Category: Train

To Cardiff and Wales

My Bristol launchpad was just for getting warmed up and revisit familiar turf. Now it’s on to the new in a land I’d never set foot in before: the land of Camelot, dragons, and rugby fanaticism.

Today started by winding-down my Bristol visit. I had already explored extensively five of the six areas in the core city. What remained was the cathedral and university areas to the west. I had no grand goal, just the ambition to familiarize myself with the area. By pure chance I stumbled across the national organization promoting bicycling and path development. After bending their ear for a while I made it back to check out by 10:00 and headed out to Bristol Temple Mead train station.

When I arrived in Cardiff, I spent the rest of the day at Cardiff Castle.

Historical Museum Train Travel

Ancient Stonehenge

Seeing Stonehenge was not too important to me but I still had to go see it. I wanted to see the place where primitive people found cause to built such an immense structure over 4,000 years ago. What motivated them? How did they transport the huge stones from as far as 240 miles away? What purpose did the site serve? How did they engineer it’s construction? There is no records from when it was built so we just spend our time speculating; there aren’t many answers. Given this mix of unknowns in the presence of this undeniable structure I came away with the sense of wonder I was hoping to feel. Mission accomplished.

However, I didn’t feel this wonder until an hour after I had planned.

Bridge Falls Historical Museum River Train Travel

Smoothly Trans-Atlantic

Bath is famous for many things and probably for these cascades on the River Avon too. However, I came back to this exact spot because the view is spectacular. Bath has so very much to offer.

If not an old shoe, it felt like a familiar shoe when I completed my trip to England by pulling out my Oyster prepaid card and swiping it to enter the Underground to board a Picadilly Line train to Padington. Everything had gone smoothly right down to sleeping which I forced myself to do for several hours in transit. When I strolled off the plane to Customs it felt like the start of a great day; I wasn’t dragging and cursing life. A good first stride in to a familiar and comfortable shoe.

Not wanting to schlep around my suitcase all day, I made my first stop my hostel in Bristol where I checked in and stored my bag in a locker. Then, back on the train for a 10 minute ride back to Bath, a town I’ve previously visited and been blown away by. It has strong Roman influences viewable even today. However, this visit would be different. My plan was to avoid the town’s key feature (the Roman baths) and take in the rest of what was in and around the once-walled city.

My first stop was the tourist information office where they provided me with a walking tour map. With that I set off on my way to explore. So what is there to be seen? A crazy number of interesting sites, among them:

– Jane Austin’s home

Historical Museum Road Train

The National Pike

Ever wonder what the first major highway was in the United States?

Roads among the major eastern cities had developed over the early decades of the U.S. but that network didn’t allow for easy expansion west to settle the new territories. Travelers could go as far west as Cumberland by navigating the Potomac River but from there travel got tough.

In 1811 the federal government commissioned the construction of a National Road to connect Cumberland to Pittsburgh and points west. Then, in 1824 a turnpike was constructed which connected Baltimore with Cumberland and was called the National Pike or the eastern extension of the National Road.

190 years after construction began you can still find many mile markers in place indicating distance to Baltimore (e.g. “3 M To B”). Not all are original but even the newest are many decades old. The idea that still today you can find evidence of the National Pike built at the dawn of our country’s history really intrigued me. I was going to hunt them down and take pictures of those which stood out as notable.

My plan was to drive 125 miles of it starting in Cumberland and heading east to Mile Zero in Baltimore.

Hike Historical River Train Travel

The Six Faces of Harpers Ferry

Post author By TravisGood
Post date July 15, 2010
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I came here to practice my hosteling skills before heading off to Wales in August. I’ll be traveling the U.K. again by train and also doing lots of hiking so I’ll need to travel light. In contrast to last time when I felt burdened every time I relocated, this time I want to travel with less weight but with more technology. I’ll have more cameras, my kindle and iPad, and all the supporting accessories such as a wireless keyboard. Importantly, I’ll be traveling without my six pound laptop computer and this is a frightening prospect, hence my need to test things out with a stay at the Harpers Ferry Hostel.

As usual I knew very little about where I was going. Harpers Ferry is one of two National Parks in West Virginia and it stands at the confluence of two rivers: the Shenandoah and the Potomac.

Historical Museum Road Train Travel

Scranton Has Steam!

From carpenters nails to t-rails for railroad tracks to steam locomotives, the Stanton brothers had a big impact on this town. At the time when trains were just taking off, northeast Pennsylvania was a busy place. The hard coal came from their hills, the rail lines were produced in their foundries, and soon the area was a major rail transportation hub.

The last fact is what caught my attention and that of the National Park Service too. Due to the important roots of steam locomotion in Scranton and the existence of a railway yard with roundhouse the NPS chose to build the Steamtown National Historic Site here. The site has a museum, a working steam line, a functioning roundhouse, lots of trains and a whole lot more.

This place really is for those who love trains of the steam era.

Historical Mountain Road Train Travel

Great Northern over Stevens Pass

Post author By TravisGood
Post date April 8, 2010
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I’m about to head home via Hwy 2 along the path of the Great Northern.

With the vision of connecting Europe to Asia via a transcontinental railway along the northern United States, James J. Hill founded the Great Northern Railway line. The last and largest obstacle to realizing his vision was effective rail over the Cascades Mountains at the chosen site known as Stevens Pass.

The challenge wasn’t easily met but instead took several attempts to secure a safe and predictable path. First the crossing was done by an extensive series of switch backs which took many hours to traverse. Then a two-mile tunnel was built but both snow and smoke were troublesome and when an avalanche occurred killing many passengers an 8-mile tunnel was built. For 60 years this was the longest in the western hemisphere and its still in use today.

Historical Museum Road Train Travel

Baltimore Museums

B&O Railroad in Baltimore — Looks like a horse drawn coach but it’s a very early passenger car from the dawn of steam locomotion. Fascinating to see a legacy of the old be used in the new transport ... a distinct character of transition.

Today’s winter weather promised to be unseasonably sunny and 60 degrees so at 7:30AM I headed out the door for Baltimore. Only an hour away, I’ve given Baltimore almost no attention over the years but after consulting AAA.com I found an abundance of interesting sites to visit. Today I hit Fort McHenry, the Baltimore Museum of Industry, and the B&O Railroad Museum.

Look Back Train Travel

A Look Back: Paris

Head Crushing Pyramid — Where I.M. Pei has left his mark, I want to visit. Pyramids and the Louvre went together in his mind. Apparently this woman wanted the same. Paris had so many sites to see! I must return!

My first trip to France was from London via the Chunnel.

Good stuff, though my hostel left much to be desired.

Click here for a look back on my visit.

Hike Summary Train Travel

Summary: England by Train, Paris by Foot

Post author By TravisGood
Post date April 17, 2008
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Train Aisle — Railroad began in England so it’s no wonder they have an extensive and very well run network. Towns and cities grew up around railway stations so I planned an adventure around this realization.

I’m about to embark on my latest good pursuits which will be accomplished by rail in England and by foot in Paris. Using a 22-day BritRail Pass and a book entitled “Britain by BritRail” I plan to visit 30-40 towns and get to know their stations and nearby sights. In Paris I’ll be using my box of 50 walking tour cards over the course of a week to familiarize myself with one of the world’s grandest old cities. If all goes well, I’ll be one tiny step closer to becoming a cosmopolitan man!

You can follow my adventures here.