Ticket to Ride

Many recognize the post title as that of a 1965 tune by the Beatles. 

It's also what we used for a NH rail trip over Labor Day weekend. 

Along with friends, Judy and Randy, we boarded the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad in Meredith, NH. This was the starting and ending point for a 2-hour round trip along the western shore of Lake Winnipesaukee.

Ourselves and friends were all aboard and ready to depart

The Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad in Meredith and Weirs Beach, NH, and the Granite State Scenic Railway in Lincoln, NH, share 54 miles of historic railroad track that dates to 1848, the time when Zachary Taylor was President, trains were pulled by steam locomotives and steam-powered automobiles were becoming popular.

Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad (Internet Source)

During the mid-1800’s, the track was owned by the Boston, Concord & Montreal Railroad. Back then, it served as one of the primary routes north through NH for summer-time tourists who traveled from cities like Boston, Hartford and New York to the pristine lakes and mountains of northern NH as well as to points further north including the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont and Montreal, Canada.

Cloudy day views of Lake Winnipesaukee from the train

Has anyone ever seen one of these? It's called a foilboard and it lets the surfboard and its rider rise above the water's surface, allowing for fast speeds and increased maneuverability under a wide range of conditions — according to online sources.

Conductor Dave announced that was his last day after 31 years

Our 2-hour round trip was along the western shore of Lake Winnipesaukee. It's the largest lake in NH and is located in the Lakes Region at the foothills of the White Mountains. The Lakes Region of NH is in the east-central part of the state, south of the White Mountains Region and extending to the Maine border, so-named due to its many lakes and up to 273 bodies of water. Lake Winnie is the largest of these, followed by Lake Winnisquam, Squam Lake and Newfound Lake.

Pop's Clam Shell in Alton Bay, NH, always draws a waiting line in season

After the train excursion, we drove to Alton Bay for a first-time dining experience at Pop's Clam Shell, which fellow blogger Erika has posted about many times (sorry, we missed a meet-up this time). Pop's is a summer tradition and at the same location since 1945. It's family owned and has been operated by three generations of the Benton family featuring generous very large portions of fresh seafood, fried clams, onion rings and more. Of course, these are not the best food choices, but this was a holiday weekend and, most likely, a one-and-done stop for us (until the next time).

We shared this generous seafood platter

Pop's closes from 3 to 4 pm to restock and a line of customers starts forming right before reopening time. We arrived after 3 pm and waited with other customers. Like similar food places, Pop's opens seasonally on weekends only from May to June, opens 5 days from July through August, then returns to weekends only through September before closing for the season.

The most unusual "pickup" truck we've ever seen

Waiting for the reopening time, we walked around Alton Bay, which borders Lake Winnie, but without a downtown area. That's when we saw this unusual vehicle, a Tesla Cybertruck. Hard to believe this is classified as a pickup. The license plate was from Montana. We would have enjoyed a chat with its owner, who we never saw.

If anyone is considering a purchase, here's some info, no gas fuel is needed for this battery-only electric vehicle with a mileage range under 350 miles, towing capacity of 11,000 pounds. The 2024 Tesla Cybertruck has a starting sticker price of $80,240 and the top of the range, the Cyberbeast, starts at $100,240. The body is made of stainless-steel and, as we noticed, seems to attract fingerprints (not ours). Imagine the damage this could cause if it were to hit another vehicle !

A holiday weekend would be incomplete (for us) if we didn't enjoy hot dogs, so we indulged at a local ice cream stand.

It was a perfect day for an ice cream treat, but then what day isn't?

Also on the weekend, we were shot, but not injured. The shots were at the local retail pharmacy for a now-annual flu vaccine and updated Covid vaccine. Perhaps, you will be doing the same in weeks to come.

We Celebrated in PA

It's been a while between blog posts and also blog visiting.

The reason is that we've been absent on a(nother) getaway.

More specifically, a road trip for our 26th anniversary, not our wedding date, that's in August. This getaway celebrated the anniversary of our first date in May 1997 — Yikes, 26 years ago!

One thing missing (purposely) on this trip was my notebook computer. Quite honestly, being offline for a while was refreshing. (I'll try catching up on your most recent posts ASAP.)

What we did . . .

As the post title said, we went to PA where we rode trains in Reading and Jim Thorpe, PA; toured an indoor auto consignment mall in Morgantown, PA and a unique 50s muscle car museum in Intercourse, PA; visited with youngest granddaughter and family (including a new grand puppy) in Lancaster, PA; and connected with friends in NJ and PA.

All that activity will not be included here. There's enough for future posts as long time blog readers know my penchant for lots of background on our getaways—maybe too much.

Our first destination, after a NJ overnighter and dinner with family, was Reading, PA, and our first train ride. Pennsylvania has a rich railroading history. The Reading Railroad (pronounced Redding) was once one of the largest and most influential railroads in the world. It began in 1833 as the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad as one of the first U.S. railroads and primarily hauled coal from anthracite coal mines in northeastern PA to Philadelphia. At its peak, the railroad had over 1,500 miles of track. 

Anyone who has ever played Monopoly may recall it's also the first railroad square in the game. By 1871, the Reading RR  had nearly cornered the lucrative coal market. Small by total mileage, it was the largest corporation worldwide by revenue due to its large mining operations. But, the need for this commodity declined after WWII ended. The railroad ran passenger trains, primarily in eastern PA and NJ, but ended operations in 1976 and sold most of its operations to Conrail.

Reading Outer Station, Pottsville, PA

In 1983, the privately held Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad (RBM&N)  began operations providing freight cargo service mainly for anthracite coal. Then, the railroad began passenger train service over a short portion of track with day excursions to various parts of PA. 

In May 2017, the RBM&N company began offering a round-trip excursion from the Reading Outer Station in Pottsville, PA, outside Reading, to Jim Thorpe, PA, using refurbished Rail Diesel Cars (RDCs). These cars were built by the Edward G. Budd Company  in the 1950s for railroad commuter use. The Budd Company, began in Philadelphia, PA, in 1912, and manufactured steel automobiles, passenger rail cars, and other transportation products.

Budd Rail Diesel Cars run by the Reading, Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad

The Budd Rail Diesel Car, Budd car or Buddliner is a stainless steel, self-propelled diesel railcar. Between 1949 and 1962, 398 RDCs were built for passenger service in rural areas with low traffic density or in short-haul commuter service. They were less expensive to operate than a traditional diesel locomotive-drawn train with coaches and remain in service in the U.S., and several other countries as well.

 

The RBM&N Railroad owns and operates three self-propelled RDCs (9166, 9167 and 9168). The 9167 and 9168 cars are full coaches and the padded seats flip to face whichever direction the train is traveling. We could see everything, coming and going.

Our destination was Jim Thorpe, PA, which began as the village of Coalville in 1815, named as it was near a major anthracite coal seam which drew miners. Coal from the area fueled an expanding railroad system throughout the region. In 1918, Coalville was renamed Mauch Chunk, a Leni Lenape Indian name for a nearby mountain which means "Mountain of the Sleeping Bear."

Jim Thorpe

By the 1950s, when coal was no longer in demand, it devastated the economy of the town, once considered one of the richest in America. Some enterprising residents began a fundraiser asking others to contribute A Nickel-a-Week to save the town. By 1954, $30,000 had been raised and what happened next is how it was renamed after the first Native American to win an Olympic gold medal for the U.S., who later became a professional athlete, but was not a native of PA and never lived in the state.

After Oklahoma, his native state, declined to erect a memorial, his widow, Patricia, struck a financial deal with Mauch Chunk officials to honor her late husband and his sports accomplishments. Thorpe's remains were relocated from Oklahoma and are now interred in a mausoleum just outside the town. The plan was to use Thorpe's fame to attract tourists, but while it received much national press, it didn’t immediately draw tourism to the former coal town. That took years of promotion. 

Final resting place of the town's namesake, Jim Thorpe

Today, visitors come to ride the tourist trains, view the area's natural beauty and view the unique historical architecture in the town, which includes Victorian, Federalist, Greek Revival, Second Empire, Romanesque Revival, Queen Anne, and Romanesque styles. 

Some of the unique architecture in Jim Thorpe, PA

The historic buildings in Jim Thorpe feature very unique architectural details. The chimney pots, spirals and decorative gingerbread work are wonderfully preserved examples of late 1800 to early 1900s architecture. The town has been dubbed The Switzerland of America, a nickname derived from its picturesque scenery, mountainous location, steep hillsides, and narrow streets.

Train station in Jim Thorpe, PA, built by Central Railroad of New Jersey in 1888

Shortly after disembarking from our first train ride in Jim Thorpe, we boarded another train.

In 2005, after a railroad bridge was completed across the Lehigh River, a new passenger train operation and sister company to the RBM&N Railroad began and was named the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway. Trains operate from the vintage station formerly built in 1888 and operated by the former Central Railroad of New Jersey station. (We appreciated the connection to our home state.)

The 1-hour, 16-mile round-trip followed along the Lehigh River over bridges through Glen Onoko into Lehigh Gorge State Park. Most trains are diesel operated and the railroad primarily uses passenger coaches built as early as 1917. There are indoor seats in traditional train cars and open-air cars with bench seating. We opted for the open-air car which provided better views and let us walk around the car to see both sides of the track.

Most of the trip is within Lehigh Gorge State Park along tracks once owned by the Lehigh Valley Railroad. The D&L Canal Trail runs adjacent to the track and we saw many people walking and biking on this popular rail trail.

Franklin Street Train Station, Reading, PA, circa 1930s (online source)

Riding on trains wasn't all we did for our celebration. We dined in a former train and later bus station in Reading, PA. The Franklin Street Train Station was built in the 1920s as a stop along the Reading Railroad shipping and passenger Main Line to Philadelphia. It closed when diesel service was cancelled, remaining vacant. In later years, the Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority (BARTA) acquired and refurbished the building, then converted into a bus depot.

Bus service at former Reading, PA, train station (online source)

However, after bus service was discontinued because of low ridership, the building sat empty and abandoned. Damage from vandals, fires, and bird decimated the building over 40 years. Exterior stone walls were covered in graffiti, windows were broken or missing, wood rot was extensive, plaster was damaged from a leaking roof. The original train station benches were long gone and debris littered the building.

Exterior view of Saucony Creek Brewpub

It wasn't until 2017 that the vacant building was revived to host showings of This Is Reading, a site-specific installation that blended live performance and visual media to present a visual narrative about the city. In 2018, Saucony Creek Brewing Company leased the facility and opened a brewpub restaurant in July 2019.

Interior View of Saucony Creek Brewing Company

The building is impressive and retains the feel of a classic train station with high ceilings and large windows. Rows of benches, like those that would have been used by waiting passengers 90 years ago, are the anchors of the dining area. None of the original benches or any remnants still remained in the building. The bench reproductions were based on historic photographs.

Norfolk Southern trains frequently use the former Reading Railroad tracks. On hearing the train horn, diners are encouraged to clap loudly until they have passed. We kept up that tradition too and clapped when a train passed. And, to answer a question in a fellow blogger's comment, the food was good. We went for an early dinner before more folks starting arriving after 6 pm.

We enjoyed ice cream on the trip; after all, it was a celebration !

After we returned home, catching up on things have kept me busy. This weekend hopefully will provide some catch-up time for blog reading.

Falling by Train

This is definitely the time for foliage trips in New England. This one was by train, not our usual method of car travel. We've taken several excursion trains on road trips before, but this recent one on the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad in Meredith, NH, was our first and it was also the final outing for the line's Fall Foliage Special.

If you're curious about the name Winnipesaukee, there are a few interpretations. It's said to derive from the Abenaki, an Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands of the U.S. and Canada. According to some, it means beautiful water in a high place or the smile of the Great Spirit. It's the name of the state's largest lake, Lake Winnipesaukee located in the Lakes Region at the foothills of the White Mountains. 

The Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad operates on a rail system formerly used by the Boston, Concord & Montreal (BC&M) line which dates to 1848. Passenger operations began in 1892 and ended in 1965. This line served as one of the primary routes north through NH for tourists coming from several large eastern cities (Boston, Hartford, New York) to the lakes and mountain regions of northern NH and to areas further north like Vermont and Montreal, Canada. 

In the early 1900s, the rights to the rail line were sold to the Boston & Maine Railroad (B&M) which kept the line active between the Lakes Region and Lincoln, NH to support paper mills and other businesses. Freight service ended when the last paper mills closed in the mid-1970s.  The State of NH purchased the rail line and offered it for lease. 

In the mid-1980s, Ed and Brenda Clark of Lincoln, NH, reached an agreement with the state to create a tourist railroad, the Hobo Railroad, which opened in June 1987. In the early 1990s, the Clarks leased another section of the same rail line along Lake Winnipesaukee which led to the 1991 opening of a second tourist railroad, the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad. The Hobo Railroad operates from late May to late October and from Thanksgiving until before Christmas. The Winnipesaukee line operates from late May through late October. 

To reply to a blogger's query, the Hobo Railroad runs a Santa Express Trains starting the Friday after Thanksgiving and operating weekends to mid-December. All on the train gets to meet Santa & Mrs. Claus. Young children get a letter to complete for him and every child gets a gift.

Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad train

This train ride was on the last fall excursion and while this was a fall foliage tour, my ability to take well composed and non-blurry photos from a moving train didn't produce good results. (Like others, I do much better on foliage walking excursions.)

Window views on Fall Foliage train excursion

Nevertheless, I tried to capture some of the foliage from our coach seats with varying degrees of unsuccessfulness.

Deer farm and Christmas tree farm views

One of the most unexpected sights was seeing several deer herds, not from Santa's stable, but from the Bonnie Brae Deer Farm which operates on 200 acres of farmland in Plymouth, NH. Established in 1994, the family run business is one of several in NH and raises red deer for breeding stock, velvet antler, and venison sales. The same family runs a tree farm, where Christmas trees are grown year-round and people can either cut their own or select from pre-cut ones during the holiday season. 

More views on fall excursion train trip

The only other stop was at the historic Ashland Railroad Station in Ashland, NH. This historic train station, located on Depot Street, was built in 1869 and remodeled in 1891. It's a well-preserved example of a rural 19th-century railroad station and is now a museum operated by the Ashland Historical Society. The station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Vintage and current day photos of Ashland, NH, train station

The former railroad station is a single-story wooden structure, with post-and-beam framing, and a slate roof. The track side at one time housed the station agent's ticket office, and the other side was a passenger waiting area. The rail line was built through Ashland and the first station opened as a combined passenger and freight station of the Boston, Concord & Montreal Railroad (BC&M) in December 1849. That building is still at its original location on the other side of Depot Street. It's privately owned; the interior has been remodeled for use as a residence, studio, and gallery.

In 1959, as cars, trucks and planes began to replace train service, regular passenger service at Ashland ended after more than a century of service. The next year the B&M Railroad sold the station to a private owner. After his death, his widow donated it to the Ashland Historical Society. 

Members of Ashland Historical Society at train station

Members of the historical society dress in period dress to greet and talk with passengers on the fall excursion trains.

The society restored the station from 1997 to 1998 for use as a railroad museum and meeting place under a federal transportation aid program administered by the NH Department of Transportation. Dedicated in June 1999, the museum is considered one of the best preserved late 19th century railroad stations in NH. It houses an increasing collection of railroad artifacts, images, and documents in the original three public rooms, the two connected waiting rooms and the station agent’s office, which are open to visitors.  

Historical society members were available to answer questions about the station and also to accept donations for its continued preservation. 

Coach cars were decorated for the foliage excursion

If you are visit NH during fall foliage season, this train excursion is recommended. Our first trip on this tourist railroad was a wonderful outing. It was indeed good to be out again.

Training Time

Not as in doing any exercise, but as in riding on a 🚉 —for a very long time from NH to FL.

An earlier post, Gonna Take . . . referenced a train ride in the context of a popular 1940s song, Sentimental Journey.

However, this recent trip was a 🎂 gift (thanks again for the well wishes) from my ever-so-thoughtful husband who said this was a shared birthday trip. 

That it coincided with a ham radio event was just coincidence, he explained with a smile. He wanted to attend HamCation®, the second largest ham radio show in the U.S. at the Central Florida Fairgrounds & Expo Park in Orlando, FL, Feb 7-9 and suggested a train ride.

Online source

Last spring, he posed a similar query which led to an extended road trip after we went to Xenia, OH for Hamvention®, the largest U.S. amateur ham radio gathering. Afterwards, we traveled a route that took us through GA, AL, FL, VA  to visit family and friends. Last spring, he posed a similar query which led to an extended road trip after we went to Xenia, OH for Hamvention®, the largest U.S. amateur ham radio gathering. Afterwards, we traveled a route that took us through GA, AL, FL, VA  to visit family and friends.

Our travels took us from NH to FL and included a bus ride and two train rides each way. The bus trip was the shortest from NH to Boston, MA, at just over an hour. In South Street Station, Boston, we boarded a train to Penn Station NYC which was about 3-1/2 hours. And, NYC to Orlando, FL, was an overnighter at just under 8 hours.

Train coach seating is far more generous than a plane coach seat. Seats recline and have footrests. We opted to sleep in ours vs. paying extra $ for a sleeper compartment. That decision was based on our desire to see if we could do it and how comfortable (or not) it would be — it was not. 

Amtrak photo

Going to FL and seated in the middle of the coach car, we slept or rather catnapped. But, on the return trip, we were seated near the doors which were very extremely noisy when approaching/leaving a station stop. (It was not a non-stop trip.) If we ever take another overnight trip, we'll pay for a sleeper. 

Admittedly, my interest in ham radio is zero. But, if a road trip of any sort is involved, then I'm a very willing travel companion. I've attended some local ham radio events in New England and can always find ways to keep busy while Grenville is at these events. I had a slight cold before we left for FL, so lounging in our room or the hotel lobby was OK with me. I watched several online movies and read 2 books previously downloaded to my Kindle. It was very relaxing.

Temps hovered in the mid-70s during our visit, so I spent part of an afternoon at the historic Orlando Train Station, a short walk from our hotel. We'd arrived here a couple of days earlier, but didn't look around while awaiting a rental car pick-up.

The Mission Revival style station was built in 1926 by M. A. Griffith and W. T. Hadlow for the Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) Railroad at a cost of $500,000. At the station’s opening in January 1927, more than 6,000 visitors came to tour the new facility

The stucco-faced station includes two domed towers that flank the entrance and a long arcade. The Orlando sign that bears the city’s name was hand-designed by Griffith, the station’s architect, and is considered one of its finest features. In 1978, the station was designated a historic local landmark representing Orlando’s history, culture and heritage. In 1990, the city undertook a major building renovation and repaired the tile roof, twin domes and stucco surfaces and restored original light fixtures, wood doors and windows. Replacement fixtures, windows and doors were crafted to blend with their counterparts. A new coat of paint was added, based on historic color schemes. 

It became part of the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad after the ACL merged with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad in 1967. It's now served by Amtrak, the U.S. national railroad passenger system, SunRail, the commuter rail service of Greater Orlando, and local and intercity buses. It provides service to over 160,000 passengers a year.

Despite near several Florida theme parks like Disney, Universal, Epcot, Sea World, we had no interest (or time) to visit any. And, you would be surprised at the number of people who asked if we did go to any. (Our interest level is zero for any of these attractions.)

Instead on our last full day in Orlando, we went to Lake Eola, a public park in the heart of Downtown Orlando, with a nearly 1 mile long sidewalk that circles the artificial lake. The lake is actually a sinkhole that's now famous for its fountain. 

In 1883, wealthy Orlando resident and hotel owner Jacob Summerlin, the first City Council president, donated land around the lake on the condition that it be beautified and turned into a park with trees and a "driveway" put in around the lake. To ensure that the city followed through with these stipulations, Summerlin put reverter clauses in the contract allowing the family to take back the property if the city failed to maintain it. 

His sons named it Lake Eola, after a lady they knew. The area was officially declared as a park in 1892 and has since been home to a zoo, horse race track, tennis courts, and pier with a dance area. 

The fountain was installed in 1912 at a cost of $10,000. This now iconic water feature is an official symbol of Orlando and is named the Linton E. Allen Memorial Fountain. Allen was a banker, traveler, veteran of both World Wars, and a prominent figure in Orlando's early days. He persuaded the city to put a fountain in Lake Eola. It was named the Centennial Fountain marking the city's 100th anniversary of its name. After Allen's 1965 death, the fountain was renamed in his honor.

Lightning struck the fountain  in August 2009, rendering it inoperable. The city had a $1 million insurance policy and not only repaired the fountain, but installed a state-of-the-art light system and water jets at a $2.3 million cost. It resumed operation July 2011.

The fountain, while striking, isn't the only remarkable sight at Lake Eola. There are various forms of wildlife including ducks, swans (five different species), geese, curlew, cormorants, egrets, herons and turtles. Food can be purchased at vending machines for feeding the wildlife as most can't digest bread. The swan and turtle in the photos below intently watched each other for quite awhile.

It's not unusual to see the birds very close to the lake's shoreline where they often nest. This swan was building a nest during our visit. Another nest already had several eggs.

As wonderful as warm weather was in Fl, we were glad to return home to New England. A number of birthday cards were waiting when we picked up the mail.

Cards are always displayed on the bookcases in our apartment home. It makes me smile to see them every day. Do you also display cards?

Even though my actual birthday has passed, it doesn't mean the celebration is over. After all, there are 364 days until the next one — So celebrate a birthday year 🎈