Riding the Rails,Watching The Sights!

    I love trains. I have for as long
as I can remember.
  I remember watching the old steam
engines roar through my home town.
  I remember my Dad and Mom taking my
brother and me on the "Liberty Limited
to a convention in Chicago.
  This year two of our best friends
joined my wife and me for a trip to
Florida aboard the "Auto Train."
  You drive to Lorton, Virgina, just
outside Washington, where they load
your car onto an auto carrier while
you and your party get onto an Amtrack
coach for the 17 and a half hour trip
to the Orlando area.
  You save 900 miles of driving, and
the gas that goes along with it.
  You get a great evening meal, breakfast,
and snacks along the way.
  You don't need a motel. The coach seats
recline for sleeping.
  All in all it's a great journey.
  That said, our latest rail adventure was
not without some challenges.
  When we boarded, for instance, we were a
bit surprised to see a family of four already
sitting in the seats to which we had been
assigned. They were pleasant folks. But the
thought of sitting on each other's laps for
the overnight seemed a little too much of a
challenge for us.
  Turns out some Amtrack clerk had put us in
the right row but the wrong church. Or, in this
case, the wrong car.
  We lugged the few but well packed bags, cameras,
and computer we had brought along for the trip
off car 2012 and onto car 2011 down then up the
narrow stairs that lead you to the upper level
of seats and found our rightful spots.
  You get a great view from a train as it rolls
along the rails. You see some neat an interesting
things. Like gas prices 40 cents lower than our
area!
   Of course it's a little hard to rationalize
driving four states south to fill your tank.
   Speaking of "filling your tank" the meals on
board the train were fantastic! Great service too.
   Those reclining seats I mentioned are comfortable
for sitting. But sleeping in them overnight is a
bit of a challenge for me.
    Either they're a little too small, even
reclined, or I'm a little too big. Maybe it's a
combination of the two.
    Since my sleep was on again, off again, I
got a couple of chances to stare off into the night.
    That's how I happen to see a church that made
me do a double take. I thought I might have misread
the sign until I saw a nearby fire station which
also bore the name of the community.
     The town is called "Coward!"
     The church was the "Community Church of
Coward." The fire company was the "Coward Fire
Department."
      I'm not sure how I'd feel knowing that
a "coward" was preaching to me or coming to save
me!
       I'm sure there's a great story somewhere
behind that name.
        And I guess, when you stop to think about
it, it's a brave community that calls itself
"Coward!"
        Well it's morning now and we're nearing
our destination. The railroad has carried us to
the palm trees I can see out the coach window.
        All in all it's been good trip!
        Hope you get a chance to ride the rails and
that all of your NEWS is good!