In the land of interstates, subdivisions and shopping centers; A romantic-traditionalist such as myself is always hoping to see a return of the American train. Not that passenger rail ever went away completely in the states. There is still the rolling tin can of clickety-clack Amtrack. But what is missed are the great mainline passenger trains that saw their peak sometime between the 1940s and the 60s. And then their retreat began. The equipment fell into disrepair. Vital right-o-ways were pulled up and frequently built on in the quest for short-term profits. The great terminal buildings were demolished, or simply let go to seed. Great depots of iron and stone became unofficial shelters for skid-row dwellers. The stations were often left in the no-man's land of massive demographic shifts in the American scene. Invariably, a small town's Railroad Street would display the pen-ink tattoos of boarded up pharmacies and abandoned bowling alleys, and the blood-crusted bandages of the employment center and the Salvation Army. They are the ruins of mid-century American civilization. I only came around in '69. It was all over by my time.
Every few years they start talking about restoring the great American rail network. We recently passed a ballot initiative in California to begin the study, of the application of a massive bond funding to be applied to some future high-speed train connecting Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego. Everyone's crossing their fingers, but no one's holding their breath.
In the meantime, rail enthusiasts can catch a ride on restored short-line, such as the Virginia & Truckee RR in Virginia City, NV. Local volunteers and rail buffs, aided by state and federal grants have put "the Queen of the shortlines" back into service for tourist runs. I rode it myself yesterday, from Virginia City three or so miles to Gold Hill. I have to say it's pretty cool. The train I was on was not drawn by one of the V&T's restored steam locomotives, but instead by a 1950s center-cab-diesel purchased from the U.S. Navy. The line passes through two marvelous old tunnels. A volunteer dressed in cowboy gear gives a lighthearted commentary on the history of the comstock lode and then the train is "robbed" by a gang of buffoons. The take is given over to the Shriner's Children's hospital.
The hope is that the line will grow a little bit more every year. Eventually they may be able to restore service to Reno. A train doesn't have to go 300 mph to turn me on. If it's got steel wheels and an unusual view, and I can rest my head against a window and drift away in the train's steady, certain movement, then it's headed in the right direction.
