Going on a Kidscapade!: Trains Trolleys Airplanes

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Griffith Park & Southern Railroad

Saturday, September 1, 2012

My Cost: $2.50

4400 Crystal Springs Drive

Los Angeles, CA 90027
www.griffithparktrainrides.com

After the Griffith Park Pony Ride, (my previous post,) I thought we would also go for a train ride! This would give little Alex a chance to ride something too, since he's not old enough for the ponies. Plus, it is free for kids under 19 months old, so it was cheaper than a Wagon Ride. (Vivi is four days away from turning 19 months old!)

The Griffith Park & Southern Railroad is just steps from the ponies. It has a long history, and I learned there has been a train ride in this location for over sixty years! In between the train and pony rides are two snack bars, picnic tables, and even a toy booth. It's a very carnival type atmosphere. And for families with bigger kids than my little tiny ones, they could spend a nice afternoon riding and eating. But I had one child in the front carrier, and I had to hold the other to keep her from running off while I stood in line, and they each weigh at least 20 pounds, so I knew we'd just ride the train and go home, to save me from too much extra stress. Here are the pictures that document the whole experience:

Next to the train depot is the Pinwheel Palace toy booth, and there's a small scale water tower in the background.

The cute Los Feliz Passenger Station, est. 1947, where you buy your tickets.

The prices are the same here as at the train ride in Travel Town, and they do take credit, debit and cash.

The "Colonel Griffith" 2-8-0 locomotive built by Severn Lamb Ltd. in 1983.
Severn Lamb are transportation replica manufacturers who have also built models for the Smithsonian!

The locomotive and the engineer!

A man in the train car in front of us took a nice picture - finally I get in a picture!

A view of the train platform from the train - a little tilty!

The view as we passed the snack bars.

The engineer really sped up into this curve, which was pretty exciting!
And he turns around and waves to the train passengers, which is fun for the kids.

The bridge over a tiny creek. (To the right there's a fence and then southbound I-5 traffic speeding by.)

Heading into the manmade tunnel.

Passing this boxcar reminded me of the Boxcar Children books I used to read as a kid!

The depot, Pinwheel Palace, and a snack bar as seen from the far side of the tracks.

The train goes through this "Western Town," and there's even a cowboy mannequin coming out of the saloon!

The rest of the Western Town dappled in shadows.

Coming around the other big curve in the tracks, there's a cactus garden!

The repair sheds at the end of the line.
They make all the buildings look like part of a town, to fit the ride theme.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Travel Town Museum

Thursday, August 16, 2012

My Cost: Free!

5200 Zoo Drive

Los Angeles, CA 90027
www.traveltown.org

Another hot August day. I woke up this morning with no plan or idea of where we might go, so I took to the computer to see if there were any events. I saw that there was a story and craft activity at the Valley Plaza Branch Library, but not until 4:00. So I put that idea on the back burner and went back to the drawing board.

I decided on the Travel Town Museum in Griffith Park. I have driven past the trains on many occasions, and once several years ago I even stopped and asked about admission cost and hours. FYI, there is no cost. (Although back then there was someone stationed in the booth accepting suggested donations. I guess they have suspended that.) Weekday hours are from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, and weekends from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.

The best thing about this museum is that it is so wander-able! It's outdoors and you stroll, and there are lots of benches so you can sit and relax. There is an Exhibition Hall with some horse-drawn carriages and wooden cars that need more protection from the elements, but beyond that it is just a big park with trains in it! There are lots of picnic tables and even those built-in barbecues (though I'm not sure if we're allowed to use them when the fire threat is high.)

Lots of picnic tables are available - pack a snack!

Inside the Exhibition Hall there was an area called "Holden's Corner: Travel Town Museum Children's Learning Center." I was pretty excited about the possibilities there. Maybe a train for the kids to climb on? Things to interact with like buttons to push, or a track to switch? Sadly, no. It was a big space with a small-scale train in the center that we weren't allowed to touch, and off to one side was a table with a toy train track on it, but you have to go check out a train to use with it. I think this area is more enjoyable if you check the Travel Town Calendar and come on a Play Day (the next one is September 2nd.)

The untouchable model train.

The toy train tracks are on the table surrounded by the benches. I do love the mural!

Steps away from the Exhibition Hall is the Gift Shop. We didn't go inside, so I can't comment on it's selection, but it looked quaint from the outside!

In between the Exhibition Hall and the Gift Shop is the Travel Town Railroad. They built it to resemble an old-fashioned train station with old-fashioned ticket windows and a waiting room with a heavy black safe and sparse furnishings. The rides are cheap (see below), but had already ended by the time we got there. The last trip of the day was going around the tracks and there were only two passengers: another mother and her toddler.

Last loop of the day! Can you see the conductor waving at us?

It was not at all busy, perhaps because of the heat, or because this is the first week of school for LAUSD students, or maybe just because it was so close to closing. We did come across three other mother-and-toddler pairs, so I felt like I fit the visitor profile!