Engineer Jim Gray and Conductor Richard McGarrah know how much the passengers' fun depends on their attention to detail, namely safety.

The train's whistle blows four times (two long, one short, one long) as the train approaches each and every crossing, some of which are little more than a farmer's cow path.

The train's headlight shines brightly day or night in all kinds of weather.

"Someone who's deaf may not hear us coming, but hopefully they'll see that light and get out of the way," McGarrah said.

And many crossings along the route have the familiar lights, bells and crossbars to warn approaching motorists of the impending train.

On our recent trip, one car crossed the tracks as the train was about 20 yards from the intersection. "That wasn't even close," McGarrah said. "Some people really cut it close."

But when a locomotive pulling two passenger cars takes only 15 to 20 seconds to clear a crossing completely, it doesn't make much sense to tempt fate. After all, Gray said, it takes the train, traveling about 35 mph, some 500 feet to stop.

"If we hit a Volkswagen," he said, "we probably wouldn't even feel it up here."

(Copyright 2000)