The Train Ride From Hell...

In April of 2008, UTA opened the long awaited Front Runner Commuter Train running between Ogden and Salt Lake City. For the first week, they let people ride for free just to try it out. When my kids found out, they got so excited that we could actually ride on a train to go visit Grandma & Grandpa Tooke. So we planned a trip.

We arrived in plenty of time to catch the Ogden to Salt Lake Train and waited on the platform along with a lot of others waiting to try the new train. The excitement levels of my children was bubbling to almost overflowing by the time they finally opened the doors and we all scrambled inside to find a seat.

Sienna & Gunnar found total exhilaration in simply being on the train, watching the people and traffic pass by out the window. Stop after stop, mile after mile, the ride down was truly exciting, but fairly uneventful. An hour after beginning our journey, we arrived in Salt Lake, transferred to the TRAX line......and continued on to the south end of the valley where Grandma "Leene" picked us up.
We had lunch at her house, where we met up with Auntie Holly and little Hannah. Later, we decided to check out the awesome deals at Kid 2 Kid. I found it easy to fill 2 huge bags full of clothes and shoes for my kids.

"Well, I have more to carry now," I thought to myself. "Just a couple more bags to carry home... but it's no big deal..."
Or so I thought...

Afternoon soon turned to evening and our desire to stay and visit took over. Consequently, we missed catching the appropriate Sandy to Salt Lake TRAX line, but my mom & dad agreed to take us all the way downtown to the Front Runner Train station. At about 7:30 pm, we all piled out of the minivan, ran across the platform to the awaiting train, then turned to waive "goodbye" to Grandma & Grandpa.

As soon as entered the train, I froze for a second or two and looked around in bewilderment. It was jam-packed full of people! I thought maybe there were seats up on the upper level, but sadly there were not. We headed back to the lower level hoping to find some kind person willing to let my kids sit down. I could handle standing up for a while until a seat opened up, but my 5 year old daughter and 2 1/2 year old son most likely could not. Unfortunately and apparently, chivalry is dead! Not one person offered up his or her seat to my obviously tired and small children!! For my kids sake, I tried to stay upbeat about it, after all, maybe after another stop or two, a seat would open up.

After the second stop northbound from Salt Lake, an announcement came over the loudspeaker informing us that there was a fire near the track up ahead and the train would be returning to Salt Lake! I panicked a little and said out loud, "I don't want to go back to Salt Lake! I want to go home!" I grabbed my kids, my Kid 2 Kid bags and the backpack I had been carrying all day (full of trip provisions - like fruit snacks, granola bars, coloring books, small toys - you know child provisions for a long trip) and we ran out of the train onto the platform to try and figure out what to do next. Sienna began to cry because she wanted to ride the train home again and didn't understand why I was suddenly forcing her off of it.

A gentleman who worked for UTA was on the platform so we asked him what we should do. He mentioned that there was a shuttle in the parking lot transferring people to the next train station north of fire. So I grabbed my kids hands and we ran off towards the parking lot. As soon as we arrived, I called Nolan to tell him what was going on and talk to him about maybe picking us up if the train did not happen to continue on past the fire afflicted area.
Ok, now we had a plan!

However, the moment I hung up with Nolan, the UTA employee informed us that the fire had now been contained and the train was going to continue northbound toward Ogden. My heart jumped up into my throat as I grabbed the kids and my bags and ran across the parking lot, back to the platform. I did not want to miss that train! We ran inside and to our delight, found there were 2 empty seats. I put Sienna & Gunnar in one and took the other for myself. Just as I was settling in, an announcement came over the speakers telling us that this particular train would in fact be returning to Salt Lake, but the other train on the opposite side of the platform would be heading north. Immediately, I again grabbed the kids and my bags and darted out the train doors to run across the platform and get onto what I prayed was the correct train!!

Upon entering, we looked quickly for empty seats and were delighted to find three this time! I sat down, again, got the kids settled, again, then glanced to the family across the isle.
"Excuse me. I just want to make sure I heard correctly. This train IS the one going to North Ogden, right?"
The kind stranger replied, "Yes, we just checked with the employee over there and she confirmed that this train is going north."

I sat sat back and breathed a sigh of relief. Thank heaven it was over!
Or so I thought!

As more and more people piled onto the northbound train, we offered up one of our seats and I put Gunnar on my lap. After all, I was not about to be as inconsiderate as others were to us at the beginning of our journey. We began trading stories with the families seated all around us and tried to relax while waiting to resume our trip.

After about 30 more minutes of waiting, and 6 or 7 announcement confirmations that this was indeed the northbound train, the conductor finally said that we were on our way. The train started up and we headed out.

The following two stops went on without incident, so I called Nolan to tell him not to worry, and that we should be arriving at the Ogden park and ride within about 20 minutes. We hung up and Sienna promptly told me she had to go potty. We were nowhere near a bathroom so I told her to just think of something else and it would only be a few minutes more before we got off the train. She nodded in agreement and went on with her coloring book.

At the next stop, the train pulled up tho the platform, let people off and the doors closed. Then nothing.....nothing.....nothing. Concerned, we all looked around at each other and began to ask, "What is going on?" "Why aren't we moving?"

Then came the dreaded "ding" of the loudspeaker and the conductor began the explanation. Because of the fire that had impeded progression of the earlier train, another train could not continue its southbound route and now both trains were directionally headed towards each other!! We needed to wait at this stop until the other train could be backed up and moved onto a side track, out of our way, before we could continue forward.

My heart sank. I looked at Sienna and knew what she'd say before she even opened her mouth. She had to go potty. The restroom was located in the next car over, and I had Gunnar and my bags to worry about. Not to mention, if we left, our hard earned seats would surely be taken when we returned. I pleaded with Sienna to see if she could hold it. But when she looked at me, I knew it was time.

Across the aisle, the very sweet mother we'd been chatting with along the way, heard me explain the situation to Sienna and understood my predicament. She compassionately offered to watch my bags, and her teenage son (who'd been playing with Gunnar and telling him football stories) offered to take care of my son in my absence. Now normally, I wouldn't think of leaving my belongings and especially my son with strangers, but quite honestly, by this point, we were practically friends. We had been on the same trains together for nearly 2 hours!! The mother knew that I was still apprehensive about the whole thing, so generously offered me her credit card and drivers license as an insurance and promise to take care of my son and my things. I nearly wept as I smiled my relieved "Thank You" to her.

Sienna and I crowded our way through the cars and eventually found the bathroom. I was a little horrified when I opened the doors and saw the terrible mess inside. There were paper towels strewn about all over the floor and counter top, the toilet paper was gone, and it smelled awful! We had to just go in and get it over with.

I locked the door and after Sienna was ready, I lifted her up and held her in the air over the toilet. It was difficult, but we made it through!! Thankfully, there was soap, so we cleaned up and shook our hands dry.

When we returned to our seats, I was delighted to see that it all was as it should be. Everyone and everything was safe! I exchanged the credit card and drivers license for my son, and we took our seats to wait.

And wait ... and wait ... and wait!
FINALLY! Forty-five minutes after we pulled into the station, we got word that we would be pulling out again. I had called Nolan again to explain (or try to explain) what was going on now.
Feeling very fatigued, I looked at my phone to see what time it was. 10:30pm. Wow! Had it really been THREE hours since we'd been dropped off in Salt Lake?!?! A 55 - 60 minute car trip...and it had been 3 hours! And we still had 2 stops to go!!

I never found out the reason why, but for the remainder of the trip, although these trains are supposed to go speeds up to 80 MPH, this one only maxed out at about 30 to 40 MPH. But at least we were moving.

At very long last, we reached our final destination of the Ogden Platform and park & ride. We said farewell to our new friends and gathered up our belongings. At a snail's pace, we trudged to the parking lot towards the truck. I lifted each child in turn to their seats and got them buckled up. Whew! What a trip!! I decided to call Nolan again to tell him we had made it. I reached into my pocket and was horrified to find that my cell phone was not there! I looked through my bags, but no phone was there.

I screamed out loud and began cursing the Train from Hell! Sienna began to cry and Gunnar was terrified at his mother's ghastly behavior. I turned my angry glare at the train, turned back to the kids and told them to sit quietly, not to make a sound and that I would be right back. Sienna was very confused and frightened, so I calmed my voice and quickly explained to her that I had to run back to the train to find my phone. She calmed down a little.

I locked the truck doors and ran like hell back to the evil train. When I got within ears reach, I shouted that my phone was on the train and screamed for them not to leave! I was told that the train would not be leaving for another 10 minutes, so I had plenty of time to search. But I needed to hurry back to my kids in the parking lot.

I ran to my seat, and thankfully found my phone wedged in between the seat and the armrest. I grabbed it, stuffed it in my pocket, and ran like hell (again) back to my kids in the truck. I unlocked the doors, unbuckled the kids and we all hugged and cried in relief that our ordeal was finally over. I called Nolan and told him we'd be home in 5 minutes.

Exhausted, physically and emotionally drained, I puled into the driveway at 11:18pm. I got out, looked to the sky and thanked God that we had made it. After all, there is definitely no place like home!


By the way, it was nearly a full ten months later before I rode on the Front Runner Commuter Train again. And I am sincerely grateful to report that absolutely nothing of any interest happened on that second trip!