Recent content by Steve4031

I am planning a trip for August, traveling between August 8-9. I would like to know how far in advance I can make seat reservations for TGV services in France. I understand there is a reservation quota for passholders. I would like to optimize my choice of seats to ensure getting a window...

In the United States, the sleepers on some trains are right behind the engine. People complain about the whistle-blowing for the grade crossings. I can understand a non-rail enthusiast being annoyed. But I have heard railfans complain about this, too. I look at them and say you can't be a...

I am also interested in the Cevenol route. When I start planning this trip, I should probably start my own thread.

I am intrigued by the TER trains following the classic line from Paris to Marseille. What kinds of rolling stock are used on these trains? The man in seat 61 described refurbished Corail cars, which would be excellent, in my opinion. How crowded are these trains in the fall or spring?

The last time I traveled through Baltimore, there was no extra "check-in process." You show up, wait for the track to be posted, and head down to the platform.

The article mentions that two voyager trainsets will operate between Edinburgh and Gloucester. They will split with one train set continuing to Cardiff and the other to Plymouth.

I have used Google Translate with JR staff and have gotten excellent results. I don't have specific answers to your questions because I used a rail pass and a Suica card when traveling in Japan.

My favorite train memory from the UK was riding a slam-door train from Waterloo to Aldershot, IIRC, to ride the Watercress line. It was my first train ride in the UK, and it was in 1988. In the United States, it has been absolutely forbidden to open windows on the train when it was moving, so I...

In the US, we called those Ghetto Blasters. A smartphone and Bluetooth speaker can accomplish the same disruption or worse.

I probably should not have used the word "still." This was my first international train ride in Europe, so I had no experience to compare to Amtrak in the United States.

This brings back memories of my first rail pass trip to Europe in 1990. I rode a EuroCity train from Amsterdam to Basel that was still in German livery. I remember eating lunch in the dining car as we arrived in Cologne. Another trip highlight was taking the Transalpine express from Basel to...

I live in the US, and IMHO, the main platform for the GOP is to undo any good the Democratic party has done. Thus, the US stagnates. On a positive note, California is moving along far enough on its HSR project, and Brightline is operating in Florida and starting construction on the line between...

Denzel Washington is awesome as the veteran railroader.

This could be extremely dangerous for a visually impaired person. They would not know that the door was not aligned with the platform.

Thank you. I missed the small print.