Trains that run down the middle of a town's street

[editor]

I'd like to live on a street like this one (go to 1:15 for the action - it's a bloody massive train so it's still rolling by on 9:40!). The temptation to jump on a wagon would be huge, mind.

It's in LaGrange, Kentucky



Elizabeth, PA:



Cars in the way



Here's one from down under

 

[editor]

Portland & Western freight train in Salem, Oregon

 

[editor]

And taken to the limit

 

[editor]

With snow!

 

[Puddy_Tat]

used to happen in grove street, deptford

 

[editor]

And Weymouth too until relatively recently - you could get on at Waterloo and rock right up to the harbour!

weymouth quay railway

 

[editor]

Here's a video

 

[salem]

Wow, I've seen the Thailand one but didn't know it was something that happened in the West. Those guys cutting in front of the train are nuts, it'd take just one person being in the way (and lets face it you can hardly see if the path is clear with a train in the way) or stalling or something and you'd be fucked.

Looks very cool though, these things are just big trams really.

Surprised that even in the US examples the trains path isn't always marked clearly.

 

[pogofish]

Wexford in Ireland had a train that ran alongside or very close to the main harbour Street IIRC.

Its been years bit I got a bit of a start when I saw it passing alongside me on the bike!

 

[editor]

Wow, I've seen the Thailand one but didn't know it was something that happened in the West. Those guys cutting in front of the train are nuts, it'd take just one person being in the way (and lets face it you can hardly see if the path is clear with a train in the way) or stalling or something and you'd be fucked.

Looks very cool though, these things are just big trams really.

Very very very long big trams. Full of heavy freight.

 

[OzT]

Saw this in wiki

Street running - Wikipedia

 

[bi0boy]

Here's some planes on a train on the street:

 

[dessiato]

When I first used to go to Dieppe the ferry used to pull into the town centre and the railway ran alongside it. This happened up to about 15/20 years ago when the new ferry port opened. It looked similar to the previously posted pic of Weymouth.

Anyway here's a pic to give the flavour of the times past.



ETA: Just found a more modern pic. Last time I very specifically remember it like this was on my honeymoon, that's 25 years ago this year.

 

[twentythreedom]

Here's a video

The tracks are all still in place. I noticed the other day that the very overgrown branch line next to the station (before it goes onto the tarmac and onwards to the quay) had been cleared

Some talk of starting a tram service here. I'll keep my eyes on it, the station is at the end of my road

 

[danny la rouge]

Wexford in Ireland had a train that ran alongside or very close to the main harbour Street IIRC.

Its been years bit I got a bit of a start when I saw it passing alongside me on the bike!

It still did a couple of years ago when I was last there. There's a pavement along the harbour, then railway, then road, all parallel with no barriers and the railway crosses a junction in one of the scariest level crossings I've ever seen (it's not even properly a level crossing, more a set of traffic signals, and again no barriers). A very weird set up.

 

[StoneRoad]

Not sure whether this is classed as "street running" or just a very long level crossing. It is signalled to road users as the latter - and some oiks still try jumping the lights ...

This is one of the WHR ex-South African Garretts (I think No143) crossing Britannia Bridge in Porthmadog (image from Wikipedia).

(I don't have one of mine uploaded to Ipernity, at present)

 

[SikhWarrioR]

I take it that the access to certain shipyards in Glasgow over Glasgow Corporation Tramways must count for inclusion in this thread

 

[salem]

Only if you add some info/pics!

 

[Dogsauce]

They used to run some freight on the tram system in Leeds back in the 1920s. Unfortunately I don't think it'll be on YouTube.

 

[Dogsauce]

Unfortunately there wasn't a train running over this bridge when I drove this way, but this is what it looks like when there is one (New Zealand)

 

[StoneRoad]

Hunslet Engine Co was spread out a bit, so there were several lines crossing Jack Lane

mrg - was erecting shop par StoneRoad2013, on Ipernity
The Leeds trams ... (in this case on the Middleton route)

mrg - tram 3 par StoneRoad2013, on ipernity

 

[Puddy_Tat]

I take it that the access to certain shipyards in Glasgow over Glasgow Corporation Tramways must count for inclusion in this thread

more here

 

[peterkro]

Unfortunately there wasn't a train running over this bridge when I drove this way, but this is what it looks like when there is one (New Zealand)

Road rail bridges were quiet common in NZ in fifties and sixties, some of them very long as well.Over the years they've been taken out of service and replaced by separate bridges though some still exist.There's a big one on SH1 Ch.Ch to Nelson/Malborough although the traffic is separated the train on the top deck and motor vehicles on the lower.(actual haven't been there for a while I think a separate road bridge opened in 2007)

 

[tim]

And Weymouth too until relatively recently - you could get on at Waterloo and rock right up to the harbour!

weymouth quay railway

I went to jersey when I was 3 or 4 and have always had vague memories being on a train going down a street. It was nice a few years ago to be able to confirmmthat it really did happen

 

[hipipol]

Still running...

It is very odd being on a 1916 vintage train running up the middle of roads, peeps out doing shopping, etc
Worth a go

 

[hipipol]

easy to lose count of the various streets it travels down.....

 

[A380]

Still running...

It is very odd being on a 1916 vintage train running up the middle of roads, peeps out doing shopping, etc
Worth a go

Went on that, was very cool.

 

[hipipol]

Went on that, was very cool.

25 euros gets you a day return on the train to Soller and a return trip on the tram to Puerto de Soller

 

[Puddy_Tat]

farnborough (the one in hampshire not the one in kent) used to have a line connecting the Royal Aircraft Establishment to the main line

 

[platinumsage]

Apparently they're getting longer according to this dude.

A 1.5 mile train followed by another that takes 10 minutes to pass so is probably longer.