Trains, Cars, Boats and Planes: There Certainly are Many Ways to Get to ALA
By Marilyn Courtot

     How did you get to the ALA-Midwinter meeting in Seattle in 2007? There are certainly a variety of ways, but a few of us had a fabulous opportunity to travel with Fred Gullette, President of Book News Inc. Fred is just plain crazy about trains, and he and his guests made the trip across country via two private rail cars (PV or private varnish for those in the know). Among his ALA colleagues were Marilyn Courtot of the Children's Literature Comprehensive Database Company (CLCD); Tom Leonhardt, Director, Scarborough-Phillips Library, St. Edwards University; Peter Booth Wiley, Chairman of John Wiley & Sons and various others.

     The trip originated in St. Louis where two cars, the Metis owned by Ron Dyer, and the Silver Quail, a sleeper car, journeyed up to Chicago where we actually started our ALA adventure. The Metis once belonged to the Canadian National Railway and Ron has made this car a true standout (See sidebar and photos). There is something humbling to be riding in a car that once took King George VI and Queen Elizabeth around Canada in 1939 and which was subsequently used by politicians including a former Governor of Arkansas who served two terms as President.

     But back to the trip. The scenery was magnificent. We traveled from Chicago to Denver and the freshly fallen snow really made the landscape gorgeous. According to Fred, this stretch offers the best views and the open platform on the Metis is the place to be. We wove in and out of myriad gullies and passed through a couple of dozen short tunnels. As Fred noted, "the depths of South Boulder Canyon, lighted by the sun and seemingly, vertically below us some hundreds of feet, is a dazzling' sight as the train struggles to exceed 25mph." For those of us who did not want to freeze our noses, the view from the Metis lounge was just as breathtaking. We saw frozen lakes and rivers and at one point, we were more than 9,000 feet above sea level. How did I know that? The Metis is equipped with a GPS system which tells you where you are and how high up you are. It also has a satellite antenna for TV, but who would want to watch that.

     The most harrowing part of the trip actually took place in Denver when we made a brief stop. We were told that it would be a 30 minute break and that we should not stray too far. The train was already behind schedule. It left in less than 30 minutes and three of our party were stranded at the station. Thanks to cell phones and cool heads, it all worked out. We advised Amtrak of our situation and the train was held in the yards until our three traveling companions arrived in a taxi with an Amtrak escort. Miracle of miracles - and were they happy? I asked the three how they felt about being stranded, and their reactions ranged from disbelief to immediately coming up with contingency plans-could they get a cab to the next stop and could they beat the train? With the freshly fallen snow that option was a bit dicey. What about flying to Salt Lake City and meeting us there? Sure that would work but one passenger had no picture identification which made flying just about impossible. The idea that I found most intriguing was the one from our fellow passenger, Fred Newlin (yes Lyman's son) who is a Town Supervisor in upstate New York who considered calling the local constabulary to see if they could help get them to the next stop. Needless to say at other stops they and the rest of us stayed pretty close to the train.

     So what's it like on a PV railcar like the Metis? Car owner Ron Dyer has outfitted it to suit royalty. There is Waterford crystal, Royal Doulton china, silver napkin rings, real silver service, cloth napkins and tablecloths as well as a mahogany dining table and a fully equipped modern kitchen with dishwasher and trash compactor. Ron has managed to collect various CN artifacts and add them to the car. But even though we had the trappings of days gone by, we were surrounded by the latest in technology including a Bose surround sound system, DVD player and as mentioned the satellite TV. We even had a spacious modern bathroom with a luxurious glassed-in shower with big fluffy towels.

     There is nothing more relaxing that sitting with a cocktail and some munchies while talking to good friends and new acquaintances about work and other pleasurable pursuits. The snow was falling outside, but we were warm and cozy. The stories flew and we talked about prior ALA's, the fate of book publishing, the impact of new technology, world politics and much more. In this day and age when everyone needs to be someplace yesterday, it was a rare opportunity to take a leisurely trip. No lines, no cramming into a small seat and being herded like cattle-just a very pleasant time to see the beauty that is America and to enjoy quality time with like-minded individuals.

     Was the trip without mishaps? No, we did have frozen water lines and drains. We did have a few toilets malfunction, but we coped. It was Fred's daughters who served as chefs and hostesses on the way out who made everything seem so easy. They fixed delicious meals and improvised when necessary. Car ownership is also not easy-Ron is a jack of all trades and fixed the heat, electricity, drains and the like when necessary.

     All I can say is, if you ever have an opportunity to travel by private railcar, don't hesitate. It is an experience you will always remember. For details visit www.aaprco.com

Added March 27, 2007

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