Yesterday, on the Empire Builder on our way home from Whitefish MT after spending 5 days out there I was sitting in the lounge car with my partner, and couple of friends. A deaf guy comes up to me, and said, "I think we should know each other? Did you go to to the Deaf Academy?" I said, Yes I did... After talking to him for abit, we were an old roommate from the school. At the time, I was 10th grade, and he was 9th. He was only in school for a year before he moved out to Portland. We have not been touch or anything for 24 years!
I had a chance to sit in the bedroom sleeper to visit him, and wow, that is nice! It almost wanted make me do this next time!
It was his and a friend of him first time on the train. His friend wasn't sure if he'd do EB again since MT was VERY flat and boring for him. Chris did enjoyed it and it was a nice change of pace. We exchanged email address, and phone number to text.
Have any one here met someone on the train or station whom you have not seen or been in touch for years?
Reunited with someone on the train..
Started by
TraneMan
, Aug 01 2012 09:24 PM
11 replies to this topic
#2
the_traveler
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Posted 01 August 2012 - 09:47 PM
Not quite the same thing, but I traveled from SEA on the EB and then on the Cardinal for 3 1/2 days before I "met" another (at that time) AU member! It was only during a stop due a freight derailment that we "met" and discovered we were both on the same trains from SEA!
And to make the story more unbelievable, we had 3 meals at the same table together with Access Bob on the Cardinal before we "met"!
A training I will go ... !
#4
Ryan
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Posted 01 August 2012 - 10:07 PM
A friend of mine from Boy Scouts (we shared a tent when we went to Philmont in 1994) recently transferred from CSX to Amtrak as a locomotive engineer.
Random chance had him assigned to the Cap when T29 and I headed to CHI for the Cardinal Dome trip. Didn't get a chance to see him in CUM when he left the train (the only door they opened was the last coach, so the head end was way the h*ll up the street), but when the conductor lifted our tickets I mentioned that I knew the engineer and he traded "Hey, how's it going"s over the radio.
Random chance had him assigned to the Cap when T29 and I headed to CHI for the Cardinal Dome trip. Didn't get a chance to see him in CUM when he left the train (the only door they opened was the last coach, so the head end was way the h*ll up the street), but when the conductor lifted our tickets I mentioned that I knew the engineer and he traded "Hey, how's it going"s over the radio.
#5
jimhudson
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Posted 01 August 2012 - 10:20 PM
Havent run into any "Old Friends" on Trains but have run into and met lots of AU members all over the Country on Various Trains and also have met lots of OBS that I know on various LD Trains all over the Country since they work the Extra Board for Extra Money!
There's a saying that "It's a Small World!", sometimes its true!
There's a saying that "It's a Small World!", sometimes its true!
Hope to See See ya' in the Windy City for the Gathering in Oct!!!
"What a Long,Strange Trip it's Been!"-Grateful Dead
"..My heart is warm with the friends I make,and better friends I'll not be knowing,
Yet there isn't a train I wouldn't take,No matter where its going!.." -Edna St. Vincent Millay
#6
Acela150
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Posted 02 August 2012 - 12:27 AM
This happened to me Monday on 86. I was in the cafe car getting some lunch. I was wearing a Fire Company Uniform. I recognized him from somewhere I just couldn't put a finger on it.. He got in line behind me and ask if my Fire Co is in PA. He went to school with me and one of our members. I haven't seen him in years! But it was great seeing him again! We talked for a little bit before heading back to our seats. But my first thought was.. What are the chances this would have happened..
We talked for a little bit before heading back to our seats. But my first thought was.. What are the chances this would have happened..
These posts are my views and opinions.
Frequent Acela Express,Northeast Regional and Keystone Service rider.
Donate your spare time! Be a Volunteer Firefighter!
Frequent Acela Express,Northeast Regional and Keystone Service rider.
Donate your spare time! Be a Volunteer Firefighter!
#7
johnny.menhennet
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Posted 02 August 2012 - 12:45 AM
This happened to me once. Back in January I was traveling north out of Solana on a Saturday morning. I boarded unaccompanied on a single-level set and started to walk down the train toward the cafe. he placed me in a coach seat (this was an almost empty train - literally) in the first coach from the cafe. After about 30 seconds, who walks by? 2 of my best friends in my speech and debate class. Even though they are one grade ahead of me, they were both still 15 at the time. One of them actually travels pretty regularly on the train to see her dad who lives near FUL and she brought her best friend Shannon with her for the weekend. So they sat right behind me and I was able to talk to people who I had never intended on meeting on the train.
Amtrak: Pacific Surfliner (100000000000), Southwest Chief (5), California Zephyr (1), Coast Starlight (6), Capitol Corridor (1), Empire Builder (2), Acela Express (1), LSL (1), NE Regional (2)
Non-Amtrak: NCTD Coaster (at least 20), Metrolink (4), SD Trolley (at least 20), LACMTA Red Line (at least 50), Seattle Streetcar (1), Chicago 'L' (probably 13), NYC Subway (probably 15), WMATA Mass Transit (probably 20), LIRR (1), Las Vegas Monorail (at least 12), MBTA Mass Transit (16), NJ Transit commuter rail (3), I'm sure there are more that I can't think of right now
upcoming Amtrak: Pacific Surfliner (10000000000 more),
upcoming non-Amtrak: Coaster, Red Line/Expo Line in LA
Pretty good for a 16 year old
Non-Amtrak: NCTD Coaster (at least 20), Metrolink (4), SD Trolley (at least 20), LACMTA Red Line (at least 50), Seattle Streetcar (1), Chicago 'L' (probably 13), NYC Subway (probably 15), WMATA Mass Transit (probably 20), LIRR (1), Las Vegas Monorail (at least 12), MBTA Mass Transit (16), NJ Transit commuter rail (3), I'm sure there are more that I can't think of right now
upcoming Amtrak: Pacific Surfliner (10000000000 more),
upcoming non-Amtrak: Coaster, Red Line/Expo Line in LA
Pretty good for a 16 year old
#8
Shanghai
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Posted 02 August 2012 - 06:47 AM
I met Rob Tabern twice on the train - first on the Texas Eagle and again on the Cardinal.
Also met Robert Madison on the Cardinal. I met and had breakfast with Jim Hudson on the Texas Eagle.
Then, I traveled with Penny, Alan, Grace, Joe Hess, RRich, Greg, Eric & Jim on the Coast Starlight going
to Gathering V in Seattle.
Also met Robert Madison on the Cardinal. I met and had breakfast with Jim Hudson on the Texas Eagle.
Then, I traveled with Penny, Alan, Grace, Joe Hess, RRich, Greg, Eric & Jim on the Coast Starlight going
to Gathering V in Seattle.
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#9
VentureForth
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Posted 02 August 2012 - 09:40 AM
How'd you know he was in the loco?A friend of mine from Boy Scouts (we shared a tent when we went to Philmont in 1994) recently transferred from CSX to Amtrak as a locomotive engineer.
Random chance had him assigned to the Cap when T29 and I headed to CHI for the Cardinal Dome trip. Didn't get a chance to see him in CUM when he left the train (the only door they opened was the last coach, so the head end was way the h*ll up the street), but when the conductor lifted our tickets I mentioned that I knew the engineer and he traded "Hey, how's it going"s over the radio.
14,223 Amtrak Miles. Many more to go.
Completed Routes: Capitol Limited, Palmetto
Also Ridden: Carolinian, Crescent, Pacific Surfliner, Piedmont, Southwest Chief, Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Texas Eagle
#11
Dan O
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Posted 05 August 2012 - 12:13 PM
My daughter met her boyfriend of 4 years on a train. He lives on the east coast while she is on the west coast. Don't see each other more than a few times a year but email/call a lot.
Dano
Dano
Amtrak miles 5037
Pre-Amtrak train miles 6678
Pre-Amtrak train miles 6678
#12
oregon pioneer
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Posted 05 August 2012 - 03:22 PM
I didn't exactly know this guy personally -- but I was on the Sunset Ltd eastbound through west Texas with my husband, and the guy across the table from me looked at my SolWest t-shirt and said "I've been to that event" (it's in Oregon, BTW). I admitted that I was the organizer of said event, and asked him his name. "Oh, I recognize the name: you've been on my mailing list quite awhile" said I. He introduced me to his lovely wife, and the four of us talked about the solar electric systems powering our off-grid homes as we rolled through Alpine, TX. Seems like the people we meet on Amtrak often share our interest in sustainable energy and energy-efficient travel!!
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