We heard a train horn outside our car windows. The steam bellowed up into the sky. The day was perfect. The sun was shining as the wind whistled through the trees. We pulled into the parking lot and were ushered into a front parking spot by a line of men in orange vests. He directed us to the last spot in the row. The new locomotive pulled in front of us, full of waving and smiling passengers.
Immediately we saw the long ticket line, an ominous start to the day. But soon a gentleman rounded the corner offering a solution. You could purchase your ticket online to skip the line. I grabbed my phone and completed the purchase. We were off to the front of the line.
Inside, the gift shop was brimming with train decor and trinkets available for purchase. Off to the left, the banquet room was open. We walked through the doors and saw rows and rows of train memorabilia. There was beautiful artwork hung on the wall. The hustle and bustle hung in the air.
People were scuttling around. Kids were giggling and weaving between the rows. Some of the tables had little chocolates laid out for grabs.
We made our way outside and over to the new telegraph station to get in line for the new train ride. We purchased an additional ticket for five dollars apiece and waited patiently for our turn.
The train probably fits around a 150 people with multiple different cabins. Once inside, you can see the new chandeliers dangling from the ceiling. We pulled out of the station and a man’s voice came on the speakers. The man narrated the entire trip from beginning to end.
The narration was very educational, covering the history of Dayton as well as the grounds of Carillon Park. We went through the woods. We went over a bridge. We even went all the way to the back of the park and saw that they had kept the old little train ride. Parents and children were sitting on the tiny train, waving back at us as we chugged along.
We came back towards the front, past where the eagles nest, and the conductors were looking up, pointing into the sky above us. We kept moving and went past the brewery, getting a brief history on how long it had been there.
Eventually, we pulled back into the station, coming to a slow halt. We exited the train and hurriedly moved onto the next place.
The cafe was open, so we meandered inside to check out the options. The three of us decided on getting a hot dog combo each. It included one fat hot dog, a bag of Cheez-its and a fountain drink: the perfect afternoon snack.
In the courtyard area, there were food trucks and large model train sets. We watched as a train went by that had multiple local chains painted on the side on the cabins. The smell of coffee hung in the air, so we went over to the little coffee truck to get a drink.
Our next stop was the snow cone truck. They had a station to the left where you could pick out your own flavorings.
Standing in the middle of the courtyard, we could see a group of photographers pointing their cameras up at the trees. We walked over to investigate and saw one of the baby bald eagles was flying through the sky.
Eventually, we made our way back inside to the carousel. It went around in circles, the kids onboard waving to their families on the outside. Our day ended in the gift shop where we purchased a Carillon Rail Festival sticker.
The festival was a perfect outing for both children and adults. The price for admission was reasonable at $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and $10 for children. In addition, the parking was handled well, the food was delicious, and the train ride was very enjoyable.
If you are looking for something to do with your children next year, I would definitely recommend giving this festival a try.
Jamie Herzog
Intern