Scariest points on Via or elsewhere in the world

[DET63]

In the Amtrak Rail Discussion forum, I started a discussion about scary points on Amtrak. Are there any notable scary points on other passenger railways in the world? I'd consider only railways, not aerial trams or other non-railway transportation examples.

Nor would I consider buses, although some of them, especially in developing countries, could be considered far more scary and dangerous than anything imaginable on a train.

 

[Bob Dylan]

In the Amtrak Rail Discussion forum, I started a discussion about scary points on Amtrak. Are there any notable scary points on other passenger railways in the world? I'd consider only railways, not aerial trams or other non-railway transportation examples.
Nor would I consider buses, although some of them, especially in developing countries, could be considered far more scary and dangerous than anything imaginable on a train.

There was a posting awhile back with pics of a railroad in Alaska that looked pretty scary!Also the trains in the

Andes in South America look pretty exciting based on the pics/videos /folks whove been and told me !

Im sure that as many experienced travelers as this forum has that there are pics and videos of really

exciting ones coming up!

 

[p&sr]

There's a long, high trestle bridge west of Edmonton (on the way to Jasper), that some people might find scary.

 

[stlouielady]

Not a passenger bridge, a freight one, but, I think it would be scary to cross: Kate Shelley High Bridge. Scary mainly because of the AGE of the bridge; it was completed in 1901!

I grew up less than 5 miles from there; enjoyed going there and watching the trains run over it. The area is closed off now, due to the construction of the new bridge, but, can't wait to go back there next time I'm home and check out the new one (if/when it's completed).

 

[amtrakwolverine]

Not a passenger bridge, a freight one, but, I think it would be scary to cross: Kate Shelley High Bridge. Scary mainly because of the AGE of the bridge; it was completed in 1901!
I grew up less than 5 miles from there; enjoyed going there and watching the trains run over it. The area is closed off now, due to the construction of the new bridge, but, can't wait to go back there next time I'm home and check out the new one (if/when it's completed).

that could be why there building a new one.

 

[stlouielady]

Not a passenger bridge, a freight one, but, I think it would be scary to cross: Kate Shelley High Bridge. Scary mainly because of the AGE of the bridge; it was completed in 1901!
I grew up less than 5 miles from there; enjoyed going there and watching the trains run over it. The area is closed off now, due to the construction of the new bridge, but, can't wait to go back there next time I'm home and check out the new one (if/when it's completed).

that could be why there building a new one.

That is EXACTLY why they are building a new bridge. I don't know if you read the article or not, but, the trains are limited to 25 MPH over the bridge, and it causes huge bottlenecks with all the freights that pass through the area; an average of 60 per day. They needed a solution, and a new bridge was the best one. But, it's a pretty remarkable structure to still be in use after all this time. Just my opinion, of course.

 

[jamesontheroad]

In the Amtrak Rail Discussion forum, I started a discussion about scary points on Amtrak. Are there any notable scary points on other passenger railways in the world? I'd consider only railways, not aerial trams or other non-railway transportation examples.
Nor would I consider buses, although some of them, especially in developing countries, could be considered far more scary and dangerous than anything imaginable on a train.

There's a mixed train operated by the Hudson Bay Railway for VIA Rail under a government mandated service in Manitoba from The Pas north to a number of remote First Nations communities, terminating in Flin Flon or Lynn Lake, I forget which. Believe it's train 291 northbound and 290 southbound on alternate days. Old blue VIA passenger cars were on it when I saw it, travelling to Churchill in 2005. I was advised by train crew not to consider that train unless I had business there. At that time, and perhaps to this day, there was a lot of trouble on board, with alcohol, drugs and violence contributing to an already pretty bleak situation for many people who live in a bleak and under-supported part of Canada. The train sadly reflects much of this as, for some, it's the only way in or out.

The route is still visible on the VIA Rail website (it's the vertical branch from the Winnipeg - Churchill Bay route on the map) but there doesn't appear to be timetable or booking info on the site any more.

 

[jis]

Some examples of scary not particularly because of the lay of the track but due to the circumstances under which travel took place by rail.....

Traveling from New Delhi to Chandigarh at the height of the Punjab insurgency. Each car in the train had four machine gun toting personnel from some branch of the armed forces and each bridge and culvert on the route was manned by them and the engineer exchanged clearance message with them before crossing the said bridge. Scary indeed.

Traveling from Delhi to Calcutta during the national railway strike on the one single train Kalka-Delhi-Howrah Mail) that was operating between those two cities each day during the strike. Couldn't get a seat inside, so hung outside the train holding onto window bars and door handles for the first 450km to Kanpur. Then managed to get space inside. The electrification poles were pretty close by as they whizzed by.

Less scary but still..... traveling from New Delhi to Calcutta on the Rajdhani Express during the 1971 India-Pakistan war under blackout. All shades drawn and only night lights on until we reached Kanpur. After that all lights were turned on since the train was then out of reach of the Pakistani Air Force operating out of the then West Pakistan.

 

[DET63]

There's a mixed train operated by the Hudson Bay Railway for VIA Rail under a government mandated service in Manitoba from The Pas north to a number of remote First Nations communities, terminating in Flin Flon or Lynn Lake, I forget which. Believe it's train 291 northbound and 290 southbound on alternate days. Old blue VIA passenger cars were on it when I saw it, travelling to Churchill in 2005. I was advised by train crew not to consider that train unless I had business there. At that time, and perhaps to this day, there was a lot of trouble on board, with alcohol, drugs and violence contributing to an already pretty bleak situation for many people who live in a bleak and under-supported part of Canada. The train sadly reflects much of this as, for some, it's the only way in or out.
The route is still visible on the VIA Rail website (it's the vertical branch from the Winnipeg - Churchill Bay route on the map) but there doesn't appear to be timetable or booking info on the site any more.

Schedule

The fare for a one-way trip is CAN$164.85.

 

[jamesontheroad]

Schedule
The fare for a one-way trip is CAN$164.85.

I still can't see the schedule for the stub train from The Pas to Lynn Lake (or wherever it reaches now) ... is it hidden away somewhere on the VIA site?

 

[DET63]

Schedule
The fare for a one-way trip is CAN$164.85.

I still can't see the schedule for the stub train from The Pas to Lynn Lake (or wherever it reaches now) ... is it hidden away somewhere on the VIA site?

According to one source, the "rail line between The Pas and Lynn Lake, MB is operated by Keewatin Rail lines. Regular rail service is offered between The Pas and Pukatawagan, however passenger and/or freight service to Lynn Lake is offered on a charter basis."

 

[DET63]

From Alaska:

 

[amtrakwolverine]

Not a passenger bridge, a freight one, but, I think it would be scary to cross: Kate Shelley High Bridge. Scary mainly because of the AGE of the bridge; it was completed in 1901!
I grew up less than 5 miles from there; enjoyed going there and watching the trains run over it. The area is closed off now, due to the construction of the new bridge, but, can't wait to go back there next time I'm home and check out the new one (if/when it's completed).

don't know if you know or not but the new bridge is now open

The bridge opened to traffic on August 20, 2009, when the Union Pacific ran it first train across the new span. The old span will be kept, and most likely will be used as an access road.