Yup - it's a local one. We're withing walking distance (not walking ON distance!) of both the Northeast Corridor Amtrak lines and the major North/South freight corridor. We hear 'em all the time. On certain nights when the clod cover is just right, it can sound like the Polar Express is coming right down our street. It's pretty cool, especially when you have a young railhead in the house. He's part of three different train clubs - an HO, an N and a really cool Japanese line. He just sold his 17 X 9 foot layout so he can start over with a whole new set of specs. Oh. Joy. Is. Me...
As a toddler, he was so enamored of the Santa Fe Silver Chief that, when he finally wore it out at five (he was a VERY careful kid, when it came to his trains) he actually took it Santa to get it "fixed." It's a good thing that the "real" Santa was at the mall, that year, 'cause he went right along with this young man's looooong drawn out tale. Lemme tell you, we did some serious scrambling, but "Santa's Fe" came back the following year ... all fixed up and ready to go.
Ain't NOBODY can tell me the man ain't real!!!
I grew up in New England and it was never a requirement.
