And what about trains?

[tolivac]

For Metro-was it ROHR-must of been instead of Budd-the other subway car builder-don't think they make subway cars anymore either-interesting how the subway cars are IMPORTED today.Whats the Kawasaki cars like-I only remember the Breda.Last time I rode Metro was in 1999.Than got transferred to greenville,NC--beleive its going to be a LONG TIME before I see a subway here!!When I talked to a Metro employee on one of my rides-he mentioned all of the older cars were converted to AC traction like the Breda cars-they even got the equipment for the conversion from Breda-and made the conversions in house-admire METRO for that-also they have a dept that refurbishes buses.Also when I rode Metro was kinda fun to see the substations for converting the commercial AC power to the "third rail" power.They didn't have the cameras and security when I rode it-thats 9-11 for you.Oh- another thing-for you subway riders-you may want to be careful about putting anything that contains magnetic medias on the car floors--on one of my Metro rides I was watching a paper clip that was on the car floor---it flipped up and danced slightly when the train accelerated and deaccelarated-nice strong magnetic feild there-probably the motor reactor in the VFD drive for the motors.Was not over the wheels.Would bet the traction motors would put out a good mag feild as well.also the Metro fellow told me that any seats that were "Graffiti" were removed and discarded.He mentioned that some of the paints the artusts used were impossible to clean off.

 

[Cybrvanr]

That's a fun trick that our friends did up there on the metro-rail. One time, we got on a metro-rail train, and poured out a box of paper clips onto the floor. When the train started up, I sat there with the cam-corder taping the the dance that the paperclips were doing. I'll hafta dig that tape up and digitize it. It's quite funny, especially the reactions of the other riders when they were moving on their own. When the driver would apply power, they would bunch up, and then when he started braking, they would fly apart, almost like they were in some type of clay-mation animation skit!

 

[tolivac]

The boxful of paper clips on the Metro car floor would be more interesting than the just one that I saw.Try spreading 'em out and see just where the mag feild is most concentrated.You can then determine where it would be safe to put items that contain mag media while traveling.After I saw that clip jumping around-put my breifcase and tape walkman in my lap!I had tapes in my bag.Kinda like the old experiment in science class where you put a peice of cardboard over a magnet and put the iron filings on the cardboard to see the "feild" the magnet puts out.

 

[pushtorelease]

I've always loved trains and here in the west, there's not too many left - in Vancouver there's just the Canadian that Pete mentioned and Amtrak to Seattle. Even more than the trains themselves, I love the stations. The grandeur of the old Canadian Pacific stations or Grand Central in NY. In Santiago, Chile, where my partner's from, the central station is designed by Eiffel and it's still in use, although I think it's just commuter trains now. Very impressive - I was standing there wanting to take a train...anywhere!

 

[Cybrvanr]

If any of you all are in Arizona, be sure to ride the Grand Canyon Railway. It's a neat trip from Williams Arizone 50 miles north to the Canyon. It's aboard classic Pullman cars and they are pulled by an oil-fired steam locomotive (sometimes they put a General-Motors vintage diesel in line if they need a little extra pulling power too) About halfway back from the canyon, the train is "robbed" by bandits. A sheriff will come aboard and apprehend the bandits.

It's really a fun trip, takes you back to the old West. Great for train nuts!

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www.thetrain.com

 

[shawn]

Amtrak Acela express

I live in eastern Ct where the Amtrak electric Acela trains run. I was waiting for a local train when the express went
by. what a nice train, I want to ride it sometime.

 

[toggleswitch]

It would be good to see you again, having met at Rich & Chuck's Mass. wash-in.

Take it to me in *the* city! You are welcome any time!

 

[shawn]

Thank's Toggleswitch

I would love to take it to N.Y. and stop by for a visit. let
me know when.

 

[sudsmaster]

Come to think of it, I think the BART cars were/are made by Rohr as well.