A few weeks back, I took Liam with me to “Caboose Day” at the Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth. Rides that normally cost $3 were free and there was a scavenger hunt, but they didn’t bring in any extra cabooses or anything. In case you didn’t know, Liam loves trains. I loved trains when I was a kid, so I do what I can to get him some sweet train action.
 Here we are arriving:
Are you excited to see trains, Liam?
This is as close as he was ready to get at first:
Here we are going for a ride on a caboose. They have an engine hooked up to a pair of cabooses, and the train goes up a few hundred yards, they throw a switch, and then you get a 1/2 mile ride in the train before coming back. Liam liked it.
Switchman Jack (in costume):
After the ride, we went in another caboose that had snacks available and climbed into the cupola.
Outside the sleeper car:
My wife would not like this narrow hallway of the sleeper car:
Liam climbing into a seat, underneath a convertable bed, next to a seat that lifts to reveal… a potty!
Trying to escape:
Taking a rest:
Big engine:
Old buses- bonus!
Not sure what this one is, but Google suggests it is a “retired Georgia Tech Transette PRT vehicle”?
Liam does love driving buses, big and small:
Tiny driver:
By this time, Liam had lost all reticence and was charging ahead whether I was coming or not. I did my best to take pictures and not lose him.
Shannon noticed in this picture that there is clearly a sign that says “Please keep off the furniture”. Oops.
Tiny shower:
Random nice lounge:
Surveying the empire:
Watching the caboose ride come by:
Liam waving to the lucky passengers:
Wistful:
Oh, hey, a flower!
“Wait up, Dad!”
Happy train is… happy:
Liam enjoyed these lights:
They don’t make ‘em like they used to:
We were on the way out when I noticed an engine that we missed. Apparently you could climb inside, and nobody else was around it. We got on and Liam played for about 15 minutes before I pulled him away. He still tells me stories about the time he “pulled the handle and drove down the track.”
A good day.
