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Tagged With "European railroads"

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Re: Wonders of the Modern World

Dan Carter ·
The London Crossrail picture looked amazing, but I wasn't sure just what the project is, so I looked it up on Wikipedia. It's really amazing, it's a railroad project that goes 89 miles from west of London through the city and out the other end to the south. In the center of London it's got 13 miles of the tunnel in the picture! You can see more in Wikipedia at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossrail
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Re: EU Parliament Ends Cell Phone Roaming Charges in 2017

Travel Rob ·
I'm guessing this is going to affect pre paid plans and sim cards for travelers. Anybody else know more, please comment.
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Re: EU Parliament Ends Cell Phone Roaming Charges in 2017

Paul Heymont ·
Yes, it will apply to prepaid plans, which many Europeans as well as visitors use, but it's not as happily absolute as some of the celebrators make it sound. The final June 2017 step depends on a reform of the European wholesale roaming market in which carriers pay each other for roaming use, and is also subject to limits for those who roam "too much." Here's a quote from one of the Parliament members who was a leading proponent of the law (which also originally included provisions for net...
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Re: Grand Central Terminal, New York (Where Gumbo Was #164)

GarryRF ·
Looks like you have a great liking for the good old days of the railroad. Loved the reference to the new complex - It was picking up steam in the 80s and 90s. Fascinating slice of architecture hidden away. But better a market hall than a memory.
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo (#38)

Paul Heymont ·
Here's a view of the other side of the station...economizers once wanted to remove these beautiful fixtures, but after protests, they were restored instead. When the railroad first opened in this town, half the population were on "poor relief;" the railroad enabled its goods to sell over a wider area and made the town prosperous.
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#69)

PortMoresby ·
While I do see a certain resemblance to Cappadocia, it doesn't look real to me. More like a model landscape, as you'd have with a model railroad, but seemingly without the railroad. Maybe this is, in fact, what Cappadocia looks like from a hot air balloon, which I understand are popular there. I see no evidence of people in the form of actual people or vehicles, unless that's a person in red in the lower right-hand corner.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Dec 4th, 2014: A Ride to Paradise

Paul Heymont ·
A favorite with my kids when they were young (and with me!) Nearby, there is the Pennsylvania state railroad museum and the National Toy Train Museum, as well as all the attractions of Lancaster County "Amish Country." Thanks!
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo? (#39)

Mac ·
Right, time to stick my neck out (again...). I'm going for the picture being part of the world's biggest miniature railroad layout located in Nothlandz, Flemington, New Jersey. I have seen write ups for a large German layout but I think it is nowhere near as big or as complete as this! There PH! Shoot me down my friend!!
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#336)

Paul Heymont ·
Thursday is here, and double clues start today with a military statue and a large railroad bridge with a graffiti message.
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Re: Celebrating Nature on 7 Continents: Asia, part 3 - European Bee-eaters in Sir Bani Yas Island, United Arab Emirates

DrFumblefinger ·
Bee-eaters are amazing birds. I've never seen more than one or two around, so it must be quite a treat to be at the edge of a migration of them! And they fly so quickly -- amazed you were able to get that last photo framed as well as you did. Thanks for sharing these.
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Re: Celebrating Nature on 7 Continents: Asia, part 3 - European Bee-eaters in Sir Bani Yas Island, United Arab Emirates

Kirsten Hines ·
It was pretty amazing... a bit dizzying actually to try and keep up with all of them!
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Re: 'Uncomfortable memory' tour faces Barcelona slave history

DrFumblefinger ·
It is good that a people face up to and learn from the past. We must learn from the lessons of history, but I do hope this will not become a "self-flagellation" exercise. At the end of the 18th century, everyone had slaves. Every people, every race, every culture, every country participated in the buying, selling and owning of other people. It was the norm. Fortunately, with a few rare exceptions, modern society has become enlightened and the rights of individuals is now a central focus of...
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Re: 'Uncomfortable memory' tour faces Barcelona slave history

Paul Heymont ·
'Presentism' is always a danger for historians, but in this case, there's a real issue of interest based on the late-in-the-day entry into slave-owning by the later Catalan grandees; they went into it when all European countries had already abolished it, and when it had been abolished in many colonial areas. Sadly, not Cuba, Brazil, or, at the beginning of that period, the United States. One of the reasons it's important to consider these past things is because they do enter into the...
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Re: 'Uncomfortable memory' tour faces Barcelona slave history

GarryRF ·
Slavery is just part of a long cruel history. Wherever there is chance to make money, people of any race or creed will gladly join in. Even the African warlords who sold the "prisoners" to the slave ships played their parts in this piece of history. Even today fortunes are made by sending young men to die in the name of "Defence". Money has no morals.
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Re: How do you buy your travel?

Paul Heymont ·
Few more thoughts, following HistoryDigger and DrFumblefinger... 1. Definitely check all your affiliations on car rental; after years of getting better price through AAA than any other way I knew, I recently found that going to the same vendors through USAA (my car insurance) gets me even better. 2. Not only does Priceline have good pricing on cars, I've often found I can get 30-40% lower through their blind-bidding (Name Your Own Price) service. 3. RailEurope is something of a red flag for...
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Re: Jan. 31, 2016: Spuyten Duyvil Train Station

Paul Heymont ·
Not only a classic railroad picture, but one of those moments when you realize that although there are many 'commonplaces,' there's really no such thing as 'ordinary!'
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Re: Walking across the Ohio: Big Four Bridge, Louisville

Paul Heymont ·
No big city involved, but it reminds me of early teen years, walking the old railroad-then-highway bridge across the Missouri River from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The best part was the birds-eye view of the tugs and barges, and the long views downriver. Sadly, that one is gone, now.
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Re: Weekend getaways. Where's your favorite spot

Dan Carter ·
Haven't gotten into West Coast stuff yet, but back east I had a few favorites I'd suggest to anyone. One is Lancaster County, PA. I know it's overflowing with fake Amish stuff and all, but behind that there's a real local history and culture (and some real Amish culture as well)...and the Strasburg Rail Road, a steam road that's an afternoon's fun...and the Pennsylvania State Railroad museum...and the National Toy Train Museum (which could take up a whole day if your companions share your...
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Re: Sun Studio, Memphis, Tennessee: The house Sam Phillips built

Paul Heymont ·
Actually, the importance of Memphis is long-standing and for good reason: it's on a flood-free bluff above the Mississippi. At different times in its history, both French and Spanish armies built forts there to control traffic on the Mississippi, and before the Civil War, it was the terminus of the only east-west railroad to cross the South...so it has always been a big transportation center. The railroad guaranteed its role in shipping cotton, and made it the center of the region.
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Re: The Maltese Islands – Underrated gems or best kept secret ?

Former Member ·
What an interesting group of islands. Thanks so much for this article. Wondering - Do people get around mostly by boat ? Is English widely spoken ?
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Re: The Maltese Islands – Underrated gems or best kept secret ?

IslandMan ·
Hello F-car, people mainly use their cars to get around, which is a pity as the roads are not the best and there are far too many cars for the roads to cope with. There is an extensive bus network which I found more preferable to driving. Boats are used more for leisure but there are many fisherman who make their living from the sea. Although the Maltese have their own language, English is widely spoken and visitors get by without problems. Many locals also speak Italian (them being our...
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Re: The Maltese Islands – Underrated gems or best kept secret ?

Travel Rob ·
Thanks so much Island Man.What a great post! I'll definetly include a visit to Malta in my future travel plans.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Feb. 20, 2014:Pennsylvania Railroad

Paul Heymont ·
One of my favorite trips...and the State Railroad Museum is nearby, as well as a fabulous National Toy Train Museum. Garry's picked a winner!
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, December 20, 2014: Buxton Mill

PortMoresby ·
  At a bend in the River Bure, in Norfolk, England, an old mill straddles the water.  After a fire in 1991 and several years as a hotel beginning in 1999, the historic building was repurposed in 2005 and divided into several beautiful...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Oct. 28, 2013: Northern Pacific Depot Museum, Wallace, Idaho

DrFumblefinger ·
  Wallace is located in Idaho's panhandle near the Montana state line.  It sprung to life during a silver mining boom in 1884.  Within a few years Wallace was very prosperous and, with 2000 residents, the third largest town in the new...
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Walla, Walla: “So nice they named it twice!”

DrFumblefinger ·
What’s a Walla Walla?  It’s a Indian name meaning “many waters”.  It’s also the name of a charming city in southeastern Washington; nestled close to the Columbia and Snake River valleys, and with a river of its...
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Coming: TG's 'European Capital of Culture' Series

Travel Rob ·
TG Update:   These articles are now available  -Capital of Culture Series: LiverpoolCapital of Culture Series: Marseilles Each year, the EU designates a special city or cities as the European Capital of...
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Lisbon: Cheap, but Steep!

Paul Heymont ·
That’s my short take on Lisbon after two weeks there last summer. A variety of economic factors, not all connected with the Euro crisis of the past few years, have made Portugal incredibly cheap for foreign travelers—but you have to be...
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Silver Plume, Colorado

DrFumblefinger ·
  I love going on leisurely road trips -- the kind where you've several spare hours to pull over somewhere and explore.  If a place seems interesting, I like to check it out.   So it was this past summer while we were visiting...
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Road Trip, Day 1: City of Ten Thousand Buddhas and The Skunk

PortMoresby ·
  Gateway to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas     March 9, 2015   In the late ‘80s, I lived in L.A. for a couple of years.  My S.O. knew lots of cool L.A. stuff.  One of those was something he’d read that...
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New safety rules after crash: No solo pilots

Paul Heymont ·
In the wake of the Germanwings crash that killed 150 in an apparent suicide-by-pilot, Lufthansa and many others are quickly adopting rules requiring at least two crew members be present inside the cockpit at all times. Lufthansa's announcement covers...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, March 26, 2015: Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range 2-8-8-4 "Yellowstone" #229, Two Harbors, Minnesota

Ottoman ·
This behemoth locomotive is the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range (DM&IR) 2-8-8-4 "Yellowstone" which is now preserved at Two Harbors, Minnesota. Eighteen of these powerful coal burning locomotives were built between 1941 and 1943. The 2-8-8-4s were retired between 1958 and 1963 as diesel locomotives took over. Sadly, only three of the 2-8-8-4s still survive...Number 229 pictured above, Number 227 at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth, Minnesota, and Number...
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Gold Country, California: The Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum

PortMoresby ·
  I thought this series about Gold Country was done.  But I realize now that may not be true for some time.  About 6 months ago, wanting to replace the wood stove in my house that was installed when the house was built in 1978, I called...
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Skedans, Haida Gwaii, British Colombia (Where Gumbo was #106)

DrFumblefinger ·
    Gumbo was visiting the "misty isles", Haida Gwaii, in British Columbia.  Specifically, the remnants of the Haida village of Skedans.  Sadly, not much remains of the village, captured at its prime in the above image (1878), rich...
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NY to DC in 40 minutes by train? Maybe!

Paul Heymont ·
A US rail promoter is trying to get funds and approval to build a maglev (magnetic levitation) train line between NYC and DC. TNEM, the company, has already applied for permits to build on an old right-of-way between DC and Baltimore.   Magnetic...
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Route 66 - Pasadena to Needles

Jonathan L ·
Last summer I had the opportunity to do something I had always wanted to do - drive a significant portion of Route 66. Having spent 4 days in LA, I started a drive to Albuquerque to meet up with  The Amazing Ms. D. Instead of rushing down the...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, December 8, 2014: Hudson Bay Blankets, Banff

DrFumblefinger ·
This past summer I'd spent a day wandering the streets of Banff with my dear friend, LestertheInvestor, and our lovely wives.  Sylvia and I stopped by the Hudson Bay Co (HBC) store and spotted this clever display of blankets drapped over a canoe....
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Gold Country, California: Auburn

PortMoresby ·
  Auburn is a town at a crossroads.  Interstate 80 passes through from the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the desert of the Great Basin and the nation eastward, and west to San Francisco.  It was the main route migrants traveled coming west,...
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They've got a ticket to ride—to every station in UK

Paul Heymont ·
A British couple, looking for a cheer-me-up is spending 3 months riding to or through every railroad station in Great Britain.
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June 2, 2017: Causey Arch, England

Ian Cook ·
A historic 18th century railway bridge is today's Picture of the Day, with beautiful photos and narrative from Ian Cook.
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Montreal's Queen Elizabeth Hotel re-opens

Paul Heymont ·
Montreal's most famous hotel returns to service after a year-long make-over.
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White Pass Railroad, Alaska: On the Trail of '98

Paul Heymont ·
From Skagway over the mountain into the Yukon, a railroad built for gold-miners today carries mostly visitors. It's still quite a trip.
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Old Town Sacramento: a trip through California's History

Jonathan L ·
Sacramento's Old Town gives JonathanL insights into California's history and an opportunity to visit a great railroad museum.
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Oro Tairona Museum, Santa Marta, Colombia

Paul Heymont ·
In Santa Marta, a fairly small museum navigates the fairly large tasks of the area's history and its prehistory.
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French beauty pageant names 'most beautiful station'

Paul Heymont ·
La Plus Belle Gare turns out to be at Metz, in Alsace. Here it is, along with the runners-up.
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A Day in Santa Marta, Colombia

Paul Heymont ·
PHeymont spends a day making a nodding acquaintance with Colombia's oldest city, on the Caribbean coast.
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Top Long Distance Hiking Trails in the USA

Brian Bradshaw (Guest) ·
Like to go for a long distance walk? Then Brian Bradshaw has just the post for you. Check out some of these beautiful (and challenging) hikes!
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Japan's Cat Cafes take to the rails

Paul Heymont ·
In a joint venture, a cat rescue organization and a suburban railroad join forces to run a one-day cat cafe on rails, hoping to increase adoptions.
 
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