VaaterJuuze

Vaaterjuuze, vaaterjuuze- Or 'What NVNTRAK Did On My Summer Vacation' by Cliff
Enz for the NMRA MER Potomac Division

Well, it's been hot! How hot? It was so hot, that it was cooler in India where I
went this summer, than in DC. Ta-Ching!

The NVNTRAK's principal activity was the annual roadtrip to the N-Track
gathering in Bedford, PA at the end of August. Our own Double D, Edd Braithwood
usually leads the NVNTRAK crowd. As I write this, we are still waiting for the
'returns' on this expedition. The rest of us were at the Greenburg show at
Chantilly that same weekend.

That's still not that very much. Well, we had our monthly setup's at Fairfax
station, a Fathers Day barbecue was rained out, we received daily updates from
Dave Davies on the progress of 'real trains' thru our area, and had a
'left-over's' weekend at Fairfax Station. The current economic climate caused
the cancellation of the Alexandria Red Cross Waterfront Festival and the
elimination of tents for Movies Under The Moon in Fairfax City, thus causing
NVNTRAK to lose two popular venues. Scout Jamboree ended with lots of scouts
getting their merit badges.

So here we are- Labor Day upon us, and little to write about. Greenburg was
good, and our OLI presenters made good presentations to passers-by attracted by
the photos and prospect of gruesome death beneath the wheels of a multi-hundred
ton train. Well- if it bleeds, it leads! Some of our people (Dave Freshwater,
John Cook) attended the OLI convention in Baltimore.

Personally, I took rail journeys on AMTRAK, DC Metro, Dulles Airport People
Mover, Southern Indian Rail, and Dubai Metro. Dubai Metro presented the best
railfan experience, as you could stand in the first car and watch as it went
from station to station, no pesky driver to interfere with the view on this
multi-stop 30 mile long rail line. Station announcements are delivered in Arabic
and English. Southern Indian Rail was the second best railfanning experience, as
the electric powered train offered smoother starts and stops than Amtrak and the
opportunity to see many Alco WDM-2's working the branch lines and switching.
From the sort-of-serenity of first-class (mind the broken tray table), you could
observe the madness of second class and the nightmare of commuter rail trains
passing by, thru the dirty windows of your carriage. If you don't appreciate the
simplicity of the Indian style toilets- (a hole in the floor), the car had
Western style toilets as well. Personally I appreciate watching the passing
scene. A great deal of upgrade work was being completed on the right-of-way
including adding additional tracks and highway overpasses. Our 7 hour journey
from Coimbintore to Chennai was quick and efficient. ChaiChai...

Our Indian host (we were guests at his daughter's wedding) choose this method of
getting to the NEXT round of the festivities, and I was secretly delighted! He
had rented an entire rail car for the Groom's party on their journey to the
wedding (and back) and this was the next step-several days later to visit his
daughter and son-in-law at the in-laws! More banana leaves died for the
festivities! CawfffeeeCawffeee...

Actually, as we got closer to Chennai midday, we saw young women from the
lightly populated women's commuter carriages hanging out the door just to catch
a breeze. There appeared to be no door to close on the commuter trains. No one
was riding on the top of the train (ala 'Gandhi') the overhead catenary must
effectively discourage that! Hanging out the door-very acceptable.
TomatazopTomatozopTomatozop...

By far the worst railfanning experience was the Dulles People Mover, where you
had to walk down a ramp to a subway that moved you to a place that was a long up
ramp far away from your gate. The travel experience? Standing up, no scenery,
carrying all your luggage? Need I say more?

On to Amtrak- at each meet, our NVNTRAK members get closer to matching the
ambience of the northeastern corridor on their modules. Which is to say,
decrepit. As for the travel-one actually had to get up and go to a 'club car' to
get food or drink. No uniformed snack wallah chanted his wares, no one as much
as said 'Zamosa' to me.