Trains! FUN FUN FUN! I know all about them because my Travel Group at Cat Scouts took a trip to the North Pole to help Santa out for the day and I transported us from the Cat Scouts jet to Santa’s Village via a train! However, this is definitely NOT what today’s blog post is all about. No sireeeee!
Sunday my Mom and Dad went “training” on a steam train excursion from Manassas, Virginia to Front Royal, Virginia and back. It was an amazing trip (so they say because I was home – alone!). I have some photos to share but I’m also going to give you the link to one of Mom’s best buddies, my girlcatfriend Sundae’s Mom, Miss Dianna – who has a blog where she’s talked about the adventure AND where there’s a short video of THE TRAIN my Mom and Dad, Miss Dianna and her husband, and another couple who are their good friends were on. In fact the video was taken the same day they all rode the train – nothing like the sound a steam train makes – the chug chug chug, the steam and smoke rising up – and that screaming whistle that goes right through you! CLICK HERE for Miss Dianna’s blog post from yesterday.
Here are a few more photos AND check out the guy with his pup in the old hot rod who was at the train station! Totally cool – AND the dog was harnessed in and had protective goggles on so he was safe as could be. He was really LOVING the ride and we all decided this definitely was not his first time to be out for a cruise with “Dad” !!
Look WAY down the tracks and you’ll see the headlamp light AND some steam!
My Mom and Dad with happy faces – they’re on the train having a blast!
What a LUCKY DOG!
Beep Beep…..coming through!
It was a four hour excursion and while this train no longer runs regularly – only on special occasions – as far as my Mom and Dad were concerned it was a special occasion because they had a ball, and were with friends……….what’s better than that?
If you’re curious and want to know more about this fabulous train, it’s housed in the Virginia Transportation Museum when it’s not chugging along the tracks………..here’s some info:
The Fabulous J611 Steam Train!
So when I say “TRAINING”……..it’s not Mom or Dad trying to get me to do tricks or behave any way other than I’ve been behaving for the last 16-1/2 years – nosireeeeee – by now I’m as “trained” as I will ever get…………….it’s TRAINING in the most fun way possible – riding the rails with friends.
See you tomorrow for cleaning day……….you know what a riot that can be!
Woo Woo Choo Choo!
Hugs, Sammy
TWO Spoiled Cats 
I’m not sure trains are so beloved where I live due to all of the industry and the major lines that run through town. The city I live in is literally completely surrounded by tracks… at one point, there was no way out without having to pass a crossing and hope you wouldn’t be set back half an hour while a train blocked the road waiting for the switch in the tracks to be thrown! Now at least there are a few overpasses…
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They’ve worked hard around here on over and under passes to keep the notorious Washington, DC commuter traffic MOVING ALONG…..now trains and noisy traffic are unimpeded making for a more RUSHFUL rush hour!
Pam
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What fun! We’ve been on a steam train in the mountains here in France – you had to be careful which way you looked or you ended up with a black face 😀 Great fun though as your Ma and Pa said. Always good to go on these expeditions with friends. You look quite the part in your uniform too!
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Mom and Dad were on a train when they traveled from Lucerne to Paris – what a ride! Some of the most gorgeous scenery EVER. That was 87 years ago (!) on their honeymoon though – I bet it’s still the ride of a lifetime.
Love, Sammy
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Sammy, you have made a mistake. Santa Claus is not living in The North Pole, he is living here in Finland, in a place called Korvatunturi. So you have visited Finland!
My mom remembers those steam train well, she is really OLD. She always wanted travel by train when she was a child, about one hundred years ago.
Sammy, enjoy your life today!
Kosmo
a cat in faraway Finland.
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Hi Kosmo! Well I’m surprised to hear I was in Finland when I did my North Pole Cat Scouts trip! My Mom remembers the dinosaurs roaming the earth so she’s an oldie too an has had a few train trips in her LOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG past. Trains make you feel young again!!!
Love and Hugs from faraway Virginia
Sammy
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What a fun little journey! My human loves trains – and she is hoping they will start allowing pets on the Amtrak here on the West Coast so she can start taking me on it!
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Oh that would be so much fun Summer! I hope you can do that one of these days soon!
Hugs, Sammy
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So much fun Sammy and look at how cute Mum and Dad are 🙂 i do love the smell sound and motion of the old steam trains..Puffing Billy here in the Dandenongs is a great ride..each year people race agsinst her 🙂 and in Tasmania the Wilderness train was gorgeous..we used it for a teaser i believe..the one time i KNEW i would guess right Bwahahaha..i always laugh when i remember taking our 4 kids when little on Puffing Billy..came home we all had soot on our faces 😉 🙂 Will pop over and check the linkies out 🙂 loves Fozziemum xx
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Yes! One of my favorite Teasers was the “tour of Tasmania” with those lovely photos you sent in – we had lots of Teaser material from that trip!!!! My Mom has some “sooty” memories of a steamer too – when she lived in Taiwan, the only other high school they could play sports against was located at the opposite end of the island – so everyone had to pop on the train to go to the games. Had to have the windows open – no A/C on the train back then – they went through several tunnels…..YIKES! They would get dirty before ever arriving to compete!
Love Sammy
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Hahaha what fun memories for Mum Sammy 🙂 …sooty faces all around! There is a steam train near here which i MUST go on..we hear it go past sometimes..the other night in fact and was a real surprise for an evening..we had to go out and listen it sounded in the winter cold air like it was heading up our driveway!! Loves Fozziemum xx
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Funny how wind direction OR weather even can change those sounds. We’re not far from a very busy main road and sometimes it sounds like the trucks and cars are going through our living room!
Hugs, Sammy
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I know it’s amazing..the main highway is not visible from our house but when trees lose their leaves for winter we hear the road more..and the trains 🙂 xx
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Same here………although even with the trees all leafed out like they are now if the wind direction is right it’s still noisier. Things have changed in the 20 years Mom and Dad have lived here…..we used to be more “isolated” but more and more people have moved further and further away from Washington, DC to the “burbs” where we are so MORE traffic.
Hugs, Sammy
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I agree the wind direction adds to the mix Sammy..funny what you get used to..we lived many years ago before we had kids..near a train line..by the time we moved we did not notice the trains anymore..yet now! We are so used to quiet that we had trouble sleeping in the US as the traffic was crazy..well not crazy but more than what we are used to here in Sleepy town 🙂 🙂 xx
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I can imagine it was like NIGHT AND DAY literally with the “sounds” here……when we visit my sister in W. Virginia on top of a mountain you can hear a pin drop – no traffic, no noise……..coming back to “civilization” is always tough…..it’s so relaxing away from the WACKINESS in town or near traffic of ANY kind. Sigh.
Hugs, Pam (and Sam)
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Yep..but then some people cannot sleep if it’s too quiet! our daughter inlaw needs the tv on in the background..comes from her upbringing and soemthing she finds soothing 🙂 Loves Bev xx
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My Dad uses one of those “sound machines” to go to sleep to – luckily Mom doesn’t mind it playing…..it goes for an hour then stops. By then they’re both snoring away! HAHAHA
Hugs, Sammy
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Hahahahaha well i can not sleep with sound or light drives me bonkers..hahahaha 🙂 xx
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Yeah I’m kind of like that too……..but now that I can’t hear well, I’m in good shape! HAHAHA
Hugs, Sammy
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I love steam trains too and like fozziemum, have some great memories and pictures of Puffing Billy through the Dandenongs with kids. What a great way to spend a birthday! 😀
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Yes, Mom’s friend Dianna and her husband are “trainees” through and through – Mom and Dad were happy to be invited to help celebrate Miss Dianna’s birthday in this special way (even though it was rainy!).
Hugs, Sammy
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Looks like they had a good time. There is a train a couple hours south of us that takes people on a “Murder Mystery” trip. One day I want to try that.
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They do that here on some of the excursion trains – I hear it’s a LOT of fun with the people who work on the train playing parts and getting some audience pawticipation! Fun!
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Sammy, my pawrents had a wonderful time with your pawrents on the train!! Motor Mommy was SO happy that they were able to do that. (You do know how much my Motor Mommy loves your mommy…??? She loves to spend time with her and wishes we all lived closer!)
Love, Sundae
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My Mom and Dad feel the same way – once in a while Mom and Dad look on Homes.com to see what’s what down your way…………….you never know!!! It was a totally fun time for them and I’m glad they all got together even if I had to be HOME ALONE……(you know what that’s like more than I do! ;).
Love, Sammy
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Aw…. we would LOVE for your pawrents to live closer to us. Then your Mom and I wouldn’t have to do “virtual laundry” or “virtual shopping”. I know that no one else will understand, but your mom will! 😉
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She does understand………and she says “never say never” when it comes to where people wind up living when they’ve retired!
Love, Sammy
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That looks like a fun time. Have a great day.
Sue B
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It was PAWSOME!
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Sounds like a blast! Love the dog with goggles and the cool yellow car… 😀 CH and I have taken Amtrak several times through MissouREE’s wine country and the girls in the family all took Amtrak for a girl’s weekend but we have never been on a fancy steam train. Might have to give it a try. We did ride the teeny train at the St. Louis Zoo… 😉
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There are so many excursion trains around still – maybe not a whole lot of steamers but any train ride is FUN……this one wasn’t fancy inside – just bare bones – but it was still a whole lot of fun!
Hugs, Sammy
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Great posts, you make the cutest conductor. I enjoyed your photos and I will go to your Mom’s friend’s blog and check out more. Trains are always fun, there is a restaurant we love a few towns over that is a restored train car, it doesn’t move, but it is fun eating in there. XO
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My Mom and Dad had a ton of fun……….and Mom says she’s eaten in an old train car restaurant – in fact there’s a restaurant like that in Pennsylvania – she thinks Strasburg – that they have put a motor on and it actually rocks along while you’re eating like you’re ON a moving train – every once in a while you hear the train whistle and they have a sound track quietly playing in the background. Just like being on a dining car on a moving train.
Hugs, Sammy
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Cleaning day will be a letdown.
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Definitely- especially since the Broomhildas aren’t coming tomorrow – it’s up to ME and Mom and Dad………..YIKES!
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Y’all look like you were having some fun Conductor Sammy!
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Woo Hoo!!! Lookin good inn yur outfit Unccle Sammy. It soundss like a fun day was had bye yur Pawentss an that doggie in googless iss w-a-y- kewl!!!!!
***Hi-5’sss*** neffkitty Siddhartha Henry =^,.^=
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That dog was a real hoot Mom said.
Love, Uncle Sammy
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That sounds like a very cool train trip that your mom and dad took. It looks like they are having lots of fun!
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They really had fun – I was home alone of course (sniff) but not sure I would have liked being on a train with no litterbox for 4-1/2 hours anyway!
Hugs, Sammy
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Dat old car are pawsome!
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I agree………that pup was having the time of his life with his Dad too!
Hugs, Sammy
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dood….what an awesum time everee one had; we saw de moovee & saw yur mom waves out de window az car 15 passed bye 🙂 de train iz total lee kewl; glad they getted a take a ride in it !~!~
we iz out til monday; sew heerz two a longnose lancetfish kinda week oh end ♥♥♥
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Have a super nice week-o-end guys……………….here’s to a fishified fun-filled Friday followed by two more super dupe days. See you next week!
Love, Sammy
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Train rides are so much fun. Wish we could go
Lily & Edward
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Oh my it looked like fun – I would have enjoyed it too!!!
Hugs, Sammy
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What a fun day ! Purrs
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Wow, sounds like a lot of fun! And that dog in the car is too much!
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My mom loves trains!!! – Toby
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Same here………there’s something about being on a choo choo!
Hugs, Sammy
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Trains are so much fun. Mom wishes dogs were allowed on trains. Then we could ride around all over the place. That hot rod dog was a total stud! So fun!
Love and licks,
Cupcake
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Mom says that dog was having a ball…..I bet he was – the guy was too! Trains are cool…..I don’t see why pups and cats can’t ride the rails too! NOT FAIR!
Hugs, Sammy
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The mom says she doesn’t mind trains at all unless she gets stuck by one on her way to or from work. Sometimes the train just stops on the tracks and doesn’t budge.
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Yes that happened around here a LOT until they finally did some over and under passes and now the trains AND the traffic move SO much better!
Hugs, Sammy
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What a super fun experience for your Mom and Dad. We think it’s cool that they dressed in coordinating colors too!!
The Florida Furkids
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HA! Mom and Dad hadn’t realized they were TWINS with their rain jackets!
Hugs, Sammy
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Don’t we look fabulous on the train to see Santa. What fun memories. Your mom and dad look like they’re having a great ole time on the train. A short steam engine driven loco is super. Mom would like a short trip on a train around here. The scenery would be breathtaking.
Shoko
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I bet there are some excursion trains rides your Mom and Dad could take…….there’s something about being on a choo choo!
Love, Sammy
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Oh Sammy Darling!!!
Your folks sure looks like theys having a hoot er Toot! Trains is so cool! My Mommy is enamored of them. She always loves to rides the steam trains at Heritage Park in Calgary, and she gotted to rides one of the last CP passenger trains through the spiral tunnel and she has rided the forest train at Duncan BC and (most recently) the Kettle Valley Railway train in Summerland. She has a hankering to goes on the train at Drumheller, AB (they has deparados who robs the train when it runs in the summer) and now…she has a whole other train she wants to ride!
Wes off to Sundae’s blog right now to sees the trip!
Kisses
Nellie
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Oh Nellie I would like to have gone on the trip with Mom and Dad but I decided someone needed to stay home and guard the house against possible introooooders. They had a ball though and if you visit Sundae’s blog you’ll see what I mean! WOO WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO……
Love and Kisses, Sammy
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That is so cool that your humans got to do one of the 611 excursions. Mom and Dad really want to but haven’t had the opportunity. They did get some up close and personal time with the 611, however. As the VA Transportation Museum is here in Roanoke, Dad’s camera club was invited to come to the museum when it was closed to photograph the 611. Mom went too. It is absolutely unreal how huge it is. Mom will send you a couple of photos. They also got to see it leaving the station on the start of one of the excursions. Maybe they’ll get to do one of the trips next year. So happy your pawents had a fun time. XOCK, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo
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IT was SUPER fun Mom said…..and it would be pawsome if your Mom and Dad could take a ride on the 611 when she’s out again. We are following their page on Facebook now but don’t know what the rest of this year is like for them with excursions. It is amazingly huge…..!!
Hugs, Sammy
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I find trains fascinating but we don’t have any here. There used to be a train that went through the valley to Halifax but then some guy with a big chin got rid of it. MOUSES!
Purrs,
Seville
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