Didactylos

Hear that Lonesome Whistle Blow - Dee Brown

We rode the rails by Amtrak from Chicago to San Franciscoon one of our holidays pre Covid, it was epic and an amazing experience. The book brings to life the physical struggles to use the railroad to unite the country. What I found staggering was the debunking of any grand mission, and that the people running the various companies were utterly after making a fast buck or thousands. Intriguing but a long read. #Bookstodon

Apr 19, 2023 at 6:36pmWeb
Show threadDidactylosApr 19, 2023
I recall being amazed at how few people from the USA would use this -in the main they were people for whom flying was not an option. It was one of my top holiday experiences.
Show threadDidactylosApr 19, 2023
My Grandmother taught me to read before I went to school, after she died we found a book she had bought for my next birthday. It was a sort of ‘wonders of the world’ book.one chapter was about crossing the Rockies on the train - I wasn’t even 7 then, but it became my ambition to take that trip
Show threadMonsterlanderApr 19, 2023
@Didactylos There is definitely something wonderful about watching the landscape slowly change from a train! Sounds a wonderful journey.
Show threadDidactylosApr 19, 2023
@monsterlander at one point we were in the arid desert region, a couple of hours later climbing through the snow line - it is a regret I will never be able to do another one - because there are some other great long distance routes. Unfortunately the Amtrak system is totally undervalued and under- resourced.
Show threadMonsterlanderApr 19, 2023
@Didactylos that's both wonderful and sad isn't it. It reminds me of a time I drove from high in the Alps to the Mediterranean in a day and had cans on the hot beach ice cold from a cool box packed with mountain snow.