Theme Day: Movement
Today, October 1, 2014, is Theme Day across the world-wide CityDailyPhotoBlog community (cdp). This month's subject is 'movement' and here we have it: the railroad station in Portland, Oregon with passengers moving toward trains. It's a two-for-one deal! My Dad took the train twice Portland to Portland to visit my sister Joanne and her husband. Both of his trips were different. The first one he stayed in the states going across country, and he slept in his coach seat all the way. Bad decision. Next trip, he went via the Canadian Rockies, and he played it smart. He got a sleeper and about $100 of silver dollars for tips. He was a hit on this trip. The conductors and the waitstaff loved him. Everywhere he ventured on board he was tossing silver pieces around. Each time he returned, he shared great stories about all his adventures. These tales and those lonesome whistles of the trains rushing through Morrills Corner at 2 AM each morning, making me roll about in bed, probably sealed my love of trains.
I'll take this train West someday.
I know I will.
"It Takes a Lot to Laugh It takes a Train to Cry"
Such adventures! Seems to run in your family.
ReplyDeleteYour photo might show the beginning of shorter trips for these folks, but maybe still with a little adventure.
One of my great adventures was in 1965 or so when the family rode the California Zephyr from Helper, Utah to Chicago and then the New York Central to New York City and then the New Haven to New London, CT to visit my grandparents. I loved it. It would be pure torture now but it was a great adventure.
ReplyDeleteok wait a minute! sooo, you are in portland OREGON?! i missed that and how is it that your sister ended up in portland orgeon?! that is funny, you each live in portlands at opposite ends!
ReplyDeleteYes, we live in opposite Portlands. Kinda strange that it happened that way. She moved there about 20 years ago.
DeleteI don't know. My last train took much longer than expected. There was a stop for this and a stop for that. There were moments when I seriously thought it would have been fast if I had just gotten out and walked. :-)
ReplyDeleteNice choice for today's theme.
ReplyDeletelike that story of your father's adventure.
ReplyDeleteYour father was a clever man!
ReplyDeleteI love the story about your dad's second trip!
ReplyDeleteA good choice for today. I've travelled by train, but just a few hours distance each time.
ReplyDeleteAhhh... your train story brought back memories for me too. My grandfather work for the Santa Fe Railroad and he would tell us kids all kinds of stories about riding the rails. My favorite stories were always about the southwest and cowboys and Indians riding their horses along side the train as it came into New Mexico towns. Such great fodder for young imaginations.
ReplyDeleteI've done that trip through the Canadian Rockies and it is fabulous! I love the story of your dad's trip - he knew how to treat everyone well!
ReplyDeleteThis shot and your story make me want to take a train trip! I am fortunate enough to have train tracks that run right behind my neighborhood and I love hearing the trains go by, especially at night. Nice post for theme day!
ReplyDeleteYou’ve made a great Theme Day post. I'm glad you picked this to share with us. I'm a big fan of sights like this.And I'm a big fan of Portland, Oregon, and your Portland, too!
ReplyDeleteGreat travel story!
ReplyDeleteThat's great about your Dad. And nice to grow up with a train whistle & tracks nearby. I know the crossing near Artist & Craftsman Supply...
ReplyDeleteTerrific story! Wish trains were still a major part of travel!
ReplyDeleteLove this story Birdman, so that's the secret to successful train travel, it's all in the number of silver coins you take to toss around :)
ReplyDeleteOMG! I was there last week!
ReplyDeleteGood one for theme day.
ReplyDeleteI love traveling by train. Nice choice for the theme day!
ReplyDeleteLate at night we can hear the trains run through Jack London Square about 3 miles away. A slightly disembodied sound that sings of far off places.
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