The morning air is a bit crisp and the sun is just starting to shine the first rays of the day. You hear “all aboard” and along with the other eager passengers you start making your way towards the train cars. You step onto the first step, and then the next until you are making your way through the heavy door into the main car. Your first instinct is to quickly scan the area for the best seat and then head for the one that appears to have the most promise. You find it, settle in for the trip ahead and peer out the window at those still making their way towards the train. Many hours of enjoyment are ahead.
This time of year is one of the prettiest in Minnesota as the leaves change color. Over the next few weekends many will venture out to look at the fall colors either by heading to Duluth along the north shore or south towards the river valleys near Red Wing and Winona. Instead of driving, there is another option to consider — one that will transport you back in time aboard a historic train which will give you a view unlike any others. The Friends of the 261 is a non-profit organization named after the primary locomotive that once pulled the Milwaukee Road passenger train. The locomotive is currently being rebuilt but they have a fleet of historic cars that you can ride on and see what passenger travel was like more than 50 years ago. They have special fall colors trips this coming weekend, October 9th & 10th that I would highly recommend if you would like to have a once-in-a-lifetime experience that the family will be talking about for years. I had that great pleasure of recently riding in their 1952 “Super Dome” which was one of the first train cars ever made that had glass from front to back on the second level of the train — Amazing Views.
This is a great example of bringing history to life. Every once in a while we need to step back and just enjoy everything around us. Get outside, have fun with family & friends, and hopefully have new experiences that you can share with others. Keep your eyes open for those small organizations that often fly under the radar and when you find one, share it with your friends so that others can also enjoy. Leadership and community is all about sharing new ideas, learning from the past and dreaming of a better tomorrow.
Tim,
What a great post – thank you for sharing the journey. I’m a huge fan of the Minnesota Transportation Museum’s Jackson Street Roundhouse, and their Lake Harriett Streetcar – in fact, I find it convenient that my kids love it these outings, too. Your trip sounds fabulous, and I am so grateful for the volunteers who keep those old wheels turning.