Utah goes metro

I took the kids to the new Front Runner train for our free ride. It is this cool double decker commuter rail between Ogden and Salt Lake. I thought that if we rode form Ogden to Layton and back at 2:30 we should for sure be home by 5 pm for piano lessons. Think again. No one quite gets that a commuter rail is supposed to be quick. It was definitely not a smooth transition getting on and off like you see in Urban centers such as Chicago, NYC, D.C. etc... I have been on DC and NYC public transport lots of times and there is no lag time once those doors open! Get on or get left.

As we approached our stop to turn around, we passed North bound connection heading out of the station. And while the Southbound trains run every 15 minutes the North bound trains only run ever 30. I guess they figure no one will ever want to go home. So we hung out on the platform for the whole 30 minutes. And of course carter and Ethan got bored and of course Olivia kept trying to jump onto the tracks so I had to hold her the whole time. We ran into our neighbors and we all agreed there is something about strapping our kids immobile in the back seats of our gas guzzling SUVs. It definitely has its perks.

Speaking of strapping people in...I saw 2 families lugging car seats for their toddlers on the train. One family even had a booster seat. OK first, there are no seat belts. Second, I feel train wreck is akin to a plane crash...its not gonna save you! Not to mention that the aisles are just wide enough for me to get through and most car seats are wider than that. Everybody watch your head! Car seat coming through!

So the train finally comes and it is packed! (So people do want to head North!!) there were no seats left and no overhead grab bars in these trains! The seats have little handles on the sides and I put the boys to hold on those where I could and held Olivia until we got a seat right before our stop. That is another learning curve the people of Utah are going to have to pull out of. You can get up before the train stops at your station! In fact in preparing for that 30 second door opening, it might even be a good idea.

Well it took us until 4:45 to make it back to Ogden and in spite all it took to go the 30 mile round trip on the train, it is a great idea to have at least the start of this in Utah. Everyone will learn that this is not always a joy ride like the 3 free days were and get serious about making the most of everyone's time and energy. I for one, will still be strapping my kids into the car seats not for safety, but for sanity!