We planned all week to take my son to see the Pere Marquette steam engine on display in Grand Haven. He passed out in the car and we plopped a very groggy little boy onto the parking lot. He followed behind us for a minute, then ran screaming, "Choo! Choo!" It was like the highlight of his little life.
The engine is 16 feet tall and 101 feet long. It's wheels are bigger across than I am tall. It is just huge. It is also under restoration, so while there are platforms that you're supposed to be able to walk up to get a better view of it, they are blocked off by fencing.
Someone left one gate out of maybe six unlocked. We were very respectful and didn't allow our son to touch anything, but we clearly were somewhere we weren't wanted when we took this photo. It was worth it (at least I think it was because no park employee came running at us screaming obscenities) for that big grin on Gabe's face.
They had a coal tower (79 feet tall), several cars and an old railroad signal light near it too. It was fairly cool. I told my husband that one of these days I will get him to The Henry Ford Museum. Think a train looks huge in the middle of a park outdoors? Wait until you see one in the middle of a room.
Sweet! These places are total magnets for toddler boys. There's a place in L.A. called Travel Town that we used to take Julian to like every week when he was that age. It's a free state park to get into, and we could spend hours (blehhh) there while he freaked out over trains.
ReplyDeleteHow much fun it is to have a little discoverer :) I miss Kate being that age.
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