The Christmas Train to Leavenworth

Neither one of us knew what to expect during the train trip. It was sponsored by a local travel agency in Port Orchard and we would be boarding the train in Seattle for the trip. As we settled into our seats we got our first glimpse of the entertainment to come: a rather large elf. Well, it was probably someone's husband commandeered to play the part, but he did it in full regalia including pointy shoes and hat.

It takes a couple hours to get to Leavenworth by train, and our car was ripe with sights inside as well as out. Passing houses and sights of Puget Sound begin the trip. As the train rumbled along through the outskirts of Seattle and on north to Everett, we munched on Christmas cookies and drank coffee provided by the tour company. Strolling groups of singers kept us entertained with songs of the season. Even Santa Claus made an appearance!  

As I said, the scenery outside the car was exquisite, but we also were ‘entertained' by the sight of on of our local Kitsap county judges, his wife and their friends. Somehow, they had managed to turn their seats around to face their traveling companions, and the judge's wife had secreted onboard a box of wine. Amtrak doesn't allow anyone to bring their own liquor onboard, so we were silent observers of "how the other half lives". As the train progressed, so did the wine party, as well as the giggles and loud conversation. They never did get out of hand, but it has always stuck with my friend and I that there is one set of rules for people like this, and rules for the rest of us.

Many people probably do not know this, but the Cascade mountains in Washington hold the longest railroad tunnel in North America. Named the Cascade Tunnel, it takes about a half an hour to travel through it by train. (For anyone with chemical allergies, I would not recommend this trip, the fumes from the train invaded the car as it and the rest of the train were confined in the tunnel. I have a very sensitive nose though, and perhaps it wouldn't bother anyone else. The tunnel does have a system to clear the air.). Day turned to pitch black as we entered the 7.9 mile long tunnel, and a quiet hush fell over the occupants of the car.

As we exited the tunnel we were met with bright sunlight and the vision of snow on either side of the tracks. The tunnel comes out near Scenic, WA at an altitude of  677 meters, or 2221 feet. What a nice Christmas-y surprise that once again put us in the holiday spirit. We were almost to Leavenworth!

We spent a lovely day in the little town and like children, we too were in awe when the lights were all turned on and the town became a fairyland. Carolers regaled us with their voices, and dance groups leaped and pirouetted while adoring parents and bystanders looked on. The shops were filled with keepsakes and silliness, and patrons were everywhere with their bags full of treasures. Smiling faces were the order of the day, and we were rarely disappointed.

After tramping around in the snow and cold air all day, it was a welcome feeling to be once again on the train for home. All the same travelers slowly filtered back into our car, some with a little more enthusiasm than others. Our exhaustion was not felt by everyone. We had one lady in the car who must have imbibed just a bit too much of some libation, because she began to sing at the top of her lungs, "On the road again....". Not just once, but almost all the way home. As irritating as it was at the time, my friend and I laugh about it to this day. All we have to do is start singing those first few words and it launches us into giggles.

Alki Tours is the current and best way to book this trip to Leavenworth. As of this writing, they are sold out for the season, but there is a stand-by list. [December 12, 2006]. It is called The Snow Train to Leavenworth.

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