Trains

[David Conwill]

Looks like we may be able to take steam trains again as the first new steam engine to be built in the UK for almost 50 years is ready for service after successfully completing all its trial runs.

That's amazing. Is she coal or oil fired? Seems like coalling and watering would be a bit tough these days.

-Dave

 

[just_me]

I would take the train if possible, but where I live I have no option and have to drive to work.

When I lived in NYC, I took the subway and when I lived in NJ and worked in the city, I took the Erie-Lackawanna (became Conrail) and then the PATH train into the city.

 

[Lone_Ranger]

Or how about the Orient Express? (Photo taken in 2003):

Ahhh, now that just screams Good Old Days. There are a few things from the past that are really sad that they aren't around anymore. The Orient Express is one.

And the Boeing 314 Clippers. That would really be something. New York to South Hampton.


Last year I wanted to take an Orient Express style vacation. However, I had no desire to end up in Istanbul. Or start in Paris for that matter. I found a bus/river tour that started in Frankfurt, and ended in Vienna. Mostly by river cruise boat on the Danube. About the closest thing to the Orient Express.

Maybe next time I go a little longer and do Amsterdam to Prague, and Budapest?

 

[Warden]

That's amazing. Is she coal or oil fired? Seems like coalling and watering would be a bit tough these days.

-Dave

Coal and water I believe,

More info here

Harry

 

[Warden]

According the Times article posted above she pulled this historic pre-war observation car during her test run.

Harry

 

[Feng_Li]

i have heard about buses that run on streetcar cables, i would like to see them in action. seems it would be a lot better for traffic flow while still keeping things electric and "green"

They are common in Switzerland.

 

[Warden]

Indeed they are all over Europe.

Click here to learn everything you ever need to know about trolley buses

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trolleybus

Harry

 

[MPicciotto]

In Ivanovo Russia the last decade was spent expanding the trolley system to it's former size. I was there two years ago and saw lots of trolley action. I return and no trolleys!! But more trolleybuses then ever. The trolleys in Ivanovo were very old, run-down and poorly maintained. Smoke was a common occurrence. But in Moscow new trolleys are in service.

Matt

 

[cromcruiach]

Ever since my parents bought me a Lionel train set for Christmas at age five, I've had a love affair with trains. It's ironic, though, that the first time I ever set foot on one was in college at the University of Illinois when I would ride The City of New Orleans to Chicago to visit my girlfriend. I have such fond memories of pulling into Union Station and being able to walk the steps where that great "baby carriage scene" was filmed for The Untouchables. On the trains, I always loved the way you could walk around between the cars and meet people, particularly the diner car with its booths. And in Chicago itself, the El is just fantastic.

 

[p51]

Where I live, we have a good Amtrak line between Portland and Seattle, but the stations are well in downtown so it's tough to ride there and be able to get elsewhere. As much as I'd like to ride trains more, it's not practical for me as they just don't go where I need to get (or have a station less than about 12 miles from my house). That being said, I'm a huge train fan and there are plenty of tourist operations in my area, many of which use steam engines. Here are some of the RR photos I've taken over the last few years: http://www.railroadforums.com/photos/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/4329

 

[Story]

Line swiped from Fark.com : Cincinnati to bring back streetcars. There's a dress code to ride: Men must wear a suit with a fedora, and dames can't wear pants
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/...00039/1055/NEWS/Council+OKs+streetcar+funding

 

[Foofoogal]

That is swell. I would love to hitch a ride on that one all dressed up. :eusa_clap

 

[Colonel]

I love riding on a train (the only thing that tops that is a trip in a DC-3). Trains offered a brief relief from the degradation and humiliation of airport screenings until Amtrak decided to get into the paranoia act. For a short time following Sept 2001, that was the only enjoyable form of public transportation that didn't treat you like a criminal. Even now, the local runs around here don't search you, but the laws still prohibit possession of any effective means of self defense. If I am going to be viewed as a potential criminal/terrorist, then I'll leave it to those more trusting than me and go back to driving.

 

[Warden]

Take the train every day to work on a little branch line that Dr Beeching forgot to close.

 

[Smithy]

I take the train most days here in Melbourne. We're lucky in the sense that there is a very extensive train network here, which is also supplemented with a very large tram and bus network, and you use the same ticket for all of them. It's not without its hiccups but it's the best integrated public transport system I've experienced in the world in my travels. Here's just the train lines and stops...

 

[Tango Yankee]

When I was stationed in England I loved the fact that I could drive for 15 minutes from Sawtry to the train station in Huntingdon, and if I timed it just right a few minutes later get onto a train into London King's Cross. From there it was down into the tube and just about anywhere I wanted to go in town. The only down side was you had to be careful about getting back to the train station early because after midnight or so the trains pretty much stopped running.

I'd love it if there was a commuter train running up the US23 corridor from Portsmouth, OH to Columbus, OH. There isn't, so when we want to go to Columbus we get into the car and drive.

I've never ridden on Amtrak. Back in the mid-'80s I was stationed outside of Omaha, NE. I wanted to go home to southern California on leave and I wanted to have my car to drive when I was there. I got what I thought was a brilliant idea, and called Amtrak Customer Service. When I asked the guy who answered the phone about being able to put my car on a train from Omaha to LA he snapped "We don't do that!" and hung up on me. So much for using the train... he didn't bother to find out if I might want to take the train anyway.

My wife once opted to take the train from here to Washington, DC for a conference and said it was nice; she thought it might be a good idea for us to take the train to DC for a weekend getaway. I just looked into it. The 430 miles or so trip would take over 12 hours each way, and cost (with a veteran's discount for both of us) a total of $250. Driving to the train depot (and it is just a stop, not an actual station of any sort) adds another half hour, plus getting there early to make sure we don't miss the train and worrying about the car being left in an untended parking lot for the weekend.

Taking the car would take about 9 hours (including rest and lunch stops) and cost about $100 in gas.

The only reason to bother taking the train in this instance is purely for the experience because there is no other incentive to do so. I hate to sound negative about it, but that's the case here.

I've also looked at what it would cost to get us from here to Los Angeles. If we left on a Friday we'd leave after 10:30PM and get in to LA at 8:15 on Monday morning. With discounts that would cost us a total of $986 round trip plus the cost of our food. It includes two days and three nights of sitting in coach seats, no checked baggage because they don't have that service where we'd be getting on, and 8 hours of the trip each way would be via bus. What sane individual would do this?

There may be places in the US where taking the train is a viable option, but not where I am. Guess I'll just have to settle for setting up the Lionel system and enjoy playing with it instead.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Lucyinthesky]

Hopefully the fare doesn't go up because of it.