Stop, Look and Listen
I was surfing Rail-Videos.net with my son and daughter the other night and found a video that demonstrates what happens when a tractor trailer tangles with a freight train at a RR crossing. Check out the video here. Look for the guy in a pink shirt entering the shot from the right side at the very beginning of the video. What was he thinking!
Take A Virtual Tour Of An Amtrak Sleeper Car
I’m sure most O Gauge fans who haven’t traveled by rail in a sleeping car (like me) are curious to find out what the rooms are all about. Amtrak has a virtual tour of a Superliner Sleeping Car on their website that gives you a 3D look at the bedrooms available in the car. Check out the tour here.
Railway Journeys, The Vanishing Age of Steam
As I become more and more interested in O Gauge model railroading I find myself wanting to find out more about the prototypical versions of the trains I drool over in the O Gauge catalogs. I paid a visit to Best Buy this weekend and while wandering through the movie section I came across a box set of DVDs entitled "Railway Journeys, The Vanishing Age Of Steam." I was very surprised to find a documentary about trains at Best Buy and even more surprised that the 5 DVD set cost only $14.99!. For that price I couldn’t resist, so I bought it and I’m very glad I did.
Click on the link below to read on
Continue to read Railway Journeys, The Vanishing Age of Steam
Traveling By Rail Podcasts
Not much happening in the world of O Gauge right now so I couldn’t resist a post about a rail travel company using podcasting to assist rail travelers. Podcasts are nothing new but I like the way Vacations By Rail is using them to drum up potential customers. If you’re thinking about planning a rail vacation then you will want to give a listen to the Rail Insider Series podcasts by Vacations By Rail. Vacations By Rail is producing the podcasts to provide listeners with helpful tips for planning a rail vacation. Each episode includes a link to supplemental materials (route maps, schedules, sample itineraries, etc) for download that are referenced during the podcast. Episode 1 is available now and covers a transcontinental trip on Amtrak. Listening to the episode and having never traveled cross country by rail, I found it to have some very useful information. I didn’t realize it takes 4 days and 3 nights to travel cross country on Amtrak. Definitely worth a listen if you are thinking about traveling cross country by rail for the first time.
Maybe someday Classic Toy Trains, O Gauge Railroading, Model Train News or some other model railroading magazine will realize that podcasts are a great way to supplement their publications. Wouldn’t it be great if you could download the latest podcast from your favorite model railroading magazine on to your iPod and listen to it on your daily walk or run or on the way to work?
New Union Pacific Hertiage Paint Scheme - Southern Pacific
According to a post on the O Gauge Railroading forum MTH’s Mike Wolf, during a promotional appearance at a Reno, NV train shop, stated that MTH will be producing model locomotives sporting the Union Pacific "Heritage" paint schemes. Surprising news given that MTH is currently in court with Union Pacific over a trademark infringement suit raised against MTH by UP. Here’s hoping that the case doesn’t impact MTH’s plans because the most recent Heritage paint scheme representing the Southern Pacific is fantastic. Click on the link below to read on
Continue to read New Union Pacific Hertiage Paint Scheme - Southern Pacific
Freedom Trains
In the spirit of the holiday, here are a few facts and some interesting links about the Freedom trains that crisscrossed the American rails in 1947 -49 and again in 1975 - 76.
The purpose of the ‘47 Freedom Train was to help citizens reflect on the meaning of American citizenship in a post war world. The original freedom train brought versions of the U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights to over 300 destinations across the U.S. The train was powered by an ALCO PA-1 diesel locomotive.
The Freedom Train of ‘75-’76 traveled the U.S. in celebration of the Bicentennial. 3 separate steam locomotives were restored to transport a consist of 26 cars, 10 of which were display cars displaying "treasures of the United States". The locomotives were painted in red, white and blue schemes and traveled the country for 21 months starting on April 1, 1975. Many railroad companies across the country also celebrated the Bicentennial by painting some of their equipment in patriotic schemes.
Happy Independence Day!