Enjoying European Trains

Finding a Home for; or disposing of; model railroad items

5/1/2023

Whether it's a collection that you discovered in the attic, a train layout that was left behind by a family member who has departed for the next world, or your own model trains that you simply want to get to a good home, you're not the first to reach out to the Great Lakes ETE looking for options. Hopefully this blog post helps answer your questions and give you some options. First, some ETEGL disclaimers:

1. European Train Enthusiasts is not a train dealer. We do not buy or sell model railroad equipment.
2. European Train Enthusiasts does not assess or assign the value(s) model railroad equipment.
3. Under very specific circumstances we may agree to make your collection available to our members.
- The item(s) of the collection MUST be European Prototype model railroad items
- There must be a list of each item or lot of items to be accompanied by an image (or images) of the items.
- The list must indicate the price you are willing to accept for the item(s)
4. Any transactions will be between you and the individual who is a member of our organization, not with the organization.

If you have no one in your family or of your acquaintance that you could hand the items over to…Then you will need to find a way to get them to someone who will use or sell them.

The first decision that must be made is – am I willing to donate the items (meaning give the items away with no expectation of reimbursement) – or – do I want to try make money through a transaction or a series of transactions?

It is important to understand that the “value” of model railroad equipment is only equal to how much someone is willing to pay for it. There are books that exist that try to assess a value to these items, but those are only estimates based on a collector’s value and the models must be in “like new” condition (never run)…and you have to find someone willing to pay that price.

Whichever course you decide to take, donate or sell, you will need to find your “customers”.

DONATIONS
Look for local model railroad clubs. A Google Search for Model Railroad Clubs in Michigan will yield may returns. Here are some email and web addresses that could be helpful…
For European trains:
Anthony Cammarata – [email protected]
European Train Enthusiasts – [email protected]
For US Trains:
Nation Model Railroad Association Central District Director – [email protected]
Ann Arbor Model Railroad Club - https://www.hvrrhs.org/contact.html
Kalamazoo Model Railroad Historical Society – [email protected]
Grand Rapids Model Railroad Historical Society - https://www.grmrhs.org
Detroit Model Railroad Club - http://www.dmrrc.org
Redford Model Railroad Club - https://redfordmrrc.org
Lansing Model Railroad Club - https://lmrc.org
Blissfield Model Railroad Club - https://bmrr.org
South Oakland County Model Railroad Club - http://socmrrc.org
Gratiot Valley Railroad - http://www.gvrr.org
Muskegon Railroad Historical Society - https://mrhsonline.org
Retailers who may sell used items. For European trains, try:
Reynauld’s – www.Reynaulds.com
Robert J Frowenfeld – www.RJFtrains.com

Many organizations will be willing to accept donations, and some will not.

SELLING
“There is no such thing as a free lunch”. You may need to prepare (clean up), catalog and photograph each item you wish to sell. You also have a decision to make when it comes to selling. Do you want to try and sell the whole lot as one or do you want to sell the items in sets or individually. In most cases, any individuals who are willing to help you will give you advice about which direction they think you should go.

Sell through local train clubs – some of the clubs/individuals listed above may promote the items that you have for sale to their membership.

Sell at Local Train Shows - Some of the organizations listed above sponsor their own “Train Shows” where vendors rent tables and sell their wares. You may wish to contact them about participating in their events or having someone participate for you. Anthony Cammarata (Listed under donations) may be willing to purchase your “Maerklin” items. He sells used Maerklin items at local shows.

Sell at Regional Train Shows – Larger Show happen in Michigan once or twice a year. If you have a substantial number of items to sell, visit https://www.trainshow.com and contact them to learn what you need to do participate as a vendor.

Contact Local Hobby Shop – Hobby shops may allow you to post a notice about the items you have for sale and in some cases, they may actually sell them on consignment.

Advertise through Social Media – Get the word out through your social media channels that you have model railroad equipment that you would like to sell.

Advertise in your local newspaper.

Perform a Google search for businesses that will buy used railroad items.

Sell them on eBay as one lot or in lots.

Time / Money: The disposition of a model train collection is, like many things, a trade-off between effort and return. Maximizing the amount of money a collection will bring in will require a significant amount of time and effort, as well as research on model railroad brands and specific collectibles. It is ultimately in your best interests to set expectations you are comfortable with on both sides of this equation.

We hope you find this information helpful.

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To Railpass or not, part 2

10/24/2022

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As I type this blog entry, I'm also in the process of arranging a trip to Germany and Switzerland for forty railfans. It occurs to me to update the previous article, adding in what I have learned.

You see, this kind of two-country trip (not unusual for railfans wanting to experience European train travel) makes for an interesting puzzle, since the two countries require separate railpasses. What I discovered was that the Swissrail pass costs 570 Swiss Francs for a six-consecutive-day first class pass. That's $570 at today's exchange rate. A 15-day first class Eurailpass (which includes Switzerland in the 33 countries it covers) costs more- eight dollars more! So basically, if you want to enjoy the flexibility of a railpass while you are in Switzerland, you can tack on over a week of traveling around Europe for less than ONE DOLLAR per day. The Germanrail pass for seven days costs $349, so you just saved $341 and get two extra travel days to boot.
Of course, the Swissrail pass includes other amenities and special routes that the Eurail pass does not cover. So be sure to complete all your research around your 'must do' excursions and their associated costs before making a final decision. The European railway websites, as well as the Eurail website, have excellent information. Taking advantage of that information just might save you a bundle of money, and add flexibility to boot.

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To Railpass or not to railpass

3/18/2021

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For anyone who is planning a trip to Europe that involves extensive rail travel, one question that many travelers have is, "Is it cheaper to get a rail pass?" The answer is, "It depends." Hopefully this article will give you a better understanding of how rail passes work and whether it makes sense to get a rail pass or buy individual tickets. First, let's look at the rail pass and how it works.

Rail passes are available for many single countries in Europe. There are also rail passes that apply to multiple countries, and of course the granddaddy of them all, the Eurail Global pass, which covers 33 countries, i.e. most of Europe. There are also passes for two people traveling together, and other options (and prices) for traveling with children. So when does it make sense to have a rail pass versus buying individual tickets? The answer requires answering a few questions, and then applying a little mathematics.

Step 1 will be determining which rail pass you are considering using, and then figuring out the cost. I think the following questions are the ones to ask yourself right at the start of this decision-making process:

1) Are you traveling alone or with someone? And if you are traveling with someone, will you both be on the same itinerary, or at least on the same itinerary for the days where you'll be traveling by train?

2) Are you going to travel first class or second class? Your initial reaction might be, "I don't need to travel first class." However there are some distinct advantages to traveling first class, which include the following considerations:
- More space between rows and wider seats might be worth the extra cost alone, especially on longer rides.
- During busy travel times, like holidays and over summer vacation, trains can be full. A first class seat is more likely to be available because yes, trains can be full, VERY full, during peak travel times.
- First class tends to be quieter. Besides families traveling with children (who generally travel 2nd class), European schools use the train as the primary method of transportation for field trips. It's not unusual to find train cars loaded with schoolkids of all ages.
- In many cases, the first class rail pass covers surcharges for certain types of express trains, whereas the second class pass does not.
- There are amenities in first class you may not get in second class, which may include having a meal or beverage delivered to your seat, access to special panorama coaches, or in some countries, access to first-class lounges in some stations.

3) Are you going to be a "rail warrior", taking train journeys every day across a country or across Europe, or are you planning on stopping for several days at each destination? The reason this question is important is because rail passes can be order with consecutive days or with a number of days in a given month.

4) How flexible would you like your schedule to be? The railpass allows you to jump on most trains at any time, while the railways in most European countries have fares that change over time- the earlier you book, the better your fare. However those advanced tickets are locked onto a single train, so if your plans change or you miss the train, you are out that money and will have to purchase a new ticket. To have the same flexibility as a rail pass, you'll have to pay the full fare, even if you book the ticket in advance.

Besides a little bit of self-reflection, you'll need to do a little online research, so you know the cost of the train ticket if you purchase it either in advance or at the time of departure. Most countries have their own website for their national railway system, which also shows schedules for trains similar to what sites like Travelocity and Expedia do for air travel. If you search online for phrases like "train schedule Germany" or similar you'll usually come across them, along with lots of other sites that will provide schedules and costs. My recommendation is to use RailEurope ( www.raileurope.com) as a starting point for international travel. At this point you aren't trying to pick an exact train- you are trying to estimate costs and understand directionally how much that train trip from Frankfurt Airport to Munich is going to cost you. Remember to double the cost if you are traveling with a second person. You're going to want to create estimates for every major railway journey you'll undertake, as well as the date you plan to take it. Don't worry about the trips that are local- they'll usually be pretty cheap. But anything that crosses a border or any day you take a train trip or series of trips that take more than an hour in a day should be part of your calculation. If you are connecting trains you don't need to list those separately, but if you plan to get off the train somewhere, spend a few hours, and then get on another train, maybe to head back to your 'base', you'll need to list both of those even if they occur on the same day. When you get done, you should have something that looks like this:

Now that you have an idea of your train travels and the cost, it's time to figure out whether the railpass is a cheaper way to go, and which one is best. Let's assume that the itinerary above is for one person who wants to travel second class. It looks like this individual is going to have eight days of train travel and three days without. Total cost is going to be about $441 for 2nd class tickets for all that travel.

Our next step is to determine our rail pass options and what the cost would be to cover those seven days and two countries. For this I used www.Eurail.com. It allowed me to put in the destinations and number of nights, and it will provide a recommendation. There is a sale going on right now as I write this (fairly common in the first few months of the year), but let's look at the regular prices instead. The recommendation from Eurail is a 7-day Global Pass. This gives you unlimited train travel for 7 days in a month in 2nd class for $412.

Why choose 7 days? Because that day where the only train travel is to Potsdam from Berlin and back isn't 'worth' a day with the rail pass. So if we deduct the $16 for that day's worth of train tickets and one day from our train travel days, we end up paying $425 via tickets or $412 for the rail pass. That's right- you actually save money with the Eurail Global Pass, and don't have to restrict yourself to any particular trains. And if you want to enjoy the comforts of first class, that's only $124 more than the individual 2nd class tickets would cost, anyway. With the sale going on as I write this, a first class 7-day Eurail Global Pass to cover that trip is only $14 more than the individual 2nd class ticket price total!

There are other perks to the Eurail Global Pass that may sweeten the deal. For example, if you decide to take a cruise down the Rhine while you're in Cologne, you'll get a discount because of your pass. Plus, since your Eurail pass day runs from midnight to midnight, you can use it for local trains that you may want to take the remainder of your travel days. Finally, if you decide to skip Kiel and decide to go to Legoland in Denmark instead, or maybe visit Paris instead of Rotterdam, the pass will cover those trips, too.

There are a myriad of other options, of course, depending on your itinerary. If we were flying into Amsterdam first and then spending most of our time in Germany, it may make sense to pay for the Dutch rail travel by buying tickets and have a German Rail pass for the remaining time in Germany. It's all a question of knowing what your rough plans are, laying everything out in a table, and comparing the costs. Then weigh the difference in cost against the flexibility of the rail pass, versus what your budget will allow.

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Railfanning beyond Google Maps

9/18/2018

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It's no secret that Google Maps and Google Earth have become significant tools for railfans when scouting out locations to either photograph trains tor to find a place to simply watch them go by. However I recently became aware of another superb resource: openrailwaymap.org.

This website may not have the detail of Google Maps or Google Earth, but it is specifically designed for tracking (no pun intended) down railway lines. Below is a screen grab of the area around Augsburg, Germany. Note the legend at the left that provides detailed information on the types of lines via color coding in the map. The most useful, disused and abandoned lines, help railfans avoid camping out at locations where the change of seeing a train pass are, well, zero.

The next time you take a trip to Europe that allows for some railfanning, be sure to check out OpenRailwayMap.org before you go. You just might find a new favorite railfanning location!

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Model Railroad or Train Layout? by Carsten Ramcke

7/5/2017

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Crack open any one of several older Marklin catalogs and the pages are adorned with pictures of a plethora of trains crisscrossing a layout which, in some cases, is also featured in the catalog’s center, complete with track plan. The same can be said for the European manufacturers’ presentation layouts at events and exhibits. Generally these layouts exist, as a primary purpose, to showcase the model trains the manufacturers have produced. In other words, they are train layouts, relying less on scenery and more on tracks and trains. Sure, there are buildings and mountains, but generally they are secondary to the trains themselves. On the other hand a model railroad defines itself by reproducing the railroad prototype in miniature. There is nothing wrong with wanting to run as many trains simultaneously as possible- it is what train layouts are designed for. But for those who are in the planning stages of a layout and who are struggling to be less train layout and more model railroad, read on for a few suggestions to keep in mind for designing a dream layout while still following a “less-is-more” philosophy.

Manage Your Expectations. A full-length Thalys needs about twenty feet to be enjoyed in its entirety as it races across an HO-scale countryside. The busiest lines in Switzerland have trains passing roughly every 5 minutes. If your available space (and budget) don’t allow for getting even close to those numbers then consider dropping the main line as your layout’s focal point and focus instead on a branch line. Watching a train chase its tail gets old quickly, and those Viking cars will never be able to cross the tracks when the crossing gates are down more time than they are up.
Design for ‘Creative Realism’. The Internet has an unlimited number of European railway images. Books by the dozen help with prototypical modeling. Google Earth provides access to almost every railway line/station in Europe. However trying to replicate a prototype exactly in your chosen scale is usually not a good solution. Instead, use prototypes as guidelines and compromise as needed to increase your layout’s entertainment value. That big-city terminus station will keep you just as busy and entertained with a few less tracks than the prototype.
Flex track is your friend. Even R5 curves are too tight to be realistic on any main line. When possible, keep all fixed radius track hidden in tunnels. If it’s absolutely necessary to use sectional track in a visible area then try and keep your curves short, with no curve more than 15 degrees. If necessary, cut track (yes, even if it has roadbed) to make your curved sections shorter for a more slender look.
Embrace the third dimension. When planning your layout consider the added benefits of going above and below the ‘station’ level. Hidden staging yards, visible freight yards, and parade sections of main line are perfect for going one or two levels down. Commercial helix kits are available, or consider a completely independent loop of track above or below your main layout. Multiple levels provide a natural ‘break’ between areas of track and make the layout feel less crowded. Putting stations on two different levels and at opposite ends of the layout provide more of a ‘from-here-to-there’ feel. My current layout design includes two staging yards, one below the other, and both of them below the main station. The bottom level is a mere three feet off the ground!
When All Else Fails, Change Your Scale. To many of you this will sound sacrilegious. I have been a die-hard 1-scaler (1:32) for nearly twenty years, and although our new house has a decent basement for a 1-scale layout, I’m contemplating switching back to HO, the scale of my childhood. Why? Because of what I’d like to accomplish on my next layout, including the afore-mentioned Thalys run. A few years ago when I had zero space for even a modest HO layout I built a layout in Z-scale, which I enjoyed thoroughly. Don’t rule out the possibility of switching scales, either until available space changes or for good.

Our hobby, like so many others, is an evolution. The more we do, the more mistakes we make, the more we learn. Unfortunately this isn’t like knitting, where we can try over and over again to ‘get it right’. But with every trip to Europe or every episode of ‘Eisenbahnromantik’ I watch on Youtube I get just a little bit smarter on the minutiae of European railroads. Unfortunately that leads to new ideas and new desires when it comes to replicating those into a smaller scale. With these tips hopefully you can join me in making sure that at least at the track planning stage the result is a little more ‘railway’ and a little less ‘train’…

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'Must-have' website links for european train travelers by Carsten Ramcke

2/3/2017

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When I think back on preparations for travel to Europe just a couple of decades ago (before the Internet) I am amazed at how little could be done in advance. Aside from having a thick book of train schedules and flipping through it for hours to try and figure out connections, there as little a traveler could do in advance of setting foot in a train station in Europe.
Thankfully the Internet has changed all that, and it is possible to set a schedule, buy tickets, and make reservations all well in advance of your journey, and with most countries in Europe now mimicking the airlines by offering cheaper advanced fares, it's not only easier to plan in advance, but cheaper as well. Here are a few of my "go to" websites for trip planning, along with some other websites I tend to check before travel to Europe:

Raileurope.com: A 'must have' for anyone planning to ride trains in Europe. Whether you are looking to purchase Eurail passes or just need a ticket to take the Chunnel train from London to Brussels, this website has it all. And with regards to Eurail passes, it's a hard bargain to beat, especially if you are traveling with another individual. From 1 to 28 countries, there is a pass for every kind of travel.
Railway sites of individual countries: Pretty much every nation in Europe now has an English version of their national railways' website, many of which are secure and offer the ability to make reservations and purchase tickets. Here are a few of the most popular (click on the country to go to their national railways website):
Rick Steves' Europe: Rick Steves, who hosts a travel show on PBS, has lots of excellent information on travel to Europe, on everything from how to pack to suggestions on hotels, side trips, getting through cities and countries, and, of course, train travel.
Traintraveling.com: This website, though a little dated, features a lot of information on historic railway lines by country. It's a good place to start when you have a destination in mind, maybe because of an upcoming business trip, but have no idea what train-related opportunities there are nearby.

Do you have other websites that you consider "must haves" when planning a trip to Europe that involves trains? If so, share them! Add a comment to this post and share your URLs with other European train lovers!

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Don't miss this small but important tool when traveling europe by train! by carsten ramcke

12/21/2016

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On the platforms of most larger train stations in Europe sits a rather nondescript display case with an unusual poster inside. In French it is the ‘Tableau de Composition des Trains’. Germans call it the ‘Wagenstandanzeiger’. In Britain it is referred to as a ‘Carriage Position Indicator’. In short, it tells you what coach sits where for every train coming and going, and is an extremely valuable tool to minimize dragging your luggage through a crowded Eurocity train at rush hour. Let’s look at how it works.

When traveling through Europe, especially at peak times, it’s not a bad idea to get a seat reservation. It insures that you won’t be standing for your entire journey due to an overcrowded train and also allows you to pick a favored place to sit, whether by a window to enjoy alpine scenery, or near the restaurant car to easily grab a refill on your German beer. Some countries allow you to reserve seats as late as the night before your train trip and offer the convenience of on-line reservation booking, which combine to make seat reservations easy to get on all but the most flexible travel schedules. A graphic representation of the coach showing the layout and available seats (below) makes selecting the perfect seat online easy and painless.

When your reservation comes through (whether on paper or digitally) it will contain both a coach number and a seat number. Here is an example from the German Railways:

Note that on the right side next to each connection/train there is a ‘Reservierung (Reservation)’ section which features a ‘Wagen’ (coach) number and a ‘Platz’ (seat) number. Those are your seat assignments for the journey. The next question is “How on earth do I find my seat when the train arrives?” Most tourists to Europe will wait on the platform for the train to arrive, climb aboard the nearest coach, and then start hunting for the right coach and the right seat. But not you.

The image above shows a Romanian 'Coach Arrangement in Trains' board for a particular track in Bucharest Station. It contains several very important pieces of information. First, it shows all trains expected to arrive at this platform and on this track (in this case, track 3). On the left it shows the train number, the major destinations, and the departure time in a simple table. Next to it is a graphical representation of the makeup of the train, including where the locomotive will be. Each coach is numbered and the color displays the type of coach it is (class, compartment or open seating, dining car or sleeper, etc). Simply by finding your train and the number of your coach you will know roughly where it will be in relation to the front of the train, and you’ll be able to wait in close proximity to your coach for your train to arrive.

The German ‘Wagenstandanzeiger’ for track 5 shown above is similar. On the left it shows the departure time, the train type and number, and the major stops. Again we have visual representations of the trains and all their coaches. This board contains a few additional pieces of information that the Romanian display did not. First, a small arrow shows the outbound direction of train travel. This is helpful for anyone (without reservations) who likes to sit in the direction of travel or who prefers to sit at the front or rear of the train. Remember, the train may not leave in the direction it arrived, so this arrow is certainly not redundant. The second and decidedly more important additional bit of information can be found at the top and bottom of the poster, namely the platform section, shown as letters ‘A’ through ‘G’ (see my previous post on what those mean in another post in this section of the website). By using this information you can pinpoint where your coach will stop, and while others scramble along the platform or stumble down narrow aisles dragging their luggage behind them looking for their seats you’ll already have climbed aboard and will be sitting comfortably as the train glides out of the station…

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Take a Ride on the OberfaesSl

9/16/2016

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No, it's not a weird new version of Monopoly, but an opportunity to enjoy the ETE Great Lakes modular HO scale European themed Marklin model train layout. Member Matt Moore brought a tiny HD video camera to the National Train Show which took a trip around the layout. Here is the result:

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Four ETEGL Members on an Epic European train bucket list trip

9/1/2016

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In April 2016 a foursome of ETEGL members took a whirlwind ten-day trip through Germany and Switzerland to attend some major train- and model-train-related events and visit some European railway venues. Below is a trip report of their exploits written by the trip's organizer, Carsten Ramcke...

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When a train ride is more than a means to an end by Anthony Dodge

4/5/2016

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There are many, many reasons to travel by train in Germany and Europe. It is cheaper, more comfortable, and sometimes more practical than driving and finding a place to park. That said, there are other moments which arise that really hit home. Here is one such example.
I was travelling in Germany with a group of my students in June of 2014. We had just finished three days in the Berlin-Potsdam area and were now on our way to the Dresden area for four days. It was Sunday evening, and we had elected to take the regional trains (RegioBahn) rather than the speed trains (IC/ICE). It would give us a chance to relax and rest on a quieter trip after all the walking and fast-paced visiting of Germany’s capital. This was my first trip through the old areas of the DDR (East Germany), outside of the yearly rides to Berlin via Bremen. Occasionally we passed towns with mixed Prussian and Czech or Polish names, but the real thing was the amount of, as Joyce put it, “undeveloped” land. Definitely the population density was much lower in this part of Germany than elsewhere.

Somewhere along the route between the towns and station of Grossenhain-Cottbus and Priestewitz, our train had to halt and allow a transport train to come through. We stopped a mile or so from Priestewitz, and one of my students, Jacob Anderson, called we over to where he was sitting and pointed out his window and asked “what is that?” He was pointing to an old farmstead… 5 buildings- a house, a barn, two tool sheds, and a garage/mechanic shop. All were overgrown and severely damaged. “Is that from the war,” he asked. It was clear that the place had been a family home destroyed during the Russian push to Berlin. It looked like a scene from the old classic war movies, but it was real. I confirmed his suspicions, and other students quickly came over as the train started to move again. The students remarked how it was amazing that 70 years after the war it was still there, neither re-built nor torn down. They expressed wonder and what had happened. It allowed me to explain how the family probably fled (or were killed) and no one came back.

My students were deeply touched by this frozen moment in time, and wondered about the family, its history, and if they survived, do they even know their old home is still there. We discussed the population shift to the West both during and after the war, and how these areas were completely depopulated. As we started to roll on, we saw land which was once cultivated but now returned to the wild. My wife Joyce was able to point out the former field lines and crop areas, so subtly different that other wild areas, and the students quickly seized on this knowledge. Long discussions and questions about the war in Germany and the struggles of East Germany ensued. The students spent the last hour of the ride to Dresden looking and hoping to find more poignant moments trapped in time.

Such events, I have learned over the years, occur much more often and more deeply on trains than travelling in a car or even a bus tour. In a car you focus on the destination and trivial moments of chat. On a bus, you are packed and cramped, and some even have video to watch. On a train, you can read a book, put on headphones, or even do a crossword puzzle book, but your eyes are always drawn out the window. There is something magnetic to the passing scenery that interrupts your attempts at distraction and take your eyes and thoughts to the world just beyond the glass. Add to that the ability to have a group discussion session all at once when a topic arises, and you understand just one of the reasons trains are so amazing to ride on.

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<<Previous

Finding a Home for; or disposing of; model railroad items

To Railpass or not, part 2

To Railpass or not to railpass

Railfanning beyond Google Maps

Model Railroad or Train Layout? by Carsten Ramcke

'Must-have' website links for european train travelers by Carsten Ramcke

Don't miss this small but important tool when traveling europe by train! by carsten ramcke

Take a Ride on the OberfaesSl

Four ETEGL Members on an Epic European train bucket list trip

When a train ride is more than a means to an end by Anthony Dodge

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