I thought I would share this Christmas story, as our Xmas travel plans are made for our annual train trip. I hate flying. No, I love flying, I just hate travel on US airlines. The moment I step onto the train, my vacation is underway. Every year, the wife and I visit family in the DC area. Here in Michigan, we drive to Toledo, catch the Capital Limited, and take her to Rockville, one stop shy of Union Station. A lovely trip.
My wife is a character, and she carries a bag of rubber duckies of many sorts with her. She hands them out to little kids we encounter (always through the parent), leave them with server tips, and even give them to adults who look like they need one. She is known locally as the Duck Lady. Oriental Trading COmpany has MANY versions of duckie, they even have railroad duckies, like conductors and engineers. She can find a princess duck for a litle girl, or a space pilot duck for a boy, ducks in military uiforms.
One trip, we met a very composed, proper, officious looking conductor doing his job. She gave him a rubber duckie that was dressed as a conductor. he thanked her and moved along. next time he came through the car, well, he had taped the conductor duck to the top of his hat, and he wore it there the rest of the trip. I know better than to judge a book by its cover, but he was the last person I would have thought to do that.
The car attendant got a duckie, and the dining car staff each got one. The dining car people remembered us year to year even. "Oh I remember you from last year, you gave me a duck".
I always arrive at the station with ticket already in hand, so I COULD get there five minutes before the train and be OK, but we usually show up about an hour ahead. Not so much for the train, but just in case there is a traffic problem on the 100 miles of highway. But we always check in at the ticket counter just to be sure things are square. Toledo Union station is not a bad place to spend an hour.
The wife always gives them a duckie too, at the ticket counter. Every year, they got another, sometimes a second one as we made a summer trip as well. They parked their duck along the bottom of the ticket window beside the opening. Over the years, a line of ducks has grown.
Lots of families take the train, and the kids in the lobby all get ducks.
Last Xmas, we walked in and the ticket agent called to us, "We were wondering when you two would show up." We noticed the row of ducks was down from 15-20 to just a few, so the wife asked if some hard core manager had taken them to task. "Oh nothing like that, we had to make room for the CHristmas decorations in the window, we have the ducks in back, and we are washing the dust off them." Ducks will return after the holiday.
I hope they never get that hard core manager there, and if you go to Toledo Union, and see a row of rubber duckies behind the ticket window, they came from my wife.
Had a shortline client in Iowa who paid most of his small bills at local stores along his railroad with dollar coins just to show the community impact.
Someone who doesn't like rubber duckies has a serious problem! I love the old Sesame Street song about them and I always thought it sounded like something written in the 1920s to be played by a big band, all dressed in tuxedos.
Ya know, Sweet Sue and Her Society Syncopaters from "Some Like it Hot" would do it justice!
mudchicken Had a shortline client in Iowa who paid most of his small bills at local stores along his railroad with dollar coins just to show the community impact.
Several years ago, we started having our all-day trip passengers wear a railroad sticker. It's good for discounts with some merchants, and serves as your bus pass as well (it's a long walk from the station to downtown).
Suddenly the reaction of the downtown merchants went from "oh, the railroad," to "OH! The Railroad!" when they discovered that the bulk of the customers they saw on those days had arrived by train.
The merchants even started covering the cost of the busses...
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Iowa Northern ran a holiday special a few years ago from Palo, IA to Vinton, IA. The Hawkeye Express commuter cars were full.
Many took a layover in Vinton between runs. The merchants in downtown Vinton had their cash registers playing Jingle Bells all the way to the bank's night deposit slot.
tree68 mudchicken Had a shortline client in Iowa who paid most of his small bills at local stores along his railroad with dollar coins just to show the community impact. Several years ago, we started having our all-day trip passengers wear a railroad sticker. It's good for discounts with some merchants, and serves as your bus pass as well (it's a long walk from the station to downtown). Suddenly the reaction of the downtown merchants went from "oh, the railroad," to "OH! The Railroad!" when they discovered that the bulk of the customers they saw on those days had arrived by train. The merchants even started covering the cost of the busses...
Did you ever do that in Saranac or Lake Placid? It seems the merchants there could have used a reminder.
MidlandMikeDid you ever do that in Saranac or Lake Placid? It seems the merchants there could have used a reminder.
The merchants in Saranac are very aware of the impact the railroad (and the railbikes - sold out all season) have had. Those pressing for a trail (so they say) care little about what the common man (or the merchants) think. They want the tracks up.
MidlandMike tree68 mudchicken Had a shortline client in Iowa who paid most of his small bills at local stores along his railroad with dollar coins just to show the community impact. Several years ago, we started having our all-day trip passengers wear a railroad sticker. It's good for discounts with some merchants, and serves as your bus pass as well (it's a long walk from the station to downtown). Suddenly the reaction of the downtown merchants went from "oh, the railroad," to "OH! The Railroad!" when they discovered that the bulk of the customers they saw on those days had arrived by train. The merchants even started covering the cost of the busses... "Did you ever do that in Saranac or Lake Placid? It seems the merchants there could have used a reminder."
"Did you ever do that in Saranac or Lake Placid? It seems the merchants there could have used a reminder."
I wiorked for a company that was trying to get noticed by locol politicians to get some road improvements done in their community...They started paying everyone with Two Dollar Bills instead of checks. It took about three months and they got 00their project done, and the community and area was awash in $2.00 bills.
http://www.2dollarbill.org/2-bill-history.html
Brings this Moldy Oldie to mind: "Disco, disco duck".
SALfan Brings this Moldy Oldie to mind: "Disco, disco duck".
Great, now I'll spend all morning trying to get that out of my head...
Exactly Tree, Rubber Ducky and Disco Duck. Well at least I won't notice the ringing in my ears as much. Maybe I can find my Iron Butterfly CD and hit max volume.
BOB WITHORN Exactly Tree, Rubber Ducky and Disco Duck. Well at least I won't notice the ringing in my ears as much. Maybe I can find my Iron Butterfly CD and hit max volume.
[quote user="CSSHEGEWISCH"]
CSSHEGEWISCHMakes me think of the scene in "The Simpsons" when Rev. Lovejoy announces the next hymn: "In the Garden of Eden" by I. Ron Butterfly.
Ironically, for those who might not be aware, the actual name of the song in question is - "In the Garden of Eden." The band was apparently so "under the influence" the first time they performed it that "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" is what came out... A legend was born...
I wonder if the makers of The Simpsons knew that.
54light15I wonder if the makers of The Simpsons knew that.
I'd bet they did...
BOB WITHORNThat's an absolutely funny episode. One of those "Rock and/or Roll Songs".
"Now I want you to clean every one of these organ pipes that you have befouled with your 'popular music' !"
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
tree68 SALfan Brings this Moldy Oldie to mind: "Disco, disco duck". Great, now I'll spend all morning trying to get that out of my head...
That song is a serious earworm.
Wow, the thread travelled from rubber duckies to Iron Butterfly, what a long strange trip it's been.
No, I don't mind.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.