Train Travel

I live about a kilometre from the Dublin/Cork line and it would never cross my mind to try get onto the track.

My granny lived about 20 yards from the rail line as it goes through Drumcondra/Glasnevin, the same line that goes past Hill 16. Access to the line was easy, there was a very low wall which was easily climbable (that wall is now gone, replaced by a much higher wall). I think there were actually allotments between the wall and the rail line, there was a door through the wall. As a kid myself and brother/cousins were on that line several times, because we were kids and idiots. But we never came close to being hit by a train.

We’re right on the Dublin Cork line. Would never even think of going on the line. Even when we were younger, the grandfather used tel us to stand way back from the 6 foot wall that separated us from the line. :joy:

Used to do it on the main Dublin line.

The uncle, long dead, used live beside the line. His job was to walk the line every day looking for faults. Panic back then if he found one. No mobiles…,

He had us well warned when we’d be messing with coins and the like. And that viaduct in Thomastown was serious business. If you were to get caught on that you were a gonner.

Not sure if it’s true but they used say that the kk to WD line was the only train operating with a cow rake such was the frequency of cattle on the line.

Me and me mate walked the Wexford to Rosslare Strand line for the craic on Oct. bank holiday 2020 just out of pure boredom. I made a point of looking at the times for the trains, and confirmed it with my cousin who’s a train driver. Didn’t get caught nor anything like that. Safely enough that line has a walkway right beside it after the line leaves Wexford town. Not a hope would we have thought to walk a busy line.

The Italian train service is something else. Punctual, fast and top notch customer service.

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My Grandmother often talked about walking the Cork/Dublin train line way back when as it was easier and quicker to visit certain houses in the parish that way.

It would never have even crossed my mind to walk it.

As an aside, when The Big House is taking the chopper to Thurles from Martinstown he always flies directly over the trainline all the way. He drove a dumper in a Gravel pit right on the verge of the railway line here, for a period way back in the early 70’s so I’m sure he likes to remember his roots too.

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This looks sensational

https://twitter.com/seatsixtyone/status/1825842301484015662?t=gLUqi0DB_DhvvSg5Ywp-Hw&s=19

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It’s amazing isn’t it? I look forward to travelling Italy again.

Manchán Magan has a grand programme about travelling Europe by train on 6:30pm on Sundays on RTE1.

Train travel in Europe is one of the glorious things about existence.

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I hope Manchán is doing ok, last I’d heard he’d been diagnosed with some form of cancer.
I enjoy him, he’s a likeable version of @Little_Lord_Fauntleroy but with more Irishness too him.

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Breaking news, an irishman is more irish than an Italian

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We got on one of these monster European trains from Pescheira to Venice last summer. An absolute dream - even got a free breakfast on board.

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I’d like to do Eurostar from London to Paris, do a night there and then head off on a train journey to Italy

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@peddlerscross if you could do up a POWER RANKINGS list of European train journeys that would be great thanks.

We did Amsterdam to Innsbruck this summer by Sleeper. A brilliant way to travel. The eldest absolutely loved it. The youngest was too young to appreciate it. We got the Eurostar to Amsterdam first, had two hours there before boarding. When you get on, you give your breakfast order. They wake you around 7am when you’re in Munich to serve breakfast. The last 90 mins to Innsbruck is stunning.

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That sounds incredible

It’s longer but we found it far less stressful than getting two kids under 4 through an airport. Innsbruck is a lovely part of the world too.

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