Monday, December 14, 2009

dylan's guide to trains


dyl is mad for trains. even though he's not yet two, this tot has done the one thing that most l.a. folk still find daunting: taking public transport! he's been on all manner of trains, from amtrak to mta lines to kiddie trains, all over town. he's navigated more public transportation and rail lines than most citizens. phooey on them, they don't know what they're missing.
one of the places to nerd out on a train is at the free rides at wilson park in torrance; one train practically takes you from torrance to lomita it seemed, and challenging too--john had to straddle this long seat, while clutching dylan on his lap. we recommend leaving the texting/iphoning at home for this ride.
and here he is, at dylan's favorite place, well, one of them, at least. travel town in griffith park has got a kiddie train, (seen here, pictured with daddy) old trains to climb and explore, a train museum, and a train gift shop--sort of a train disneyland, with lots of history and education, to boot. going there brings dyl glee to the utmost (as you can see in this picture on the trolley below).
GLEE!
choo-choo! being the 'duck-tor' on the southern railway engine.
wherever he goes, trains sort of find their way to dylan. here he points out the train collection at phillipes french dip restaurant downtown.
keys, keys, keys!! give me those keys, says dylan, so i can hop this boxcar. here, he tries to unlock the freight train at the lomita railroad museum--using daddy's keys. someone must be reading kerouac's on the road---that or thomas the tank engine. more likely the latter, in dylan's case.
i am the 'ducktor' and give me your money and your tickets, says dylan.
the best part about legoland was the mini train ride. we geeked out here too--dylan refused to get off this ride, and rode it umpteen times. john's a good sport about things like this.
the best thing about trains --- all the things to see and hear and experience.
his most adventurous ride to date has to be the metro trip. here, dylan contemplates the funky public art at the green line platform, en route to downtown l.a. via the green and blue lines. the metro was dylan's most 'BIGGen'* ride--and most memorable were the people dylan met in the cars--playing peekaboo with the old jewish gentleman, the little girl who shared her bag of candy (that was the best, says dylan), chatting up the british tourists, thanking people who gave up their seats for us, and looking at the art installations. it's like l.a. was a real city, of all things--with art, even, and courteous people going out of their way to help.

dylan's next stop--the red line, gold? see you on the rails!

*BIGGen: when dylan wants to say something is real big or very large, he says 'BIGGen!'.