Railways overseas.

[WILLIAM J GRAHAM]

Besides North American railroads, I'm also interested in new railroad developments around the world. Occasionally, TRAINS publishes stories on railways abroad, which I enjoy a lot. Two projects I've been following are the Indian Railways extension of a broad gauge line from Punjab north into the Valley of Kashmir. This work can be followed to a limited extent on Google Earth and Youtube. It includes over 100 kilometers of new tunnels and two monumental bridges, construction of which can be seen on Google satellite photos. The larger of these will stand 1,100 feet above the Chenab River, near the town of Reasi. Part of this line already is open for service between the village of Banihal and Srinagar, capital of Kashmir, including a new 12 Km. tunnel under the Pir Panjal mountain range. It does not yet connect with the rest of the Indian rail system, and so all the materials and rolling stock had to be trucked over the mountain into the Kashmir Valley. It has taken quite a bit of slouthing to learn about this project. The other project is in Ethiopia, where the Chinese are building a new national network throughout the country with connection to the Indian Ocean in Djabouti. This also can be seen on Google satellite. It seems there ought to be a story for TRAINS about these and other projects.

[tomikawaTT]

I'm sure there are possible stories for Trains in both of your examples.  Now all that's needed is for someone who can get access to the site(s) to write it - in good 'American Railway Colloquial' English - and get some good photos and a well-drawn map...

Trains is not Reuters or NBC News.  They don't have a far-flung staff of reporters and photographers to send to potential news hot spots.  Most of the material they publish originates with free-lancers outside of Kalpubco.  They will be happy to provide editorial assistance, but the raw material has to come from elsewhere.

I miss the days when David Morgan and Philip Hastings would grab notebook and cameras and gather all the material for a story.  They did great work - but they never got more than a few hundred miles from the home office.  They never crossed an ocean to a different continent in search of material.

Chuck (avid railfan of Japanese railways)

[Deggesty]

tomikawaTT

I'm sure there are possible stories for Trains in both of your examples.  Now all that's needed is for someone who can get access to the site(s) to write it - in good 'American Railway Colloquial' English - and get some good photos and a well-drawn map...

Trains is not Reuters or NBC News.  They don't have a far-flung staff of reporters and photographers to send to potential news hot spots.  Most of the material they publish originates with free-lancers outside of Kalpubco.  They will be happy to provide editorial assistance, but the raw material has to come from elsewhere.

I miss the days when David Morgan and Philip Hastings would grab notebook and cameras and gather all the material for a story.  They did great work - but they never got more than a few hundred miles from the home office.  They never crossed an ocean to a different continent in search of material.

Chuck (avid railfan of Japanese railways)

 

I may be misremembering (not as bad as "mispeaking), but I have a memory of Dave Morgan's traveling to South Africa to gather material for an article on the railways there.

[Paul_D_North_Jr]

"Jet Search For Steam" series, Jan. - Aug. 1967 - Morgan's by-lined as the sole author of about half of them, but several had co-authors - Victor Hand (1), George A. Gloff (2), R.G. Pattison (1), etc.  Philip R. Hastings isn't listed for any of them.

It appears Morgan also got to Britain a couple of times, but that's about it.   

- Paul North.

[Deggesty]

Thanks, Paul, for backing me up. I expect some of our contributors were not even born then.

[schlimm]

Deggesty

I may be misremembering (not as bad as "mispeaking), but I have a memory of Dave Morgan's traveling to South Africa to gather material for an article on the railways there.

Your memory is as good as ever, Johnny.   I also remember an article or series on steam in South Africa many years ago, but no recollection of the author(s).

[tomikawaTT]

Phil Hastings was the photographer who frequently accompanied DPM.  He didn't write.

Chuck

[samfp1943]

An Item has had my curiosity up for some time since I discovered it;this seems to be an appropriate time to ask it. 

   Does anyone have any information on a pruivate railroad in Texas? The Hempstead & Northern RR at Hempstead,Tx.  It is a South African Rwy, 2-6-2+2-6-2 a Beyer-Garratt, sold in 1985 ?

See linked photo @ http://www.sa-transport.co.za/trains/narrow-gauge/ng_info_pictures/ngg13-50_texas_th.JPG

The only link I've found to discuss it, is on a TrainOrders Thread from 2007. linked @ http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,1395487

Not a lot of documentation, and the links are not active, photos are not viewable ther, either.  Have no idea if this is the only B-G type in the USA, or if there are others?   The last reply on the Thread indicates from a TRAINS article that ALCO held a' right to manufacture'(?) on the Beyer-Garratt Patents(?) 

[cx500]

I also seem to recall when a major article on overseas railways was included there often were later letters to TRAINS complaining about coverage of foreign lands.  It may only have been a minority of readers that wanted solely American content but they do exist. 

My opinion is that the present mix of various subjects is entirely appropriate to the magazine's general purpose.

[Deggesty]

Ah, yes. Many years ago, at least one subscriber expressed a great dislike of learning anything about railroads outside our country. At least, he did not react as one subscriber did after receiving the first all-diesel issue--tearing his copy into two pieces and mailing it back to Trains.

I am glad to hear of what is done in other countries, especially when we are informed of equipment and practices different from ours.

[Paul_D_North_Jr]

samfp1943

An Item has had my curiosity up for some time since I discovered it;this seems to be an appropriate time to ask it. 

   Does anyone have any information on a pruivate railroad in Texas? The Hempstead & Northern RR at Hempstead,Tx.  It is a South African Rwy, 2-6-2+2-6-2 a Beyer-Garratt, sold in 1985 ?

See linked photo @ http://www.sa-transport.co.za/trains/narrow-gauge/ng_info_pictures/ngg13-50_texas_th.JPG

The only link I've found to discuss it, is on a TrainOrders Thread from 2007. linked @ http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,1395487

Not a lot of documentation, and the links are not active, photos are not viewable ther, either.  Have no idea if this is the only B-G type in the USA, or if there are others?   The last reply on the Thread indicates from a TRAINS article that ALCO held a' right to manufacture'(?) on the Beyer-Garratt Patents(?) 

See (some of these are repetitive info):

This thread here from 2009 on Beyer-Garratt Locomotives (look at the posts near the end . . . ): http://cs.trains.com/trn/f/741/t/160916.aspx 

This thread from 2014, esp. near the end (some info is dated, though):

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,3446276 ("The gentleman who owns it has run people off of the property with a shotgun. EXTREMELY private person." ?!?)

http://www.sa-transport.co.za/trains/narrow-gauge/ng_info_pictures/ngg13-50_texas_th.JPG 

About halfway down: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.railroad/AGAKKmetZ2M 

Last post: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/misc.transport.rail.misc/4MLgdkdLYVM 

http://www.beyergarrattlocos.co.uk/survivors.html - the sole listing under "United States"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Class_NG_G13_2-6-2%2B2-6-2#Preservation (listed in the table from circa 2009)

I'd sure love to see one run in person, even on a 24" gauge - they're pretty impressive from the photos, and that configuration more than makes up for the narrow gauge aspect.   

 Maybe he'd be willing to move it to Maine ???

- Paul North. 

[Euclid]

 

I recall a clear impression that much of the magazine readership did not approve of the foreign coverage that DPM was promoting at that time.  I think that is a widespread sentiment today.  I used to feel the same way, but lately I have become more interested in foreign railroads, particularly in India and Russia.

I suspect the same anti-foreign sentiment applies to Trains marketing today.  It is similar to their avoidance of most coverage of pre-1900 railroading.