Since I haven't posted in quite a while and it's a quiet Friday here at the English language school where I work in San Diego, I thought that I would
take a moment to include you nomads in my Baja daydreaming...
While driving back from Mulege in June with my friends, we were saying how it would be cool if you could take a train from the border all the way to
Los Cabos. Remember this is just wishful thinking so we don't need to get into all the concrete worries of the environment and what route our train
should take....we figured just run a shadow with Highway #1 would be fine for our needs anyway.
Personally, I have taken the coast train from L.A. up to the Bay area and it was great to see spots you never get to see when driving.
We like the "mythical train" idea because the thought of traveling through all of our favorite spots and not worrying about some of our common driving
issues...paying attention to the road...think the descent into Santa Rosalia, El Rosario...I'm sure that you have your favorites too. Then, there's
the cow, chiba, burro in the road (of course, our magic train would have to watch out for that too!!) or your favorite ABC Bus breathing down your
neck.
Our train would also have the double-decker bubble car for optimal views and what overnight train would be complete without a "Baja Bar Car"....the
drink and food menu possibilities boogle the mind.
So, on today's Friday daydream, just sit back and imagine letting someone else cruise down the tracks to all your favorite spots....OK, back to work
now. Hope you enjoyed this short trip!!Mexitron - 7-30-2004 at 01:51 PM
How about a monorail? Quieter, no worry's about critters, much less environmental problems to construct--and every seat has the double decker view!JESSE - 7-30-2004 at 01:54 PM
Its an idea thats been floating around for ages, unfortunatelly its simply not currently economically viable, our stupid Mexican goverment can?t even
make a desition on building an Ensenada to Mexicali railroad, and considering the maquila industry that needs billions of asian goods coming tru
Ensenada on their way to Tijuana, Mexicali and Sonora, i have no clue why they cant build a small rail like that.
Tijuana to los Cabos?
Maybe in 30 years.
Thanks Lindsay
jrbaja - 7-30-2004 at 02:37 PM
Wouldn't that be a great idea. The Baja Bar Car that is! hahahahahahahaha
But unless it were just for passengers and went real slow, most of the beauty of Baja would be passed right by without being able to stop and smell
the Biznaga!
Great daydreaming though clackity clack clack clack !!
Good DayDreaming, Huh??
lindsay - 7-30-2004 at 02:42 PM
Thanks everyone for humoring me with your throughts...I like the monorail one and jrbaja, I agree, the slow train approach would be best for catching
all the sights!! I'm sure that going through some parts of the terrain would take care of the speed factor.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!!
Egualmente Se?orita
jrbaja - 7-30-2004 at 03:01 PM
If you have any other daydreams like that , I'm purty sure we all enjoy em.
copper canyon railway....
capt. mike - 7-30-2004 at 03:06 PM
nothing else like it. tunnels, bridges and sometimes banditos!!bajalou - 7-30-2004 at 03:11 PM
The last of the Nevada mining RRs built was the T&T, Tonapah & Tidewater. Built in Nev and Cal down thru Baker and Ludlow and that about ended it.
The "Tidewater" was to be Ensenada for shipping the gold/silver/? . Tracks pulled up in the early 40's for the steel for the war effort. That
thoughts been around for a long time.
My dream train...
Mexray - 7-30-2004 at 06:24 PM
would have a 'retro' look to fit into Baja's scenic wonders...The engines would look like an old Steam Engines, but perhaps with modern jet-turbines
hidden inside to make them more user-friendly...the stations in each major 'village' stop would be modeled after 1880's vintage RR stations - maybe
they could hire Disney's people to make it all right!...Miss Kitty's saloon might be franchised, along with a few two-story hotels, etc.
There would be a refer-car for the sportsmen to stash their fresh fish...
A Hussong's Canteen car that would have 24/7 music, margie's and ice cold cerveza...
A Comida car with lots of local goodies to everyone's tastes...
A few sleeper cars with compartments and bunk beds to catch a few 'winks...
A few observation cars to catch all the great sights Baja has to offer...
A Binion's Casino car, where one could play texas hold em', and stroke a one-armed bandido for a couple of hours...
A spa car, where one could get a nice rub or sauna soak...
A Cinema car, where one could catch the latest flick...
An Internet car, where one could keep in touch with the world, for those die-hard types that just can't break free for a care-free vacation!
An ATM car, where you cold get your wallet re-filled to pay for all the above!
People would come from around the world to travel on this wonder of a modern, retro styled, RR!....wait a minute, maybe thats a bad thing - attracting
MORE people!
Anyway, the trains would go south-bound one day and north-bound the next, with Sunday's idle - no chance of head-on collisions!
The RR could also mix a regular freight or two for add'l revenue, and maybe a flatcar train to tie-down gringo Moho's, RV trailers and boats.
Maybe we could entice Clint Eastwood with his 'fist full of dollars' to get the project rolling!
Thanks Lindsay...you've got the thoughts flying tonight!
Calmate Mexray
jrbaja - 7-30-2004 at 08:02 PM
Brilliant ideas, better than development, and one hell of an income generator. Hmmmm. Mexitron - 7-30-2004 at 09:08 PM
Except I think a rail-line might lead to more development
Mexray......
capt. mike - 7-31-2004 at 07:42 AM
there's one other "service" that could be in a dedicated car..........well this is a dream sequence, right??
My Dream Train
Packoderm - 7-31-2004 at 07:43 PM
My dream train would run from Seattle to San Diego at about 200 MPH or more. I would like to spontaneously show up at the ticket counter, buy a
ticket, and be on my way within an hour or so.rogerj1 - 7-31-2004 at 10:02 PM
I like it Packoderm, and it would cost less than a plane.Neal Johns - 8-1-2004 at 11:07 AM
Bajalou,
It just struct me, the T&T (Tonapah and Tidewater) must have been planned by the same people responsible for the Escalera Nautica - the T&T never made
it to Tonapah or tidewater!Mexitron - 8-1-2004 at 10:17 PM
Mag-Lev Monorail, there Packoderm, would do the job. I hear that these modern transportation systems would be just great but don't get implemented
because the contractors who build them make more money putting in antiquated rail lines and subway systems.surfer jim - 8-1-2004 at 10:58 PM
Mexray...you will also need a "Port-a-John" car for the tourists who get "Touristas".....tim40 - 8-7-2004 at 05:00 PM
Baja Train...would be my nightmare...not a dream. I am one of those that wishes that people were still concerned about all of those 'bad' baja
rumors....mcgyver - 8-28-2004 at 12:11 PM
There is now talk of a container port in Colonet and a rail connetion through Yuma, Az. My guess is that the latest port slowdown by the truckers has
hurt the Chinaesse export and they are going to bust the west coast union. China has the funds to finanice to whole thing. About 150 train loads`of
their exports move east weekly. Might not be room on the tracks for a passenger car!Herb - 8-28-2004 at 01:46 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by tim40
Baja Train...would be my nightmare...not a dream. I am one of those that wishes that people were still concerned about all of those 'bad' baja
rumors....
I'm with you on that one!mcgyver - 8-28-2004 at 05:54 PM
It seems that all the banditos are in Ca,Az & TX. Southern Pacfic says that there are approx 600 active train robbers between LA and El Paso. The
banditos freeze and bust the locks on containers and toss the goods off to awaiting confederates on Quads and SUV's. Engineers are told to call the RR
police if they have to stop for any reason. Last year a traim broke down near Hyder,Az a n isolated area, for some reason no one responded to calls
for help and the train was almost stripped in broad daylight.It seems they have good info on what and where to hit them, they have stolen so many of
these new headlights off new cars that the makers ship them by air.
I have seen the Mexican trains on the mainland and beleive me you don't want to ride anything but first class. At the RR crossing in Victoria
Guadlupe SE of Mexicalli the hoboes jump off and buy tacos while the train is switching cars and trade insults with the car drivers waiting for the
train to clear the intersection, when it does clear there are 6 lanes of traffic on a 2 lane road!! Me I am scared of all trains and would not ride
AmTrack for cash money in advance!MrBillM - 8-28-2004 at 07:25 PM
There are very few "passenger" train routes in the U.S that are
self-sustaining, much less profitable. Most of those are in the
crowded North Eastern Seaboard corridor.
Regarding Mexican Trains, Added to the already noted dangers,
would be the fact that they have a lot of maintenance related
accidents. Think about the way they maintain their highways.
All this talk
jrbaja - 8-28-2004 at 07:53 PM
about train robbers and bandidos for a railway thet hasn't even happened yet.
Yalls killin me. I wouldn't even think about riding a train. Except Knotts Berry farm and even there, yer not safeMexitron - 8-28-2004 at 10:32 PM
