In keepin' with our post immediately below... these tunes. First up, Mr. Kottke with some fine, fine finger pickin'...
That song is more about the title and less about trains themselves. But then there's this:
And finally, there's this:
That song is more about the title and less about trains themselves. But then there's this:
Train I ride, sixteen coaches longWell... yeah, right. Elvis recorded this song in 1955 when passenger trains were still relevant in these United States. That point in time isn't too far removed from that time I was on about in my "When I Was Eight" post.
Train I ride, sixteen coaches long
Well that long black train got my baby and gone
And finally, there's this:
And all the towns and people seemYup. The disappearing railroad blues are all too real. I'm glad I got to experience the railroad in its heyday, or close enough to it, for me.
To fade into a bad dream
And the steel rails still ain't heard the news.
The conductor sings his song again,
The passengers will please refrain
This train's got the disappearing railroad blues.
Me also. It was an awesome thing to roll across the countryside. Maybe the magic is still there but I haven't ridden on AMTRAK much in the last 30 years. I used to take it from Kansas to Grand Central Station. I used to go from Kingston, RI to Union Station and back. My last trip was about 6 years ago from Seattle to Portland. It was a beautiful empty train with just us in the observation car. Train was pretty much empty.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to try it again soon to see how it works these days. I hear that one has to get up pretty early in the morning to catch the train here in MetroParkCentralis. I'm not an early person.
... but I haven't ridden on AMTRAK much in the last 30 years.
DeleteMe, too. The last time I was on a train in the US was in 1974 or '75, when I rode from Klamath Falls, OR to San Luis Obispo, CA. I did ride trains quite a bit in the early '80s while I was stationed in London. But since that time? Nada. It's likely to stay that way, too, given the prices they're charging.
My last train rides were all in The Netherlands, and Germany. I loved those trips, and they were not really fancy cars, but had big windows, plastic seats, and the old lady in our car was handing out dinner rolls she baked. We gave her a shot from the old wine bag, and that was my favorite trip to Amsterdam. My father did trains all through the 30's as part of the CCC. He said they used to load-up a bunch of Hobo's with them, as the railroad gave the CCC rail cars and didn't bother them. My cousins grandaughter, who lives in France, says the trains there pretty much suck, and the stations are dirty. I suspect Germany is the same now. As everyone has a car, and riding the train and smelling urine isn't the glam.
ReplyDeleteSee above, Clack. I liked the trains in Europe, but that was a long time ago. As you say, things have prolly changed.
DeleteWe sometimes take the train to New York from Boston. Best tip for rail travel now? Make sure your train has a "Quiet Car". That's a car where cell phones are forbidden and other talk is limited. Otherwise you end up hearing every a$$hole in the world making three-and-four-hour calls wherein they either argue with a significant other or outright fabricate to the point where you feel like grabbing the phone and telling the person on the other end, "This d***head you're talking to is a lying gasbag and if you're considering a serious relationship, you're an idiot. Now hang up."
ReplyDeleteI'd be pretty quiet in my roomette, if I do decide to go that way. I've heard that riding coach can be VERY annoying.
DeleteStrangely, I prefer the early 70s John Denver version of "The City of New Orleans." (About the only thing of his I do like.)
ReplyDeleteWell, I DO like Denvers' "Country Roads" as well..
ReplyDeleteAnd although Arlo, Cash and Willy Nelson all do a good job on the "City" somehow I still like Denver's version best.
I gotta admit I kinda like "Country Roads," too. Don't tell anyone I said that. As far as "City" goes... Arlo's was the first version I ever heard and I still like it the best. Willie's would be second in my book.
DeleteSpeaking of trains, I saw this photo of a modern streamliner (Italy I think), and it looks like about 100 light-years more modern than the 30's looking Amtrak...
ReplyDeletehttps://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/113232813926989784365
oops, that's the group link, here's the photo:
Deletehttps://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-KwNZA0vwnxw/Utg3aGH82QI/AAAAAAAAEnE/9_oPjTe9ZZ0/w507-h676-no/13+-+1
That IS a spiffy looking train!
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