My granddaughter and I bicycled over to the Depot on Monday – the day after arrival, when it was supposed to be on display to the public from 8am to 6pm. At that time, the back end of the train was roughly adjacent to the west end of the Depot (think “Big Mike”), and the engine – the fabled No. 844 – was east of the Depot, roughly halfway between Vista and Protest. Visitors were trudging to the Vista overpass, up and over, and then through goathead-infested dusty vacant frontage, if they wanted a peek at 844.

I remember train travel in the fifties and sixties, and the claim of 180 miles in 12 hours may well have been true for a “milk run”, but not for a “limited”. I took the Portland Rose between Seattle and Caldwell several times, and the North Coast Limited between Spokane and Seattle once. On every trip, accommodations were superior to any other form of public transportation, by far. Trains were relaxing and spacious. You could walk around. You could sit in special observation cars. The seats went way back. The only reason they went into decline is because airplanes are faster.

I remember traveling by train as a child, too. I took the Portland Rose a few times between Caldwell and Seattle. The worst thing about it, the ONLY bad memory of it was that it was never on time. Other than that, it’s the most enjoyable mode of transportation I’ve ever used, with the possible exception of a motorcycle.

Yes, I know abut the yucky. One winter when it was very cold, I was looking at the wheels on a car, and saw all this foul-looking yellow ice.

As far as speed goes, it’s faster to take the train from London to Paris than it is to fly, I’m told. I’m sure this is downtown to downtown, and accounts for the time getting from downtown to the airport, checking in, and all.

This particular locomotive, UPRR 844, was designed to travel safely at up to 120 MPH. Not too bad for 1944. In “the day”, passenger trains commonly traveled 80+ MPH, and 100MPH was common at some places.

As for the 12 hours to travel 180 miles, that was probably a milk run that stopped at every possible spot. There was a good two hour difference in travel time between Portland and Seattle, depending on whether you took the milk run or the limited.

My memory of passenger train travel is of roomy accommodations, relaxation and great scenery. The food in the dining cars was also great, but costly. Memory can be selective, and I’m not saying that all train rides were wonderful. But it’s misleading to say that 180 miles in 12 hours was the norm.

I don’t see much future for train travel, or bus travel, or airline travel over long distances any more. Airline service has been so degraded in recent years as to make it little more than a necessary inconvenience to be endured. Bus companies have given up. I think the era of quality public transportation in America has died of neglect and greed.

My 3 year old grandson was very disappointed because all he wanted was to see the train move.

Pretty much a waste of time.

I’m curious to know… when the choo-choo finally arrived, why did they park it with the big steam locomotive (the unique attraction) about a half-mile up the tracks from the Depot? (Perhaps the blame can be laid at the feet of the squashed-penny aficionados.)

I waited with my granddaughter up the tracks by the dog park, until it got late enough I was worried about bicycling home in the dark. (A half hour or so before the actual arrival time.)

Did Mayor Bieter get to drive the train? If not… why the hell not?!!? We all know how he loves the choo-choos!

One final comment… who’d a thunk we’d live to see the day when people are “tweeting” about a giant steam locomotive! Tweet! Tweet!

Train travel was a joke. Rails do a good job of moving freight but passengers need to think, cars, busses, and air planes.

I have no fond memories of train travel.

He or she should have been out enforcing the law against red light runners.