You can do more than just ride the steam, etc. rails. Numerous steam trains in Germany offer daily to weekly plans where you can be the engineer with a mentor at your side. The Harz Mountain steam trains have a daily to a week long (as long as you wish each day) engineer program for approximately 800 Euros for the week. Even if one doesn't want to engineer the sightseeing is fantastic and they have numerous steamers running each and every day--check it out--jd
Sir Madog Mike - that has changed. Legal age is now 18, and it is strictly enforced.
Mike - that has changed. Legal age is now 18, and it is strictly enforced.
Ah, the harsh winds of progress. Glad I enjoyed it while it was "the good ol' days" and that they were sensisble enough to make it 18, not 21. All that does is train young people in how to effectively (or sometimes not) break the law.
Speaking of those relaxed ideas of yesteryear, I got myself yelled at for taking the lyrics in "The City of New Orleans" a little too literally, you know, the part about "passing the paper bag that holds the bottle..." The summer after we returned to "the world" I went to vist a college girlfriend in Chicago, a good excuse to take the train into the city. On the return trip, I figured, might as well get a six-pack to pass the time, because in the early days of Amtrak, even getting to Champaign could be an adventure. I had my brown paper bag stashed discreetly and was sipping from it when the conductor caught me and told me in no uncertain terms there was no drinking on his train. Guess they take that stuff more seriously back here than the Germans do...
At least he let me keep the rest of the six-pack, so it wasn't as rude as it could have been. Live and learn.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
mlehmanalthough I was old enough (16, but actually more like "who cares" -- except on base, of course.)
BATMAN mlehman Finally, a pic of my HO layout. Anyway, it was fun while it lasted.Smile, Wink & Grin The booze or the layout?Smile, Wink & Grin
The booze or the layout?Smile, Wink & Grin
Ha! I was wondering how long it would take someone to spot that
Those were mostly decorative. I was never much of a drinker when we lived in Germany, although I was old enough (16, but actually more like "who cares" -- except on base, of course.) I will say I enjoyed myself a time or two and decided I really didn't like hangovers.
mlehman Finally, a pic of my HO layout. Anyway, it was fun while it lasted.
Finally, a pic of my HO layout.
Anyway, it was fun while it lasted.
The booze or the layout?
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
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Mike - thanks for sharing these pictures with us! They took me right back into my teenage days.
I dug out the few pics I have of my European train experiences. I was young, of limited means and equipped with 110 or 220 film type Kodaks, so the tech side of things just wasn't too sophisticated. Most of the time we lived there was in Wiesbaden, across the river from Mainz where the Main converged with the Rhein rivers. Here's a shot from the north bank of one of the recently introduced (in ~1973) high speed electric passenger locos.
There was plenty of rail traffic around. I caught this freight one day, which included a big cut of factory fressh Opels on autoracks. There was an Opel factory somewhere around the area.
I mentioned our '72 trip to see the pope and our return back through the Gotthard tunnel. Here we are in the 64' Belair on the roll on-roll off auto ferry train through the tunnel as we exit the north portal.
Sir MadogGöschenen is situated right at the northern entrance of the Gotthard tunnel.
Ulrich,
I think this is Göschenen, but if not pictures of the south portal and a couple of pieces of fascinating motive power.
I think this pic of a NG construction RR is also somewhere north of the Gotthard.
NP01I actually recall that to be Andermatt, on the Gotthard Line.
Sorry that I have to correct you.
Andermatt can only be reached by a MGB train, that´s the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn, formerly Furka Oberalp Bahn, a 1,000 mm narrow gauge line connecting Disentis with Zermatt. To reach the Gotthard line, you take a train to Göschenen of the former Schöllenenbahn, now MGB. Göschenen is situated right at the northern entrance of the Gotthard tunnel.
I have had the privalege of riding several European and British trains, both high speed and local as well as a few preserved steam lines in UK. The only American train I've ridden was the Rocky Mountaineer in Canada appart from subway trains in New York. I've also ridden the Shinkansen in Japan. The smoothest were the Shinkansen in Japan. They were ontime, clean and spotted at platforms with pinpoint accuracy. The only down side was one trip that was heavily booked so I had to ride in a smoking car, not so pleasant for a non-smoker, although the Japanese businessmen tried to smoke at the far end of the car I was in.
Scenery on The Rock Mountaineer and the Swiss narrow gauge was spectacular!
Here in Australia, I'm yet to ride the 3'6" Tilt train in my native state of Queensland. Only recently have I ridden the Long distance Westlander train from Brisbane to outback Charleville. It was a bit of a blast from the past, reasonably comfortable but not luxury and the speed was not fast.
They have all been fun, but England, Europe and Japan have the most comfortable high speed trains with good service including wifi internet access included as part of the deal.
The only trouble with modern trains is that they are airconditioned so there are no windows to open for photographing. Shooting through two panes of glass does not make for great photos. (I was lucky on the Rocky Mountaineeer to be in the last car from Bamff to Kamloops. (Spent most of my time on the observation deck! That was probably the best ride ever.)
Alan Jones in Sunny Queensland (Oz)
Sir Madog That´s the little church of Wassen in Switzerland, situated on the Gotthard line. With next years opening of the new base tunnel, it´ll be a rare sight in the future.
That´s the little church of Wassen in Switzerland, situated on the Gotthard line. With next years opening of the new base tunnel, it´ll be a rare sight in the future.
I actually recall that to be Andermatt, on the Gotthard Line.
I thought the announcements on the Eurostar made by French people (the crews are either English or French) in British English are cute.
The Paris-Brussels-Amsterdam "Thalys" is a pretty cool train.
Amen to the Swiss Model Railroad.
Europe is fun!
Had the good fortune to live in West Germany while in high school while dad was stationed there in the early 1970s. I really looked forward to being able to take a passenger train almost anywhere, any time versus, well, the early days of Amtrak. In fact, I took my first ride within a few days of arriving. We initially lived on the economy in a small village west of Frankfurt and the station was just a short walk away. I subsequently rode many other times, but not nearly enough.
Some notable trips included riding the Zugspitzebahn, a rack railway that goes up inside of Germany's tallest peak for the last two miles or so. You can ride it from Garmisch, where the US Forces maintained a large recreational complex. We also rode the fantastic line to Innsbruck across the border in Austria and back.
I enjoyed a fine day of train-riding in the Taunus mountains one winter Saturday, mostly in the quaint old red DB railcars that look like a bus. Sorta a very low budget RDC.
We took the "duty train" from Frankfurt to Berlin and back. It was my only sleeper journey so far. Weren't supposed to peek at certain points, but did anyway to get a look at the AK-bearing East German guards at various points. I bought a day-ride ticket for the S-Bahn and rode all over _West_ Berlin (mom was kinda worried I'd be a doofus and space out on the subway and end up in East Berlin and create an international incident or something, but I was good).
Then there was the ride that got me home after my VW blew its engine on the way back from visiting friends in Munich to experience the Oktoberfest. It was a hike across a muddy field after relinquishing the heap to the motor club. Dad was somewhat POed, as he had to come get me at the station in the middle of the night and fill out a bunch of customs paperwork required when a US-plated car changes hands to German possession I figured we were even for him dragging me over to register for the draft -- fortunately the first year Uncle Sam decided he didn't need any extra warm bodies than those who volunteered.
Then there was train-watching. Living along the Rhein, there were busy mains along booth banks. A buddy of mine and I went exploring one day and found ourselves at the Lorelei, where the mermaids supposedly sang unwary boatmen onto the rocks and imoortalized in some opera by Wagner IIRC. There was a small parallel tunnel to the train and road tunnels we explored. Later I found out these sorts of things were sites so that the whole thing could be blown up in the event the Russians needed to be stopped using high explosives or, in some case, SADMs (Special Atomic Demolition Munition). No nukes -- or TNT -- that we saw.
Several trips elsewhere in Europe allowed a wider view. The best was mom's Easter pilgramage to see the pope in Rome, down through Austria and back through Switzerland. Since it was still early in the spring, we had to take the auto ferry train through the St. Gotthard tunnel, very cool. Would really like to take an extended trip on the Swiss narrowgauge someday.
I may have to dig out some old pics and scan them to add to this thread.
We rode the Intercity 125 from London to Glasgow in the mid-1990s. My first experience on a high speed train. Very nice
IN Sweden, we rode a number of trains, some locals. IN one, my wife told me I had to see the rest room. It was so clean and nice - bet you do not see that everywhere.
IN Norway, we rode the Flam Railway, which is one of the Great Railway Journeys of the world. It is the steepest, standard gauge traction RR at 5.5% grade. It climbs fron sea level to about 3000 ft in about 12 miles. Many tunnels, waterfalls, and snow sheds. Completed around 1940 with boxcab electrics. You can stand on the car platform and smell the ozone! http://www.visitflam.com/flam-railway/
It connects with the Bergen Railway that runs between Bergen and Oslo. Another high speed up in glacier country on a high plateu, mostly above the tree line. More snow sheds and heavy duty snow removal equipment on the sidings - skiing available almost year round
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
tatansI guarantee in 50 years there will still not be high speed trains across the continent
Easy to say - I won´t be around anymore to see if you were right.
The 50 year gap between U.S and Canadaland, does this mean in the next 50 years Canada needs to import 270 million people to catch up to the U.S. ? I guarantee in 50 years there will still not be high speed trains across the continent.
The Acela is based on the French TGV and, IIRC, also built by Alsthom in France. Too bad the Siemens ICE train didn´t make it, it´s ride is much more comfortable than the one of the TGV.
Batman wrote: I am surprised the eastern corridore of the U.S. hasn't a bullit train between Boston and Washington D.C. though.
I am surprised the eastern corridore of the U.S. hasn't a bullit train between Boston and Washington D.C. though.
That is exactly the route of the Acela, the closest thing we have to a bullet train. It's no TGV, though. And, it remains pretty much the only high-speed rail in the country.
I think world travel should be mandatory in high school.
Either that or college. We were fortunate that our daughter had both opportunities, and that we could afford to let her take both trips. In high school, she had the choice of Paris with the French Club or Belize with her Environmental Studies class. No contest. Belize it was. In college, she spent a term in Florence. I recall thinking that a century or two back, it was common practice for the well-to-do to send their children to another country for a season, or a year or more. The experience made her a much more well-rounded person.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
BATMANThe one where you pass the same church three times as you go higher and higher.
Sir Madog Some folks may not like this, but there is a 50 year gap between Europe, Asia and the US/Canada.
Some folks may not like this, but there is a 50 year gap between Europe, Asia and the US/Canada.
MisterBeasleyI consider Switzerland (the whole country) to be the world's biggest (and best) model railroad.
I second that!
Where else do you find something like this:
A spiral viaduct with a radius, which your visitors would belittle if you had it on your layout!
We took this round-trip Florence to Venice:
Fast, comfortable and efficient.
Way back in the 1970s, I did a "hippie trip" to Europe with a backpack and a Eurailpass. We rode the trains everywhere. That was back when they had compartments, like in the old movies.
Look into planning and purchasing your tickets now. If you can do that, you can get good discounts by buying your tickets in the US. We looked into that too late. You need to allow time for them to mail you the passes.
Sir Madog wrote: Some folks may not like this, but there is a 50 year gap between Europe, Asia and the US/Canada.
We may not like it, but I don't think very many would argue that it's not completely true. I see European train travel as an adventure, and American train travel as an ordeal.
Aikidomaster wrote: I have seen pictures of trains through Switzerland.
I have seen pictures of trains through Switzerland.
I consider Switzerland (the whole country) to be the world's biggest (and best) model railroad.
Well, Craig, what should I say? I live within earshot of the mainline between Hanburg und Bremen with 250+ train movements each day. Most, if not nearly all, of my train travels I have done in Europe, so I may have quiten an experience in that. The only non-European train travels I did are the following:
I have taken the TGV in France, rode the narrow gauge lines in Wales, accompanied a loco test drive in Norway. There is not a single mile of track in Switzerland open to public transport I have no taken a train on. I could continue endlessly
I am not aware that traveling by train in the US has changed much from my experience riding Amtrak back in 1974. It was a great experience, so totally different from what I was used in Europe. It still had much of the splendor of train travel in the 1930´s, albeit a little bit shabby and slow.
How many of you have experienced traveling by rail in Europe? I had the chance to ride from London to Paris and back on the EuroStar. It was the best experience of my train riding life. Cars were cleaning and the ride was smooth. My wife and I took several train rides out of London to various parts of England.
I am wanting to know about experiences other train lovers have had. I would love to ride the Royal Scotsman but that is a little pricey. I have seen pictures of trains through Switzerland. Looks great. Saw alot of rail traffic last year while on a Rhine River cruise with Viking River Cruises. Fast and sweet.
Craig North Carolina