Breana Johnson

...if you find your way east of Phoenix and approach the small town of Apache Junction, the city lights melt away and the mountains rise to meet you. As cacti replace streetlights and horses replace sports cars, you might wonder if you’ve stepped back into the Wild West. 

Think of the word “traveler,” and you might envision someone playing in the ocean, backpacking through Europe, or climbing a mountain. However, travelers come with all ability levels. Sand and summits may present challenges to people with physical disabilities, but exploring the globe is still an important (and enjoyable) part of life. 

Benjamin Franklin gestured dramatically toward the moldering gravestone of the Revolutionary War soldier. “And then,” he proclaimed, pausing for effect, “He killed ‘im dead!”.

When Allen Bartimioli planned a trip to his ancestors’ homeland, he never imagined he would find himself face-to-face with a cousin he didn’t know he had. Like many Americans, the Arizona pastor and his wife, Ellen, had done some genealogical research and had taken a 23andMe DNA test. Allen’s showed Italian and Sicilian ancestry—no surprise, given the family stories. According to Bartimioli lore, Allen’s paternal grandfather returned to his roots in Italy after World War II.

While many of these train activities are rooted in nostalgia, there are still plenty of modern-day travelers who not only enjoy trains as a means of transport but also the object of entire vacations.