Railfans

[jim.grrr]

I was just PMing with another rail fan, which brought to mind an outing to an old Roundhouse when I was VERY young (early 50s).  There were still a couple steam locomotives around.  It was dark-still covered in coal soot-and very noisy.  Scary and exciting at the same time.  I still remember the coal smell and the screeching the turntable made.
J

[BayCityJohn]

I think one of the reasons I remember the trains in Germany is because they were so different than the trains in the states.
This is a train in Gelnhausen.

[fritzkep]

The VW factory is in Wolfsburg, not far from the former East-West German border.

The squareback on the upper level 2nd from right brings back memories. I had such a car (beige colored) in Austria and drove it around the year I studied in Innsbruck (1966-67). Drove it from Gibraltar (at the border, you couldn't drive across the border then) to Istanbul and up to northern England and north Netherlands. Never did get as far as Scandinavia.

[BayCityJohn]

I remember those Fritz.
There was a guy that used to sell toys in the housing area out of one of those cars.
And twice a week he and his wife would come through in a VW bus selling fruit and vegetables.

[BayCityJohn]

This train is still running here in Michigan. It was in Bay City last year. They use it for 'excursions'.
This pic was taken in Clare, MI
The Pere Marquette 1225

[jim.grrr]

This line follows the Left Bank.  The river sides of the stations are open to the outside (see following post).

[BayCityJohn]

Me with friends waiting for a train in Amsterdam

[jim.grrr]

The is the Bir-Hakiem bridge-notice the Metro on the top deck.

[CellarDweller115]

Hiya......figured I should post here.


Not really a "rail fan", but I come from a "rail family".

Many of my uncles worked for the rail road years ago, as did my dad.  I have a lot of memories from my childhood, where dad would take me and my brothers to the rail yard, and let us go on the caboose, or up in the engine.  The trains were huge!

They started working on the Erie Lackawanna, later Conrail, and finally Amtrak.


Also took two trips via train to Florida.  Mom refuses to fly, so we took the train both times we went.  I remember riding all night, and eating in the dining car on the way there, and back.

[michaelflanagansf]

Any relation?

Naaaaaaaa

[fritzkep]

Three links to West Virginia shortline railroads:

http://www.cassrailroad.com/

A Shay steam locomotive pulling a train to the top of Bald Knob, the second highest point in the state (and which some people say is actually the highest, but that the state, after having put so much money into the facilities at Spruce Knob, the official high point, won't admit it).

mod: pushing a train, thanks Heidi, I forgot that detail.

http://www.mountainrail.com/

Three different trains with different locomotive styles into the heart of the West Virginia hills.

http://www.potomaceagle.info/

A rail journey into the Trough, a narrow valley of a branch of the Potomac River, nesting place of bald eagles.

[bradINblue]

jim and john, lovin' the pics! i always wanted to be a fireman, cop, and train engineer. guess two out of three ain't bad 

fritz, thanks for the thread. as you know, trains are a passion of mine.

brad

[ImEnnisShesJack]

dangy!

I get caught up in RL for a few days and you all just take off!  (Fritz, my mom drove an orange squareback w/ white interior!!)

Drove past the city's steam plant the other day - the coal cars were all parked on the siding by the elevator - and a new train came round the bend from the south pulled by a Union Pacific engine.  Loved it - but it was too windy and I was in traffic so I couldn't hear the CHUG of the deisel engines. *alas*

Have any of you been to Cass Scenic Railroad in Cass WV??  http://www.cassrailroad.com/   And old steam train that pushes a set of cars up a mountain and creates the most amazing music with its steam whistle in the mountains - BEAUTIFUL to hear that mournful echo....

[fritzkep]

Hey Heidi! Yes, the Cass railroad is great! Earl and I have been on it twice over the years.

Steam is hard to maintain but is truly magical.

[doodler]

I got ya' all beat! I was on Ringling Brothers Red Unit and lived on the train for 3 years (1981-84.) Had two children with me and we went from a small compartment, about 6' by 6', with one window to a double with two windows and a closet, by the time we left. Never did make it to a room with a shower, but hey! There is no way to describe the feeling of freedom when you're sitting in the doorway, with your feet hanging down and the wind blowing in your face, while you speed across the country. Well, RBBB had no priority on the tracks... and the tracks in the US were in terrible shape... so 'speed' is incorrect. We spent a lot of time on sidings waiting for regular runs to pass. Once we were stopped on Mt. Shasta for about 4 hours. And another time, on a way back to winter quarters, we were stopped in the middle of an orange grove for nearly an hour... the citrus farmers in FL were adamant about protecting their crop... men with guns and nasty dogs parolled the fence lines and were serious about stopping trespassers. Bet they had a hard time explaining how half the crop disappeared from the middle of the grove! The train is what I miss most about being normal again!