Trains, Difference Between Europe and The US

[jackiemac]

Prior to that, I always thought that feeling the train rail vibrating only happened in the movies. Good times...

Reminded my of My Cousin Vinny

 

[JudyJB]

I often take UK trains, but my one tip is to never eat their egg salad sandwiches that are provided free in first class carriages. Second tip is to take a lot of various sizes of ziplock bags with you when you travel, just in case you accidentally eat an egg salad sandwich on the train.

 

[Tulecreeper]

WOW, that was you?!

When I first saw this movie I thought, "That was me!"

 

[Oldgator73]

I often take UK trains, but my one tip is to never eat their egg salad sandwiches that are provided free in first class carriages. Second tip is to take a lot of various sizes of ziplock bags with you when you travel, just in case you accidentally eat an egg salad sandwich on the train.

We have never eaten anything provided by the train. We have brought our snacks though.

 

[A Traveler]

I worked in the railroad industry for many years. I’m a licensed locomotive engineer and was a corporate officer in a regional railroad.

The map the OP showed is terribly misleading. It shows only the transcontinental main lines, but does not show the vast network of branch lines, regionals, and short lines that truly make up the US rail network.

Here is what the US rail network really looks like…

 

[1stimerver]

I was totally impressed with the local rail service in Holland, Germany and Japan. There seemed to be stations everywhere. I found the ones that connected the small surrounding villages to the market areas and big cities, were conveniently located, inexpensive, clean and on time. They also seemed to be much safer than mass transportation in the US.

Being "packed into a bullet train from Yokohama to Tokyo in Japan during rush hour was an experience I'll never forget. People were literally shoved back into the car so that the doors could close!!

When I worked out of our New York city office, I commuted from central NJ to Penn Station every week day for 3 months. They were generally on time but the maintenance and house keeping on those trains left a lot to be desired. We used to race to get the last car on the train as you could leave the back door open to get some air flow, if the AC wasn't working or some drunk lost his dinner in the car the night before. Busses in Europe and Japan were also readily available, affordable, clean and convenient for shorter trips.

I haven't had the desire or need to take any public transportation in the US for years. Just spoiled I guess.

Just my $.02 FWIW
Safe travels and all the best.

 

[Tom]

Being "packed into a bullet train from Yokohama to Tokyo in Japan during rush hour was an experience I'll never forget. People were literally shoved back into the car so that the doors could close!!

I recall seeing that on commuter trains in Japan. They employ "pushers" at the stations to keep shoving folks in when there was not really any more room. From the outside, you'd see folks with their faces pushed against the windows. One local explained that, when they shove like that, whoever is in the center is no longer standing on the floor

Don't recall seeing it on the Shinkansen, maybe because I was always in a carriage with reserved seats.

 

[John From Detroit]

Well My mother tells me that one of my uncles got ran over by a train.. He was crossing the tracks (several of them were ) and he tripped. He was able to lie between the rails and there was enough clearance (I gather the train was low speed but not sure) or so she said.

It's like so many things. Best place to be when Train is rolling down the tracks.. ELSEWHERE.

Had some kids release the brakes on a couple rail cars and they rolled down the tracks and across the road hitting a crossing car (killing passenger) State Trooper jumped on and re-applied the hand brakes.. JUST IN TIME and got it stopped... had it gone a few yards more the Driver would have been killed as well... The story appeared in the press In This is True and I met and talked with that trooper .

 

[1stimerver]

I recall seeing that on commuter trains in Japan. They employ "pushers" at the stations to keep shoving folks in when there was not really any more room. From the outside, you'd see folks with their faces pushed against the windows. One local explained that, when they shove like that, whoever is in the center is no longer standing on the floor

Don't recall seeing it on the Shinkansen, maybe because I was always in a carriage with reserved seats.

I always thought it was the bullet train, but I remember being squeezed in. in Yokohama, and let out in Tokyo.. I'm 6'1" and really felt sorry for the shorter locals being squeezed.

 

[meaningful_meanderings]

I recall seeing that on commuter trains in Japan. They employ "pushers" at the stations to keep shoving folks in when there was not really any more room. From the outside, you'd see folks with their faces pushed against the windows. One local explained that, when they shove like that, whoever is in the center is no longer standing on the floor

Don't recall seeing it on the Shinkansen, maybe because I was always in a carriage with reserved seats.

Remembering Pusher Ross from the old Gary Cooper movie Sgt York. That was how he got his name.

 

[Tulecreeper]

I always thought it was the bullet train, but I remember being squeezed in. in Yokohama, and let out in Tokyo.. I'm 6'1" and really felt sorry for the shorter locals being squeezed.

Confucius say, "Crowded elevator smell different to midget."

 

[Tom]

Confucius say, "Crowded elevator smell different to midget."

Those crowded commuter trains smelled pretty bad, irrespective what elevation your nose was at.

 

[JudyJB]

My only problems with London trains are the stairs and escalators. On the escalators, people stand to the right and pass to the left. On the stairs, it is a free-for-all because in some stations signs say to walk on the right and in others, it will say to walk on the left. The result is on most stairs, people do both, causing chaos. Because of my left shoulder problems, I always stand on the right so I can hold on with my right hand. even if this makes people coming towards me move over!! Since people will be coming up and going down on both sides, it really does not matter because you are always on the wrong side of someone.

Same confusion is found on London sidewalks, at least according to my observations. It would really be helpful if they were more consistent and painted arrows to show you the flow.

The other fun thing is how people park on whatever side, especially in small towns. Instead of parking on the same side as you are driving, if there is an open spot on the opposite side of the street, a driver will cut across traffic and grab it.

And what continually startles me when driving in the UK is when I turn down a side street in a small town and find two lanes of parked cars facing me. I always slam on brakes thinking that I have gone down the wrong way on a one-way street. Nope. Even if there is only one open lane of traffic and parked cars facing you on both sides of the road, it is likely to be a two-way street. Luckily, the Brits are pretty flexible once you get out of the main cities!

 

[Tulecreeper]

Same confusion is found on London sidewalks, at least according to my observations. It would really be helpful if they were more consistent and painted arrows to show you the flow.

You ever been to New York?

 

[jackiemac]

My only problems with London trains are the stairs and escalators. On the escalators, people stand to the right and pass to the left. On the stairs, it is a free-for-all because in some stations signs say to walk on the right and in others, it will say to walk on the left. The result is on most stairs, people do both, causing chaos. Because of my left shoulder problems, I always stand on the right so I can hold on with my right hand. even if this makes people coming towards me move over!! Since people will be coming up and going down on both sides, it really does not matter because you are always on the wrong side of someone.

Same confusion is found on London sidewalks, at least according to my observations. It would really be helpful if they were more consistent and painted arrows to show you the flow.

The other fun thing is how people park on whatever side, especially in small towns. Instead of parking on the same side as you are driving, if there is an open spot on the opposite side of the street, a driver will cut across traffic and grab it.

And what continually startles me when driving in the UK is when I turn down a side street in a small town and find two lanes of parked cars facing me. I always slam on brakes thinking that I have gone down the wrong way on a one-way street. Nope. Even if there is only one open lane of traffic and parked cars facing you on both sides of the road, it is likely to be a two-way street. Luckily, the Brits are pretty flexible once you get out of the main cities!

It is actually a UK road traffic offence to park against the flow but not often enforced.

 

[JudyJB]

I had no idea it was illegal, but I did notice it was very common, like this.



I had read up about UK parking rules and then walked around Chipping Camden one day and took photos of some of the offenders. The worst was a bunch of churchgoers on that Wednesday!! They were parked in no parking zones, on crosswalks, in zebra areas, loading only, etc.

 

[Tom]

In my younger days living in the UK, and also during numerous visits from California, whenever I turned into my parents' street, I always parked on the right outside their house. Never gave it another thought.

I've observed wrong-side parking countless times during our 44 years living in CA. It was only when we first came to our current community 24 years ago that someone pointed out the 'community service' person giving folks tickets for parking on the wrong side. I've similarly given folks a heads up. But contractors park wherever they feel like it.

 

[Chef Duane]

First time I was in London I almost got myself killed... Has some free time so I went walking. Stopped on a corner and looked left for traffic, seeing none I stepped off the curb. Well, you know the rest.

 

[Oldgator73]

First time I was in London I almost got myself killed... Has some free time so I went walking. Stopped on a corner and looked left for traffic, seeing none I stepped off the curb. Well, you know the rest.

It’s stamped on the concrete at each intersection “LOOK LEFT”. Every subway also has a sign that says “MIND THE GAP” at each subway door.

 

[jackiemac]

It’s stamped on the concrete at each intersection “LOOK LEFT”. Every subway also has a sign that says “MIND THE GAP” at each subway door.

Not everywhere. In fact hardly anywhere I've been in the UK...