Catch That Train

"I don’t mind the station.
I don’t mind going underground.
I kind of like the symphony.
Of a thousand different sounds.
In another 20 minutes
We’ll all be country bound.

So catch that train…"
- Dan Zanes









To get the boys geared up for our train ride this weekend to the Arctic Circle...we took a train 40 minutes north of Helsinki to the Finnish Railway Museum. Wow, Wow, Wow...this place is amazing for any visitor, but especially for boys who love trains!





The extensive collection consists of a historical passenger coach of the Russian Czar dating back to 1870 (the only one remaining in the world today), 25 steam locomotives (14 are on display)with the oldest from 1868, 8 coaches and wagons, and a few rail cars. Each has been restored to perfect condition. With ramps leading to decks at the window of each car, you can view their interior. Upholstery is worn, a few curtains are torn...if only these walls could talk!






For the young at heart, there was one car open to the explorer, dreamer, and pretender. They could drive, ride, deliver, push buttons, make calls, etc. In other rooms, stairs guided you to pathways under the locomotives, a switchboard was present to play on, and other stations allowed imaginations to soar. The small 3 hour window the museum was open today did not allow us to discover the exhibits outside or the Engine Station, Roadhouse, or Worker Building...only leaving us a reason to return.