We walked aboard a train... (AKA Train Ride I)

There were to be no walks to the usual park this weekend as it was time for a long awaited and somewhat carefully planned adventure with my nephew.

And so begins our story...

We (DH and I) woke early Saturday morning to "grab the kid" and get to the Austin Amtrak Station in time for the once daily Texas Eagle trip north. Our drive down to Dripping Springs was disturbed only by the realization that we knew where to go once we got to Dripping Springs, but we had no idea exactly how to get to Dripping Springs. We have traveled there before, but not so early in the morning with a hard and fast deadline weighing on our minds. In the end all was well, the child was ready, and we headed to the Austin Amtrak Station.

We knew where it was. We thought we knew how to get there. We could SEE the station. We just couldn't figure out where the entrance was. I suspect we approached the station at least 5 times before we figured it out and drove in. Luckily we were still about 45 minutes early.

[And I should add that our patient nephew never expressed a doubt. He never said (what he must have been thinking), "OK, you two weirdos, if you cannot even find the train station, perhaps you should just take me home. Maybe we should forget about this trip entirely." No, he was game and laughed with us with each failed approach. It was an indication of the type of travel companion he would show himself to be. He is calm and collected. He pays attention. He has fun. He NEVER complains.]

DH refused to leave us at first as the neighborhood surrounding the station was pretty sketchy. I took photos of the abandoned warehouse "across the tracks" as it was so spooky and derelict. [If I say I loved it, I might upset some folks, but I say it anyway. I loved it.]

What do you take photos of when you are waiting for a train?

The abandoned warehouse across the tracks...

...and the grafitti thereon...

...and the sad barred and boarded up windows...

We boarded the Fort Worth car with an interesting group of folks. We found two seats together and worked to figure out how the reclining seats worked. Oh, did I say we were on the top of what looked like a double decker?

My traveling companion is settled in (the hat eventually ended up on the overhead shelf).

The train "set-up" is very like a plane with pockets and fold down tray tables. But there is so much more room!

We made ourselves at home and took a few photos. The girls across the way (traveling north from San Antonio, ultimately to Colorado) took a photo of us too. We watched the group in the seats in front of us break out the cocktails (We brought lunch, but forgot the cocktails. We just had soda and water).

Another group in front of them brought blankets and pillows and seemed to settle down to sleep. Two women behind us shared the stories of their lives - one, a military wife talked of raising children around the country while the other, a recent widow from Oklahoma, spoke of tornados and storm shelters, raising cattle during a drought and her antipathy for raising horses.

My nephew said that everyone on the train had a story about why they were on the train, but that we were probably the only ones riding "just for fun." And he was right.

We were surprised at the towns where the train stoped:

Taylor:

The sign says "Welcome to Taylor"

See, there is an Amtrak Station

I don't know what this buiding is, but I loved it.

And Temple:

Heading toward the Temple Station. (We were on the wrong side of the train for a photo of the station.)

Temple has a large railyard.



There were lots of engines moving around on the tracks

And McGregor:



The town name is on the other side. You trust me, don't you?

 

The McGregor Amtrak Station. (We were many cars back and they loaded the cars based on destination.)

See, you can trust me.
 

Cleburne:

Cleburne

Cool old caboose outside the Cleburne Station

And, FINALLY,  Fort Worth:

Approaching our destination

Rounding a turn on the way into Fort Worth gave us a view of the front of our train. We were in the sixth car (?)

 

Stay tuned for Train Ride II (more blurry/bad photos to follow).

NOTE: DH does not enjoy public transportation and declined the experience of the 4 hour ride (and, considering the crowded train and weird seating, I admit he would have been miserable). He joined us later for the second day of our journey.