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If any of you have any questions about my 1,000,000 rail miles I'm about to do other than cost! Please submit them here. Before I go to La Plata for the big event, I will chose the best one to be asked on Lets Talk Trains live from La Plata on April 28th, 2007. Please include you name and home city and if used your name would be mentioned on the show. The big 1,000,000 day will be April 27th, 2007.
Remember no costs questions as that has been explained many times on the show already.
Chris
Posts: 711 | From: Santa Ana | Registered: May 2003
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Congrats on your million milestone, The question is, Doing the math in my head, it probably took you about 200 yrs to do this, so you must have been on that fatefull trip from Swansea to Mumbles head ? So how was the weather that July day
Thomas Mccann
Posts: 229 | From: Long Beach CA | Registered: Jan 2007
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I did the math in my head, and allowing for an overall average speed of 40 mph (too liberal?), it means that Chris spent possibly 25,000 hours on Amtrak or the equivalent of nearly three full years of continuous travel.
Reminds me of that old MTA song about the guy who was trapped on the Boston subway and never returned.
How long did it take, Chris? I'm going to guess at least 25 years.
-------------------- Ocala Mike Posts: 1530 | From: Ocala, FL | Registered: Dec 2006
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Looking forward to your trip and report. My question is: How may we encourage those under twenty five to become the kind of rail fan you became?
Jack Kelly Prescott, AZ
Posts: 467 | From: Prescott, AZ USA | Registered: Mar 2002
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Chris, how long will your layover in Galesburg be when you "flip" to Number 5? Same day (Sunday) or until Monday? I'll be in GBB during your transit time. Maybe I can arrange an interview with a reporter from the Galesburg "Register Mail." Still iffy on that one... Also you may be greeted by some members of the local GBB railfan community. There may be some "surprise guests" there as well. You may pick up an "entourage" along the way on Number 4. Word is spreading. PM me for further info...Bob
Posts: 588 | From: East San Diego County, CA | Registered: Oct 2004
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quote:Originally posted by cubzo: Congrats on your million milestone, The question is, Doing the math in my head, it probably took you about 200 yrs to do this, so you must have been on that fatefull trip from Swansea to Mumbles head ? So how was the weather that July day
Thomas Mccann
Someone said Chris was at Promontory Point on May 10, 1869 but that has to be a fib...! Posts: 588 | From: East San Diego County, CA | Registered: Oct 2004
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I would also like to congratulate Chris on his upcoming milestone, and more importantly on (as of now) day number 4,461.
My question would be. . . With all your railroad experience, how do you honestly see Amtrak serving the USA in 10 years. (NEC only?, long distance lines?, etc. . . )
Looking forward to LTT in La Plata on 4/28/07.
gregbkc in Kansas City, MO
Posts: 34 | From: Kansas City, MO | Registered: Feb 2005
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Chris, I enjoyed your slide show of your million miles in which you mentioned early trips with your parents. How did they get interested in rail travel, were your Dad or Mom rail employees? I attribute my own rail interest to my Dad and Mom as well which probably started with my great grandfather being an engineer and the fact that I was born on a farm along the B&O in southern Indiana.
Posts: 11 | From: Southern California | Registered: Dec 2006
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Chris, I might ask you this in LaPlata: You've set some serious goals in your million miles. Such as first traveling by rail in each state, then repeating every state sober, as if they didn't count when you were drinking, that's honorable. What goal will you have now, after one million miles, will it involve rail travel or do you have something else in mind? Carl Morrison
Posts: 10 | From: Placentia,CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2000
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Last chance to ask anything as of 6 PM Tuesday April 24th, 2007 I will be printing this post and taking it me to La Plata for the show Saturday. Go to the Lets Talk Trains web site and look for a special link to listen to the show live.
Chris
Posts: 711 | From: Santa Ana | Registered: May 2003
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Congratulations on your million miles. I can remember making my 100,000 special about five years ago.....I can't fathom getting to a million myself though.
I have two questions for you to consider -
1) In a perfect world, what would you want to see Amtrak look like? Both in terms of quality and quantity.
2) Considering the great trains of yesteryear (pre-Amtrak), which one train would you most like to go back in time and have the chance to ride? Why would you choose that particular train?
Have a great trip and thanks for giving us the chance to be part of it in this vicarious way.
Hometown: Mars Hill, NC - given name in signature below!
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Chris, After you have traveled 1,000,000 railroad miles, do you plan on trying to ride a train in every continent like I believe you said once? I even heard something about Antarctica once... Overall, what are your future goals?
Thanks, and see you in La Plata! Anton
Posts: 1082 | From: Los Angeles, CA. USA | Registered: Aug 2003
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Are there any passenger trains outside of the USA that are in your future goals? If money and time were not a consideration, what ONE TRAIN would you go ride if the opportunity presented itself? The Blue Train in South Africa? Orient Express? Others? Thanks...
See you in Fullerton.
Andy
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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quote:Originally posted by cubzo: Congrats on your million milestone, The question is, Doing the math in my head, it probably took you about 200 yrs to do this, so you must have been on that fatefull trip from Swansea to Mumbles head ? So how was the weather that July day
Thomas Mccann
Someone said Chris was at Promontory Point on May 10, 1869 but that has to be a fib...!
If Chris was at Promontary Point,he missed the festifities.The Golden Spike was driven at Promontary,Utah.Promontary point is on a point of land in the Great Salt Lake on the current route.
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The actual location was Promontory Summit in Utah Territory. There is no truth to the rumor that the UP train was late arriving to the festivities.
Posts: 1530 | From: Ocala, FL | Registered: Dec 2006
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"There is no truth to the rumor that the UP train was late arriving to the festivities."
Yeah, but they were certainly running under "slow orders" and would carry that tradition into the next two centuries.
I wish I could be among the spectators for Chris' Million Mile Run, but it's a little far for me. There are links to a good article on Chris under "What's New on Trainweb" or on Trainorders.com.
Posts: 1572 | From: St. Paul, MN | Registered: Dec 2002
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We are currently traveling between Winslow, AZ and Gallup, AZ. We are about 40 minutes behind schedule but should make up some time prior to our departure from ABQ.
Today Chris will be on final approach to the million and he will make the million tomorrow morning in Kansas.
(Message posted with Verizon Wireless Internet Access)
Posts: 1082 | From: Los Angeles, CA. USA | Registered: Aug 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Ocala Mike: The actual location was Promontory Summit in Utah Territory. There is no truth to the rumor that the UP train was late arriving to the festivities.
Actually I think the UP train WAS late by a day or two! Wasn't it 'held up' in Wyoming by one of their own track gangs demanding back wages?
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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