-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
Reminds me of a scene I witnessed in the train station in Cologne many years ago, back when doors were still closed manually: Doors have been closed by the train staff, the whistle has been blown. Then a couple guys come running up on the platform, making a dash for a door that one of their pals holds open (he's already on the train). The train starts rolling and they keep running, getting closer. They are almost ready to jump in when the train car goes by an official who gives the open door a major swift kick that closes it (no idea what parts of the guy in the door got mangled).
Yes, too bad we can't do that any more, now that all doors are remote controlled. Or maybe good, since people can't kill themselves hopping on a moving train.
Better 2 minutes early than 2 minutes late!
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
I once boarded an outbound Hell Gate Bridge - Boston train at Penn Sta. NY like the two guys that almost made it at Cologn but I did make it, with large suitcase, also. Around 1951.
And once I biked to North Sta. from MIT noted as i came around the bend near the throat that it was departure time, carried the bike over a few tracks and hopped on the back open platfom of the open-platform coach, with the Raleigh bike on my shoulder, as the engineer slowed to 5 mph for the Charles River drawbridge. That was one trip to Winchester when I rode the coach and not the bag or the loco on my pass. Jan. 1953. The Religih on the back platform instead of the open platform on the front of the bag.
Would never think of doing such things today! Or advisng any young man to do them.
Been guilty of almost missing a train because I wanted a picture of the head end...
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.