USA by Rail – the Nation’s Capital

March 15th

My alarm went off at 4:30 am. Today was the day, the start of my big adventure — a tour of the U.S. by rail followed by a thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).

Though I’d been looking forward to this trip for weeks, it’s hard to feel excited about anything at 4:30 am. Andrea drove me to the station and waited for the 6 am train with me. It was a bittersweet morning. Though I’m excited about all the upcoming adventures, knowing that I won’t be home again until the fall is a tough pill to swallow. I’m grateful for such a supportive spouse who is willing to hold down the fort while I’m away.

I live just 20 minutes from the Norfolk station, which is the end of the line for Amtrak’s Northeast Regional from Boston. I rode northbound for four and a half hours to Washington DC. Still a bit groggy, I simply sat and looked out the window for the entire ride. The train passed through rural Virginia neighborhoods, bald cypress swamps, and over branches of the Chesapeake Bay.

I had the afternoon to explore DC before catching my evening train. Arriving at Union Station, I emerged into chaos. People from all walks of life swarmed the station, anxiously waiting or rushing to catch their trains. Garbled unintelligible announcements buzzed from the PA.

Just steps away from the train gates however, I entered into the massive airy lobby. It had an aura of calm reverence, like a sanctuary, a tribute to the glory days of train travel. The huge windows flooded the hall with natural light and I took a moment to soak it in. The insanely high arched ceilings, checkered marble floor, ornate molding, and gilded detailing. Elegance and grandeur.

Stepping out of Union Station, I was greeted with a direct view of the U.S. Capital building. It felt fitting that my grand tour of the U.S. was beginning in the nation’s capital.

I headed across the street to the Smithsonian National Postal Museum. It’s no coincidence that the postal museum is right next to Union Station. The museum building used to be the city post office for DC. In the early 1900s, I learned, the majority of mail was transported via rail so post offices were built as close as possible to railroad stations.

I also learned the story of the dog Owney, a four-legged hobo who rode the rails all over the U.S. He would hop from mail train to mail train across multiple routes. Collectively looked after by the railway mail clerks, he gained celebrity status and became the unofficial mascot of the Railway Mail Service. Mail clerks began to place metal tokens or tags on his collar, marking various locations on his cross-country travel.

I may not get as many tags as Owney, but I’ll channel his spirit on my own rail adventure! He was taxidermied upon his death in 1897 and is on display at the museum. (It was a little creepy, to be honest).

From the postal museum, I walked the mile and a half to the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), located right on the National Mall. The walk was a great opportunity to get some exercise. I’m going to have to sneak in exercise wherever I can on this trip, because as soon as it ends I’ll find myself on the rigorous 2,650 mile hike of the PCT.

I was able to store my backpack at Union Station for the day for $10, which was money well spent. Although walking around with a heavy pack is part of my pre-PCT training, in this case it was worth it to not have to haul all my PCT camping gear through the crowded museums.

In the NMAAHC I stumbled upon more train history. There was an exhibit where visitors could walk through an entire 1940s railroad coach car. The point of the exhibit was to highlight segregated accommodations, as the car had separate seating areas and restrooms for whites and blacks.

I hadn’t intentionally planned to visit train-related exhibits in DC, but U.S. history and trains go hand in hand. It’s hard to talk about one without the other.

Before heading back to Union Station, I still had time to walk around the National Mall, Washington Monument, and U.S. Capital building. It was a great way to spend a layover, and I love how walkable DC is.