Train Trip to the Grand Canyon

When I think of train travel, I think of the luxury liners with dining cars and sleeping berths, gentlemen porters, and cocktails in the club car.  Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye are singing "Snow, Snow, Snow" in the background of my mind.  Other times I think about when I was a little girl hanging over the back of the front seat of the car (no seat belts then) and watching a passing train blocking the road.  My mom would always tell us to watch for the caboose.  Back then, there usually was a caboose with one person sitting behind the window.  Sometimes that rail rider would even wave to the six little girls hanging out the windows waving. 

One has to admire the train.  Through many changes and updates in technology, the train has kept its foothold on the ladder of transportation.  Unlike the canal, the steamboat, and the horse, the train has held its own and managed to stay useful throughout 200 years of transportation improvements.  In fact, train travel is increasing according to the train attendants we spoke with on our trip.  Our East Coast suburban neighbors have always ridden the train to the city to survive the impossible metro traffic, but in the Midwest, we love the privacy of our cars and the freedom from conforming to a train schedule. Could it be possible with the price of gas and the hassle of flying that train travel is becoming more popular again?

Several factors have lured me into trying the train as a way to vacation.  Flying is a hassle we haven't bothered with that since we have had children and the towers fell.  So far, no large bodies of water have been in our way that we couldn't drive around or ferry across.  Additionally, it is just very expensive to drive anywhere these days.  Our family has traveled to Florida from Indiana for vacations many, many times.  The cost of a round trip to Disney World in gas is about $400.00.  Riding the train is just a little more, plus the driver gets the opportunity to gawk out the windows with the rest of us!  Speaking of the driver, he is another major reason to try vacationing with the railroad.  He loves trains like any other red blooded, vintage, American male. Although our family has never taken a long train trip, there have been a few train excursions that have whet our appetite.  The Disney World Wedway People Mover is always a favorite of my husband.  When the park gets crowded we hop on the train of the future and ride all afternoon. We have ridden historic trains in our Hoosier state to historic places, and we have visited and viewed classic trains that have been restored.  We are sure we would love riding in a plush Pullman car from the 1930's, but could we ride a modern train for 42 hours to the Southwestern United State to view the Grand Canyon?

Before sending over a thousand dollars electronically to Amtrak, I enlisted my two children to help me decide if this would be an adventure that we should surprise the man of the house with for Christmas. I promoted this excursion as an adventure as opposed to a vacation.  I knew there would be tough parts that wouldn't resemble a luxury vacation in the least.  For example, I first looked into reserving a sleeping berth for our family of four.  It would have made this little trip $4,000 more expensive.  So coach seats it would be!  That means trying to sleep sitting up at some point as the trip is 42 hours one way.  There would be no showers for a period of two days.  We don't do that at our house. Yuck. Need I say more?  The kids, ages eleven and twelve,  would have to do all their school work ahead for a week before we left.  Lastly, it was the first week of January that we would be traveling.  My carpenter husband is so busy when the weather is nice that it is very difficult to get away for a vacation. Traveling in January would mean heavy coats and boots to lug with us.  Even if we packed lightly, there would be a lot to haul with winter clothing. On the upside, the train would be a great mode of transportation in January because a snowstorm probably wouldn't slow the train down.  And it would be an exciting adventure!

The children and I thought this over for several days, going over what would be bad about riding the train weighed against seeing the Grand Canyon.  We finally all came to the conclusion that we were up for the adventure.  We already knew the man of the house would love the trip no matter  how stinky or cold the conditions!  I fired my money off to Amtrak and my dear husband now had a surprise for Christmas! 

Will the gift stay a surprise until Christmas morning?

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