All aboard!

A train ride is fun for the young –
and young at heart

CHRISTY SCHUTTE | CIN WEEKLY CONTRIBUTOR

Children enjoy the Cincinnati Railway Co. train in Lebanon. Nathan Boone, 8, won a contest with this photo. (Nathan Boone our littlest CiN Weekly contributor)

JUST THE FACTS

WHAT: The Cincinnati Railway Company themed train rides

WHERE: All trains depart from and return to Lebanon Train Station, 198 S. Broadway, Lebanon

WHEN: Trains run on various dates throughout the year at 11 a.m. and 1 and 3 p.m. Saturday and 1 and 3 p.m. Sunday.

PRICE: Tickets during the summer are $12 for adults and $10 for children age 12 and under. No charge for infants.

CONTACT: Check out www.cincinnatirailway.com or call (513) 933-8022 for recorded information and directions.

GET LUNCH
Since train rides usually run from late morning through the afternoon, you'll most likely be looking for some lunch. Stop in to Lebanon's famous The Golden Lamb restaurant, located one block north of the train station. Try the popular Pork Loin ($9.95) or the Vegetable Strudel ($8.95). And of course, Kids Chicken Strips ($6.25) for your little ones.

GETTING THERE: From Interstate 71 North take Exit #28 toward Lebanon/Lebanon Raceway. Turn left onto Turtle Creek Union Road and then right onto Ohio 48. Take a left on Orchard Avenue, then turn right onto South Broadway. You'll see the train station on your right.

There's something about a train ride that seems to evoke awe and enthusiasm in people of all ages. If you're looking for something a little different to do with your kids this summer, try taking an afternoon to experience a train ride with the Cincinnati Railway Company.

Since 1985, the train rides at Cincinnati Railway Company have been enjoyed by children and adults alike. Throughout the year, the company has a schedule that is packed with themed rides and entertainment. From The Santa Express to Thomas the Tank Engine to live blues music, you'll be sure to find something that sparks the interest of you and your children.

I recently took my daughters, ages 3 and 20 months, to the Mother's Day Mother Goose Choo-Choo outing, and I loved watching their faces light up as we walked up to the giant red train and climbed aboard.

As the whistle blew (their favorite part of the whole ride) and the train began rattling out of the historic downtown Lebanon station, every child (and adult) looked wide-eyed out the windows.

Shortly after departing, we were all greeted by Mother Goose and Humpty Dumpty, who gave away books and talked with the kids throughout the hour-long ride.

Passengers sit in open-window commuter coaches that were built in 1930. The trains operate with a restored 1950s-era GP-7 diesel-electric locomotive. A popular car on the train is the open-air gondola on the rear that allows travelers to enjoy a panoramic view of the land throughout the ride.

I found two types of passengers on the train - people like us who had never experienced a Cincinnati Railway Co. train ride before, and the rail-travel veterans who just keep coming back again and again.

"We come mainly because we really enjoy the train ride," says Gemma Singer of Fairfield, who was there with her husband, their 8-year-old daughter and their 9-year-old son for the fourth time this year. "Really, my husband is the one who likes it the best," she adds. "He's just a little boy at heart."