All Aboard!!! Let Your Class Reunion Ride the Rails
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If you are looking for an inventive place to hold your next class reunion, take
your classmates back to the romantic days of rail travel aboard a commuter
or private train. On a train you will travel in style while taking in spectacular
scenery and re-living old times with good friends.
Many experienced travelers consider trains among the most luxurious ways
to travel, an alternative to the hassles of the airport and the physical drain of
driving. Trains can accommodate very large groups and if your group size exceeds
the capacity of one train, you can often charter a second train to follow the same route.
Most trains charge on a per-person basis unless you want to rent the entire train for your
exclusive use. If you do, you will be quoted a single price for the train.
You may be looking for a day-long excursion or a multi-day adventure that will require
overnight accommodations. Trains can accommodate both. You can begin your trip by
trains from nearly any station (including many private stations) and stop on the way as
you wish. There may be some restrictions because of other scheduled train services, but
you should be able to schedule a train to go to the places you are interested in, and stop
for as long as you desire. Ask how long the company will need to make arrangements
for the train and your schedule. In some cases, it may take as long as 12 weeks to secure
your trip. Call early.
Passenger trains are usually made up of engines, cargo cars, seating or observation cars,
galley cars and sleeper cars. If you charter the entire train, you will have access to the
entire train. Even if each guest will have a sleeper compartment, during the day, most
guests will prefer to ride in more comfortable seats.
Most private trains with overnight accommodations provide full catering for all meals.
Trains used for day-tours may not have full catering but might have concessions on
board or will provide boxed meals for off-train excursions.
Overnight trains typically offer deluxe bedrooms for two passengers with an individual
bathroom and two lower bunks; standard bedrooms for two passengers with or without
an individual bathroom and one upper and one lower bunk; family bedrooms for two
adults and two small children; and accessible bedrooms for disabled passengers with
special mobility requirements. Some trains offer coach seats that recline for sleeping
rather than private sleeper cars.
Most trains let the scenery entertain the guests, but some show movies or cartoon
shorts. Ask whether you can display posters or your reunion memorabilia on the train.
Some trains even can be decorated to a theme. Some trains charge a nominal fee for this
service if you provide all the materials such as posters, table tents, headrest covers and
table decorations. The ultimate in branding, of course, is the train wrap. You can have
your reunion logo cover the entire outside of the train. It's a special process used to
cover large surfaces (and if you had not guessed ... it is quite expensive ... but really
impressive).
The sights out the windows of trains can be spectacular so remind guests to bring
cameras with high-speed film to record the vistas. Then kick back and enjoy the ride.
All classmates aboard!!
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By Dina C. Carson
Dina C. Carson is the author of Reunion Solutions: Everything You Need to
Plan an Extraordinary Family, School, Military, Corporate or Association
Reunion, available at your local bookstore or at www.ReunionSolutions.com |
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