What country do think has the best trains?
I vote United States!
Passenger not the top 10.With all of our hiways it's no wonder.Freight, no one is even close.The U.S. is no.1
Best?
Best looking? We'll argue that one.
Best behaved? Ditto.
Best hauling per unit cost? Same.
And so on....
What does "best" mean?
selector wrote:Best? Best looking? We'll argue that one.Best behaved? Ditto.Best hauling per unit cost? Same.And so on....What does "best" mean?
I guest the the best overall company with financials and safety in their minds. Best looking locomotives and stock.
for passenger trains I'd vote Switzerland: Look at all the many routes, the number of various rolling stock (locos and cars), for photograpy, you have the different seasons, the mountains, the number of tourist trains. Never been to Switzerland, but just looking thru rr books and tourist brochures makes me very envious of those who can railfan there.
U.S.A. Duh.
Best diesesls, and track lines
Of the five three countries I've riden passenger trains on:
Least stress: Amtrak Superliner: very compfortable seats, most leg room, easy to sleep on.
Cleanest: German ICE: very compfortable for both 1st and 2nd class (I had a little trouble finding my seat). Very new and very well kept trains, fast too.
Fastest: Italy Eurostar: Napoli to Milano was about a 5-6hr ride, very modern conveniences, biggest drawback was it being overbooked and my reservations not being fully recognized, had to pay extra to ride the train and had to stand in snack car for most of the ride.
Most efficient time schedule: Germany, hands down
Most passenger trains to most places: Germany
Least likely to interfere with comute to work: Germany (most of all grade crossing elimated, most all trains are short and fast)
Best train watching oportunities: America (most variety in freight and locomotives, ideal viewing areas)
Overall I'd say Germany has the best railroad system. America has the most impressive equipment and can haul the most freight.
yad sdrawkcab s'ti
ironhorseman wrote:Of the five three countries I've riden passenger trains on:Least stress: Amtrak Superliner: very compfortable seats, most leg room, easy to sleep on.Cleanest: German ICE: very compfortable for both 1st and 2nd class (I had a little trouble finding my seat). Very new and very well kept trains, fast too.Fastest: Italy Eurostar: Napoli to Milano was about a 5-6hr ride, very modern conveniences, biggest drawback was it being overbooked and my reservations not being fully recognized, had to pay extra to ride the train and had to stand in snack car for most of the ride.Most efficient time schedule: Germany, hands downMost passenger trains to most places: GermanyLeast likely to interfere with comute to work: Germany (most of all grade crossing elimated, most all trains are short and fast)Best train watching oportunities: America (most variety in freight and locomotives, ideal viewing areas)Overall I'd say Germany has the best railroad system. America has the most impressive equipment and can haul the most freight.
What about your friends next door? {French} They have the fastest passenger train.
Even through you beat them in WWI and WWII. You got to admit they have the fatest train.
For Tonnage and varity: USA
For Passenger and Speed: Japan
For Ugly: All European Countries
It HAS to be India.
CNW534 wrote:It HAS to be India.
Very nice! Priceless....
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
tatans wrote:Peru, of course, or was that Madagascar? or Iwo Jima???? what was the question???
What are you talking about?
The US may win on the amount of freight hauled but look at the size of the country and the amount of people spread across it. Its kind of a no-brainer there so I'd have to say that the European countries have the best freight network. Its fast, frequent and efficient. Cant say that about the US all the time.
Euro's win hands down for passenger trains.
For the most scenic, well its up to your opinion, no-one is right and no-one is wrong. But for me, Australia wins hands down overall, best everything IMO, and thats MY opinion.
ML
chefjavier wrote: What about your friends next door? {French} They have the fastest passenger train.
If I ever get the chance to go there then I'll see. Sure they're the fastest, but how's their service? Like I said about Italy: nice, fast train, but lousy service.
Ironhorseman, I know you're German and so, you defend the German trains but France has undoubtly the best, fastest and most reliable fast trains in all of Europe. The service is good, too. Germany has been trying to beat the French on speed for decades, and so far did only succeed for short periods of time. The French (with the latest double floor TGV's for example) are far ahead, sorry.
For freight trains, I'd say USA, Canada, Australia, Mauritania have the most impressive trains.
Your friendly neighborhood CNW fan.
Lord Atmo wrote:USA! i'm not a fan of foreign trains at all. they dont look anything like the trains around here.
Growing up, reading Trains, I just couldn't get why Morgan was so fascinated with "foreign" railways. Even the Canadian stuff looked slightly suspect to me. Mexico? Nada. I skipped right on over 90% of those articles. Even resented the fact that there was still steam in Zimbabwe but I was born about two years too late to see steam in the U.S. myself.
Then I grew up, got a railway job here, got another one overseas, rode trains in a dozen different countries, and discovered it was amazingly cool. I've loved every one of them. In fact I like the non-North American stuff better because it's all new and novel. And the railway men overseas have all been thrilled that I'm interested in their jobs and their railways -- I've gotten a lot of nice cab rides that way from people who speak absolutely no English.
RWM
Juanfran2 wrote:Ironhorseman, I know you're German and so, you defend the German trains but France has undoubtly the best, fastest and most reliable fast trains in all of Europe. The service is good, too. Germany has been trying to beat the French on speed for decades, and so far did only succeed for short periods of time. The French (with the latest double floor TGV's for example) are far ahead, sorry. For freight trains, I'd say USA, Canada, Australia, Mauritania have the most impressive trains.
Ironhorse:
I am not the only that got the same opinion. I think should take a small vacation and try yourself.
GDRMCo wrote: Lord Atmo wrote:USA! i'm not a fan of foreign trains at all. they dont look anything like the trains around here. I wonder why...
GDRMCo;
You may think Australia and other countries are better but the true facts are, Who got the must locomotive power? Let me give you an hint> US
For passenger trains, Japan--their high-speed rail and commuter rail systems are excellent.
For freight trains, USA--no other country in the world has such as well-developed system of freight train operations carry all kinds of cargo.
hf1001 wrote: What country do think has the best trains? I vote United States!
Any country in which trains run gets my vote!
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