for us, so off to see the Midnight Dance of The Tennessean (i.e. all of its switching)
BTW, the Tennessean came through in the opposite direction at 3:35 am. leaving at 4. So,fat chance being taken to see that one!!
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