THE PETALUMA POST
PETALUMAPOST.COM
Wine Country
I
Trains – and Total Love
have a confession to
make: I am hopelessly
and shamelessly in love
with trains.
Trains in general, yes, but
most especially I'm in love
with train travel in elegant,
meticulously restored 's
and 's vintage train cars.
These passenger rail cars once
traveled on rail lines owned
by Great Northern, Southern
Pacific, Western Pacific, and
the Santa Fe. Train routes
were given names like Empire
Builder, California Zephyr
and Coast Starlight. And
whole trains were named
– often after cities (like the
“City of New Orleans” made
famous by Arlo Guthrie).
Even the cars themselves
were named – mostly
picturesque and descriptive
names that made them sound
as beautiful, romantic and
luxurious as they actually
were. Names like Silver Iris,
Photos by Von Hurson
by Von Hurson
Prairie View, Silver Rapids,
Overland Trail, Super Chief
and Silver Solarium.
These were the glory
years – the Golden Age of
luxurious rail travel, with
mystique, excitement and
romance. After WWII,
with growing numbers of
automobiles and the speed
of air travel, passenger train
travel all but vanished and
these beautiful coaches were
abandoned.
However, thanks to
people who treasured rail
history and lovingly restored
some of these rusted,
crumbling train cars, there
remains a way to experience
what those days were like.
The romance and elegance
have been re-created. And
that proverbial mournful,
lonesome train whistle? Yes,
it still blows as the train enters
villages, towns, cities and
other more traveled railroad
crossings.
So – this October , 
and  you'll find me onboard
a three-day train journey –
traveling over the former
Western Pacific Feather
River Canyon route, to Great
Northern's inside gateway
and Southern Pacific's Shasta
route. After the joy of last
year's incredible train odyssey
(see my archived September
 column) how can I not
go?
MAY 2015• 17
With 18 years in the wine industry, Von is a wine judge and
popular wine educator. She has
co-authored a book, worked in
vineyards and made wine. Have
a question or comment? Email:
[email protected]
Life is too short not
to enrich it with spacious
seats in parlor cars, dining
cars and vista domes – lazily
taking in the passing scenery,
beautifully served meals –
breakfast, lunch and dinner.
It's all still there. And I'll be
there, too.
Interested in my chosen
trip? Here's the website url
– www.traintrips.biz. From
“current tours” scroll down
to “Feather River Canyon,
Inside Gateway & Shasta
Explorer.” And while you're
there check out the other
tempting destinations. I'm
lusting for a train trip in
Switzerland – or perhaps
down the Silk Road. The
world is my train track!