Yes, this is the very vehicle that owns those spare parts I've featured a post before this one. Those spare parts are well taken cared of and carefully checked before any of them are allowed to go to avoid getting derailed since the train itself isn't very young like the many of its passengers.
Don't worry, I wasn't trying to do as Kara Nina did, it's just a mere shoefie. I was hoping I could get a decent shot of my shoes while this chu - chu -ing giant was moving. It didn't take just one frame btw.
I have always wanted to do this from the very time, I first saw one of these steam trains drive by while we were taking one of our strolls on my first years here. Why? It's as shallow a reason as I've never been on one cause we don't have this in the Philippines anymore and now that one actually still exists here, I grabbed the chance to do so instead of forever wondering what its like.
This giant is far from being a centennial old so it's pretty young actually. Almost everything were kept as they were. My husband and a friend were allowed to see the kettle where they throw all those coals. I am allowed to do so, too but I dolled myself up to just get coal on me huh, so I didn't go up there and just drooled at the fact that they did, the drama of the OC.
Most of the passengers were kids and though there were also almost the same numbers of those that are young at hearts, there were just more kids. They were all allowed to climb on the captain's caboose. Just like the Steem train, everybody's welcome on board. Well, that's the feeling we got. They even have this wheel chair and bike friendly entrance. Cool huh?
The moment it let out its whale's scream like - siren, the young and old ran on the windows and before I knew it, I was sharing the window with some kids watching those red wheels go like legs of galloping horses. They're beautiful to watch, just like those model steam trains.
Whether there's a first class caboose like we do here in the Steem train, I don't know but surely, everyone may just walk from one caboose after the other as long as they have tickets to show the inspectors. Everyone gets asked whether they'd like to have some coffee or a bite of something for the trip. My husband and I had coffee and cheese bread while everyone else in our caboose seem to have brought their whole fridge's content which I think is a lot better cause then you know exactly what you're eating!
I went around checking out what it looks like inside. I love the vintage feel of every little detail that it has on it, from the doors in the restaurant, to the old fashioned luggage that were displayed, the seats and the trick that we were taught of on how to open those windows to let the cool air in our caboose. I had to go to the loo and found out that I had to wait till we are going fast before I could use it and I only got to understand why when I was inside. You will be literally taking a leak on the rails that's why. Lol on that!
That day, we found out that it was taking a lot of passengers to their work, relatives they want to visit and some - back home from work. It's amazing to have a train like this to this day. The ambiance is just different. I haven't really seen any unhappy face not even from those probably tired from a long day of work. The the kids' laughter seem to overwhelm the place, their happiness is but contagious.
We passed by a lot of fields and more old Steam trains. We also found out that there are even days where we can have lunch on it (pancake on the menu). Every time it goes on a halt to let some other vehicles pass by, people on bike and onlookers seem to have a hard time resisting taking our pictures, okay I admit - not really our picture but the train's, it's just that our heads just happen to be sticking out of the windows looking at those tires and the smoke coming out of it.?
One stop over was in front of a village restaurant full of customers who all stood up to take more pics of it and probably even some videos. My friend and I, kid the waiter, we ordered a slice of an apple pie and some coffee, they're a good sport though, they were all just smiles, seemingly happy at the sight of this chu, chu-ing giant.
We just went back and forth and I have to admit, even though the train is pretty old, it was a very comfortable and safe ride. I liked it a lot every time it goes; "Chu - Chu!" and the kids would echo it. When we finally arrived at the last station, we saw more of them old steam train cockpits.
On the way back, we watched the head caboose take off and attach itself on the other end. At that time, I went to the end of the caboose it was attached to and found this.
I wonder why there's a wet piece of wood in each bucket and I didn't get to ask. Perhaps they're preventing it from getting tipped over. You, any idea what those piece of wood doing in there?
Would I ever ride it again? Yes and it's because they go on different routes and I've just taken one. I wonder what I'd get to see on the other ones. The next time I get to do it, I'd bring some wipes so I could go up that caboose where the boiler is (if that's what you call it) so that even if like our captain, I get coal on my nose, I could just wipe it off and clean myself up.
I would want to try take as many rides as I can while it's alive cause I'm satisfied with it and the treatment I got from the people working on it. They were all very kind and accommodating. I can't imagine entertaining so many of the many same questions which I heard the many of them patiently answer. They take care of their clients very nicely, kind'a remind me of the first time I stepped on board this Steem train, everyone seemed so amicable or at least trying to be and yes, the adult that I am loved that more than what it's like right now.
As for the kid in me, she sure had a blast riding this steam train.
