Ticket To Ride

Hello World, All aboard! I can't say (or sing) along with Casey Jones that "I've been working on the railroad, all the live-long day," but I'll be happy to regale everyone with tales of our recent excursion on land and sea, and with a fee-fie-fiddle-ee-i-oh to boot. Locally famous, at least in The Nutmeg State, is the Essex Steam Train and Riverboat (and please do feel free to go right ahead and visit their web site @ www.essexsteamtrain.com and see for yourself) where they've been doing this for 45 years already, so you have to figure they should pretty much have all the kinks worked out by now. And so it was with no trepidation at all that Bill and I decided to take the plunge, as it were (hopefully not literally) and see what all the fuss is about. We all know that not every spectacle lives up to its billing, and while we were not prepared to wholeheartedly embrace the hyperbole sight unseen, we approached the prospect with high hopes and a full head of steam. Whoo-whoo! Alert readers may recall our Connecticut friends, with whom we have historically enjoyed the Round Hill Highland Games at scenic Cranbury Park in Norwalk, lo these many years. We were planning to change things up this year, and attend the Irish Fest at Fairfield University over the Father's Day weekend in June, but their schedule fell apart at the last minute, and had to cancel. We only see them once a year, so I asked them to give us a date when we could climb on board this famous tourist attraction, and they were very obliging about it. So last weekend, there we all were in lovely Essex, with plenty of time to poke around the vintage railroad cars and take pictures at the train station, plus see the other sights - including a building full of model train layouts, displays, and all manner of train paraphernalia for enthusiasts and novices alike. It would be all to easy to get lost in all there is to see and do there, but fortunately, they make an announcement over the PA system when your ride pulls into the station - and it goes without saying, right on the dot, because this is a railroad, after all. Back through the mists of time, this was an actual passenger railroad, up until railroads everywhere fell on hard times, and then it continued offering freight service for many years after that, before finally shutting down for good in the 1960s. Determined volunteers banded together, refurbished a short section (about 4 miles) of track, lovingly restored some old passenger cars - and to top it all off, capped it with a genuine steam locomotive, for a tourist experience that is well worth the name. "But," as they say on TV, "that's not all!" Not resting on their laurels, the nice folks at the Essex Steam Train have partnered with the equally popular Becky Thatcher Riverboat, to create a unique adventure that has "not-to-be-missed" written all over it. We had been thinking of checking it out for years, and missing out on the Irish Fest gave us all the incentive we needed to make it right now, instead of putting it off any longer. So when the train puffed in at 12:30, we jumped right on board, and plumped down in the plush swivel chairs in First Class like the high society elite from a bygone era. (Our friends had previously warned us that when you sit in the Open Car at the front, you risk a shower of cinders from the actual steam engine, which tends to make the whole journey a lot more incendiary to hair and clothing than we were prepared to undertake.) The train proceeds to go north(ish) from Essex to Deep River and then Chester at a very leisurely pace, to the inconvenience of motorists at the several grade crossings along the way - but they are uniformly gracious about it, and wave one and all in a convivial manner as the train passes by. Admittedly there is not much to see in this particular area, but they also serve drinks, and provide a running commentary about the history of the railroad, which makes a pleasant counterpoint to the backdrop of trees and creeks outside the windows. After reaching Chester, the train backs up and goes back to Deep River Landing, where the Becky Thatcher Riverboat is waiting patiently for us to embark, which we did with alacrity, I can tell you that. It's true that the riverboat is not an authentic paddlewheel steamboat from days gone by, or even a reproduction of one (in fact, it has no paddlewheel at all, and looks remarkably like a ferry) but it is comfortable and decorative, with a very smooth ride. It plies the waters of the Connecticut River, and here again, the expert commentary explains that it was the river that named the state, and not the other way around. (They also take pains to point out, rather undiplomatically, how Deep River is a colossal misnomer, since the river bottom is barely 15 feet down in most places.) The boat chugs its way upriver from Deep River Landing through Hadlyme to East Haddam, before turning around at the historic Goodspeed Opera House, which can be plainly seen from the open air top deck. The unspoiled river is the main attraction here, since there is little to see along the shore, besides a handful of yacht clubs here and there, and of course, the legendary Gillette Castle, home of noted eccentric William Gillette, who was also a celebrated actor, best known for his signature portrayal of Sherlock Holmes on the silent screen. Naturally there is a snack bar to entice the passengers, and I can't fail to mention that just like on land, the surrounding armada of pleasure boats, canoes, and kayaks are filled with jovial folks who are eager to wave and smile as the Becky Thatcher churns on past. Especially in good weather, this is a fun and relaxing trip, perfect for the whole family of youngsters and oldsters alike. Meanwhile, back at Deep River Landing, the steam train is all set for us to take our seats once again, as it brings us back to Essex train station where we started, just about 2-1/2 hours later. (The train also offers a wide range of other activities for all interests, such as gourmet dinner and luncheon trips, fall foliage tours, wine tastings, picnics at Gillette Castle State Park, Santa Special and North Pole Express, Caboose Weekends, even weddings.) Once we were off the timetable, and no longer watching the clock, we took the chance to browse their charming gift shop, and did not come away empty-handed, believe me. There's also a quaint cafe in an old train car in the rail yard, and the station itself is plastered with posters for silent movies and obsolete advertisements - which serve as the perfect accompaniment to the Tin Pan Alley tunes that continually play from speakers inside and out. Left to our own devices, one wag in our group (who shall remain nameless, and for once, did not look suspiciously like me) suggested that we pose in front of a picturesque caboose, facing away from the camera to show our [ahem] "cabooses" - a concept that so tickled a railroad employee that she insisted on taking the picture for us. (She claimed that nobody had ever happened upon this idea before, in all the years that she had worked there, and she couldn't stop laughing.) Since it was still early, we left the train station behind, and set out for the hamlet of Essex itself, where the waterfront area is historic, scenic, interesting, and engaging all at the same time and on every side. There are many small shops selling one-of-a-kind creations, antiques, collectibles, jewelry, toys, and souvenirs of every description, and a person could easily spend a day just going from one to another. We opted instead for an ice cream break, and Sweet P's really hit the spot, I can tell you that. We killed some more time browsing until it was time for, yes, dinner at Denny's, this time in Westbrook, and even though we had been to Denny's the two previous weekends as well, you can believe me when I say that our meal did not disappoint, and I ought to know. So for anyone who has wondered if this little "surf-and-turf" escapade is worth the time and money, please accept my unsolicited testimonial as a guide, and act accordingly. Tell them Casey Jones sent you. Elle