by Stephen Britton
During the stress-filled hustle and bustle of the holiday season, our children always remind me of the importance of quality family time. One day my wife and I were having a rousing discussion about Christmas gifts. Without warning, the patter of little feet interrupted our conversation, and a quick, blaring voice frantically asked, “Daddy, daddy, can we go to the train station tonight?” Our three-year old son Ethan is wildly infatuated with trains, and he never fails to make his genuine, heartfelt request. In an effort to buy myself some time, my usual response is something along the lines of, “We’ll talk about it later.”
One thing I have learned in my short time as a father, however, is that the one-track mind of a three-year old is not easily derailed. His persistence is unbreakable. After some debate and a compromise that involves cleaning his room and going to bed at a decent hour, I am often persuaded. This is an indescribable delight for my wife, who realizes that she will have a brief window of forty-five minutes to an hour of relative calm while I take the two boys, Ethan and one-year old Eli, to visit the train station.
The train depot in Slidell is only five blocks from our house. The driving time to the depot is short, but is always filled with great anticipation and a discussion about which trains we will see and the best site from which to view the grand event. As amateur enthusiasts of the local railroad scene, the boys and I have discovered the best spots available to us when it comes to observing a passing locomotive. The train depot itself houses a restaurant, an art gallery, the Amtrak waiting room, and The Beignet Station, which serves café au lait, hot chocolate, beignets, and frozen lemonade. A park with playground equipment adjacent to the railroad tracks is another favorite option when the weather permits. We thoroughly consider all viewing choices before coming to a consensus. It should be noted that the shop serving beignets covered with powdered sugar would invariably be our first choice every time; however, its doors are only open Thursday through Sunday.
Some days we sit in the Amtrak waiting room and talk about how fun it must be to be a passenger on a big diesel train. When it’s cold outside, we wait in our truck and listen to Bing Crosby’s Mele Kalkimaka until we hear the long whistle of a distant locomotive. One day last November, the boys and I visited the nearby CAP’s Farmer’s Market to marvel at the piles of oblong-shaped pumpkins stacked high. As we were leaving, I was persuaded that it would be worthwhile for us to cross the railroad tracks once more before going home. As our truck rumbled across the tracks we looked northward, and, as if on cue, the brilliant headlights of an approaching diesel engine appeared. The engineer waved to us and all the people buying pumpkins, while the splendidly long freight train meandered southbound toward New Orleans.
There are probably more productive ways to spend an hour instead of watching trains roll by, but in my estimation, this is time well spent. According to Ethan and Eli, there is no better use of our time. How can I place value on time spent with my children? Especially in the wake of this violent hurricane season, let’s make time to overwhelm our children with love during this special time of the year.
This story would not be complete without an update regarding hurricane cleanup and recovery at the Slidell train depot. The depot did sustain some damage, but the businesses housed within will soon be returning to normal. Train traffic through Slidell is heavy again, with freight trains and Amtrak resuming service. I am sad to report that CAP’s Farmer’s Market situated on Front Street across from the railroad tracks was heavily damaged. As the train station businesses recover, the wonderful community of Slidell will also recover.
Editor’s note: The Britton family’s home in Old Towne Slidell was flooded by the storm surge. It will be repaired, but Stephen’s job may require relocation. We wish them well! And, wherever the future takes them, we hope there is a train depot nearby!
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