National Train Day

Well, another holiday has come and gone. Did you all have a joyous National Train Day? I do hope so. Ours began at Union Station, appropriately enough, where they had tables set up with loads of brochures for Amtrak lines as well as Metrolink and Metro. As we were watching the “opening ceremony” some workers came over and asked if Sebastian would like to help kick-off the event by coming on stage. After some hesitation (and a little prodding by me) he agreed and we were escorted back to the area behind the often disused ticket counters in the main all where he was fitted with an engineer’s cap and directed on what he and about 15 other kids would be doing on the stage. I didn’t pay too much attention as I was within spitting distance of HUELL HOWSER! And yes, he is just as enthusiastic and friendly when the camera is off. After he made a brief speech about how rail travel truly is part of “California’s Gold” the kids took the stage and made a few laps in a train-like fashion before exiting and returning their caps. On our way back out to the main concourse we finally got to say hello to Huell and shake his hand. (He asked Sebastian his name and told him to enjoy the trains. Later in the day Sebastian admitted that he wanted to tell him that we watch his show but was too shy.) That made my day…

Next came the USC band who played 2 songs that sounded vaguely familiar and we wandered out amongst the Amtrak propaganda. The second most exciting part for us (after Huell, of course) was going into the old Fred Harvey restaurant on the northern side of the station. It has been closed for years though I think it may still be available for rent but isn’t often open to the public. It is a great space and fun to see a part of the station we’ve only peered at through the windows in the past. Then came more ephemera gathering and Sebastian got to try on a Metro train conductor’s hat and meet Cisco, an Amtrak K-9 officer. We considered going on a tour of a train but the line extended from the start of the tunnel to track 7 or so and we figured we’d seen it before. So we, appropriately, hopped a train to Pasadena for lunch at Chipotle and groceries at Trader Joe’s.

Between the two necessary stops (food and, well, food) we went to Borders and browsed and finally gave into Sebastian’s desire to get a “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” book. He’s been looking at them for a month or so since a classmate brought some to school and, well, we’re suckers. He started reading it as soon as we left the store and even tried to make us sit down after Trader Joe’s so he could read his book. As we had perishables we denied that plea but he read at the bus stop, on the bus ride home, at home until dinner, then after dinner until bedtime. It’s a little over 200 pages and he’s over halfway through. Granted there are some drawings and such, but the TV has been off all night and it’s been nice and quiet here. Maybe we should’ve given in earlier…

So all in all it’s been a very nice day. Happy National Train Day!