Once in a while I used to travel back in time. This time I went back to the time when I was six years old and wondered back then what I liked most.  Not my toys, not my friends, definitely not my elementary school but my time with my mom. I remembered the bedtime stories she narrated while putting me to sleep.

Believe it or not, my favorite bedtime story was about traveling in trains. In this story there is no hero who proves his prowess, no villain or demon to vanquish or damsel in distress to be rescued; married to and lives happily thereafter. There was no suspense or drama in the story. It was plain, simple travel from one place to another with ordinary events happening at each station or while the train is in motion.

It may look strange that I took a liking for this kind of story but it is true. Though my mom was good at narrating other mythological stories and epic tales, this particular story stood out. Maybe she was a good narrator or she was married to an officer in the railways (my father’s life in the railways probably left a strong impression on her). Or maybe I could relate to the story well. Or maybe because our family used to travel in trains often (without having to spend a dime using privileged passes) and I as a kid could not be left behind. I don’t know which one. I begged my mom to tell this story more often than others.

From that time on, I took a fascination towards trains. I always took a delight in waving at trains passing by until I was old enough to realize that not everyone was doing it and the fun was gone. Waiting at the platform for the train to arrive was the most excruciating part of my life. Once inside the train I was happiest to get the coveted seat beside the window. I remember pressing my cheek against the window hard to look as far as I can. If I could see either the locomotive or the last car, as the train took a deep turn, I made it in life. Such simple pleasures!

Fast forward to being a teenager, (sometimes in the late seventies) I remember the nail biting finish in the movie Shinkansen daibakuha (Bullet Train). Then I got a little older and my train travels became a little more romantic i.e. in the real sense of the word. Within the confined spaces of the coach (car) the Romeo in me will get turned on. I took every chance to be in the vicinity of the opposite sex and the romance will last only as far the traveling together went. Anyone who had seen the movie Before Sunrise will understand how I felt.


Fast forward to being a family man, guess what I would have bought for my children as toys? You’re right. Toy trains in various forms: from the simple locomotive, to the full complement of locomotive, coaches, rail tracks made of wood, plastic or steel etc. I didn’t know what they liked most, but the child in me wouldn’t let go of my passion.

Today my children have grown up and I have time to travel only by subway trains. But I make it a point to see any movie related to trains. Recent one being Transsiberian and I would recommend you to see it if you are like me or Roy (Woody Harrelson in the movie) who has a fascination for trains and locomotives like I do.

One item in my bucket list is travel one day all the way from Toronto to Vancouver through Via Rail.  Let’s see.