The Rail Enthusiast thread

[slowmotion]

Northbound Texas Eagle, at Normal, taken from the Constitution Trail.

Well I never! Here's Steve Earle and the Del McCoury Band....
[media]
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSK18G55xP4
[/media]

 

[Gravity Aided]

Here's a blast from the past-an ex-Milwaukee Road Commuter EMD F40-c(note side louvers)Village of Schaumburg with a big commuter train in tow, some cars are still marked for the Milwaukee Road. METRA took over running commuter service from the several railroads that ran commuter service to and from Chicago. This is an old film shot from the 80'sor 90's, you can see the "lean" in the front of the locomotive as it passed counter to the camera shutter at great speed.

 

[Spartak]

London Transport engine L150 running this morning on the Avon Valley Railway, Bitton.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Today's visit to the remains of the Derwent Valley Light Railway at Murton. The line was once 16 miles long and now only a half mile of track remains with hopes of a short extension along the trackbed towards York to the point where Sustrans has commandeered the remainder.
.

Sorry to digress......
We used to take 'small-child' to the Santa Specials there, where (or so it seemed!) they had local 'Care In The Community' groups playing at being Elves & other such creatures in December
Now I'm a man who could give (pre chest-pains) The Grinch lessons, but I enjoyed it
Well worth a visit, if you're within a reasonable distance of it


http://www.murtonpark.co.uk/santa-special/

Well I never! Here's Steve Earle and the Del McCoury Band....
[media]
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSK18G55xP4
[/media]

My thoughts exactly!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Seen him twice; once on the 'Exit 0' tour, then again, when promoting the 'Townes' CD)


And, here's a live version (they did this on 'Later' with Jools Holland too, but I can't find it)

 

[Smurfy]

Journey into the 1950s: travelling by steam to Chinese town that time forgot
Rail service in rural Sichuan is a lifeline for local people and a big pull for tourists who want a last glimpse of the age of steam
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/10/china-steam-train-sichuan

 

[Smurfy]

Northbound Texas Eagle, at Normal, taken from the Constitution Trail.

Why do the coaches appear to be double-decker, but with hardly any windows downstairs?

 

[vernon]

Why do the coaches appear to be double-decker, but with hardly any windows downstairs?

The majority of the passengers are giraffes.

 

[Spartak]

Seen this morning at Avon Valley Railway, Bitton.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Why do the coaches appear to be double-decker, but with hardly any windows downstairs?

The bottom levels, IIRC, have baggage rooms, a few seats for handicapped in the case of coaches, a kitchen, in the case of dining cars, and handicapped accessible sleepers for the sleeper car. So the bottom levels are mostly reserved for the operations that require platform service, and the upper levels are the ones used for most passenger accommodation. The Santa Fe Railroad first adopted this configuration back in the 1960's, and it worked out well. Chicago area commuter trains, for the most part, are also 2 levels, but with more seating on both levels and an open gallery much of the length of the car. With Amtrak, you only see these "Superliners" on long distance trains generally. Most of our trains still use Amfleet and Bombardier coaches and a club car. BTW, the dining car also has a plexiglass roof. Very posh. Superliner costs no extra, either.

 

[Gravity Aided]

 

[Gravity Aided]

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUERtAe73NI

 

[Smurfy]

The bottom levels, IIRC, have baggage rooms, a few seats for handicapped in the case of coaches, a kitchen, in the case of dining cars, and handicapped accessible sleepers for the sleeper car. So the bottom levels are mostly reserved for the operations that require platform service, and the upper levels are the ones used for most passenger accommodation. The Santa Fe Railroad first adopted this configuration back in the 1960's, and it worked out well. Chicago area commuter trains, for the most part, are also 2 levels, but with more seating on both levels and an open gallery much of the length of the car. With Amtrak, you only see these "Superliners" on long distance trains generally. Most of our trains still use Amfleet and Bombardier coaches and a club car. BTW, the dining car also has a plexiglass roof. Very posh. Superliner costs no extra, either.

Privatisation in the UK has seen services being removed from trains, it all seems to be about number of seats now

 

[Gravity Aided]

Due to low population per square mile, we have always had a hard time getting the government to see the necessity for developing rail travel to correspond with the current century, ever since 1972 and the government control of all railroad passenger service except for those of the Rock Island(supposedly didn't have enough money to join) and Rio Grande Railroads(didn't want to join as they offered a better caliber of service) Lots of train offs occurred then. sometimes whole states, such as Iowa, in the intervening years, have had no service at all. That may change soon, as I hear Iowa may get a passenger train soon. Illinois, on the Chicago to St.Louis corridor, has a large ridership, many trains, and high speed service. Number of seats is important, but speed and reliability of service fill those seats. Also, I might add that if I reserve a couple of weeks in advance, I can get a rail ticket to Chicago for about $20 US. Cheaper than a days parking in Chicago.

 

[Gravity Aided]

[QUOTE 3380661, member: 259"]Blimey, I wouldn't mind a go on this!

First passengers on Japanese maglev train travel at speeds of 311 mph

[/QUOTE]
Sounds a mite uncomfortable. The train is something you should be able to get up and walk around in, like a town on wheels, where everybody tells you their life story. I think it is de rigeur to do so. Where's the travel, if your only experience is the back of the seat in front of you, and uncomfortable jiggling? I think there may not be a dining car or noodle stall on this train.

 

[Berties]

I have to cross three level crossings on my rural route between Salisbury and Romsey on my commute, over the last few years some of the bridges were replaced by heightened constructions and some ballast dug out to give more height to allow containers from the the docks of Southampton come through,most afternoons I have to stop at the crossings and am amazed at the amount of freight that can be pulled by one engine keeping it off the road,I have counted over 40 containers