Your most enjoyable train ride
Mar 2, 2006, 11:57 am
#1
formerly known as Tad's Broiled Steaks
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,412
Your most enjoyable train ride
Seeing as someone at last, made a thread regarding subways (I didn't think to do it, but I thank you for it), I've decided to go on a tangent and inquire as to what your most enjoyable train or subway, etc...ride has been like.
I'd have to say that taking a train from Bogor to Jakarta Kota is my favourite, simply because there quite literally, never a dull moment. Granted, it wasn't a train in the best condition, whatwith doors open, windows broken and certainly floors cluttered with rubbish, but as soon as we hit the first stop, musicians came on and played some awesome music, hawkers were selling all types of goods and people just seemed generally enthusiastic about the performances. It was another nice day out, and at one point, I was straddling the doorway, watching the countryside and eventually, cityscape pass me by. Simply amazing.
I'd have to say that taking a train from Bogor to Jakarta Kota is my favourite, simply because there quite literally, never a dull moment. Granted, it wasn't a train in the best condition, whatwith doors open, windows broken and certainly floors cluttered with rubbish, but as soon as we hit the first stop, musicians came on and played some awesome music, hawkers were selling all types of goods and people just seemed generally enthusiastic about the performances. It was another nice day out, and at one point, I was straddling the doorway, watching the countryside and eventually, cityscape pass me by. Simply amazing.
Mar 2, 2006, 12:06 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2005
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Japan
The Shinkansen Nozomi ride from Tokyo to Kyoto in October 2004. Surreal and calming while the scenery breezes past you at high speed.
Subway from Shibuya to Yokohama, in Oct 2004 also - this old Japanese woman came in and sat besides me and started to talk to me in Japanese gibberish the whole way. It was cool though I had to use body languages and the map in front of me to tell her things I was hoping to do in Yokohama. Was tons of fun!
Australia
Glenlg Tram from downtown Adelaide to Glenlg stop. Very cool - can talk to some Aussies on the tram. They still are using the old trams while they figure out how to fix the new trams to cope with the hot Adelaide summers!
I remember one night when this group of girls were on the tram, and spilled their cooler contents on the tram accidentally. Dang. They had caught a squid, a couple blue legged crabs and some fish. The train conductor shook his head at the poor girls then helped them straighten out the cooler and put it in a safe spot then walked on through the puddle of water to the back of the tram.
Sanosuke!
The Shinkansen Nozomi ride from Tokyo to Kyoto in October 2004. Surreal and calming while the scenery breezes past you at high speed.
Subway from Shibuya to Yokohama, in Oct 2004 also - this old Japanese woman came in and sat besides me and started to talk to me in Japanese gibberish the whole way. It was cool though I had to use body languages and the map in front of me to tell her things I was hoping to do in Yokohama. Was tons of fun!
Australia
Glenlg Tram from downtown Adelaide to Glenlg stop. Very cool - can talk to some Aussies on the tram. They still are using the old trams while they figure out how to fix the new trams to cope with the hot Adelaide summers!
I remember one night when this group of girls were on the tram, and spilled their cooler contents on the tram accidentally. Dang. They had caught a squid, a couple blue legged crabs and some fish. The train conductor shook his head at the poor girls then helped them straighten out the cooler and put it in a safe spot then walked on through the puddle of water to the back of the tram.
Sanosuke!
Mar 2, 2006, 12:18 pm
#4
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1. December 1969 (pre-Amtrak) - the Santa Fe Super Chief from Chicago to LA, in a bedroom compartment. Incredibly starched sheets on the bed, dinner gong and more starched linens in the dining car, the round-ended lounge car with stand-up bar at the back, and outside the window the frozen prairie morphing into red rocks and finally the moonlit desert before arriving at glorious Union Station in LA. A different era, that's for sure.
2. The Ost-West Express, London - Oostende - Warsaw, mid '70s - Russian "soft" class cars at the front, full of Moscow-bound papierosi-smoking comrades, Polish cars behind those, DDR cars behind those, BRD cars behind those, then Belgian cars, with the odd diner and buffet car and couchette cars thrown in. They peeled off cars as you passed through the various countries. Most interesting bits were the over/under/through inspections undertaken by Vopos and their doggies in East Berlin, then switching to steam traction at the Polish border. I kept looking around for somebody named Bond, James Bond...
2. The Ost-West Express, London - Oostende - Warsaw, mid '70s - Russian "soft" class cars at the front, full of Moscow-bound papierosi-smoking comrades, Polish cars behind those, DDR cars behind those, BRD cars behind those, then Belgian cars, with the odd diner and buffet car and couchette cars thrown in. They peeled off cars as you passed through the various countries. Most interesting bits were the over/under/through inspections undertaken by Vopos and their doggies in East Berlin, then switching to steam traction at the Polish border. I kept looking around for somebody named Bond, James Bond...
Mar 2, 2006, 12:20 pm
#5
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Daejeon - Seoul on the KTX last year. On the way to a presentation together with my Korean mentor in excellent spirits. Spent the ride eating take away lunch, plotting over the meeting and checking the speedometer. Can't remember anything about the views. 
Cologne - Vienna a few ears ago on an Austrian EC train. Some of the scattered family live there so visited them over Easter. Had a nice conversation with an American FedEx pilot who had a Rendezvous with his wife there. Austrian train restaurants are simply unbeatable. ^
Carlisle - London ( Euston ) in 1988 with family after visiting friends in the Lake District. Very nice journey especially because me and my brother were quite anxious to get into London after three weeks of fells and sheep...
Cologne - Vienna a few ears ago on an Austrian EC train. Some of the scattered family live there so visited them over Easter. Had a nice conversation with an American FedEx pilot who had a Rendezvous with his wife there. Austrian train restaurants are simply unbeatable. ^
Carlisle - London ( Euston ) in 1988 with family after visiting friends in the Lake District. Very nice journey especially because me and my brother were quite anxious to get into London after three weeks of fells and sheep...
Mar 2, 2006, 12:41 pm
#8
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Train rides in the Peruvian Andes
1. The train ride along the Urubamba River with views of the Andes travelling
between Cuzco and Aguas Calientes which is the little town just below Machu Picchu.
2. The train ride over the Peruvian Andes from Cuzco to Juliaca near Lake Titicaca is simply spectacular.
Other enjoyable train trips were in the Swiss Alps, the Tokyo to Kyoto Bullet Train with a great view of the snow capped Mount Fuji, the Grand Canyon Train ride to the rim of the canyons and finally a trip in India from Mettupalayam to Ooty in the Nilgiri Hills on a miniature steam train having a third cog wheel rail. At times the cog wheel train went so slow you could get out and walk alongside.
between Cuzco and Aguas Calientes which is the little town just below Machu Picchu.
2. The train ride over the Peruvian Andes from Cuzco to Juliaca near Lake Titicaca is simply spectacular.
Other enjoyable train trips were in the Swiss Alps, the Tokyo to Kyoto Bullet Train with a great view of the snow capped Mount Fuji, the Grand Canyon Train ride to the rim of the canyons and finally a trip in India from Mettupalayam to Ooty in the Nilgiri Hills on a miniature steam train having a third cog wheel rail. At times the cog wheel train went so slow you could get out and walk alongside.
Last edited by ROW2Aisle; Mar 2, 2006 at 12:45 pm Reason: Added Bullet Train to list
Mar 2, 2006, 2:36 pm
#10
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I'd have to say the GO Transit ride from Oakville to Exhibition Place when I was a kid. Every August myself and my parents would drive from Burlington to the crowded parking lot of Oakville station and get on the train to go to the Canadian National Exhibition. It was fantastic for so many reasons - the chance to ride on a real train (I had a train set, and loved playing with it); the anticipation of a fare filled with food and rides; and the views of the "big" city were always amazing for a suburban kid.
Of course, years later after completing University, moving back home to Burlington and getting that first job in the city, I used to take that same line into work every day, joining the throngs of angry, sleepy, underpaid, overworked, stressed rail commuters, and the GO Train ride lost much of it's lustre.
But occasionally that magic is captured again, as I land at the airport of some new city I've never been to before, collect my bags and head to the airport train station to catch a ride into town. The anticipation is back again, and the train ride is something that I can't wait for. And the views as we pull into town! Beautiful - like seeing Toronto again through my 10 year old eyes.
Greg
Of course, years later after completing University, moving back home to Burlington and getting that first job in the city, I used to take that same line into work every day, joining the throngs of angry, sleepy, underpaid, overworked, stressed rail commuters, and the GO Train ride lost much of it's lustre.
But occasionally that magic is captured again, as I land at the airport of some new city I've never been to before, collect my bags and head to the airport train station to catch a ride into town. The anticipation is back again, and the train ride is something that I can't wait for. And the views as we pull into town! Beautiful - like seeing Toronto again through my 10 year old eyes.
Greg
Mar 2, 2006, 2:54 pm
#13
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ICE in Germany from Frankfurt to Berlin.
The scenery was ok, but what takes the cake is when we past several shanty houses and we started to feel a little sorry for those people.... until we passed one shanty house right up against the tracks with a giant satellite dish on top. We looked at each other and laughed.
The scenery was ok, but what takes the cake is when we past several shanty houses and we started to feel a little sorry for those people.... until we passed one shanty house right up against the tracks with a giant satellite dish on top. We looked at each other and laughed.
Mar 2, 2006, 3:08 pm
#15
Join Date: Jul 2004
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Originally Posted by Sanosuke
Japan
The Shinkansen Nozomi ride from Tokyo to Kyoto in October 2004. Surreal and calming while the scenery breezes past you at high speed.
The Shinkansen Nozomi ride from Tokyo to Kyoto in October 2004. Surreal and calming while the scenery breezes past you at high speed.
Ditto - This is quite a nice trip.