Lulawissie Train Ride

I’m looking out of the window of our rail car as I write this latest piece on my laptop. It’s amazing how much scenery that you miss when you drive. The railways always seem to pass through the prettiest countryside and parts of the state that you just don’t see by car.

It has been so long since I have been on a train. My father worked for the railroad on the West Coast for over 40 years and train rides were quite frequent growing up. When I moved the family out here to Lulawissie over 30 years ago, we took the train coast to coast via the southern route through New Orleans. It was a wonderfully enjoyable ride.

Tonight, Sammie and I are headed back to Lulawissie from a long weekend in Savannah. It’s only about a two-hour drive by car, but it just seemed so nice to not have to drive and to be able to enjoy the scenery while enjoying a cold drink. The train car is an old one, with numerous coats of paint over the old chips of the previous coats. The coach we are in seems so typical of eastern commuter trains, and it’s creaking and clattering only add to its character. Each stop is accentuated by the melodious cadence of the conductor walking up and down the aisle calling out the name of the approaching town.

The conductor, a man named Lester, is an older, genteel black man whose demeanor adds an air of southern charm to this odyssey. His broad smile and thick southern accent brings so much character to the trip.

It is absolutely amazing to see many of the little towns “from the back” as the train slowly winds through the hamlets and townships along the way. You get a true feel of what life in these little towns is really like when you see them from the tracks. Sometimes you get to see the “dark side” of these towns from the windows of your railcar. Other times you’ll cross a Main Street right in the middle of downtown. There is so much history to see from a train.

You will experience many picturesque train stations along the way, each one of them telling a story of how life was in years gone by. Some stations seem like they haven’t been cared for in years, while others look like something out of an old movie. Nevertheless, if you want to enjoy the visages of true Americana at it’s best, take a train ride.

Our train is slowing now, and the conductor is announcing our stop. “Lulawissie! Next stop Lula-wissie!

The clattering is winding down and I look out of the window on this beautifully crisp, clear moonlit night. Sammie smiles softly as she watches the moonlight flicker in the rippled reflection on Lake Lulawissie, and we can see the lights from the South End Marina do the same. There’s a campfire burning out on Fahy’s Island. So peaceful. It is always nice returning home to this wonderful town.

The station is coming into view now, and I need to get my stuff together. It’s a short walk home from the station, and being such a crisp clear night, it will be an enjoyable one, holding Sammie’s hand as we stroll down Liberty Avenue.

As always, my friends, thanks for stopping by and spending your time with us. Remember to always do a good deed for someone you don’t know, and give the Good Lord thanks for everything, even the not so good things. I bid you Peace.

_{©2018 Lulawissie by Del Banks}