A cool train trip into the past

[pigeon toe]

I've been on the Overland Trail a couple of times as a re-enactor, along with my kids and WildRoot. Here are some pictures from June and December.

Great pictures! It looks like fun. How did you get to be a re-enactor for them?

 

[Conductor Bill]

"Great pictures! It looks like fun. How did you get to be a re-enactor for them?"

It's the "luck of the draw" ... I'm new to the vintage scene (although, I have been quietly 'living it' for many years with my involvement in 40's passenger trains), I have recently learned of this "underground movement" ... it's most certainly wonderful. My first exposure was at a "walking threw history time line" in Santa Ana, Calif. several years ago. I was instantly captivated! And that's how I continue to meet prospective reenactors for our trips. There is one thing I am dying to do ... have an ALL VINTAGE trip ... everyone's dressed to the nines, just like the old days. We recently provided the Overland Trail for FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS and I was absolutly blown away when they filled the car with extras ... I had never seen the car "in it's natural habitat" (what it might have looked like in the 40s)!! To see the car, please visit www.overlandtrail.com
-bill
And thanks MK for starting the thread, it was fun to stumble upon it.
Next trip is July 28th

 

[Warden]

Alan, you are dead right Severn Valley about 5 years ago.

I see the image has disappeared from the thread so here it is again.

Harry

 

[Miss 1929]

Emeryville to Reno

A few years ago, a friend who is a train enthusiast invited 60 of his closest friends on a three-day train trip to Reno!
He rented a 1920s Pullman, with staterooms, bar, dining room and outside caboose porch, AND a 1940s Streamline Deco lounge car, AND a 1930s Santa Fe Chief lounge car with the bar downstairs and the clear observation bubble on top!
Despite putting my back out getting on the train (nothing a lot of bourbon couldn't take care of) I had such a great time. We were of course all dressed up and had our vintage luggage and everything.
Here I am pretending to be "Reno-vated" with hankie and flask - don't i look tragically on the way to a divorce?

 

[dr greg]

ritzy

We had a heritage train locally for a while called Ritz Rail, but it went broke, too expensive was the general opinion, although this one's going strong down south
http://www.3801limited.com.au/
They (or a similar organisation) used to use steam locomotives, but apparently steam-nuts would somehow work out how to put the individual carriage brakes on, making the engine work a lot harder putting out lotsa smoke etc and getting them all excited, this of course slowed it down leading to a situation where a regular express caught up with one and ploughed into the observation car killing some kids and so forth, no-one was ever actually identified as being responsible by the coroner, but the "dickhead factor" had to be taken into account in the future so I believe this is why diesels prevail today for this type of excursion. The pleasure of the majority reduced by the actions of a minority, but ain't that the world today!

 

[benstephens]

A few years ago, a friend who is a train enthusiast invited 60 of his closest friends on a three-day train trip to Reno!
He rented a 1920s Pullman, with staterooms, bar, dining room and outside caboose porch, AND a 1940s Streamline Deco lounge car, AND a 1930s Santa Fe Chief lounge car with the bar downstairs and the clear observation bubble on top!
Despite putting my back out getting on the train (nothing a lot of bourbon couldn't take care of) I had such a great time. We were of course all dressed up and had our vintage luggage and everything.
Here I am pretending to be "Reno-vated" with hankie and flask - don't i look tragically on the way to a divorce?

WOW, That is amazing. It must have been three days of pure elegance looking at the photograph..

kindest regrads

Ben

 

[MK]

.

It is odd to see a thread started by me....that I don't remember writing. I guess I can't recall it because it was four years ago!

It feels awkward in a fashion that I find hard to explain.

Nevertheless, Overland has contacted me about doing a special Fedora Lounge trip. How many of you would pull out your wallets for a dinner train trip in Southern California?

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Last week my lady and I took a trip behind her to Holyhead along the magnificent North Wales coast line. Here is a Welsh station sign with a very long name:

If I remember correctly, doesn't Guiness Book list that as the longest geographical name in the world?

And it just makes me miss the Renton Dinner Train more...it's only been gone a few weeks, but they've already ripped out a lot of the old right-of-way and two of the bridges are gone. It's running from Tacoma to Eatonville now and may do a run from Woodinville to Snohomish eventually, but either option's an hour or longer drive. Just fries me when a county executive doesn't get his way in buying a business and can then run said business out of the county just for spite. OK...down off my soapbox...

 

[Warden]

While we are writing about choo choo trains, I thought I'll let you wonderful people know about something we are doing for the 11th November Remembrance Sunday.

We will be at the Leighton Buzzard, preserved railway.

The whole family will be in Edwardian costume to remember the Great War.

The railway was built in 1919, with materials and equipment that were surplus from the battlefield supply lines of the Great War. This will be the last chance this year to experience the newly restored War Department Light Railways No 788 in operation.

Harry

 

[dhermann1]

Going to Reno

Hmmmm . . . . Reminds me of a lady I saw on a train to Reno many, many years ago . . .

 

[Warden]

You see, I told you train travel in the 1930s and 1940s was the absolute height of romance.

A 27ft-high (9m) sculpture designed to become an iconic feature of St Pancras International is unveiled and is intended to reflect the romance of past train travel.

See BBC news report here. I wonder if they are saying "I have a bit of grit in my eye, Perhaps I can help, I am a doctor".

Harry

 

[Warden]

This Sunday is rememberance Sunday (11th Nov) and although we are well known for our 1940s retro lifestyle and historical impressions we are are going back to the Edwardian age for this year’s Remembrance Sunday.

Passionate that the struggle, hardship and sacrifice of a past generation continues to be told we are appearing at the Leighton Buzzard Narrow gauge railway, who are holding a special Armistice day event.

We will be appearing alongside a restored veteran of the First World War trenches, an American locomotive built in 1917. Thus I will be dressed as a WW1 US army soldier.

Amanda plans to be dressed in a repro three piece travelling suit from the 1916 W & H Walker's catalogue which quotes, ‘The fabrics used for this garment are durable and in dark colours that would practical for travelling on a steam railway’.

Is the 11th November remembered in the US? I know you have Veterans day, but I think that is on a different day.

Harry

Links
Leighton Buzzard Narrow gauge railway

 

[skbellis]

Veterans Day

Veterans Day is the 11th of November in the US. We have unfortunately given it a different title. I do think that the Canadians say it better with "Remeberance Day".

Cheers,

---Scott

 

[dhermann1]

Having grown up within range of Canadian TV, I can tell you the Canadians put on a heck of a fine show for Remembrance Day. Their ceremonies just seem so much more tasteful, truly respectful and reverant, and (typically Canadian) wonderfully RESTRAINED. No drum beating chauvinism, simply a heartfelt moment of remembrance for those who made the supreme sacrifice in service of their country.
It was originally, of course, Armistice Day. At 11/11/1918 at 11:11 PM the guns fell silent and The Great War ended.

 

[Warden]

On a little tangent.

A lifelong railway enthusiast's collection of vintage rail posters, which was discovered in Knaresborough after he died, has been sold at auction for more than £400,000.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/york/hi/people_and_places/arts_and_culture/newsid_8457000/8457729.stm

 

[Miss Dizzy Dame]

Fun, I love trains! heres a shot of the interior of a train car we stayed in last summer.

 

[Professor]

Fun, I love trains! heres a shot of the interior of a train car we stayed in last summer.

I love the old varnish! Wooden cars are exceptional and rare, having been displaced by heavyweight steel cars (for good reason, of course! Wood construction does terrible things during a collision). Was this a Soo Line car?

 

[Miss Dizzy Dame]

I love the old varnish! Wooden cars are exceptional and rare, having been displaced by heavyweight steel cars (for good reason, of course! Wood construction does terrible things during a collision). Was this a Soo Line car?

It was built in 1903 as a Day Coach it originally had 80 seats and served on the
North Coast Limited between Minnesota and the state of Washington.

 

[Professor]

It was built in 1903 as a Day Coach it originally had 80 seats and served on the
North Coast Limited between Minnesota and the state of Washington.

Ah, the Northern Pacific...that would've been my second guess!

http://www.american-rails.com/north-coast-limited.html

 

[Warden]

I just have to share.

Last weekend Edna & I took a trip on the British Pullman, which is now part of the Orient Express.

More pics of our trip on here