And the train journey begins; family research phase

I am sitting on the train on the way up to New York City’s Penn Station for work and vacation. The little guy is being cared for in Florida as he is too little to make the train trip, despite my initial thoughts to the contrary. Even though I got a cabin, my concern was his need for a crib which could not quite fit. Nonetheless I am scoping out this mode of travel for a couple of reasons. One, I spent my college years in the Europe and fell in love with train travel, and two I generally hate to fly. I overcome it with white-knuckle prayers and methods of distraction like apps, headphones, movies, etc. Suffice to say, I do it but generally not willingly- much like Mr. T in the A-Team for those who remember.So, I am on the train just outside of West Palm Beach, where the land is hot, flat and sunny. I have learned in recent years about Florida flora and fauna, but still it seems barren to me, like the Wild West. I squint when I look out the window at the brush and flat sandy plains that spread into a wide blue and light white sky. I am nervous and think of taking the little one for 24 hours or so with no delays, all the way up the Coast the way Flagler did and find it all very daunting. Luckily the model trains in the West Palm Beach train station waiting room make me smile, and I write these notes for future family travel research.