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I note with interest that two of the latest subjects on this forum are from Heatherite and mgt who indicate their place of origin as Norfolk and Northumberland in the UK repectively. Whether it is a function of the disparity between our currency and theirs or happily a desire on their part to savor the "Colonial" experience including Amtrak. I would hope we all would welcome them and provide them with as candid, complete and correct information as we can. Best regards, Rodge
heatherite Member # 6059
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That's a really kind post and seems to typifies what I've always believed about Americans. Everybody has been great so far and really helpful. Never having visited the US before I am looking forward to it tremendously.
George Harris Member # 2077
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Heatherite:
You will find that the US is a mix of many countries and many types of people. That is to say, you may find that going from one place to another the differences may be so great that you will feel like you have gone to another country.
We hope all your experiences are good, but might not be so, but keep going as the next point of experience will be different. There is really almost no such thing as a "typical American"
Railroad Bob Member # 3508
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I've been from Tucson to Tucumcari, Tehachapi and Tonopah, and have found what George just posted to be very true...from the "cajuns" in south Louisiana to the indigenous Hawaiian peoples in the 50th state, the place is absolutely quite a "mix." Sometimes we don't always get along, but it's still a great and interesting country.
HillsideStation Member # 6386
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True, we are a multicultural country. I was born, raised and worked for many years in New York City. I've also lived in the midwest and currently in a small (Pop:6K) New Enlgand town
From my experiences I've learned when to communicate and more importantly when to make no eye contact.
I'm sure you folks will get with the program in no time at all. Again, welcome and enjoy. Best regards, Rodger
heatherite Member # 6059
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Thanks again. I think any of you who have visited England, in particular, over the past 20-30 years will have seen how we, too, have become more multicultural, more especially in our cities. Where I live (a small village of 2.5K people) we are as unchanged as we were 1,000 years ago and it can be quite a shock to go to places like London. I am lucky in that I have visited and lived in many countries of the world (around 40 at the last count) but some of my neighbours have never travelled much beyond the county of Norfolk, let alone to "them forrin places"! Going to America for them would be like going to the moon.
mgt Member # 5479
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I have always enjoyed railways. I grew up in a small town in the south of Scotland in the 40s and 50s which had a goods and passenger connection with Edinburgh and Galashiels and several times a year we also travelled as far afield as Leeds! When I was 3 or 4 I was given a board book Trains, which had illustrations of a UP diesel electric and of a steam hauled express in the Royal Gorge. I was also given the 1952 Ian Allan Trains Annual with picture of the Horseshoe Curve, Tennessee Pass, Big Boys and road running in Oakland. There were also tales of spending two nights on board trains crossing the country. So the seeds were sown. Our first trip to the US was 2001 to Colorado, with rides on the Georgetown Loop and through the Royal Gorge which I suddenly realised was the scene in my book. Also on the way up to Leadville I later realised was the route of the Tennessee Pass, with track obviously recently lifted. In Salida you could almost feel the ghosts of bygone railways and the curator in the Buena Vista museum was very enthusiatic about narrow guage connections of the past. We also visited Winter Park where there was constant train whistling, a sound so redolent of the US. And trains with multiple locomotives in the front, middle and rear! Our La Quinta in Denver was surrounded by the tracks. Yes there were 100+ cars on freight trains. I asumed the double deck train I saw most mornings was a computer train until I visited denver's amazing station and discovered it was the California Zephyr, the only passenger train to use the station. But I picked up the various Amtrak leaflets, determined to experience this form of cross-country travel before it was too late! I was also lucky enough to see the preserved Challeneger on an excursion there. The sheer size of US locos was brought home by that. In 2005 it was the Zephyr and the trip lived up to expectations. No, it wasn't the super luxury of the Streamline age. But with a bedroom with shower, good food and ever changing scenery it was an experience we could not have in Europe. Yes there is the Trans-Siberian but I have a feeling the scenery would become repetitive, even boring. What also attracts us to Amtrak is that it is a regular, daily service, not some super de-luxe train recalling a long gone past. That could be a fun one-off experience but we enjoy the contact with other passengers, particularly at meal times and have been quite surprised at the variety of passengers and their reasons for using the train. Last year it was the Lakeshore, Empire Builder and Coast Starlight, all three enjoyable in their different ways. The SDS meals were not as good as on the Zephyr, but still more than adequate. However, the food and staff on the Empire Builder were superb. I am glad Amtrak has revised its food policy on its main sevices. The Starlight's Pacific Parlour car was great, the top level at least. It seemed such a waste for the lower level not to be poperly used. Again Amtrak seems to have seen sense on this. One fellow traveller, a citizen of the US, who was on his first train journey with his teen-age daughter was quite overwhelmed by the experience. He had no idea you could travel so comfortably and stress-free by train. His daughter seemed to enjoy the Sightseer Lounge. Yes, with the exchange rate as it is the US is a good place to visit at present but even when things change as they inevitably will we will still feel drawn back to the country. There is still so much to see and do. And, yes there are the panhandlers, who seem to increase the further west you go, and I am sure we will meet some people who are less than friendly but so far the vast majority of our experiences from New York to San Diego via Chicago, Seattle, Denver and San Francisco heve been positive. We only hope Amtrak manages to stay afloat and get some funds to invest in improvements.
palmland Member # 4344
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I guess what we are talking about are some of the regional differences that make it so interesting to travel in the U.S.
If you are coming in the spring or fall, I would encourage you to visit the southeast (hot and humid in the summer). Some of our colonial towns are the most interesting, so I hope you have Charlottesville and Williamsburg, Va and Charleston, SC on your itinerary. Fortunately all three have pretty good Amtrak service, with Charleston being just a daytime ride from Washington (the Palmetto).
While we have some great Amtrak routes, I am certainly envious of the great train service Great Britain has. It is such a pleasure to be able to take the train everywhere, then rely on good public transportation to get around most of the cities. Maybe some day the colonies will catch up.
heatherite Member # 6059
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You obviously have never tried our commuter trains!!
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Oh come on, Mr. Heatherite , those Class 405 EMU's used WLoo-Hunslow during the '70's complete with comparments and doors directly opening to the platform were "fun'.
I rode them on many an occasion during that era to my Sister's place @ Barnes.
heatherite Member # 6059
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Yes, but unfortunately since privatisation of the British Rail and the separation between the train operators and the rail maintenance company everything has deteriorated fast. Train travel in England, particularly, is not fun at all. This is a great pity and it really comes home to roost when you travel on continental rail netwroks where trains do start and finish on time.
Geoff M Member # 153
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That's government meddling in something they don't understand. No competition these days, so fares go up.
I would advise travel on domestic European networks before you say that their trains start and finish on time - they don't. The TGVs, ICEs, Thalys, and other high profile trains might do, but not the "regular" services. Same story in Italy, Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands from my experiences over the last few years. France domestic network was running at 83% on-time last time I checked, comparable to most operators in the UK. I still remember being thrown around on the night sleeper from Barcelona to Paris because the track was so rough, and that was just a few years ago (and it was late).
One of the main problems with our network is too many short trains running frequently on a network built for longer trains running less frequently.
For the Americans here, think of Norfolk as Nebraska and you're pretty close, unfair stereotypes included.
Geoff M.
palmland Member # 4344
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Even with privitzation and its problems, I'll bet the night train from London to Inverness is still a great trip and yes commuter train are good too. As one who lives in an area where big time railroading is a single track through the piney woods, the trip into London from Heathrow with many trains and multiple tracks with flyovers was still a thrill.
Geoff M Member # 153
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I did the sleeper from Edinburgh to London a few months ago. It can be done in just over 4 hours but that would mean unreasonable departure and/or arrival times. So it gently trundles its way down the country at a maximum speed of 80mph, stopping for long periods en-route. One of the few trains that regularly arrives early. Going from Edinburgh, the train reverses at Carstairs whilst the Glasgow portion is attached. Slightly confusing when you wake up the next morning to find yourself travelling in the wrong direction!
Yes, the trip out of Paddington is interesting. Six parallel tracks for the first few miles, then down to 4 with 125mph running on the main lines. There are a couple of photos of the signaller/dispatcher screens at http://kevinwalmsley.fotopic.net/c1300945.html ("Slough IECC workstation 1" and "...and a much less quiet Old Oak").
Geoff M.
John Hull Member # 4465
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Sadly I didn't see much of Nebraska as it was dark when we went through on the Zephyr, but if it's as nice as Norfolk, it must be great! We may have a good rail system in the UK but in England the government seems to spend all its money on one or two big schemes and ignores potential local reopenings, unlike Scotland where several new lines are opening. I help run a 12-mile Heritage (tourist) line here in Norfolk but I love the huge, comfortable Amtrak LD trains, and can't wait to get over again. John
train lady Member # 3920
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I like Nebraska. there are a lot of interesting things to see. If you ever get there be sure to visit the Scott's Bluff area. It was part of the Oregon trail in the 1800s and is a National Park site now. It is quite high and very lovely.
posted ![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
, those Class 405 EMU's used WLoo-Hunslow during the '70's complete with comparments and doors directly opening to the platform were "fun'.![[Smile]](smile.gif)