Railfans

[paintedshoes]

[fritzkep]

Great pictures, Jackie!

[michaelflanagansf]

Jackie - thanks so much for posting the pictures!  It's like a window into a past I've wondered about - before my father moved to Detroit he was a porter on the railroads.  In fact both my father and grandfather worked on the railroads - my father in the U.S. and my grandfather in Canada.

[jack]

much as i have admired trains in life and in literature, they have only figured significantly in my life once.

my first, as i deemed it, adult act, was a trip down the hudson river from albany to new york city to visit relatives on what is now called the maple leaf, but back in the fifties i am not sure what it was called.  it had dining cars, and one could have a drink and a conversation with a stranger.  i felt very grown up.  i must have been about 14.

[ImEnnisShesJack]

much as i have admired trains in life and in literature, they have only figured significantly in my life once.

my first, as i deemed it, adult act, was a trip down the hudson river from albany to new york city to visit relatives on what is now called the maple leaf, but back in the fifties i am not sure what it was called.  it had dining cars, and one could have a drink and a conversation with a stranger.  i felt very grown up.  i must have been about 14.

post number 6666 - always has to one up the conversation....even one up's the number of the beast.   

[fritzkep]

Links to two of the most scenic railroads in the US of A:

The Durango & Silverton

http://www.durangotrain.com/

and the Cumbres & Toltec

http://www.cumbrestoltec.com/

[doodler]

I got ya' all beat! I was on Ringling Brothers Red Unit and lived on the train for 3 years (1981-84.)

was this during the years of gunther goebel-williams?  i saw the red unit twice during his tenure.  i don't know what he was like to work with, but he redefined charisma...

jack

Yes. He was a great guy with a wonderful sense of humor. And very adamant about the care his animals received. As a died-in-the-wool animal lover, I was relieved that he took such pains to meet all their needs and was never cruel to any of them, even when they were misbehaving. My daughter, who was 10 when we ran away to the circus, 'worked' for him. Any time I needed her for something, the first place I looked was around the horses. Gunther had a stallion (Darling!) that Jenny loved... I'd usually find her sitting in the straw underneath him doing her homework or reading. Gunther also had a giraffe, Dickie, that loved my daughter. You haven't lived until you've washed giraffe slime out of a kid's hair! As grown-ups, my kids have worked on the shows with their own families. But times have changed.

[Lance]

Yes. He was a great guy with a wonderful sense of humor. And very adamant about the care his animals received. As a died-in-the-wool animal lover, I was relieved that he took such pains to meet all their needs and was never cruel to any of them, even when they were misbehaving. My daughter, who was 10 when we ran away to the circus, 'worked' for him. Any time I needed her for something, the first place I looked was around the horses. Gunther had a stallion (Darling!) that Jenny loved... I'd usually find her sitting in the straw underneath him doing her homework or reading. Gunther also had a giraffe, Dickie, that loved my daughter. You haven't lived until you've washed giraffe slime out of a kid's hair! As grown-ups, my kids have worked on the shows with their own families. But times have changed.

I still remember seeing Gunther Gebel-Williams for the first time; he was standing at full height with his arms spread wide while riding the lead elephant of a line of them almost running into the big top. At that moment he seemed the embodiment of mastery and fearlessness. I've never forgotten it even though it's more than forty years since.

[doodler]

I still remember seeing Gunther Gebel-Williams for the first time; he was standing at full height with his arms spread wide while riding the lead elephant of a line of them almost running into the big top. At that moment he seemed the embodiment of mastery and fearlessness. I've never forgotten it even though it's more than forty years since.

One time in a small college town in IL, can't remember which one, we had the animals outside the building and Dickie, the giraffe, ate a bunch of leaves off some of the trees. Apparently they were something he shouldn't have had because he got wired! There was a long ramp leading down into the building and when Gunther and one of the guys were taking him down to lead Menagerie (which signalled the end of the show's first half,) Dickie took off at a run. He and the two men entered the building just flying... Gunther and Steve several feet off the ground, hanging on for dear life. Dickie didn't stop until he ran all the way around the 3 rings and only then because he ran into the side of one of the bulls coming in the door. Luckily, no-one got hurt. It remains one of my fondest visual memories of Gunther.

Who, by the way, actually has very very dark hair.

[BillyBobcat]

Great pics, Jim! The ICE was great at 300 km/h, and I'd really love to ride a TGV!

I'm surprised that there are still diesel lines in France. I know that all the lines in Austria are electrified, and I think all in Germany, too.

Enjoying this new thread.

In 1992 I took an ICE from Hannover to Berlin.  At the location of the former border of the DDR we switched from electric to diesel.  We also switched personnel on board the train, and the new folk came through to control tickets (again).  I suppose they had to do something to demonstrate that they weren't redundant.

One happy side-effect of the locomotive switch was that under diesel the train travelled much slower and it was possible to open the window and stick your head out.  (Must be part dog -- I've always loved doing that ever since I was a kid.)

--Bob/BillyBobcat

[BillyBobcat]

I've been on the 'El' in Chicago!

That's a great train ride! Especially around the Loop, sitting in front.

Come visit us in Vancouver.  Our elevated "Skytrain" is driverless (computer driven), and there is a "driver seat" right up front that passengers can sit in for the "full service driver experience".  But you have to be fast to grab that seat -- it's very popular with kids.

Don't think the Chicago trains are similarly driverless, are they?

--Bob/BillyBobcat

[CellarDweller115]

Thanks for all the great pics, everyone!  They are cool to see!

[Lance]

A reminder for everyone: Please have mercy on the dial-uppers. Would all pic posters please read our photo posting guidelines here:
http://davecullen.com/forum/index.php?topic=10125.msg535815#msg535815

[fritzkep]

Come visit us in Vancouver.  Our elevated "Skytrain" is driverless (computer driven), and there is a "driver seat" right up front that passengers can sit in for the "full service driver experience".  But you have to be fast to grab that seat -- it's very popular with kids.

Don't think the Chicago trains are similarly driverless, are they?

--Bob/BillyBobcat

The El trains all have drivers, definitely!

[michaelflanagansf]

Come visit us in Vancouver.  Our elevated "Skytrain" is driverless (computer driven), and there is a "driver seat" right up front that passengers can sit in for the "full service driver experience".  But you have to be fast to grab that seat -- it's very popular with kids.

Don't think the Chicago trains are similarly driverless, are they?

--Bob/BillyBobcat

Hi Bob!!! 

No, the El is not driverless - and neither is BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit).  The 'Skytrain' is the only one I've seen like that - and it's the only one I know of that directly links with a ferry.

Great to see you here.

mf