The London Lounge

Alright with the recent posts about automobiles here on the Lounge I got into the sprit of putting together a train post.

I use a commuter train during the week and have always enjoyed riding on a train. I just never had the time to take a long trip on one.

Here is a link to the train that I use. http://nmrailrunner.com/

One day I hope I can go across Canada on one of these trips.

http://www.canadayourway.com/Canada-Vac ... IgodrQhbTQ

I enjoyed watching Albert Finney as Hercule Poirot in the movie "Murder on the Orient Express," and Cary Grant as Roger Thornhill in "North by Northwest." These were the good old days of railroad travel.

Last season on AMC's "Mad Men" there were a few commuter train scenes on the show, suits, ties, and hats everywhere.

I have been on google looking for some photos of luxury train travel to share with you, but before we get to them, I'd like to share a weird dream about train travel I had the other night with you if I may?

I was on a luxury trian much like the Orient Express, wood paneled walls, beautiful carpets, leather wingback chairs well you get the idea. I'm wearing a DB navy chalk striped suit, blue houndstootlh shirt with white cutaway collar and white double cuffs. gold cuff links, white pocket square, black plain cap toes, and a red and blue striped tie.

(Boy does this guy keep up the detail even in his dreams. )

Anyways getting to the dream itself, I'm the only one on board, meaning the train is moving and I'm looking for anyone else who might be on board, there isn't even an engineer!

Looking out the window I see nothing but pitch black. The whole dream is me looking throughout the entire moving train for anyone, then in the lounge car I see my lady freind who turns around. She is wearing a navy blue beret, sunglasses, black high heels, and a kaki colored trench coat. She then pulls out a gun and I hear a gunshot and wake up.

Ok here are some photos I found enjoy.

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/photos ... /train.jpg

http://www.inthesaddle.co.uk/imagegalle ... ghtweb.jpg

http://www.bluetrainsouthafrica.com/ima ... ainbar.jpg

http://www.gadling.com/media/2006/03/vs ... rd_bar.jpg

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Compo ... medium.jpg

http://www.africacollection.co.uk/attac ... /cover.jpg

http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2007/04/ ... x304,0.jpg

http://www.luxury-gadgets.com/images/train.jpg

http://www.wendywutours.com.au/util/ima ... blob1&c=21

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070315/him1.jpg

http://www.purewest.com/adventures/trai ... af_car.jpg

http://www.auctionair.co.uk/uploads/Lot ... 573750.jpg

http://www.gwtravel.co.uk/trains/trans_ ... _image.jpg

http://www.instablogsimages.com/images/ ... y_7548.jpg

http://www.maharashtratourism.gov.in/mt ... ehall8.jpg

http://www.visit-indya.com/images/luxurytrain.jpg

http://www.uh.edu/engines/pullmancar.jpg

http://img.timezone.com/img/articles/ne ... ress02.jpg

Best Regards,

Cufflink79

My dream travel by train was to accompany Hercule Poirot on his trip back to France in the Orient Express.


“Murder on the Orient Express”, directed by Lumet is, indeed, my favorite sartorial film. One sees, practically, only winter cloths, since the plot takes place as the train gets stuck in the snow - not far from Belgrad I think. But they seem to suit in a graphic way the personality of every character in the story.

The first train journey ever with passengers took place on Christmas Eve 1801 on Camborne Hill in Cornwall, when inventor and father of the modern railway, Richard Trevithick took his engine the Puffing Devil and some carriages on a short journey. Afterwards, the driver and fireman retired for 'refreshments', leaving the engine running. The water boiled dry and it exploded: the whole incident is remembered in the comic Cornish song : "Going Up Camborne Hill, Coming Down" (the full words to which can be furnished if desired) - and a fairly recent plaque.
NJS

storeynicholas wrote:The water boiled dry and it exploded: the whole incident is remembered in the comic Cornish song : "Going Up Camborne Hill, Coming Down" (the full words to which can be furnished if desired).
NJS

If you'd be good enough to furnish us with the lyrics, I would be grateful.

My own experiences with train travel have not been very romantic. I have done the suburban railways in Sydney (and Brisbane I suppose), Athens, Paris, Washington, New York, etc., but nothing really iconic. That being said, I did once go by rail from Geneva to Zurich on a cold winter's day. I recall that it was clear as we left, but as the train ambled through the picturesque countryside a dense mist began to descend over the ground, creating a hauntingly beautiful scene, and blocking the sun as it set in a bizarre fashion so that one could look at it and make out sun spots and so on without it hurting the eyes.

Also, when I was in the US, staying with some friends in Harpers Ferry, WV, I took the train a few times from a town just over the Virginian border (the name escapes me - on memory the Harpers Ferry Amtrack station was closed for repair) into Washington DC. Being from Australia where train travel is not all that common, this was something of a novelty. The railway line follows the Potomac, and affords a wonderful view of what is truly a beautiful part of the world, especially in winter as the fog drifts down into the valley where the Shenandoah and Potomac meet.

I have taken the Blue Train from Joburg to Cape Town on a couple of occasions in the 70's. In those days it was a luxury train not the tourist train it has now become. A bedroom with your own bath ensuite made for a very comfortable journey.

I have not taken any other luxury trains though the TGV, AVE and Shinkansen (excuse my spelling) which I have used are all great ways of covering short journeys.

pvpatty wrote:

storeynicholas wrote:The water boiled dry and it exploded: the whole incident is remembered in the comic Cornish song : "Going Up Camborne Hill, Coming Down" (the full words to which can be furnished if desired).
NJS

If you'd be good enough to furnish us with the lyrics, I would be grateful.

My own experiences with train travel have not been very romantic. I have done the suburban railways in Sydney (and Brisbane I suppose), Athens, Paris, Washington, New York, etc., but nothing really iconic. That being said, I did once go by rail from Geneva to Zurich on a cold winter's day. I recall that it was clear as we left, but as the train ambled through the picturesque countryside a dense mist began to descend over the ground, creating a hauntingly beautiful scene, and blocking the sun as it set in a bizarre fashion so that one could look at it and make out sun spots and so on without it hurting the eyes.

Also, when I was in the US, staying with some friends in Harpers Ferry, WV, I took the train a few times from a town just over the Virginian border (the name escapes me - on memory the Harpers Ferry Amtrack station was closed for repair) into Washington DC. Being from Australia where train travel is not all that common, this was something of a novelty. The railway line follows the Potomac, and affords a wonderful view of what is truly a beautiful part of the world, especially in winter as the fog drifts down into the valley where the Shenandoah and Potomac meet.

The full Camborne Hill song lyrics are here - the first song: http://www.brycchancarey.com/places/cornwall/songs.htm

The fourth verse (usually sung only in Camborne) is full of Georgian disparagement towards a certain Lady de Dunstaville who was regarded by the populace, from which she sprang, as no better than she ought to be.
NJS

I've always enjoyed travelling by train, from a journey from Hamburg to Frankfurt (or was it Wiesbaden?) when I was so young that my parents still carried me at times, to the commuter train from New York city that I left a few hours ago. Two particularly notable journeys were the "train to the clouds" in northwestern Argentina (still exists, but now purely as a tourist's lark: goes up, then comes down again -- 'sorry, NJS!) and the line that wends -- wended? -- its way from the hot coast of the Red Sea up to the cool, highland capital of Addis Ababa (with all the horrors to which poor Ethiopia has been subjected over the past third of a century, I don't know whether even the tracks of this train may still be traced).

My favorite train trip is the Glacier Express in Switzerland, which is beautiful any time of year, but I like most in autumn. It runs over many bridges and through many tunnels in the Swiss Alps, and the car windows are large enough to really enjoy the landscape. Nothing beats riding the rails through spectacular Alpine beauty, a glass of agreeable wine in hand.

Once I forewent a chance to travel by train from Rawalpindi to Lahore. My wife (who was born in Lahore) implored me to go but I wouldn't - too fastidious then - and since - I have always regretted it. But my favoutrite train journey anywhere is from Paddington station (with its great spans of iron-clad roof) to home, on the Cornish Riviera Express, on what is called again the Great Western Railway. Nothing quite beats that for me. Reading, Taunton, Exeter and, after that the red earthed cliffs and coast (nearer and nearer) - halfway now, the wheels on the rails chattering out 'going home; going home'.... maybe a meal...a drink or two... still four hours (at best). Newton abbott and, at last, Plymouth - the Barbican, gin and Francis Drake. The ever-so-slow progress out of there, through the dockside station, little bridges to creak over and then the vision of the great sweep of Brunnell's masterpiece, the Albert Bridge (1859), still there, still serving - and the flash of light on the expanse of the Tamar - Napoleon's last sight of England - waiting for the answer to his asylum request - no - then gone - out over the Atlantic and away. The train slows perforce as she trundles across the water and all sit up to take in the view and consider that we're nearly there - halfway across and England is secretly left behind and we are in a "foreign country on that side of England next to Spain" - St Germans station (nearly always missed out), the amble along winding tracks, through wooded valleys, to Liskeard and the change for Looe, down its deep declivity and on again to Bodmin Road (Parkway now) and the last leg through the Glynn Valley and past little Lostwithiel with its spire above all - one of the glories of the south west; down to Par where there is another interchange for Newquay and, pre-Beeching, used to be for Fowey too, marshes everywhere - and then the very last leg - past the docks at Par and over, through the golf links at Carlyon Bay - cedar trees in an avenue, and then roaring engine slows and stops at my station - out of the train and a quick run across the carpark (but slower now than 30 years ago), down under the old green iron footbridge, lower Trevarthian Road, the church in sight, the market house now too - and swinging round and up steep North Street (old Menacuddle Lane) and out of breath - the wrought iron gates in sight, crunching up the drive, caught sea air in one's eyes and breath and liungs - and in the door - to my father's firm handshake and my mother's eager look. Home again.
NJS

If you do decide to take the "Canadian" - make sure you book the silver and blue class... The regular class is nice, but the old 1950s cars and observation lounges with dining car are restricted to the silver and blues.

I did this in the 1970s and it was wonderful. I am planning a "getaway" for my wife next year - Ottawa to Vancover with a Jasper stopover - silver and blue, of course.

Never get off the train. Canada is full of creatures only too willing to eat you.

And some of them walk on two legs, I'm told!

Found this article on the Ralph Lauren website, enjoy.

http://entertainment.ralphlauren.com/ma ... aboard.asp

Best Regards,

Cufflink79