Re: holidays - any ideas?

[Greg Triplett <triplett@hotkey.net.au>]

Hi There,

> I'm in Canberra looking to take a few weeks holidays soon and would love to
> spend as much time as possible near the rails.  Can people please suggest
> any good places to go to see lots of good rail action?

Here's 10 current train watching spots which I love:

1. JINGPENG PASS ( Inner Mongolia ).  World's No.1 steam
watching spot. Mountains, curved viaducts tunnels and double
header 2-10-2's with snow. Freezing -30 deg C conditions &
shit food. Came back with a torn cartlidge from here last
time. What better place for a holiday ?

2. BOSTON BAR - BANFF ( Canadian Pacific Railway - British
Columbia ). Red engines, world's best practice scenery and a
parallel highway. Unrool. Pity about the weather though.

3. TEHACHAPI ( California ). It twists and turns, locos flat
out, flanges squealing. Maybe not the best photspot in North
America but probably the best watching spot. Watch out you
don't step on a "Mojave Green" in late May. One day this
will probably be part of the merged BNSFUPSPCNCRNSCSX
Railroad.

4. WEST SLOPE - PITTSBURGH MAINLINE. ( Pennsylvania ). 70
freights a day, helpers, Fall colours. A real magnet.
Book the " B & O room" facing the tracks at the Station Inn
in Cresson and you can sleep to the music of SD40-2's
shoving trains over the hill. The Cresson Liquor shop
doesn't stock wine but then this isn't civilisation anyway
is it ?

5. BOMBAY VT. ( Mumbai, Maharastra, India.) Soak up the
ancient electrics as they grind their way out of the station
towards the Ghats. Soak up the smells of the food cooking
and the colours of the passing crowds. Watch you don't step
in something. 
Catch a passing Hindustan Ambassador back to the Taj hotel
for a shower. 

6. PORT A GUTTER ( South Australia ). Nitty gritty Oz
action. Now where else you going to see covered wagons on a
stack train ?

7. KM 95.5 ( Hamersley Iron RR ). You don't need to leave Oz
to see monster trains. Silver locomotoras, strange rock
formations. Take a lot of money with you. Watch out for the
spinifex and Joe Blakes.

8. De VEAUX ROAD CENTRAL. ( HKG ). Double deck trams snaking
their way through the traffic. Amahs outside the Hongkong
and Shanghai Bank on Sunday mornings. Rub the Lion's paw
while you're there it'll bring you good luck. Walk up from
from the Star Ferry Terminal Ho' Ko' Sye. ( as opposed to
the Kow' Loo' Sye ).

9. DARJEELING ( India ). Hire a landrover from the Windamere
Hotel after Tiffin. Chase the afternoon train back up the
hill. Rich territory for working those peoples faces into
the shots.

10. ST PAUL ( Minnesota ). Continuous freight action from a
dozen or more RR's. Scenic inner city spots, Fall colours or
deep snow depending on the season. MSP is a little known
urban RR attraction. No need for that Kevlar jacket which
you need whilst taking in the RR action in the bad 'hoods on
Chicago's South side.

Hope this helps.

Greg Triplett
( the devil made me do it )