Guest Author - Janet Collins

“Trains are wonderful… To travel by train is to see nature and human beings, towns and churches and rivers, in fact, to see life.” – Agatha Christie

There’s something magical about traveling by train. The scenery – whether it’s lush landscapes, wave-swept shorelines, red rock desert, or something in between – always looks better when viewed against the background sound of wheels rhythmically rolling over rails. Okay, so the mode of transport isn’t as fast as air travel, but it has other forms of land transport licked by a diesel-powered mile. Unlike buses or cars, trains allow passengers the freedom to move about, sleep, eat, read, or do hundreds of other things while en route. Some seats are arranged so that passengers can face each other, making group conversation easier and traveling with friends more fun.

And few things mark the sense of arrival at a destination quite like the magnificence of a railroad station. Enter a city by its station – think of impressive structures such as Victoria Station in London, Union Station in Washington, DC, Grand Central Station in New York – and you know you’ve truly arrived.

Over the years, railcars themselves oozed a sense of grandeur – think the Orient Express, or the long-demolished “park cars” of Canada’s famed CNR (Named for a national or provincial park, each car had a rounded-end observation lounge, a beverage room with the dome level above it, and first class sleeping space made up of a large drawing room and two bedrooms. The beverage room featured original murals by Canadian artists, some of whom were members of the Group of Seven.).

While some of the grandeur has been lost in designs of newer stations and modern railcars, the pure excitement of rail travel remains undiminished to this day. Even in the cheap seats, going by train equates to going in style.

If you happen to be 55 years or older, there is even more reason to travel by train. Amtrak offers up special fares for mature travelers on most of their routes. Be sure to ask about the special rates when booking a ticket.

Ever thought how much fun it would be to take a train trip with a group of friends? On some routes, such as Amtrak’s Cascades route, savings are also available for groups of (min 20, max 50) travelers 55 and older. The popular route from Eugene, Oregon to Vancouver, BC, is the featured run for this deal. Fare examples include one-way tickets from Vancouver to Seattle at $10, and Portland to Eugene is $7 person for either one-way or round trip. The fares can also be combined. So gather up your friends, church group, seniors center pals, and school reunion chums and hop on board!

Of course, some restrictions apply such as stated blackout dates. Check with Amtrak for all the details.