Yo,
a) Have you ridden in trains in your life (as a kid or commuting to work)
I have ridden some as a kid, that I barely remember, maybe the East Broad Top, and at least one to travel somewhere (my Dad was a doctor in the US Army, we tended to move), and one ride on a coal mine train in Pennsylvania, that was fun. I have ridden the DC subway (Metro) to work a lot before I retired, and some to travel places in Washington DC. I also rode the Maryland Rail Commuter (MARC) from Laurel, Point of Rocks, and Boyds, Maryland to get to DC for work (boy am I happy to be retired), the train ride was still fun even as a regular daily activity to get to and from work (boy I am happy to be retired, from work not the train ride). I have ridden a couple tourist trains with my Mom (it appears we all liked trains, not just my Dad and me), and in the last few years photo special trips arranged by the gentleman Carl Franz, who we met in the rebuilding of the Helmstetter Curve barn that burned down a few years ago belonging to John Helmstetter and the Helmstetter family since before the Western Maryland Railway built through the area. We rode the train traveling with my Mom (she did not fly) from Maryland to Seatle, WA and to Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was fun traveling with my Mom, she would even help pay for bedrooms on the trains (a fun way to travel). We took the train to Chicago for work once.
b) Anyone do the tourist train thing?
For tourist trains, it mostly includes the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad (behind 734 the steam locomotive), and a couple others I mentioned above (but don't know the name, too young or long ago). On our trip to Idaho visiting relatives last year, we took a trip up to Pikes Peak on the cog railway, it has modern diesel powered trains that look a lot like subway cars, but it was fun and interesting. The steam locomotives from the 1800's being long gone. That same trip; there was no ride, but we did get a look at the reproduction (and operating) steam locomotives at the Promontory Summit gold spike site. We have ridden the Steam into History in New Freedom, PA, the Strasburg Railroad, the Cass Scenic Railroad and the Durbin and Greenbrier Railroad as photo special excursions. We have ridden a couple tourist streetcar trips, including the one in Seatle, WA.
We have been on various amusement part trains, always fun, because it is a train!!! We have even been on a couple of the little trains that run on the track that is 7 inch or so gauge, fun trains.
c) If so, any memorable ones?
I have memories from all the trips, snapshots in my mind that seem to pop up when I think about them. Though perhaps one of the most unique for me is riding in the cab of WMSR 734 (a 2-8-0 steam loco), and one time I got to drive the train. I was just backing down the grade and controlling the brakes for the most part, but fun. It is an interesting experience for operating the locomotive, as well as trusting the train crew to keep us informed of clear track to avoid running anyone over. At the end of the ride, they asked me if I could back it into the station and line up the tender with the water spout for watering the locomotive. I believe I got it just right without fiddling around. I think they were disappointed, hoping I would miss it and get a chuckle! That was fun.
d) Any train travelling you would love to be able to do if you had the means?
We would love to ride the Orient Express. Without the murder part that is. Hercule Poirot is one of our favorite mystery story guys; we especially enjoy watching David Suchet in the part.
Well, that is about that,
Charles
