All Aboard!

Another PfY update!

Hope everyone is enjoying the end of winter. I have a love-hate relationship with February, or as I like to call it, Loveuary. I know…I watch way too much Hallmark Channel. It’s often too cold for me but it’s also the month for Valentine’s Day, and I’m a romance author. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a Valentine in my personal life, but my fictional ladies all do, and I celebrate vicariously through them!

For this post I want to chat about another location from PfY. It’s a good one too. Okay, okay, it’s actually my favorite. Wait, wait…the whole town is my favorite! What am I saying?  But really, I want to talk about my most beloved activity in town...

THE TRAIN.

Yes, I’m a train girlie. I have tons of photos of the train as well as me looking dreamy about an upcoming ride, the actual ride, and post-ride. I know it sounds so nerdy, but I can’t seem to help it. Also, the conductors are super friendly and my favorite, John, inspired a character in PfY. There’s a lot to do in Jim Thorpe between tours of the Old Jail (don’t worry, I’ll write a post about that super interesting place too), the Asa Packer Mansion, and St. Mark’s & St. John’s Episcopal Church, to name a few. There’s also white-water rafting, biking, and hiking too. It’s an outdoor Disney World for those so inclined. But my favorite thing to do is to ride the scenic train. So let’s get into it…

The Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway takes visitors on stunning rides through the mountains of Lehigh Gorge State Park. The train departs from the restored Central Railroad of New Jersey Station and follows tracks that were once used to transport coal during the 1800s. Historically, Jim Thorpe was originally called Mauch Chunk, which means “Bear Place” in the Leni Lenape language, and it was home to one of the first gravity railroads in America in 1827, where coal cars rolled downhill using gravity. Today, visitors ride in vintage passenger cars (check out my pics above) while learning about the region’s railroad and mining history. Ticket prices vary depending on which car you ride in, but the open-air car is $25.

My first ride occurred, just as it did for Nicole, in the summer. I was on the very date that inspired the massive, multi-chapter date in PfY. It was a magical day, and the train was a major highlight. I mean, to be fair, the interesting, gorgeous man by my side was the real winner of the day, but the train was a close second followed by the tacos, and then the Christmas shop… Damn, I’ve gone off the rails. See what I did there? Tee-hee.

Anyway…the train.  

My favorite passenger car is number 22. There are a variety of reasons I love this car. A big one is that a major scene in PfY takes place on that car. Not going to spoil it, but a lot of love happens there. Hey! Get your mind out of the gutter. Not that kind of love! Although now that I’ve had the thought…I am a romance author. No. I’m off track again.

Okay, another reason I like that car is for its number. 222 is my angel number, and it has a lot of impact in my life. My daughter’s birthday is on 2/22, I live directly off Route 222, I see the numbers a lot in my life, and it comes up quite a bit in PfY, etc. So, twos are kind of my thing. A third reason I love that car is because it has a unique balcony attached to the back. You can see me on it in the pictures up above. It’s very cool.

There are lots of other great cars to ride in too, but that one just happens to be my favorite. You can even rent out the entire caboose for a private excursion as well. I’ve ridden at the back of the caboose on a trip back once with Conductor John. The views were fantastic.

So, if you’re ever in Jim Thorpe, please, please take a train ride. It’s so worth it, and the open-air car in the summer and fall is magical.

Until next time, be well.