# Passenger Trains



## MMID301 (May 16, 2014)

Being 24 years old, I missed out on the passenger trains at their peak. I only road on the EnterTRAINment Line (MMID) and that closed in 1995. I love modeling passenger trains. To me they are fascinating. Love the B&O passenger trains. I am in the process of making all the B&O pass trains on my Railroad simulator.

Alright, enough with my love for them. Did any of you ever have the privilage of riding on some of the great passenger trains of long ago? Have any pictures?

Im looking into taking a trip to South Carolina to see my Grandfather when my Fibromyalgia gets better. I was looking up prices and was supprised to find that taking the train to SC was cheaper then flying. Flying was 2x more exspensive. Ive never been on an Amtrak train. Anyone know what they are like? Are they like the passenger trains of long ago? 


Feel free to share any pics of model passenger trains, anything you think we would like to see.


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

I've taken several trips on Amtrak with great results. It's a ton of fun and the Amtrak folks treat you like they actually like you, not like cattle, which is how I always feel on an airplane.
Not only that, but you can actually ENJOY the scenery as you whiz along the rails.
Try it, you'll like it!
Bob


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

The penalty of being young. You have missed so much. But that's
what us old folks are for. To share the experiences we had
that are hard to come by now a days.

Yes, I had the pleasure of riding in real passenger trains. Back in
the 50s the Louisville and Nashville RR had a train from Nashville
to St. Louis via Evansville, Indiana. I took that train several
times riding in the classic heavy weight coachs.
It had a genuine Steam Locomotive at it's head. 
When the train would start from the station you could feel the power of the
rods as they pushed the wheels.

I even recall the fantastic roast beef dinner served in the
diner as we navigated the Illinois corn fields.

And I've been fortunate enough to have ridden the famed
Sunset Limited from Los Angeles Union Station through the
southwest deserts and across the Gulf South to Jacksonville, Fl.
This time in a private compartment. A nice sitting room by day, and
a comfortable bed made up by the car attendant when you
asked. Meals in the diner were included in the ticket price.
And they were also fantastic. A restaurant with ever changing
scenery. You are seated with folks the staff think would be
compatible. You get to meet fascinating people. One elderly
couple at my table were on a trip around the country by train.
In Jacksonville they changed to a train to New York. There they
were to board one to Chicago. Then another Amtrak train would
take them through the Northwest to Seattle to complete
their train tour.

On your Carolinas trip, do make plans to eat in the diner. 
It is not cheap, but the experience is one you'll treasure and
want to share with others.

Don


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## Hutch (Dec 19, 2012)

I still get to ride these in North Conway NH and Edaville Railroad on the Cape. Just short tourist rides but I enjoy them none the less. I dined on peanuts. It'll have to do.:laugh:


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## Dirtytom (Jan 13, 2014)

During my Marine Corps days, took the Sunset Limited from San Diego to Lafayette, la. Then from North Carolina to Lafayette. Too long ago to remember details. 

Wife and I went to Europe for WWll tour. Tour lasted 18 days then with a rail pass we toured nine country's, took two months. One thing about Euro Rail... TRAINS LEAVE ON TIME... The whole time longest delay was a few minutes. Fastest train was from Budapest to Salzburg..300km per hour. Not much scenery at that speed. The most amazing is how they turn those things around and you don't even know it.

DT


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

I used to ride the CNR a lot, longest trip was Vancouver to Winnipeg.


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## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

As a kid in the 1950s, I remember a couple train trips from Wyoming to St. Louis to visit relatives. I think we usually carried box lunches, but I can recall at least one meal in the dining car...awesome!! I also remember one night Mom let my sister and I go up to the dome car. I was fascinated watching the headlights from the loco sweep the ditches, and we could see stars too. I just loved seeing all the scenery.

I specifically remember one stop at Kansas City...the dome in the station seemed hundreds of feet tall! I got to buy a toy crane and spent the rest of the trip picking things up with it.

Wonderful memories rekindled when we got to ride a scenic train at Branson, MO several years back...same sounds, same smells. I drifted away back to childhood.

Definitely ride the train...every mile is worth it.


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

The wife and I rode the California Zephyr out of Chicago to Salt Lake City last September, complete with a sleeper car and all meals in the dining car.
WONDERFUL experience!! The food and service was OUTSTANDING!
Bob


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## Fackler Rebel (Oct 26, 2013)

I rode a train in 1967 from Birmingham Alabama to Chicago and back. The adventure of a life time. Don't pass it up.

Reb


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

One can still take the Via Rail "Canadian" from coast to coast in Canada.....


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

The several Special Dinner trains are another opportunity to
ride the rails. My son and his wife took me on the
Mt. Shasta dinner train. An evening ride made even more
spectacular by floodlights attached under the car floors that
illuminated the partly snow covered track sides.

Another must if you go to California is the Napa Wine Train.
Excellent food and you'll certain get your fill of wine as
the train slowly wends through the beautiful Napa valley
wine country. A major feature are the fine 50s era Alco locos
at the head end.

Don


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## Hutch (Dec 19, 2012)

You guys have me all worked up now. I wonder what my wife would say if I told her I wanted to go on a train vacation. Napa Wine Train. That sounds fantastic.


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## carinofranco (Aug 1, 2012)

DonR said:


> The several Special Dinner trains are another opportunity to
> ride the rails. My son and his wife took me on the
> Mt. Shasta dinner train. An evening ride made even more
> spectacular by floodlights attached under the car floors that
> ...


I took the Napa wine train many years ago. If I recall correctly, it traveled about one mile every hour, but I may have not been able to gauge time or distance or my location accurately given my condition at the time. Maybe it just seemed that everything was moving very slowly.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

DonR said:


> A major feature are the fine 50s era Alco locos
> at the head end


I believe those are ex-CN FPA-4's, if I'm not mistaken......


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## mikek (Dec 29, 2013)

I was lucky to ride the Hiawatha Line from Chicago to Seattle, wonderful trip. We were in the last car, the observation one with the glass roof. Going through the mountains was fabulous. Riding through the plains having lunch in the dining car was something you never forget. 
Get a pullman if you can, it's more expensive, but you can take a nap whenever you like. You can still wander all over the train, check out the club car if it has one. Just great to be traveling along the countryside chatting with other travelers, playing cards and having a nice cool drink in a spacious environment.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I always loved passenger cars too. :smokin::thumbsup:


I remember when Pullman switched to heavyweight riveted steel construction in 1910, more or less at the same time as other rail car manufacturers. Those were the cars! :thumbsup:

But in the 30's when they started using stainless steel, the cars of this time were still quite ornate, many of them being built by experienced coach makers and skilled carpenters.

I always liked the Zephyr. Cool looking, sleek, streamlined. :thumbsup: On May 26, 1934, it established a new speed record, quick for it's time. With a average speed of 77 mph. For one section of the run it reached a nose bleed speed of 112.5 mph, just short of the then US land speed record of 115 mph.

Those were the days. :smilie_daumenpos:


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## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

Old_Hobo said:


> I believe those are ex-CN FPA-4's, if I'm not mistaken......


OMG, that is SOOOO beautiful!!!!!!


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Old_Hobo said:


> I believe those are ex-CN FPA-4's, if I'm not mistaken......


You are correct. They lack some of the extra niceities of the Passenger
version we see modelled often but still are among the most attractive diesels
ever built.

I forget the source, but on the trip it became known that from time to time
the Alcos must be taken out on the mainline and run at speed so as
burnout the carbon buildup in the engines. As noted, the normal
train speed is SLOW so the prime movers have barely more than
idle RPMs. 

When we rode it, the train had an observation car. That was an
enjoyable way to have a sip of wine on a pleasant sunny day. Good only
on the first leg of the trip. The FPAs do a runaround and couple
to the Observation car for the trip back.

Don


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

big ed said:


> I remember when Pullman switched to heavyweight riveted steel construction in 1910


You remember that? So exactly how old are you anyway?

:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Old_Hobo said:


> You remember that? So exactly how old are you anyway?
> 
> :laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:


Going to turn 115 soon, according to my calculations. 
I was 15 at the time. So I got you all beat in the age bracket. :laugh:

I have rode in some old wooden passenger cars from the late 1800's.
It must have been an experience to travel west on something like that from the 1850's.
Riding like they did back then you sure got to see the country side.

I wish they would invent a time machine to go back in time. :smokin::thumbsup: 

An interesting read on the Passenger Railroad in Pennsylvania, for those who like to read.
http://explorepahistory.com/story.php?storyId=1-9-10&chapter=5

Another interesting read, http://mikes.railhistory.railfan.net/r013.html

How would you have liked to ride this?


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

So which one in that photo is you? 

:laugh::laugh::laugh:


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## MMID301 (May 16, 2014)

You all have me wanting to just drive 100mph to penn station and go down to SC right now. I will definetly take the train to SC. Everyones strories sound so much fun. I wish I could have been there!


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Be sure and take notes along the way and lots of pictures so we can see what the trip was like. That would be fantastic. pete


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## MMID301 (May 16, 2014)

norgale said:


> Be sure and take notes along the way and lots of pictures so we can see what the trip was like. That would be fantastic. pete


Don't you worry one bit. I will take alot of pictures to show everyone the trip. If anyone has any pictures from a passenger train ride, please post them.


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