French Passenger Trains

[Anonymous]

Has anyone else ridden in a French passenger train? If so, did you notice they smell like urine?

[cabforward]

i rode in trains all over europe-- they're like that.. 1st class may be better; i never tried that..

[RudyRockvilleMD]

Not so!!!

[Anonymous]

I don't know about that, but I do recall in the 1970's when AMTRAK bought the French turbos, they smelled like a BBQ grill going through. I suppose that they ran on Naptha, or Kerosene.... Anyway, I thought they smelled GREAT!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Obviously wasn't riding a TGV.

[andrewjonathon]

I supposed this is an attempt an being anti-French. But it is kinda of lame because anyone who has ever ridden on French passenger trains (TGV or otherwise) would take them in a second over Amtrak the "We probably don't stop there but if we do it plan on arriving 5 hours late" railroad.

[Anonymous]

The main reason I didn't realy like the TGV was because you couldn't open the windows. Of course you can't open windows on Amtrak either, that's wy I preffer to drive my big greasy poluting pickup, so I can open the windows. The old comuter trains and older European trains had open windows, AND IT WAS GREAT! Who cares how fast the train is unless you got your head out the window to realy feel it. (ps; I was in an Amfleet coach and there was a little mouse living in the seat in front of me.)

[Anonymous]

The decline of western civilization probably started when they put blocks in the window frames of Chicago "L" trains to keep us from opening them above eye level. Have you ever noticed the positive attitude of a big-eared cocker spaniel who can stick its head out the pick-up truck window? A bicycle can do that for you if you can't afford a car.

I'd like to ride SNCF before I die, but Amtrak will do.

[Anonymous]

I'm just back from living 3 years in Europe and I loved the trains there. I even took the train from Paris to London. I found them all to be {no matter which country} clean, efficient and well run. I would have no hesitation by booking on any European railroad.
Pop

[Anonymous]

no most of us wouldn't take a French train over an American one.We love the smell,scenery,history,f40's you name it not some modern sterile train like the French have.I say thanks any way and good day

[andrewjonathon]

Hey if that is your thing go for it. There are some great tourist trains that provide incredible experiences around the country too. May be we should see if the tourist trains can replace the modern, sterile trains Amtrak has received in that last few years. French trains vs Amtrak is bit like flying in Boeing 707 versus a Boeing 777 - the 707 was great in its day. Its just rest of the world has moved on and some of us think we should too. (For the record I have travelled over 35,000 miles on Amtrak and several thousands of miles on the French trains so I am not anti-Amtrak just a realist from experience).

[Anonymous]

I think that's because the word "deodorant" has no direct french translation (or at least, people in france are not aware of it).

Cheers.

[Anonymous]

Well, my friend, if you are using the words "historic", and "F-40's" in the same sentence, it is apparent that you are a "young'in". I'll take a 1970's French Turboliner over F-40's and "Amfleet" anyday. Sure, it's not the E-units and Budd domes of the past, but it sure helped THIS railfan cope with the transition of the 1980's. If you'll permit me a quick aside, I took one of the last "Heritage Equipped" City of New Orleans runs in 1994. I was in a dome car, and found it to be way too hot "downstairs", and freezing up in the dome. (this was a late February run). On the return northbound trip, we had a Superliner consist. I missed the domes, but my Mardi-Gras hangover appreciated the modern comfort of the new equipment. Sure, I miss the old stuff as much as the next fellow. We railfans seem to loath change. It's inherant. Some of my older friends are still complaining about the loss of the heavyweight observation car with the end platform. Yes, for the record,I would have LOVED to have travelled on one of those! But, we take what we can get, with the state of things these days, consider yourself luckey that you have ANY passenger trains to ride at all. ( unless you live in the "northeast corridor").

[Anonymous]

As I have said before, it would not hurt Amtrak to man the bar in the Sightseeing Lounge Superliner car.....To think, Amtrak might actually earn a profit selling booze..... on their very late slow trains......

[Anonymous]

no I was just using that as an example something you can relate to.All Im saying is that I would rather watch American iron then european and if I could pole 100 railfans 99.9% would agree.If I wanted that UGLY LOOKING straight as an arrow tgv pulling my *** around I might as well ride an American made 747. thanks again.

[Anonymous]

Sorry your world view is so narrow. I have in my hand the Cook's Eurpoean Time table- covers all trains in Europe- its over 1000 pages and has thousands of trains per day- and there is so much veriety- they are not all TGV's or ICE's. Lots of locals and new and old equipment
its really worth a LONG look.

[Anonymous]

WOW!!!
Some of you guys are REALLY REALLY jaded! I'm not quite aure what the reasons are. Purhaps one person had it right when they said it was that r.r. fans didn't like change. Someone else sujested it was political. Anyways -
I've travelled by train in europe and never noticed any ugly smells, and BELIEVE me, I WAS a bloodhound in another life! I must also say that ANY means of public transportation may one day or another have some nasty smells due to human waste.. It IS reality. I've smelt it on Amtrak, and if it's not the peepee smell, it's the chemicals that are suppose to cover that self same smell. VIA started "waste management" recently so the same problem exsists there. European trains are, I can only imagine, suffering from those problems from time to time too. As for passengers who smell, THEY ARE EVERYWHERE!! But really, try an Indian train, they're special in that department.
As for not liking the NEW looking trains. Old and nestalgic IS really wonderful, but we don't live there or like that any more, we have to built new the way we live now. Some day somebody will say, why can't they build beautiful trains like they did when they built the TGV?
Relax!!!!

[Anonymous]

But the fast trains that get you there in a hurry are always full.... So full, they have hurt the airlines.

Would you like to go the 900 to 1,000 miles from Chicago to New York City or from Chicago to Dallas in 6-7 hours instead of the overnight trains we have that take 22 hours?

[Anonymous]

I agree with you that the "american" Trains are more pleasing to our eyes, than "Euro-TGV" type stuff. (at least as railfans are concerned). Now, while you are on the "U.S.A." soapbox, I want you to take a real good close look at the next SD-80, or whatever, you are drooling over. It's been about ten years since any "EMD" locomotive has been built on American soil. These days, it's all done in London, Ontario. Sure, the designs, and technology came from La Grange, Illinois, but "cheaper labor" has taken the actual fabrication north of our border. I'm not going to try to say who really has the better locomotive here, but what I will say, and you can't deny this. At least 500 American families in Erie, Pennsylvania, are sitting down to a good meal, and have plenty of clothes on thier backs because General Electric locomotives are still being built in the good old U.S.A. I'm sorry I can't say the same thing for all the skilled former EMD workers, and their families, left in the cold at La Grange.
Just something to think about next time you get on another "America is great" kick....

[Anonymous]

That original post was just a troll. Anti-French and posted on 3-21, go figure.

Gotta say that I've ridden passenger trains all over Europe, and what they have over there, we need over here.