Beautiful West Chester in the Fall, 2012

Now that I am back in the Chennai heat, I miss the chill, beautiful Fall season in Media and West Chester. During my stay, my colleague Kathleen recommended the West Chester train ride to see the Fall colours. Surprisingly, Teddy was game for it as well when I asked him if he wanted to take a weekend break to go on the train. Apparently, he loves trains and the mechanics of making it run. It seemed like the perfect choice.

What I was not prepared for was the splendor of the season and the magnificent drive through West Chester and a memorable Pumpkin train ride on the West Chester train, dating back to the 1930s. The entire crew are a host of volunteers who ensure that the show goes on every season. You are also welcome to volunteer for various activities, be it  playing the station master or manning the breakfast station or engineering the smooth run of the train. 

Since it was Halloween season, the Pumpkin train ride was a great fun ride for kids who came dressed in their Halloween costume. The kids were absolutely adorable in their  honey bee, bumble bee and lady bug costumes. Volunteers dressed in their scary outfits moved about the train with hideous stories to share with passengers, closely followed by monstrous looking Halloween goodies. The final stop was at the beautiful quaint Glen Mills station where passengers have 30 minutes to explore their surroundings before the train hoots its departure.

If you are in Philadelphia in Fall, make sure you get on this train and have an enjoyable ride through history. The crew have tried to preserve the train interiors to keep its historical significance intact, nevertheless some of the parts had to be changed due to the natural wear and tear over time.

You can also do a train ride in the Poconos mountains which is supposed to be beautiful. It reminds me of the Ooty toy train over the hills, which was yet another memorable trip I had a chance to experience.

On our way back, we stopped by the mindblowing Pottstown lake which was maintained by the local community. The reflection of the Fall colors in the lake waters is one that must be experienced with your heart. I could not help, but click away at every turn. Teddy and I spent a good couple of minutes by the lake before heading over to the Iron Hill Brewery for a delicious lunch.

My last 60 days in Media were undoubtedly the best.