Month: August 2002

GAINESVILLE, Ga. – I sit in the lounge car, drinking a beer, watching towns fly by like a a blur, as if they don’t exist. But with every passing light, there are a thousand stories. I wonder if the people watch the train fly by at night. I can only imagine sitting on the front porch in a rocking chair, like a scene out of a Norman Rockwell painting that touches the heart of America, enjoying the rush that is a passing train. Some of these towns are nothing more than a blip on the map, literally just another whistle

ATLANTA – The Crescent in its modern-day incarnation is rooted deep in southern history. The Crescent traces its heritage back to the 1890s. The Washington & Southwestern Vestibule Limited launched in 1891, running from New York to New Orleans. According to American Heritage Dictionary, a vestibule is “an enclosed area at the end of a passenger car on a railroad train.” That was considered a luxury for passengers to be able to walk between cars all the while protected from the elements. A 1950 edition of Ties magazine stated: “In an important sense, the new Crescent came to us from

ATLANTA – For train fans, the only thing better than watching trains is riding them. And that’s what I’m about to do. I decided rather than sitting around for my vacation, I’d hop on No. 20 (that’s the Northbound Crescent, for those of you who might not know) and take a trip to Washington, D.C. I’ll depart Atlanta at about 8 p.m. and arrive at Union Station at about 10 a.m. tomorrow morning. Yes, it’s a long trip, but it’s also an experience. I reserved a coach seat. I thought that would provide me with the best train experience. Besides,