Summer Lovin’: Amtrak Marriage of 27 Years

Summer Lovin’: Amtrak Marriage of 27 Years

What started out as a last-minute train ride after being stranded at the airport led to a marriage of 27 years (and counting!). Our Amtrak Stories are usually a series created by special guests sharing their travel experience, but this time we’re going back in time for a love story. In this Summer Lovin’ piece, Andy Miller retells the story of how he met his wife Connie.

When Andy Met Connie

Travel Blues

It was a stormy Friday afternoon in the summer of ’89. I had been up and down the East Coast traveling for business, and all I wanted was to get home to New Jersey and head to the Jersey Shore for the weekend. My buddy Steve and I had been in Washington, DC for meetings and were now standing in line at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport when the announcement went out that all flights were canceled, and no idea when the next flight to Newark would be departing!

When Andy Met Connie…

Steve, who had just returned from his honeymoon, recognized the girl standing in front of us in line as the one he had sat next to on the flight to Washington earlier in the week. They made the connection and began commiserating about our shared predicament. She seemed nice and very cute! I found the opportunity to insert myself into the conversation and successfully maneuvered Steve out…after all, he had just returned from his honeymoon; there should be no competition!

The Ride of a Lifetime

“Let’s give Amtrak a try,” I suggested to Steve and our new friend Connie. I couldn’t believe it when she agreed! We made our way to Union Station, found the Amtrak Metroliner and off we went on our travel adventure. I had a captive audience for 3 hours. Steve a.k.a. “Cupid,”   served as our waiter, fetching cold beers and popcorn from the snack bar. On the final cab ride from the Newark train station to Newark Airport, I mustered up my courage and asked for her number, and surprisingly she gave it to me. Thankfully it was not a fake one!

Amtrak Marriage of 27 Years

Connie and I started dating soon after, and the rest is history! 27 years of marriage and two great kids. We love telling our story of how we met “on line!” The train ride was the perfect first date for us and Amtrak will forever be near and dear to our hearts.

26 Year's Later