800 Words

“Life is like a train!

And aren't we lucky to be making the ride

Together?

Life is like a train!

A roaring rushing train!

You get on at the beginning

You get off at the еnd

Along the way you may find a lover

Along the way you may find a friеnd

In case you didn't get the cosmic thought that hit our brain

Let us explain once again!

Life is like a train!” (Act Two, On the Twentieth Century)

My love affair with trains began at an early age growing up in Manhattan. My family took the subway everywhere. Nothing was more fun than walking to the far end of the station and wait for the Fourteenth Street Canarsie “L” train as it arrived out of the tunnel from Brooklyn and roared into the First Avenue Station. In the mid-60’s, the “L” had ceiling fans, strap hangers, and spring cushioned woven wicker-like seats that added a homey look to the vintage subway cars.

The destination that Saturday afternoon was Lincoln Center. My sisters and I would press up against the window next to the engineer’s cab and watch with delight as the subway disappeared into the darkness before quickly arriving at the Third Avenue Station, then Union Square with its island platform, then Sixth Avenue, and finally the last stop, the Eighth Avenue Station. The three of us waited to leave our spot until the train came to a complete stop accompanied by the “hiss” of the subway’s brake reset and the “air dump” which cleared the brake system so that the train could safely re-enter service and head back to Brooklyn.

With a transfer to the Broadway Line #1, we were now travelling up the west side of Manhattan. But this time, there was no watching from the front of the train. We were in one of the middle cars because my parents were wise enough to know that the exits for Lincoln Center were at the midpoint of the platform at 66th Street.

Many years later, I lived in Hickory, North Carolina. The railroad track ran directly through the center of the town. One summer morning a large steam engine was making its way down the line from Asheville to make a whistle stop in Hickory, before heading eastward to Raleigh. The church service that Sunday morning finished in record time so that the entire congregation could take the short walk to the tracks to watch, with the rest of the town, as the mammoth steam engine proudly made its way before stopping to take on needed water.

America’s enduring love for trains is a mix of historical romance, cultural nostalgia, and modern practicality. From the steam-powered westward expansion to city subways rumbling under skyscrapers, to high-speed trains that connect the largest cities on the Northeast corridor, to scenic and efficient cross-country rail travel, trains have captured the public imagination in ways few other modes of transport have. Trains remain a national symbol of innovation, connection, and American ingenuity. In short, America’s fascination with trains is both a historical inheritance and a living tradition—a testament to their role in shaping the nation and their continued ability to inspire awe and connection.

Recently, I have been fascinated by all the attention, interest, and simple joy as the Union Pacific’s 4014 “Big Boy” makes its historic cross-country journey to the East Coast in collaboration with Norfolk Southern, as both railroads celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. The route through the Ohio Valley, Pennsylvania and the Northeast reflect the historic role railroads played in shaping America’s economic heartland, connecting factories, ports, population centers and fueling the nation’s growth across generations.

The Union Pacific 4014 was built in November 1941 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) in Schenectady, New York. It was assigned to haul heavy freight trains in the Wasatch mountain range. The locomotive was retired from service on December 7, 1961, and was donated to the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society. In 2013, Union Pacific re-acquired the locomotive and launched a restoration project at its Steam Shop in Cheyenne, Wyoming. In May 2019, No. 4014 moved under its own power after sitting dormant for almost six decades, becoming the world's largest operational steam locomotive and the only operating “Big Boy” locomotive of the eight that remain in existence.

In these seemingly divisive times in which we live, it makes my heart glad to see people coming together from all walks of life and perspectives to celebrate America’s inventiveness and creativity found in the #4014. Trains can indeed be the “Engines of Freedom” taking us out of our homes, our neighborhoods, and our cities to see and experience things we have never seen before. As the song states: “And aren’t we lucky to be making the ride together?”