Antique Trains

Anders and Christian try their hands at a hand car

My nephews recently got a chance to visit a museum of old trains in Ogden, Utah.  Their dad was on hand with the black and white film.  Black and White film seems somehow appropriate for the antique trains.

My grandfather, the kids' great-grandfather, worked for the railroads back in the 1930s' Depression era Colorado.  I don't think he had any glamorous job with the railroads, but it kept his family of ten children provided for during some tough times.

Air travel dealt a tremendous blow to the railroad industry, but it didn't totally kill it.  There is something romantic about train travel.

I have ridden few trains in America, but have traveled on lots of them in my jaunts through Europe.  I like train travel.  I've even been on the famed Orient Express for a few miles (if I remember right, it was on a trip through France) back in the day!  That was a really exciting experience - not because of the particular car we were riding in, as much as it was the history and romance of being on that very famous rail line.

As far as this train museum goes, it seems that Ogden was once a main junction point for two railroads, making it a good spot for a train display today. 

The boys really enjoyed the museum.  Being able to climb around on the trains was an added plus.

I love my brother.  He is great.

My brother thinks the place lends itself well to black and white film photography.  I have to agree!  I think old trains are cool.

He further writes that, since their museum visit piqued the boys' interest in trains, he and the kids have been playing with a train simulator app for iPad.  Instead of building a train set in the basement, they have been digitally designing a virtual model railroad complete with houses, trees, grass, mountains and, well, everything else you might want to add to give you that total model train experience.

He adds: "Only if you had a set in your basement, you couldn't actually hop in the cab of a train and drive it, nor would you have weather.  We were up much too late last night building our own virtual train worlds."

I suppose  you could argue that in a digital world you still can't "actually" hop in the cab of the train.  You have to virtually hop in the cab of the train.  But I get the picture.  All I can say is, "How FUN!" 

Now I want one of those train simulator programs. 

(Yup.  I want one.  More toys!  Give me MORE TOYS!)

I suppose anyone who has ever gone nuts over a model train set can totally understand the mania attraction. 

I don't know about you, but I love museums, old trains and history.  And, as I said, the train simulator program sounds totally fun too!  Okay, I will admit it, I'm a total geek. 

But I'm particularly glad that my nephews had this chance to connect with their personal heritage, America's history, and have a good time with their dad!