GAUGE THE ISSUE: Time Hopping

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[@Unamused3062]

Would be nice to see Bath Green Park in action again, love seeing its old glass roof when I'm around

[@Jiskpirate]

As a dutchman I can safely say timetravelling is very easy in modern day Britain, so my current dream is just travelling back there again after my travels got cut short by the virus, and experiencing the atmosphere of your many heritage railways and beautiful unique locomotives and rolling-stock. It’s good to dream!

[@Lennon6412]

1. Ambergate to Chinley line in the 1900s pre Deeley (but the early 50s would be pretty cool too because of the variety). Beautiful scenery, should never have closed. 2. Talyllyn Railway pre preservation, don't mind when. Always wanted to visit. 3. Broad gauge GWR main line to Bristol 1860s. Would be awesome to see Broad Gauge at its height on the most important stretch of the GWR. 4. Ashburton closure. Always liked the SDR so would like to see it in its full glory. 5. Opening of the London Extension of the GCR. It's a nice line and shame it closed. 6. Cornish Riviera Express in the late 20s/early 30s. Dawlish on this Express at its best would be amazing. 7. If the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester can be the famous event then this. You rarely see models of this era and obviously there are no photos available so would be nice to see it for real. 8. Millers Dale Station from a good viewing spot. Lots of different services, several goods trains shunting in the area too. Either early 1900s or early/mid 50s.

[@TweetsieRailroader]

A very interesting look into one of the most interesting topic! Regarding my "Time Hopping" Trip, here's what I would do: 1. One Ride on a Standard Gauge Line on a normal working day: Norfolk & Western Railroad, Early 1950's. (During the early 1950's, when most railroads in the United States were dieselizing, the N&W were still actively building steam locomotives for both passenger and freight use. Getting to ride behind a J Class Northern or a K Class Mountain, while seeing the big A Class 2-6-6-4's and Y6 Class Mallets working the various freight and coal trains would be awesome!) 2. One Ride on a Narrow Gauge Line on a normal working day: East Tennessee & Western North Carolina Railroad, 1920's. (I couldn't resist at least one visit to my favorite railroad! By this time, all 4 of the "Tweetsie's" Big Ten Wheelers were in active service, and the extension to Boone had been completed at the end of the previous decade.) 3. One Ride on a Miniature/Broad Gauge Line on a normal working day: Walt Disney's Carolwood Pacific Railroad, 1952 (I'm honestly not too sure if the "live steam" gauges count as minimum gauge, but for me, I think it would be really cool to take a ride on Walt's little railroad. Not only would I get a chance to meet and speak to Walt Disney himself, But seeing his "Lily Belle" Locomotive in action really would be awesome!) 4. One Railway/Station Closure: East Tennessee & Western North Carolina Railroad, 1950. (Yes, The ET&WNC is on here again. Trains Magazine did report on the event, but at the same time, seeing the very last run of such a beautiful Narrow Gauge Railroad really would've been a lovely, and very sad sight to see.) 5. One Railway/Station Opening: East Broad Top Railroad Reopening, 1960. (Again, I'm not too sure if a reopening of a railroad would count, but seeing such a prolific Narrow Gauge Railroad return to fulfill a new purpose of running excursions for those who weren't lucky enough to experience it really would be a wonderful sight, as the EBT is one of the few railroads that maintained their original motive power on their original stomping grounds.) 6. One Prestige Express Passenger Train: New York Central's 20th Century Limited, 1938/39. (If there was ever one train that exemplified the art-deco styling of the 1930's, the 20th Century Limited was it. The Dreyfuss Hudsons were among some of the finest streamlined locomotives in the world, and the 20th Century Limited very much exemplified the more glamorous aspects of the era it was a part of.) 7. One Famous Event: Completion of the The Transcontinental Railroad, 1869 (This event was a landmark in American history for many reasons. It joined the East and West Coast together, allowing for faster and safer travel between the East and West Coasts. Just being among the crowd on that fateful day, when the Atlantic and Pacific were bound by a ribbon of steel, really must've been a sight to behold!) 8. One Chillout Spot: East Tennessee & Western North Carolina Railroad, 1936-1939 (Yeah, If I had to just watch trains travel all day, I'd still have to go with my favorite railroad. By the 1930's the ET&WNC had begun adding standard gauge equipment for the line between Johnson City and Elizabethton, TN, All of the ET&WNC's Locomotives had been painted in the beautiful Green Scheme, done by ET&WNC Master Mechanic Clarence Hobbes, and the extension to Boone was still in active service, shortly before the line washed out in 1940.) Anyway, those are my thoughts on what I'd want to do if I got to go time hopping!

[@levelcrossing150]

Early to mid 1950's, when BR standard steam locos were being built, discovering all the now closed rural lines in North Wales. Rhyl to Corwen, Mold Junction to Denbigh, Ruabon to Barmouth, Bangor to Afonwen, Gaerwen to Amlwch, Oswestry station and the Cambrian Lines.

[@RockyRailroadProductions_B0SS]

1. Norfolk and Western Railway sometime during the 1900s-20s, I've always been very fond of locomotives from that particular period in the US and the N&W ones appeal to me in particular as, despite having lived in a few different places, I feel most at home on that stretch of rail. 2. Would be a tough one, but I would have to pick one that's currently gone... Southwold Light Railway, maybe? 3. Broad gauge GWR would be great fun 4. Closure of the original Strasburg Railroad, maybe? 5. Liverpool and Manchester opening day. George and Robert Stephenson showing the world that travel above 30 miles an hour doesn't melt your eyeballs and the later fiasco with the Duke of Wellington etc would be... Interesting. 6. Mine personally would be the 20th Century Limited around 1906. I dunno, I just like the big wooden Pullmans of the period. 7. Would love to be on the footplate of City of Truro or 999's attempts at the 'ton'. I wouldn't be there with some speed recording equipment, as to me personally, both events are more about the significance of a machine reaching a hundred miles an hour than the record itself, if that makes any sense. Chose both as both did the run on my birthday. 8. I think Swindon Works Station would be my pick for the latter. Watching Castles and Kings rocketing down the main while other engines are being worked on in the distance as hammers clang and machinists mill about to sort out a problem with a newly made locomotive.

[@btomimatsucunard]

1)The New York Central during the early 1900's. I am a west coaster primarily, and while I love the SP and the ATSF, there is something about the New York Central that just drives the imagination. From the smaller 4-4-0's, 4-6-0's, and 4-8-0's, to the introduction of larger locomotives of standard and compound design, mixed with wooden rolling stock, its just an era that would be something to behold. 2)Riding the Denver and Rio Grande Western narrow gauge route from Durango to Alamosa on the San Juan during the services inaugural years of the 1930's. What can I say, the San Juan was the last luxury narrow gauge train in the US, and traversed some of the most diverse country in the US from multiple accounts. Seeing how the railroad ran things before the hard decline in the 50's would have been a sight to behold. 3)There weren't a lot of Broad/Miniature railways in the US that I know of, but I would want to see the miniature train that ran in Venice, CA during the early 1900's. It ran through Venice before the area while it was still establishing itself as neighborhood, and while Venice still had all of its now famous canals. Not to mention running next to the Los Angeles and Pacific Railways line that would eventually become the Pacific Electric's Venice Short Line. Seeing the big green and gold Interurban cars roaring down the coast next to the little railway must have been a sight to behold. 4)I guess I would have wanted to see the last running of the Los Angeles Railway trolleys by the LAMTA in the 1963. It was a sad event that would have profound impacts on LA and downtown LA for many years to come. The last 5 lines of the old yellow cars running on 3'6" rails would have been amazing to ride, and would have a very somber moment during its last full day of operation, especially in the PCC painted up crying. It probably would have also been the chance to see a disappearing LA from the windows of a streetcar for the very last time. 5) The station opening for me is a tie. I either would have wanted to see the massive opening party for Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal in 1939, which had festivities inside the station, alongside a railway parade on Alameda St, exhibits by the 3 railways serving LA, and a massive Hollywood production on the Terminal tracks outlining the history of trains in the US and California. It would have been the chance to see some iconic and classic steam locomotives, as well as seeing the operation of many historic locomotives which have not turned a wheel in decades. I would also have wanted to see the opening of the old Penn Station in New York, not only for the trains and engineering that made it such a marvel, but for the architecture and art which made the loss of this station in the 60's such a crime against historic preservation. 6) I would definitely want to have the chance to ride the Southern Pacific's Daylight during its prime between LA and San Francisco, probably leaning more towards the prewar years of 1937-early 1941. That era had one of my favorite designs for the GS class, the GS-2 and GS-3 class, and had a interesting lineup of rolling stock for the train before Postwar boom for the train (prewar consists maxing out at 14 cars). A beautifully painted train in a striking Red, Orange, and Black color scheme with silver stripes, with a Tavern Car, Coffee Shop car, Dining car, along with a Parlor, and Parlor Observation Car, it definitely marked the start of a new highpoint for California passenger trains. 7) I would have wanted to be a passenger on the Pioneer Zephyr's record breaking run from Denver to Chicago back in the mid 30's. The train is small, but it had style to it, and the chance to make a run that hasn't been bested since is tantalizing. 8) For a chillout spot, I think I would want to have been Seated at Glendale Tower on the SP in 1940. Located at the southern end of the SP's Glendale Station yard, it saw not only the Southern Pacific's long parade of trains ranging from famous passenger trains, to long reefer blocks bound for the fertile San Joaquin Valley. In addition the tower saw the safe crossing of the Pacific Electric Glendale/Burbank Line on Brand Blvd. The action would have been a sight to behold.

[@JonatanGronoset]

Well, I only have one thing that I can think of realy: To see and ride Ludwig II of Bavarias royal train with my favorite engine Tristan in the 1870s. I can't explain in how much I adore and love that train, to see it in person would be magical...

[@1995express]

1. The Great Smoky Mountains Railway steam special of June 6-7, 1992. This is the pinnacle of the best of the GSMR. Steam locomotive No. 1702 (an S160) had by then been recently acquired and overhauled by the GSMR, it carried the best sounding 6 chime whistle in my opinion, the rolling stock was in its colorful livery of blue, yellow and red, and the excursion ran along what was back then the entire route of the GSMR from Dillsboro to Murphy, NC. This was one of only two trips the GSMR had ever done covering the entire length with their steam engine (the second time was in 1993 and not as interesting as the engine had to pull the train backwards on the round trip). Plus, I would plaster minicams and go-pros all over the train to capture as much of the ride as possible. 2. Hard to say but I might go with the Rio Grande in the 1950s, I'd be interested to experience the route between Durango and Alamosa to see what it's like. 3. The Isle of Mull Railway sometime between 1985 and 2011. I'd wanted to ride on it so much and missed the chance to do so when it closed. 4. N/A Never really considered witnessing a closure 5. The opening of the Grand Canyon Railway company in September 1989. I would love to have seen the opening day festivities and another chance to ride behind good ole' No. 18. 6. The Palace on Wheels in the 1980s, at least sometime back when it was steam hauled. I would like for a chance to experience a high luxury train running through India behind a steam engine. 7. The Great Locomotive Chase of April 12, 1862. I just want to see the engines and the characters as they were back then and maybe join in on the chase as a tagalong. Might be a bit risky though. 8. Maybe King's Cross station in the 1930s. It'd been interesting to see the Gresley Pacifics moving around the station yard.

[@harveycarter613]

Well what a feast for my imagination this is! 1. If i could choose from any normal day service it would be my favourite line in the world - the Lambourn Branch in late 1920s. Nestled in an old clerestory and watching the cuttings diminish into sleepy watermeadows then to the beautiful rolling expanse of the Berkshire downs, and to watch the evening shadows of the trees and fences grow longer. The 14 mile journey takes 45 minutes as the little Armstrong saddle tank takes the route at a leisurely pace. What a way to spend a Saturday. 2. If it had to be an opening it would be the midland and south western junction railway. Built in stages, singled to doubled, it snaked its way from Cheltenham, through wiltshire to andover and then on to southhampton. Their were multiple openings. Its goal was similar to the S&D and better excecuted than the DN&S. Such ambition, and the charm of second hand coaches and locomotives. The company had the audacity to pass through and set their headquarters in none other than Swindon! The company though small was very tight knit and sported its own brass band and football team. 3. Closure. The wantage tramway had no closure ceremony or last train but i would like to think that you could walk amongst the yard, huddled close to the town and see one of the most unique tramways in britain that barked right on the door of brunels billiard table. 4.chillout spot - Newbury station on a sunny saturday. Cornishman expresses running through, stopping trains from Reading and the bay platfroms with their own little engines shooting off to Lambourn, didcot and Winchester. 5. Express? Definately East coast mainline behind a stirling single. Back in the 1870s howden coaches would have had the luggage strapped to the roof. When you get to Tweedmouth you have to get in a horse drawn carraige and cross over the river to Berwick and terminate at Waverly.

[@ClassThrash]

1) The Honeybourne Line. 2) The Welshpool & Llanfair railway. 3) London - Bristol mainline. 4) Last day of operation on the S&D. 5) The opening of the SVR as a preserved line. 6) The Flying Scotsman (the whole journey). 7) Mallard setting the world speed record. 8) Bristol TM (1965).

[@kingorry7223]

1. GWML, Paddington to Reading 1950s, the wide array of motive power 2. Welshpool & Llanfair Railway, 1950s, witness the whole line all the way to welshpool mainline station, throught the town. 3. Broad Gauge 1838 to 1839, to see the gwr hurricane in action 4. L&B closure 1939, its my favourite sr miniature line 5. Mid Hants Railway 1977, its my local line, to see how its changed 6. A.C.E 1950s, the different locos used to pull the train 7. The Great Gathering 2013, to see my last two A4s 8. Basingstoke station 1967, to witness the end of steam

[@rothevator4009]

1) Standard Gauge Line on a normal day: The Wisbech and Upwell tramway, late Edwardian period (1900s, the years before the first world war) Steam tram locomotives, hauling mixed passenger/goods trains through streets, alongside the canal. And you get to experience all of this while riding in, and pardon this cheesy name, 'titfield carriages'! The W&U was so quirky, and it's a very different kind of line to most. I long for the day in preservation when a replica steam tram engine, or even just an 04 Shunter with side skirts, is married up to the sole surviving W&U carriage on some sort of street-level track for a few runs. 2) Narrow Gauge Line on a normal day: The Southwold Railway, late 1800's (arguably it's heyday) Another oddity from the East ( I'm a proud East Anglian, so hardly surprising!), the Southwold Railway had the interesting distinction of being 3ft gauge. Not uncommon in terms of the rest of the world, but for mainland Britain, it's quite a rare sight. The little Sharp Stewart 2-4-0's were very handsome, well-proportioned engines that don't look unwieldy or clumsy and the landscape of Eastern Suffolk is very charming. Preservation efforts to recreate the flavour of the SR are ongoing, but to see the line in its late-Victorian splendour must have been amazing. 3) Miniature/Broad Gauge on a normal day: The Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, early 1940's (during WWII). I'd agree with Chris that seeing GWR Broad Gauge in its prime would be awesome, but I'd also love to see the RH&D during the war. Not just for the armoured train, but also to see the RAF and Luftwaffe battling it out in the skies above the tracks. And when it comes to railways on the frontline in the Battle of Britain, you couldn't get much closer than the Kent coast! 4) Railway/Station Closure The Woodhead Line, 1981 There's something slightly mysterious about the later years of the Woodhead: Boxy yet elegant electric locomotives whirring past as they speed between Manchester and Sheffield carrying people and coal. Like many other candidates for this category, the line was a run-down shadow of its former self by the time of closure, but to see that final goods service in 1981 bursting out of the 3-mile long tunnel at Dunford Bridge would be a poignant moment. 5) Railway/Station Opening The Snowdon Mountain Railway's Opening Day in 1896 This one's a little morbid, but the accident that occured on the opening day on the Snowdon Mountain Railway has always been something I want to see. Imagine the scene; you're climbing the mountainside, hiking up the slopes near Clogwyn. Suddenly you notice a large shape hurtling down the mountain towards you. You naturally assume it's a boulder of some kind. Yet as it gets closer, you see to your utter astonishment that it's a steam locomotive, half bouncing/half rolling down the mountain! It sounds ridiculous, but it's true! The crew had jumped clear, and the only fatality that day was a passenger who saw the crew jump clear of their engine and decided to do the same by jumping out of the carriage he was sitting in. He hit his head on a rock and sadly later died. The incident clearly didn't hamper the line's PR department though, and as we all know, *Snowdon is still going strong to this day. * (pandemics aside that is!) 6) Prestige Express The Elizabethan (King's Cross to Edinburgh), early 1950's. I grew up watching the British transport film about The Elizabethan so many times, and the poetic commentary is etched into both my brain and my heart. To be whisked up the ECML by an A4, enjoying a coffee as you're sped past the scenery of England and on to Scotland, would be superb, and in the austerity of postwar Britain, it must have been a ray of sunshine for those who could afford it. 7) Famous Event Soham Disaster, 2nd June 1944 Not as well known as other railway events, but a truly staggering display of bravery by the crew of the train involved. I won't recount the full story here, but imagine being in a WD 2-8-0, hauling a train full of bombs and ammo for the war effort. You've left your marshalling yard near March and you're approaching the Cambridgshire town of Soham when you suddenly realise the lead wagon, full of bombs, is on fire! If it explodes, and sets off the rest of the bombs in your train, it could obliterate half the town! What Benjamin Gimbert, Frank Nightall and Herbert Clarke did next was truly remarkable, and I'd urge anyone who's not heard the story to go look it up. 8) Chillout Spot Melton Constable, early to mid-1950's As a Norfolkman, I'd love nothing more than to sit on the bridge at Melton Constable and watch filthy Ivatt 4's just lazily trundling in and out of Melton with local services. Nothing glamourous, just the beating heart of the M&GN with just a few years left in it before its closure.

[@naven2802]

1) Paddington-Penzance circa 1996. I’d love the chance to see the transition from BRWR to GWT. 2) Lynton and Barnstaple. It’s a charming little line, and I would like to see more than the short line that leads out of Woody Bay. 3) SDR Atmospheric Railway circa 1847. I’ve always wondered what it would be like. 4) Teign Valley line, 1967. I went on FGW’s Christmas special up the Teign Valley Line and I fell in love. With all this talk of an alternative route to the SDML, I’ve wondered what it would’ve been like if the A38 wasn’t built and we could relay the Teign Valley Line. 5) Strathspey Railway. Had my first trip last year and I fell in love with the route. The scenery is spectacular. 6) The Cornishman, 1950s. This was a tough one, as I’m a major Torbay Express fan (my Grandad used to make headboards for the trips up until 2018 and continued to supply the large BRWR style headboard, so it’s very close to my heart) but as the Torbay Express is something I’ve experienced many a time, I thought I’d go for something different. I watched Tornado on her record-breaking Cornishman run last year (again, one of our headboards) and I began to think, what would’ve it been like with western power in the correct time period? 7) City of Truro on her supposedly 100mph run. I honestly believe that she did reach 100mph, but I’d like to confirm it. 8) Newton Abbot, circa 1955. My Grandad always tells me this story of when his friends and himself used to buy an SR route learning crew fish and chips, and how he could run down from his school during his lunch break, watch the pilot engines come off the up express, said express go through the station and then be back in school all before the end of his break. I would love to see the old loco works as well, as I watched them burn down a few years ago which was, as a railways fan, somewhat painful.

[@NWR1991]

1. Great Central Railway around the early 1920's - Seeing pictures of the 11F's it would be interesting to travel on one when they were working there. 2. Talyllyn Railway in the Haydn Jones era (1911-1950) - It would be interesting to see the railway when it was in its working life, despite being around when the railway in its latter stage of working life was at its dark times. Plus at that time you get to ride on a slate wagon to Tywyn, I know the Ffestiniog Railway are still doing it in recent times but it would be interesting to see that type of train with the Talyllyn as your view. 3. N/A - Don't have one in mind. 4. Talyllyn Railway (again) in 1950 - Just seeing the event and knowing that in the next year, this railway would pave the way to the idea of railway preservation. 5. The opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway - It would be an amazing experience to witness the very first railway line in the world. See how railways were the innovated way of travelling and how it was the potential of transffering goods. It would be an awesome learning experience too. 6. 'The Flying Scotsman' service in 1928 - With the non-stop 'Flying Scotsman' serivce at the time, it would be interesting to experience the luxury way of railway travel what with a carriage devoted to salon and cinema, it would just be interesting to see something that is sadly not around on railways today. 7. 3801 on 'The Western Endeavour' 1970 - This was at the time a ground breaking event in Australian railway history. After years of building a through standard gauge track from Sydney in the Eastern side to Australia to Perth in the Western side, it would be an amazing and memorable trip that would seem impossible to achieve what with lack of water facilities through the dry Australian desert and negotiating with various other railway companies that own the piece of the track. 8. Sydney Central Station around the 1950's - After reading books with photographs of steam in its working period, I would just love to see Sydney Central bustling with various steam locomotives coming in and out of the station from the big express trains to the small shunting locos. I've always imagined that if I was working in the city at the time, I just go on my lunch break and film these various engines whenever I can.

[@the4tierbridge]

NWR1991, it’s you! Big fan!

[@andrewreynolds4949]

1. GWR routes into Wales during the early to mid 1930s - I have quite a bit of fascination with the GWR, and there were quite a number of Collett locomotives like the Halls, Castles, and Manors as well as the Churchward locomotives, and some even older still pulling their weight. A few of the Cities might even be still around. There would be a neat mix of relatively ancient coaching stock along with the newer varieties that are now very rare. 2. Denver, Rio Grande & Western narrow gauge from Denver to Silverton via Durango and Alamosa - The D&RGW narrow gauge is the most legendary of the Colorado narrow gauge railroads, and I would love to see what the whole system looked like in those days when it was still doing well and rails were still the best way to get around. 3. Australian broad gauge and narrow gauge lines during the late steam era - I have never been to Australia, and they had some rather large and neat-looking locomotives. 4. I would love to see the closure / regauging of the GWR broad gauge system: such an amazing feat as regauging the entire network overnight is not something to miss, plus there would be trains of now obsolete broad gauge stock passing by towards Swindon. There was a similar, but larger effort in the southern US around the same period, but it would be much harder to get a good sense of scale by watching that as opposed to the GWR: the action is so much more spread out. It gets a close second place, though. 5. Liverpool & Manchester Railway opening - It was a tremendous moment in the dawn of railways. 6. Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe Chief / Super Chief in the late 1930s or 1950s - thundering down the line behind a great 4-8-4 steam locomotive or ride the most famous AT&SF streamlined train in its heyday: take a pick. 7. City of Truro's legendary 100 mph run - If City of Truro really did hit 100 mph, I would be there to confirm it (at least in our time) 8. Rugby locomotive test station under BR days, or Swindon works at any time during the GWR era - both places would be really cool to see, and even normal people from those days wouldn't have been able to get those experiences (except as a job).

[@adamtravers856]

I wished I could have experienced the last pines express, I would have gotten to see my grandfather participate in a hugely historical moment :)

[@RandCooley]

1- West Coast Mainline from Euston to Glasgow 1948 2- Denver & Rio Grande Western in Colorado narrow gauge line. 3- The Great western railway 1800s 4- Closing of the branch from Penrith to Whitehaven 5- Milwaukee Railroad line transcontinental line. 6- California Zephyr 1930 7- The last runs of UK steam 8- Shap Summit 1960

[@willhorowitz8806]

1. The Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad in 1910-1929. The Ma & Pa was an unusual railroad, originally narrow gauge it was converted to standard gauge for easier connections. The infrastructure was altered to accommodate standard gauge trains, but it was very evident that this was originally narrow gauge. As a result the M&PA has strict restrictions on what was allowed on the line, and the scenery was second to none. 2. The Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad in 1919. This was when the SR&RL was at its peak with 112 miles of track, 15 locomotives, and over 100 pieces of rolling stock. After which the traffic started to decline and by 1935 the line was abandoned. 3. The Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway at any point in time. I visited the RH&DR in the summer of 2017 and I loved every minute of it. I don't care what year I go to, I want to ride it again. 4. The closure of the Denver & Rio Grande Western's 3 foot gauge system in 1968 and 1969. The D&RGW was technically the last Class 1 railroad in America (aside from the Union Pacific) to operate steam locomotives in revenue service. While portions of the mighty system have been torn up, there are still two sections in operation. 5. The opening of the American Transcontinental Railroad on May 10, 1869. I was at the 150th Anniversary event in 2019 which was a roaring success, but I would like to see the actual opening in 1869 and discover who really hammered in the last spike. 6. The Southern Pacific's Coast Daylight from Los Angeles to San Francisco in the 1940's. The Coast Daylight is considered by many the most beautiful train in the world, and it is easy to see why. The two tone orange paint scheme, state of the art passenger cars, and of course the magnificent GS class 4-8-4's to pull it. The scenery is nothing short of spectacular, and the service is first class. 7. The American Freedom Train in 1975 and 1976. This red, white, and blue masterpiece of a train carried 500 of the USA's most valuable treasures, traveled to 138 cities and towns in 48 states over a total distance of 25,833 miles. The train either pulled by SP 4449 or RDG 2101 (renumbered as AFT 1) and was visited by over 7 million people. What a way to celebrate the 200th birthday of the United States. 8. Anywhere along the Pennsylvania Railroad between 1946 and 1947. These were the last years that steam ruled the PRR, and the last years you would expect steam to power the named passenger trains. I don't care where I go on the Pennsy system, I want to see all of it when the diesel roster number less than 100.

[@jonathancruz562]

I’d to go back in 1938 to go and ride on mallard record run

[@stev3548]

Oh to see the prewar streamliners, roaming free from new york to chicago. T1, S1, J3a, K4, GG1 etc. Still the most beautiful objects ever created, and if it was surrounded by the architecture of the same school and intent. Beauty unparalleled.

[@davidirvine4294]

Dawlish beach on a sunny summer Saturday in the late 1950s. I did it a few times with my parents but they hated the busy trains to and from Plymouth. I loved it as there seemed to be an almost incessant procession of holiday trains. Absolute bliss!.

[@robertp-i4065]

The only journey i need would be a journey on the lost Oban-Ballachulish branch line in Argyll, Scotland. Its still a gorgeous place today which i pass through quite regularly, but i constantly dream of crossing the connel bridge via train and travelling north to Creagan and Ballachulish, hauled by whatever steam power wasn't working on the West Highland line that day. (usually various 0-4-4 tanks) If you have some time I would highly suggest going to look at photos and video of the line, It remains rather obscure today (because financially it was a nightmare, lost its industry, and had awful passenger numbers) but it remains one of the most scenic and isolated examples of any British railway.

[@jarrads.a.r5661]

As an Aussie I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from interfering on the grounds of getting at least two of every class loco into a preservation of either static or operational display so that all enthusiasts could see the changes grow start to the end of steam. As for watching I’d definitely say Peterborough in South Australia as the station there was designed for all three gauges time of preference 1920

[@alexfogg381]

I know what you mean, I would have tried to save a new York central railroad 4-6-4 Hudson, or a 4-8-4 Niagara from being scrapped, along with a myriad of other steam locomotives that are no longer in existence. As well seeing Peterborough station in South Australia with trains of three different gauges in operation at once sounds like a form of paradise to me.

[@jarrads.a.r5661]

Alex Fogg yeah I know what you mean mate Seeing that station in full swing would have been amazing

[@TomedysTrains]

Excellent video discussing your preferences if you could go back in time to witness trains in the past Chris. Here are my responses based on how I feel at this time to your stages/questions. 1) A Southern Pacific commuter train in the 1970s from San Francisco to San Jose, CA so I could experience the culture of the 1970s and ride on an interesting mixture of locomotives and rolling stock. 2) A Denver & Rio Grande narrow gauge train pulled by one of their steam locomotives (a Consolidation, Ten Wheeler or Mikado) in New Mexico and Colorado in the 1950s (before it became tourist attractions). 3) A BART train from Oakland to Milbrae, CA in the 1990s since those trains are driverless and the 1990s was a huge decade for electronic technology where Silicon Valley was booming with business in the electronics industry. 4) The Las Vegas station in 1997 because that shouldn't have happened to begin with. 5) Grand Central Terminal in New York in 1913 since the construction of that station was a massive undertaking and still is in use today. 6) I'm going to cheat slightly on this one by saying a ride on the New York Central's 20th Century Limited from New York to Chicago AND the Santa Fe's Super Chief from Chicago to Los Angeles in the 1940s. Sometimes the Santa Fe's Super Chief cars would be implemented into the New York Central's 20th Century Limited so passengers east of Chicago wouldn't have to change trains when going west of there. 7) Same as yours for this one Chris. The East Coast Mainline in England on July 3, 1938 to see the LNER's Mallard breaking the world record to being the fastest steam locomotive in the world. 8) Chicago's South Side in the 1940s where I would see the trains of the New York Central and Pennsylvania Railroad race each other in and out of Chicago. So those are my answers Chris and great work putting together this video giving us your answers.

[@QJ89]

Trainspotting place to visit: Moe, Victoria, ~1954. This was then the 1500V DC Electrification reached the LaTrobe Valley from Melbourne. Large L Class electrics would bring in wagons to be filled with brown coal from the Yallourn mines. The coal ran the power stations both here and in Melbourne. The wires were removed from Moe and Traralgon in 1987 when VR deemed it too expensive to run electric trains this far. Yeah, I'm a sucker for bold railway experiments which ultimately failed!

[@hainsleyflyer9485]

1. Great Western Mainline: Paddington to Bristol circa 1923. This would be right after the grouping, with motive power ranging from Churchward, including City of Truro, The Great Bear, and the 2800 freight engines. 2. Talyllyn Railway Tywyn to Abergonolyn circa 1920. This was post World War I and still under Sir Henry Haydn Jones. No particular reason for the time period but being able to ride on the Talyllyn in its prime would be amazing. 3. No real preference for broad or miniature gauges. 4. Closure of the Wisbech and Upwell Tramway, circa 1966. The tramway lost its passenger contract in 1927, but fully closed in 1966. The sight of a small tram engine working its way up the line is very charming! 5. Paddington Station opening, May 29, 1854. The brand new glimmering station with a huge glass canopy would be something amazing to see with Brunel's broad gauge engines filling the station! 6. Orient Express circa 1910. Similar to Chris, the Orient Express is the epitome of transcontinental train travel. The grandeur and opulence of such a route is one that fills the imaginations of anyone, rail enthusiast or not. 7. New York Worlds Fair Line-up and Cavalcade, 1939. The best of the best from around the globe, including a LMS Coronation, the experimental "Torpedo," new American diesel engines, and more! 8. Lickey Incline, circa 1935. Big Bertha and the Jintys are hard at work and with a mix of Midland and LMS motive power, seeing these mighty machines at work would be great.

[@professionallyclueless2395]

For my day of observing I’d go with a logging railroad in Northern Wisconsin in the 20’s. They still run the train as a tourist attraction but to see it in real action would be something. For my special event I’d go back to the winter of 1917 where I live. The snow was so deep trains were arriving 9 hours late with snow up to the bell. Plus I could look around and explore where I live today back then.

[@borderlands6606]

1) Brighton Belle at electrification. 2) The Leek and Manifold during its brief existence. Sitting among the milk churns going nowhere would be fun. 3) Broad gauge on the Arbroath and Forfar. Short, isolated, brief existence. 4) Manchester Mayfield closure, preferably taking the midweek Pines Express out of the gloom and dereliction. 5) St Pancras 6) The Thames-Clyde Express in the early 1960s. Hardly anyone did the whole route because it was slow and inconvenient compared to alternatives. 7) A ghoulish desire to be a signalman at Harrow and Wealdstone 1952. 8) Race to the North,1895, the 15mph S-curves at Portobello, trains entering at 64mph.

[@LNER4771]

My choices (distinctly USA, because I'd never be able to afford the international time travel fares) 1. Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley Railroad, 1880s. My old hometown railroad. Would like to see the other colorful characters riding the rails. 2. Durango and Silverton, 1950s. Lots of cowboy pictures were being filmed there at the time. 3. St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad, 1868. Big engines, beautiful countryside, what more to ask for? 4. Chicago & Northwestern Depot, West Point, NE, 1982. Old home railway station. Would like to see its last hurrah. 5. Omaha Union Station, 1931. Beautiful art-deco interior, far enough away from the stockyards to avoid unpleasant cattle aromas. 6. 20th Century Limited, 1936. They just implemented the bullet-style locomotives, and the styles were fantastic. 7. Transcontinental Railroad Completion, 1869. One big shin-dig. Who wouldn't want to go and get drunk there? 8. North Platte's Bailey Yard, WWII. The North Platte Canteen operated here to give treats to soldiers heading out to Europe or the Pacific. Would like to lend a hand with the baked goods.

[@phil69881]

Even living in the UK I can agree with you on the FE&MVR.... I've given it some study, after having stumbled across a video of the F&EVR, from the late 1980s, with 1702 on the train.

[@joshuasutherland6692]

1 Chicago Aurora & Elgin in the 1940s. Plenty of eclectic rolling stock, and a unique trip to the Chicago loop from the countryside through neighborhoods now bulldozed for a freeway. 2 Alishan Forest Railway in the 1930s. Geared steam locomotives mountian climbing in subtropical forests seems like an expierence to remember. 3 RENFE before the Spainish Civil War would be interesting. 4 Last run of the Chicago North Shore & Milwaukee in 1963 would be amazing to see. 5 Opening of OG Penn Station in NYC would be a magnificant affair. 6 Twin Cities Hiawatha behind a Class A Atlantic has always been a dream. 7 I wanna see the EP-2 Bipolar win a game of tug of war with two Class Z mallets high up in the Cascade mountians. 8 Roosevelt Road Bridge in Chicago in the 1920s. So many roads to see at a peak of steam intercity railroading in the US.

[@MallardStudios]

1. The Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway in the 1920s and 30s, I've always been fascinated by the history of railways in the East Anglia area, and the M&GN is no exception. The line during that time was being run as a joint line between the LNER and the LMS with their own engines the Class C's being inherited by the former. So it would've been nice to take a ride along the full length of the line, and seeing both Eastern and Midland engines working side by side, while taking in the breath taking views of the Norfolk Coast. 2. Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad in the 1870s, the company original began as a narrow gauge line connecting Denver and Salt Lake City. So I would've liked to go back in time, to see the railway during those very early years, and see American narrow gauge steam in it's prime. Running all the way to Denver and Salt Lake City, probably take trip down to Santa Fe in New Mexico as well. 3. The Irish Railway system in the early 20th century. At the beginning of the century, Ireland was still under UK control at that point, and was being operated a variety of different companies, similar to how the UK system was until the 1923 grouping, and had 3,480 miles of track. The railway's over there have been using broad gauge for decades. So seeing the system during the day's of Irish steam would've been great, while traveling on the line between Belfast and Dublin behind a GNRI Class S. 4. The Liverpool Overhead Railway in 1956. This railway with it's electric multiple units which run over the busy streets of Liverpool, may have served and give views of Liverpool Docks throughout it's life time. But unfortunately due to corrosion issues caused by dockyard locomotives running underneath the corrugated iron structure and the railway running at a loss due to competition from the local tram company. It's no wonder why it had to face a tragic demise. So to take one last ride to see this electric railway in operation, and getting a photo shot of the entire dockyard before the ocean liners disappeared would've been a joy, and a spectacular way to see the end of this lost railway. 5. The reopening of the Talyllyn Railway in 1951: Seeing that ribbon being cut marked the beginning of what was to come. 6. The Silver Jubilee between London and Newcastle in the late 30s. Simply because I love the A4 Class of locomotives, and riding on the first of those prestigious streamlined express trains the locomotives were designed to haul, would've been a fantastic experience. While being served dinner by the on board cooks and stewards with the most luxurious food, that only a working class person could dream of having. 7. City of Truro's 100 mph record run in 1904. Although I'm not a fan of GWR traction, I do admire the 3700 Class, including City of Truro. So to go back to 1904 to see her break the 100 mph, that is believed she did, would've been amazing, and would've probably been a sight to see. Alongside Mallards record breaking run. 8. Ely Railway Station in the 1950s. Since I live near to Ely, not far from the station itself, and after seeing photograph's in two middleton's books of the station around that time. I would've loved to have seen so many Eastern steam locomotive designs running through station in each direction from Peterborough, Norwich, Ipswich, Cambridge and St. Ives. Along with the occasional East Coast Mainline diversion, with the Flying Scotsman passing through with either an A3 or A4 hauling it on it's way to King's Cross. Even seeing a small shunting engine roaming about the station yard, shunting trucks and coaches into the sidings. While filming these scenes as much as I can.

[@CoalChrome]

1. The 1960s and 70s when the rail preservation in the US began, it was such a laid back time and people would line up along the lineside, even though steam had only been gone a relatively short time, it was a massive spectacle when Southern Railroad 4501, the pioneer of US mainline steam post-dieselization, made her run from Kentucky to Nashville, and to see the last of Gainesville Midland steam. 2. either the DRGW NG in the 50s/60s (the last bastion of "mainline" steam in revenue service) or the DSP&P in the teens where you could go all the way from Denver to Southpark and beyond while riding 36" track the entire way. 3. I would have to say.... the RH&DR in the war when one of the engines was armored. 4. the closure of the Gainesville Midland 5. opening of the Transcontinental line 6. 1950s California Zephyr 7. the Nashville rail distaster. 8. Gainesville Midland Gainesville yard, 1958

[@FutureRailProductions]

1) An eastbound service on the CNW on July 6th, 1881. The night of the Honey Creek trestle collapse in Boone, Iowa. I could meet Kate Shelley. 2) Chama, NM to Silverton, CO in the 1880's. Never been to the Cumbres and Toltec or the Durango & Silverton but it would be fun to see it in it's original glory. 3) Northbound service on the Western and Atlantic Railroad in the 1870's or just after the Civil War. Maybe about 1866. 4) Definitely the Union Depot in my hometown of Grinnell. I don't know when it closed but I would assume when passenger service ended on the Rock Island. 5) Grand Central Terminal in New York City on February 2nd 1913. 6) Empire State Express behind a Dreyfuss Hudson. 7) The completion of the Transcontinental Railroad at Promontory Summit, Utah on May 10th, 1869. 8) Fort Wayne, Indiana in the late 1940s somewhere on the Nickel Plate route through the city watching the Nickel Plate Berkshires thunder pass.

[@benwetzel8449]

1: US Southern Railway. Any route. 1920’s. I just like the green on their engines. 2: Durango & Silverton 1890 3: Southern US 1850’s broad gauge. 4: St. Louis Union Depot 5: Liverpool & Manchester 6: either the 20th Century Limited 1936, or the orient express like you mentioned. 7: either the Golden Spike Ceremony or the 1927 Fair of the Iron Horse. 8: 1913 Penn Station. That station was taken from us too soon. I still stand by that it is the most beautiful station to have ever been built.

[@ajaxengineco]

I've never heard of US Broad Gauge. Can you tell me about it, my British brain is highly interested.

[@benwetzel8449]

Steamandvintagelover 4566 So, the southern USA used to largely use 5 foot broad gauge. The reason we don’t have it today is because of one day. May 31st, 1886. That was the day the gauge changed. In one day. One single day. The southern rail system underwent a full conversion from 5 ft, to 4 ft 9 in. It was a mammoth undertaking. By June 1st, all 11,500 miles of the US rail system used roughly the same gauge, and were standardized.

[@SD-gc7rz]

1) The Stainmore line circa 1950. Am familiar with the area and this was a truly spectacular railway, with the great iron viaducts at Deepdale and Belah. Barnard Castle to Tebay and return, with a brief journey up the branch to Penrith, would be something special, combined with alighting at Barras to watch freights climbing to the summit. 2) The Lynton and Barnstaple in about 1930 - self-explanatory. 3) No question, it would have to be the broad gauge, and probably about the 1860s, or maybe even the 1880s to see mixed gauge track and transfer sheds in operation. 4) Not sure. Can think of a couple of candidates - maybe a legendary now closed big city station - but nothing obvious. 5) The opening of one of the main trunk lines in the 1840s, to get a sense of the new technology's arrival and the start of the railway era on a national scale. 6) Trans-Siberian Railway, or the Atlantic Coast Express from Waterloo to Padstow in about 1960. 7) The Race To The North 1895. This was a pretty thrilling time as the schedules ran faster and faster by the week and it was almost a national sport to see which of the West Coast or East Coast coalitions would come out on top. 8) Yes, the Somerset and Dorset, definitely, although I'd be tempted to pick somewhere on the southern slopes of the Mendips. I'd also set it in 1960 to witness the 9Fs in action.

[@Spud607]

Id like to be able to have a spin on the county donegal railway when it was at its peak and the mullingar - portlaoise Irish gauge branchline because it is local and it is one of few places i know of where victorian 4-4-0s were used pulling mixed trains. My great grandfather was a farmer and good friends with the station master at the time so we could put our produce on the train and potentially negotiate a spin on the engine. The county donegal, id just love to have seen it since 99% of it is no longer around. It wouldve been great to see those 2-6-4 tanks in action 😍😍

[@lukebarber9511]

My answers from a US-based railfan of worldwide rail transoprt: 1) The PRR 4-track mainline, between Philadelphia and Harrisburg in the late 30s or early 50s when electrification was complete and GG1s were in service (alternately, the NYC-DC Northeast Corridor at the same points in time). 2) Probably one of the Colorado narrow gauge lines during the original 19th-century silver boom, or possibly the Harz Mountain NGL. 3) Maybe a line in India when steam was dominant, on a WP-class hauled train? If you count model trains as "miniature", then I'd like to have seen an operating session of the Gorre & Daphetid. 4) Los Angeles Interurban Pacific Electric "Red Car" last run 5) NYC Penn Station opening, or driving the golden spike 6) Either the Super Chief in the early 1950s, the Daylight when it was hauled by GS4s, or the Rheingold (either with original 1920s stock, or during its TEE Br103-hauled days) 7) The Br 38/78 last run in the Black Forest, as seen here kzbin.info/www/bejne/o5SlZJV8qLGsqaM 8) Austria's Arlberg Railway, especially in the "blutorange" era of the 1970s and 80s; I'd probably pick Bludenz station as my spot kzbin.info/www/bejne/m3y9qZuplK-DrcU ; alternately, Ottbergen in the early 1970s, when class 44-hauled freights were the norm (and often double-headed)

[@lukeslocomotives]

For the Express one, I'd go from London Paddington to the West Country behind a castle class (Make that 5051 plz)

[@37263gen]

good choice

[@TheSantaFeGuy]

As a place to go it'd be Youngstown Ohio in the early 70s. I would have loved to see the steel city in its prime and varity in railroads, motive power, and P&LEs hump yard. Seeing it now just makes me wanna cry

[@doedante99]

1. Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway in the 60's, because it's such a picturesque line that will never run in it's entirety again 2. Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway in the 20's, because 1. That's only time it ever made any money and 2. I'm from the state of Maine and want to experience part of our 2ft system as it was way back when 3. RH&DR during it's first few years, to see the public's reaction to such a small functioning railway 4. The closure of the Wantage Tramway, because the Wantage Tramway is fascinating to me 5. The opening of the Sandy River Railroad, because I want to know the public reaction to 2ft gauge here in Maine 6. The Pine's Express, same reason as point 1 7. Rocket 150 Cavalcade, to see all the locos going by 8. Farmington Depot. To see the variety of both SG and NG stock go by

[@alexfogg381]

Cool, I'm from Maine as well. Nice to find another Mainer who likes 2 foot narrow gauge, and British railway operations too. Also any junction with both Standard, and narrow gauge services sound awesome to me. One of my other choices would have been the final part of the Bar Harbor Express. I volunteer with New England Steam Corp. NESCO, restoring Maine central railroad locomotive #470 to operation on the Downeast scenic railroad.

[@Electra_1203]

Most of these choices are personal to me being a huge lover of Great Eastern Stuff but here goes: 1: Ride on The Great Eastern Mainline in the 1900s. London to Norwich then probably onwards to Cromer and sherringham. It’s a journey I have taken a lot and would love to do it with the Great Eastern B12s. 2: Southwold Railway Circa 1910s. An oft forgotten 3FT Railway in Suffolk linking the east Suffolk line at halesworth to Southwold. Completely lost now with no video recordings as it closed really early so would be nice to explore it. 3: RHDR in the 20s or 30s. Would love to see what it was like back then with the original locos and possibly meet Captn Howey. 4: id want to have a ride on the main M&GN system at closure in 1959. So much line lost with not much in the way of video recording. Especially Melton constable junction and works. 5: Id love to experience the Opening of the Mid Suffolk light Railway in 1908, an idyllic rural backwater light line, akin to the Col. Stephens branches. I’d want to be there when it opened to experience firsthand the unique J64 tanks that were used on the line before they were replaced by J15s in later years. 6: for a prestigious train it would be the first silver jubilee in 1935. Just because of how iconic the loco and train were. 7: it would have to be the Rail 150 event. I was born a little after so never got to experience this momentous feat in preservation. 8: a chill out spot would be great Yarmouth again in the Early 1900s. It’s a place close to my heart and I’d love to experience the vast network of lines. For a small town It had 3 large stations and a very large swing bridge that was demolished in the 50s. It would again just be a chance to see a wide variety of Great Eastern motive power and early M&GN stock as that was all mostly scrapped in the 30s. As said all very biased but I hope you like my picks! Yours were equally as good!

[@lorenzosdeadchannel]

I would like to go back to the 1950s to see the "greywood central railway" (7 1/4 inch gauge railway). The reason being that I'm currently a volunteer at the "great cockcrow railway" which is the railway which came after greywood shut. And we still have some of the original engines, so it would be nice to see what it was like at the original site.

[@class87fan54]

1. West Coast Main Line in the 1950s - So I can watch Duchesses in their prime 2. Ffestiniog Railway in pre-preservation days- See how it used to be 3. The GWR in broad gauge days- See how Brunel was right. 4. The closure of the Great Central Main Line. 5. The Talyllyn re-opening- See the birth of preservation. 6. The Coronation- Enjoy a high-speed ride behind a garter blue A4 in comfort and style. 7. Mallard's record run- Be exciting to see it first hand, and maybe find out for definite if she achieved 125 mph or 126 mph 8. Basingstoke in the late 40's/early 50's- See Bulleids in original from and the various ex-LSWR classes still knocking around.

[@hornet1068]

Nottingham Victoria station, mid 1950,s, Carnforth steam shed in the sixties, closing of Leicester central, first run of Deltic prototype. Run on the Atlantic coast express, opening of Bishopsgate goods yard London, visiting Barry scrapyard when full. Riding on the APT-E gas turbine version, I would settle for the electric option as well.

[@Middlesbrough250]

1.Bristol Temple Meads, in the Brunel Broad gauge. 2. Witness GNR Stirling Single going into service 1870. 3. Witness Railway workers doing their job Etc:- driver/firemen, Fitters, Fogmen, line gaugers,refreshment ladies, station masters, signalmen and Yard foremen. 4. 3rd July Mallard at Stoke Bank at 126 mph. 5. Travel on the Camel trail Brunch line between Wadebridge to Bodmin in Cornwall. 6. 1830 Rain Hill Trial 7. L.M.S Princess Royals Speeding through Watford Junction 8.meet the Railway Chief Engineers:- Gresley,Stanier, Maunsell, Churchward, and Brunel.

[@furripupau]

I would love to ride one of the GWR's pneumatic lines when it was new/working. Kind of surprised nobody has laid down a decent stretch of broad gauge track, even just two or three miles would be plenty space just to get up to speed and see what it was like.

[@mdgfb05]

As an Australian: 1- Sydney to Albury on the Melbourne Limited around the early 1940s 2- The Ghan from Adelaide to Alice Springs in the 1930s 3- Albury to Melbourne on the Spirit of Progress in 1937 4- The Camden line 1st January 1963 5- Sydney to Parramatta ooening in 1855 6- Newcastle Flyer OR Southern Highlands Express 7- 100th Anniversary of NSWGR Railways in 1955 OR 3801s Speed run between Sydney and Newcastle in 1964 8- Robertson NSW, end of a steep incline from Unaderra (near Wollongong)

[@TARDIS9]

Here's my list: 1. The Lewes-East Grinstead Branch Line to see what the Bluebell looked like back then. 2. The Corris Railway, to witness what it was like working slate traffic. 3. The Dundee and Arbroath Joint Railway, before it was converted to standard gauge, to experience travelling on one of the earliest-known railways. 4. Definitely the Lynton and Barnstaple railway, for the same reasons as you, Chris. 5. The Tanfield Wagonway, since, after becoming the Tanfield Railway, it has become the oldest-operating railway in the world (though I too would have opted for Talyllyn as well, if only so as to meet a certain Reverend Awdry!). 6. The Cornish Riviera Express - to recreate a sense of the seaside holiday, while sampling the Great Western efficiency and reliability. 7. Flying Scotsman's famous run from Kings Cross to Edinburgh. 8. Southampton Docks in the early 20's, to see both a bustling dockside scene, and to watch (and personally drive) one of the LBSC E2s!

[@mr.theengie9010]

1. A ride over Sherman Hill in the early fifties. In that time, Union Pacific’s giant steam power was still the mainstay of the network. Yeah, there would be the occasional diesel, but I would love to ride behind an FEF as it pounded its way up the grade. 2. The Denver & Rio Grande Western narrow gauge in 1924. Their consolidations were still very much in service, and the mikados were just beginning to show up. A ride behind any of those locomotives would be brilliant. 3. Brunel’s broad gauge Great Western Railway in the mid-1850’s. All of the Iron Dukes were in service by this point, and I would love a ride behind (or on) one of those. 4. The last broad gauge express on the GWR on May 20, 1892. In my opinion, we wouldn’t see an event like this until the Fifteen Guinea Special. A very sad day indeed, as it marked the end of an era, but I still would have loved to have been there, and maybe even rode the train. 5. The opening of the Stockton & Darlington. One of the most important events in railway history, and one that I haven’t seen talked about very often by the normal media. I would love to see Locomotion No. 1 steam down the line with its train. 6. The Twentieth Century Limited in 1938. That was the year the redesigned, streamlined train made its debut, headed by one of the most gorgeous locomotives in the world, the J3A Dreyfuss Hudson. It was the finest train in the country in its day, and by far the most luxurious. 7. N.Y.C.&.H.R.R.R. No. 999 when it supposedly hit 100 miles an hour. Yes, I know it didn’t actually hit 100, but the amount of media attention it got and how famous it became if only for a short while would have been fun to see. And even if it didn’t hit 100, it was still going pretty fast, and to be onboard or at least watch it rocket on by would have been quite the spectacle. 8. Finally, my chill out spot of choice would be Southern Pacific’s terminal in San Francisco in the early fifties. At this time, most trains were still headed by steam, even the Daylights. Those trains, to me, are among the most beautiful in the world. Besides the steam headed Daylights, there would a be a whole host of classic SP power to watch, like P- series Pacific types, dozens of switchers, and the mountain types with their skyline casing.

[@OliverTrueman]

1. The Severn and Wye in the 1950's - there was many branches to collieries and I'd like to see where the ran to 2. Vale of Rheidol in the 1920's - to see Aberystwyth Harbour station 3. The Fairbourne in the 1930s 4. Closure of the Bristol to Bath via Mangotsfield and S&D lines, 3rd of March 1966 - I'm a volunteer at the Avon Valley Railway 5. The Hotwells branch, Bristol 1923 - to see the predecessor to the Portway main road 6. The Pines Express 1967 - this would have been diverted via Oxford after the closure of the S&D a year prior 7. The Fifthteen Guinee special 11th of August 1968 8. Bristol Temple Meads 1963 - its on of my main chillout spots and I'd like to see steam and diesel running along side each other there

[@MegaTrainlover]

1) Take a ride on a steam-hauled service from Waterloo to Bournemouth behind a Bulleid or a Standard 5 (Latterly Camelot preferably since she's my favourite of 5MT's). 2) Travel behind the first train on the Ffestiniog Railway when it reopened for preservation in 1956. 3) Travel on a GWR Broad Gauge locomotive from Paddington to Swindon around 1855 when the Iron Dukes were all running, just to experience the sudden braking that you mentioned in one of your earlier videos. 4) Witness the closure of the S&DJR and ride behind the last train in 1966. 5) Witness the re-opening of the Bluebell Railway in 1960 by volunteers and travel behind Stepney. 6) Travel on the Golden Arrow around 1950 when it was hauled exclusively by the Bulleids. 7) Witness the Rocket 150 cavalcade in 1979, not only because of the sight of the steam engines, but to see locomotives in service which haven't been seen in steam for quite a while. Examples such as the MR Johnson Spinner, MR Compound 1000, LNWR Hardwicke and GNR Stirling no.1. 8) Train-spot at Clapham Junction circa 1961, just to witness the wide array of steam locomotives (Bulleids, Standard 4s and 5s, Ivatt 2s, M7s) and also to really fill my notebook with loco numbers.

[@WHOKAY25]

1. Midland Main Line (Manchester Central to London St. Pancras) sometime during the 50s, would be nice what the views along the line would be back then, particularly between Miller’s Dale and Rowsley, all behind LMS traction. 2. The Snowdon Mountain Railway in 1900, would give me a real insight on how passengers back then felt about going up the mountain by rail; riding onboard one of the original carriages whilst being pushed by one of the steam locomotives (let’s say ‘Snowdon’) 3. The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway in the summer of 1900, so as to see what the views and operations on the railway were like compared to the present day. 4. The closure of the Macclesfield, Bollington and Marple Railway on January 3rd 1970; because that would have been my local line if it stayed open, but alas, it was to close thereafter, soon to become the Middlewood Way (a recreation path used by walkers, cyclists and horse riders) 15 years later. 5. The opening of the East Lancashire Railway (as a preserved railway) from Bury to Ramsbottom on 25th July 1987, because being one of the current volunteers, I always like looking at how the scenes on the railway have changed from then onwards. 6. The Blue Pullman on 12th September 1960 (following the route mentioned in 1), because after seeing the BTF film about its construction and inaugural run, it makes me think what great onboard service the train has to offer. 7. 6220 Coronation’s attempted record run on 29th June 1937, because whilst the loco managed to obtain 114mph (the British speed record for steam back then), what happened onboard the train as it approached Crewe would either have been a thrill or a scare! 8. Vauxhall station in 1960; because with it being sandwiched between Nine Elms Shed and London Waterloo, the station makes for a vantage point for watching Southern Region engines running through in different directions, either running light engine or with a full Pullman.

[@Parovoz0251]

Excellent video! The thing with Railway preservation is it provides a good escape from current issues and especially in these times I think more people are looking back to desire to look back at the past more fondly. Anyways below are my choices. 1. Normal Standard Gauge on a Normal Working Day: Anywhere on the East Coast Mainline between 1935 and 1939. The LNER has the least survivors of any of the Big Four and yet appears to be the most famous. It would be great to see the Pre Grouping locos and the new A4s side by side and on a large scale that will never be seen again. 2. Ride on a Narrow Gauge line on a Normal Working Day: The Talyllyn Railway. Circa the 1920s to early 30s. Mainly because of the growth of tourism in the 1920s I think it would be interesting to see the Talyllyn passenger stock supplemented with slate wagons fitted with planks as seats. And I would want to try riding in a slate wagon down to Twyn that would be powered by gravity. 3. Ride on a Miniature/Broad Gauge Railway: Would be the same as yours. The GWR’s Broad Gauge Network in the 1840s. The time period for the same reason is due to the locos designed by Daniel Gooch. Although I would choose this more for the reason that a Broad Gauge network like that will never be seen again. 4. Railway/Station Closure: The North Yorkshire Moors Railway on the 6th of March 1965. I’m an LNER fan so seeing one of it’s lines close would be an experience I would be invested in. And the sight of a Thompson K1 and Gresley K4 double heading would be a sight I know I wouldn’t forget. Especially now that the “The Great Marquess” will be on static display for at least a while/ It would also be a bit comforting knowing both locos survive past this point. 5. Railway/Station Opening: The Talyllyn Railway on the 14th of May 1951. Similar reasons to what you said. It was monumental for railway preservation and I think it would be nice to compare to what later it’s condition in the 20s. 6. Ride a Prestiges Express Train: The Silver Jubilee in 1935. First off the Silver A4s and the coaches simply look fantastic! It’s something that is also unlikely to be seen again. I would choose upon its introduction as I imagine that it would be interesting to see the reactions of the train upon her initial arrival. 7. Famous Event: Sunday, the 3rd of July 1938. Mallard’s Record Run. I’m sure this sounds incredibly cliche but the idea of actually being there sounds amazing. The desire is greater now seeing how it’s unlikely that Mallard is to operate again. There isn’t much photo documentation of this run so to actually see it would definitely be outstanding! 8. Chillout Spot Leningrad-Sortirovochny-Moskovsky locomotive depot on the October Railway in the late 1930s. I chose here as it was the central yard of the October Railway which carried some of the best Szd services such as the Red Arrow. I chose the late 1930s as during the interwar period Soviet Railways or Szd was in a similar position to the LNER in the way that both had modern and incredibly efficient steam locomotives along size much older locomotives from years earlier. And on top of it I would most likely see the Soviet’s streamlined locomotives which in my opinion are the best looking streamlined engines that aren’t from Britain. This desire is also fueled by the fact that none of their streamliners survived.

[@metropod]

Definitely would be on the last trip of the 20th Century Limited pulled by one of the New York Central’s Dreyfus J3 Hudson’s... after which I would come back to the yard in the middle of the night, steal it, leave behind forged paperwork that it had been taken for scrap and hide it, “BTTF 3 DeLorean in mine” style. I’d rebuild it into a time machine itself... but I don’t want to run the risk of derailing on jump exit because the tracks moved slightly.

[@the700shunter8]

I'd go back to 1900s on the LSWR Network to take a train from London Waterloo to Southampton Docks

[@TheOnlyBongo]

lol I hope it isn't cheating given my North American heritage but I thought I'd weigh in on the proposed time traveling fantasy. . - Trip 1 (Standard gauge, normal day): It's a tough pick, honestly. I'd love to ride behind a NYC Dreyfuss or a PRR T1, but if I had to pick I'd honestly go with taking a ride on Southern California's Pacific Electric Railway on the longest route possible; from Corona, California to the Balboa Peninsula just south of Newport Beach, CA. They are close together geographically, but the PE line to get there had to stretch from Corona to the north east to San Bernadino, west to Los Angeles, south to Long Beach, and then south east to Balboa Peninsula. Due to the roundabout nature that is a lovely ride of around 140 miles. I love interurban railways a lot, and the glamour of the famous "Hollywood Red Cars" would have been amazing to see and ride in. Some time in the 1930s to 1940s before the shrinkage of the railroad begun, personally. . - Trip 2 (Narrow gauge, normal day): Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad. It's hard to say between what two points I'd like to travel, as at some point most of the D&RGW was converted from 3 foot narrow gauge to standard gauge, so depending on what time I traveled to I'd have varying lengths of trips. But the grandeur of the Rocky Mountains is something that cannot be missed. The current heritage lines of the Durango & Silverton as well as the Cumbres & Toltec are only a fraction of what the original lines covered, but the scenery is just stunning. Seriously to those in the UK, Europe, and the rest of the world, if you are taking a trip to the US to see the Grand Canyon or Zion National Park, do take the long trip over to visit the Cumbres & Toltec or Durango & Silverton. The scenery is just breathtaking. I don't know a specific date, but before the 1900s preferably before most of the routes became standard gauge. . - Trip 3 (Miniature/broad gauge, normal day): Carolwood Pacific Railroad without a doubt. Walt Disney was a huge train lover (It could be argued trains filled the void for his mid-life crisis honestly) so much so to the point that he designed a large and elaborate live steam ridable miniature railway around his house, and he would regularly give rides to people who stopped on by. He had to stop when the crowds wanting to visit his home became too enormous, which is also partially the reason why he built Disneyland to begin with; so he could scale up his live steam locomotive to a 3' narrow gauge design and still play with his trains without having too many crowds of people visit his home. To have ridden the Carolwood Pacific Railroad would have been a real treat. And that places it right in the short period of running between 1950 and 1953. Disneyland opened in 1955 so you can sort of see how much Walt wanted to drive his trains again after closure haha. . - Trip 4 (Railway/Station Closure): Hard to give a specific as all the lines blend together, but I would have loved to have been there for one final ride on one of New York City's elevated train lines. Some still exist, many don't. And a lot of the elevated lines were named after the streets they ran over, so you had the Second Avenue, the Sixth Avenue, and the Third Avenue. I think I would have loved to have been around for the closure of the Ninth Avenue Elevated Line. That one was just situated HIGH into the air. Like I don't know the specifics but honestly I think the highest points were maybe 5-10 stories into the air, they were tall and would have been awesome to see on their final day of operation. Also hits that interurban transit I loved from earlier lol. Most of the lines closed in the 1940s and 1950s so it'd be around that time. . - Trip 5 (Railway/Station Opening): It's in New York City again but I'd have love to be around for the opening of the New York Grand Central Station. 'Nuff said, that's a pretty well known rail station. . - Trip 6 (Prestige express train): Ah this I don't know about honestly, it's an area I am least familiar in. Does the original Orient Express route from Paris to Constantinople/Istanbul count? . - Trip 7 (Famous Event): Another simple answer, but can you imagine being around for the 1953 Pennsylvania Railroad derailment at the Union Station in Washington D.C. GG1s are already extremely large and beautiful locomotives, and to see one crash into the end-of-the-line station platforms and then plunge into the basement AND have no fatalities at all? Incredible! A close runner up is the Montparnasse derailment in 1895 and capture that event on a high definition camera? BUT if I had to choose a NON-DISASTER-RELATED EVENT, it would be the 1949 Chicago Railroad Fair. It is commonly refered to as the "Last Great Railroad Fair" and had 49 railroad companies bring out both replicas, surviving examples, and modern engines to parade about to guests in addition to having many exhibits and miniatures showcasing the past, present, and future that these railroad companies had to offer. Seriously, the engines that were brought out were absolutely star studded and to have been there would have been incredible. . - Trip 8 (Chillout spot): A hard decision. I would have loved to have been around Southern Pacific's Sacramento Shops in their heyday before most of the buildings were demolished, but there's not really a good vantage point to look at them. A good chill out spot I can absolutely think of is the Mission Junction in Los Angeles. It's a huge junction spanning the LA River and is extremely close to the Southern Pacific railyard and Los Angeles Union Station giving a lot of eye candy for freight and passenger sightings. Preferably sometime between the 1940s to mid 1950s when there was mixed steam and diesel about. . I'm sorry if this is a bit too American-centric, I wish I had more knowledge about European rail lines to speak on those terms but that's were my heart lies, and I was happy to share :)

[@andrewreynolds4949]

I might have to join you at the 1949 Chicago Railroad Fair...

[@sirrliv]

Excellent list here! Glad to see a fellow supporter of Pacific Electric and Denver & Rio Grande narrow gauge; if you're hard pressed for a specific D&RGW route, might I suggest my Trip 2 pick: The San Juan Express, running from Durango to Alamosa via Chama, letting you see most of the surviving narrow gauge system including both current scenic railroads.

[@97wolffang]

Now that I think about it. I'd like go back and spend a few years living on the Isle of wight during the 1920s. There was a lot going on there from a railway point of view.

[@tomlikestrains4071]

1. Caledonian Railway 1920 (seeing all the extinct locomotives) 2. Corris Railway in 1925 (taking a ride from Machynlleth to Aberllefenni) 3. Brunel's Broad Gauge Great Western (experience the diffrence between 7' and 4'8.5'') 4. Closure of the originial Welsh Highland Railway or the L&B (both lovely lines that met a terrible fate) 5. Opening of the Corris Railway for passenger traffic 1880 (open cab Falcons!) 6. Orient Express (same as Chris) 7. Rainhill Trials (look at the people who are scared of the dragons!) 8. London Paddington Station 1930s (some lovely GWR 4-6-0s!)

[@eggballo4490]

I'm very proud of my Irish heritage, so I'd go back to Dublin on December 17th, 1834 to ride on the Dublin and Kingstown Railway.

[@steamie98]

I can only think of two right now but they would be (Opening of a railway): the opening day of the bluebell railway as that seems to me to be significant in heritage railway preservation. And (Witnessing a famous railway event) it would be where city of truro supposedly reached 100mph so i could at least know for myself the truth.

[@Aidan_Rattlehead]

Here’s mine (sorry for all of them being Canadian/American it’s just what I grew up with). 1. Calgary to Revelstoke and return in WWII. It’s a more personal deal for me. I’ve always heard story’s of my grandma traveling by train with steam still on the head end. And seeing a royal Hudson or a Selkirk on the head end of the Dominion is something I wish I could’ve seen. 2. Riding on the San Juan from Alamosa to Durango Colorado. The D&RGW has been huge for me and my life. Hell my favorite steam locomotive is a D&RGW K-36. But anyway being able to travel the whole line and seeing what it looked like back then is something I can only dream about. I don’t really have anything for number 3. 4. The final runs of the Rio Grande Southern. The Rio Grande Southern is huge for Colorado Narrow Gauge railroading and being able to see a galloping goose motor car heading over lizard head pass and onto Ridgeway would be cool to see. 5. The first few years of the Cumbres and Toltec. I love this railroad, the scenery, locomotives, rolling stock, almost everything, and to see where all that started would be a bucket list achievement in my book. 6. Riding Southern Pacific Daylight passenger train. In my opinion that train even when diesels were on the head end is one of the most beautiful trains on the planet and to ride on the train with GS class northern on the head end would be awesome. 7. Getting to see the testing for the ACE3000 project. For the entire month of January ex Chesapeake and Ohio 614 was in charge of pulling 30-90 car coal trains unassisted between Huntington and Hinton West Virginia as a test locomotive for the ACE3000 project (a 80s modern coal burning steam locomotive) that would be the closest people can get to seeing a steam locomotive in mainline “regular service” after after the 1960s. 8. Cheyenne Wyoming, transition era. For me it would be one of the coolest things getting to see Big boys, challengers, FEFs, and others getting serviced and turned for their next run. Coming at a close second would be watching the Norfolk and western tackle the blue ridge mountains my goodness would that be cool. Yes I know very North American I know don’t shout at me.

[@andrewreynolds4949]

I already posted my choices, but... ooh boy, some of yours are very tempting. I too love the C&TS and the D&RGW, and I can't deny the attraction of the SPRR Daylights... The Rio Grande Southern is cool too, but sometimes you can only choose one thing. If only we could get our list and then tag along for someone else's too...

[@Aidan_Rattlehead]

andrew reynolds yeah somethings that people have put on their lists would be cool to see also It was very difficult to choose for these categories though too

[@illegalprime3626]

So many choices, here's a few 1. Southern Region in 1960, Bullieds, Thumpers, pre-war EMUs, modern Southeastern Corridor EMUs, other steam locos. There's a reason Railway Roundabout worked at this time. 2. The Yamanote Line in the 1980s. Going around the loop being on-time to the second. JNR EMUs from the 1950s-60s are rugged machines that were built to last. I could also see some newer rollign stock. Tokyo was starting to become a technological epicenter so the rapid growth would make the skyscrapers along the route a highlight of the trip. The amount of precision on such a line would be a sight to behold in and of itself; the trains and the route just add to it. 3. Moscow Metro in the 1950s, I could see Rolling stock I can't see today; Russian metro trains from the 60s onward remain in service today in some form, however there is a lot of interesting older equipment that would be removed from service soon. 4. The Woodhead Line, Home of the class 76, one of the more unique British locomotives. 5. The opening of the first Shinkansen line in 1964, it's the first dedicated high speed railway, with speeds reaching unheard-of-before levels. 6. New York Central's 20th Century Limited in 1938, I just want to have a good look at the Dreyfuss Hudsons! 7. 1948 exchange trials, it would be cool to see an A4 at Waterloo, or a King on the Great Central! 8. Chicago Transit Authority's Tower 18, 1970, two lines intersecting at right angles, with tight curves to cross between them. 1970 because there were still some 1920s cars around, this being right after the introduction of new 2200 class cars. (Do look this one up, it will blow your mind!)

[@thelastpilot4582]

I would go along with all your choices except No. 1 where I would choose 1953 when I was 9 was 9 years old. and watching steam trains all the time at Welwyn Garden City. The line run in a cutting through the field at the back of our house.

[@lukeslocomotives]

1) GWR in the 1930s because I love their 4-6-0s 2) Talyllyn in the 1950s because of it being a preserved line 3) Broad guage in the 1880s, seeing its decline and replacement with standard guage 4) Hart Station. The site where I go to watch the trains pass by every now and then 5) Paddington Station (Did I say I loved the GWR) 6) Torbay Express in the 1930s, with a Castle at the head 7) City Of Truro's 102 mph run in 1904, just to see if she actually managed it 8) Southhampton Docks to see the USA, B4, and E2 tanks and any visiting engines such as a Bulleid on a boat train

[@FlyingScott]

So little is left of the Scottish railways, I would love to see them in their heyday.

[@highdownmartin]

As a place to “ chill out “ though I’d far too interested and excited to do that, 1950s major station. Shrewsbury York Crewe Newcastle Carlisle Exeter Bristol Norwich Derby. Soak up the pilots shunting, loco changes crew changes through goods parcels mails station activity and a buffet selling proper tea from a massive pot served in a cup and saucer. And Stanley Holloway.

[@phil69881]

1) Hull-Scarborough (my local line) in about 1955, to see all the changes that were made and admire the infrastructure and loco types. 2) Leek & Manifold Valley Light Railway in 1929/1930, because its a beautiful place and I'd love to study Calthrop's designs and ideas. 3) North Bay Railway, Scarborough in 1932 after Triton arrived and the railway began operating 2 train services. Purely to experience what they were originally like (pre-head on collision). 4) Malton & Driffield Railway closure 18/10/1958 to see one of the last A8 4-6-2T locos perform the final pick up goods between Malton and Sledmere and Fimber. 5) not sure... 6) Golden Arrow/Flèche d’Or in 1948/49 because I could end up on the public info film about the train amd to see post war Britain and France. 7) City of Truro's "alleged" 100mph run - purely out of an attempt to prove whether she made it or not. 8) Hull Paragon 1928 - hopefully seeing a diverse number of locomotive classes, including those formerly of the Hull and Barnsley Railway. That's all I've got for that....

[@olly5764]

1 The Cambrian, just before grouping, I've seen a Manor climbing Talerddig, and Friog, and a BR 4 on the same, but it would be nice to see genuine Cambrian machines doing it, and the ex-Metropolitain locos. 2 The Vale of Rheidol 1980s, after BR blue had been replaced by earlier liveries but before preservation. The preserved line is superb, and the line has moved on, because it has had to get away from the run dow, clapped out BR era, but there was a certain charm to it. 3 The Brighton and Rottingdean seashore electric railway, the broadest of broad gauges, just because the whole job was so utterly bonkers! 4 The last day on any of the closed lines on the Isle of Wight, the system just oozed character with its veteran locos and elderly rolling stock, and if the books I have read on it are to believed, the staff also were big characters. 5 I'll join you for the Talyllyn reopening, a big turning point in railway preservation history 6 The Night Ferry, Post 1961 but Pre 1977, so with the Wagon-lits coaches but a class 71 electric on our side of the channel. 7 City of Truro's 100 mph (?) run, but as a loco man, can I join Driver Moses Clements on the footplate, just to see a GWR 4-4-0 tear down Wellington bank with an Ocean Mails Express. 8 The Severn Valley line from near Borle Viaduct, on a Hot Summers day in 2021. Would it be ok to bring some Cider along to have while I watch the trains go by?

[@conncork]

1947 last year of steam on the suburban lines From Liverpool Street to Shenfield with the L1's.

[@ks_56]

i personally would like to be on papyrus when it hit 105

[@lukeslocomotives]

I thought it was 108mph?

[@alexfogg381]

I completely agree with you. Would have tried to save it or another Gresley A3, or V2, so possibly there could be more than just one example of each left in existence. Might have tried to buy it , and given it to a preservation society.

[@bluefoxy6478]

Why did i immediately think undertale when i read the word, papyrus?

[@exveefan]

1988, So I can experience the Flying Scotsman when it visited Australia.

[@Rosetheromani]

I was there saw the Flying Scotsman at the then Spencer Street Station in Melbourne.

[@johnd8892]

So fortunate I was old enough to see and travel on 4472 during Austeam 88. Hope you have seen video coverage like this : kzbin.info/www/bejne/boGzYWR5npd4a7s

[@aidanproductions3691]

1.the sothern railway mainline from southhampton docks in 1920s 2.the talylln railway from towyn wharf in 1960s or 1970s 3.can't think of one 4.can't think of one 5.the bluebell railway to see what it would have been like back then 6. the flying scotsman express 7.the the flying scotsman's 100mph run 8.bath green park station or nearest to the shed's

[@barryosullivan5255]

Thoroughly enjoying this weekly upload schedule, hope your in good health Chris

[@maxm2317]

I’d want to go back and see the famous Iron Horse Rambles that gained the four remaining Reading T-1s (2100-2102 and 2124) immortal fame during 1959-1964, but I’d also really like to have seen the Reading G-class Pacifics in revenue service from the 1930s-1950s. Plus, it wouldn’t hurt to see revenue steam services on Canadian Pacific during that same timeframe.

[@sirrliv]

A very interesting thought experiment, and a perfect escapist fantasy for these dark times we live in. Thanks, Chris, just what the doctor ordered. Mmm... What about my answer... 1. Ride on a standard gauge line on a normal working day. Hmm... This is actually a tough one. But in an unusual choice, I think I'd have to go with the Pacific Electric Railway system of Los Angeles circa 1924. At it's peak in the 1920's, PE was the largest electric railway system in the world, a model of efficient and widespread public transportation throughout the LA area. I dearly want to go back to those glory days and see how much I could learn that might benefit transit planners of today. With cities becoming ever more gridlocked and climate change an ever more pressing issue, streetcars and light rail are poised from a major comeback. By studying what systems like PE did right long ago, we might be able to better understand the strategies to use today. Sometimes to improve the future, it's best to look at the past. Why 1924 specifically though? Oh, just because there's a chance I might run into a certain actor by the name of Harold Lloyd. 2. Ride on a narrow gauge line on a normal working day. The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad circa 1951. As the biggest and arguably greatest of the American narrow gauge networks, the D&RGW once spread 3ft rails in a spider's web all across Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Wyoming, Utah, and even across the border into Mexico! It was truly stunning how successful this unique enterprise was for so long, even holding its own from standard gauge competition from its own company. Why so late though? Surely it would be better to see the system in it's heyday around the Turn of the Century, or even in its brief rennaisance during World War II. Yes, perhaps, but I think it would be more interesting to see the line in its final years, a last vestige of the Wild West preserved in aspic, sustained largely by an emerging tourist market and Hollywood discovering a hidden gold mine of filming locations for their still popular Westerns. Also, there is one train in particular I would like to catch in this twilight days: The San Juan Express, a narrow gauge through service from Durango, CO, past Chama, NM, and Antonito, CO, to end in Alamosa, CO, covering the trackage of both the surviving Durango & Silverton and Cumbres & Toltec Railroads. And with how slow the service was, it would probably take a full day just to make the trip, but it would be worth it to kick back and sip mint julips in the parlor car with a mighty K-36 mikado snorting up front. 3. Ride on a miniature/broad gauge line on a normal working day. The South Devon Railway in 1847. On its own, the line between Exeter and Newton Abbot is one of the great scenic mainlines of the world, especially crossing the seawalls at Dawlish. And to do that in broad gauge days, perhaps even coming down from Bristol makes it even better. So why 1847 specifically? Two words, my friend: Atmospheric. Railway. 4. Railway/Station Closure. The Last Run of the 20th Century Limited, December 2, 1967. The demise of one of the greatest names in passenger train history is certainly a tale for the ages. What a stir of emotions there would be to be on that final run, celebrating its legacy, lamenting its end, probably getting motion sick from the poor American track, all to arrive into Chicago almost 10 hours late. 5. Railway/Station Opening. The Shinbashi-Yokohama Railway of Japan in 1872. Rarely before can it be said that a railway truly built a nation, but the birth of railway was an integral part of the rebirth of Japan from a feudalistic isolationist state into a modern, industrialized world leading imperial power. And with the amount of pomp and ceremony surrounding the Meiji Emperor's first ride aboard a British-built tank engine, it surely must have been a celebration for the ages, the ultimate marriage of Imperial tradition and Westernization. 6. Ride a prestige express train You made a good choice with the Orient Express of 1909, but I'm going to go a bit earlier by choosing the Inaugural Run of the Orient Express on October 4, 1883. Having read about the event in great detail in Anthony Burton's book, it sounds like the journey of a lifetime; opulence beyond compare, rubbing elbows with the highest of high class folk, and not everything going to plan. That's not just a luxury train journey, that's an adventure! 7. Famous Event The Chicago World's Fair of 1893. Admittedly, this is dangerously close to cheating as I would love to see just all of the fair, one of the truly great achievements in human history all on its own. But in fairness, railways played a huge role in the event; the Illinois Central ran special shuttles into the fair, including one driven by a certain John Luther "Casey" Jones, the fair's own Intramural Railway was one of the first elevated electric railways in the world and would prove to be a model for cities across the US to follow, practically all the Eastern railroads laid on their best luxury expresses for direct service to the fair including the NYC's brand new locomotive No. 999. But most of all what makes me place this here is the chance to enter the Transportation Building, possibly the greatest single exhibit hall in not just railway, but transport history, with exhibits ranging from early locomotives like the John Bull, newly arrived from Philadelphia under her own steam, to mock-up sections of the latest ocean liners. 8. Chillout Spot Gara Bridge, 1958. There's doubtless tons of places I could choose as the ultimate trainspotting site for this or that. But after seeing that clip from Railway Roundabout, I can think of no better place to kick back and relax than in a camping coach on a picturesque GWR branchline. If I want to go anywhere more eventful, all I need to do is hop on the train. But for right there, I can settle in to a lounge chair, savor the summer breeze, maybe go for a dip in the nearby river, and enjoy the Panniers and Small Prairies that periodically puff by. A peaceful scene without a care in the world. Who could ask for more?

[@Frserthegreenengine]

Ok here we go... 1) East Coast Main Line, preferably in 1936 or 1938. This was when the LNER was at its prestige and in its prime. 2) Snowdon Mountain Railway in the 1925. I don't know why I picked the 1925 but I'd rather not go on the day of the opening accident. That and I'm a bit fascinated with the railway itself 3) I don't really know about either to be honest so I'll be a bit lazy here and say Broad Gauge as this was more historically significant 4) I'd quite like to be at the closure of Princes Street Station in Edinburgh, as I go pass the station hotel a lot and keep forgetting that it used to be a station. I'd love to see it before it closed. 5) Probably Glasgow Central, the station is just an architectural masterpiece and I'd love to see it in its original form. 6) Express route, Can British ones count? I'd go for the Silver Jubilee in 1935, just love to be on that train in the observer coach riding at 112mph. But if it had to be a contentinal express, then the Orient Express without a doubt, in 1911, just before WWI when the Edwardian period was near its end. 7) Mallard's Record Run in 1938 without a doubt. No reason to explain why, it's a historic moment. 8) This is tricky, probably Drem in East Lothian in 1951, would love to see the Express Trains rushing by and the branch line services from North Berwick stopping there. The best of both worlds. (I chose 1951 as it would have Peppercorn A1s and A4s. In addition they'd be in BR Blue, my favourite BR steam livery without a doubt. Not a big fan of BR green, while it is nice and handsome on some locos, especially the A3, the Peppercorn Pacifics, Britannia's and Standard 3MTs, I find it too ordinary, uninspiring and repetitive). Yes it's all LNER centric, I'm an LNER Fanboy. Although there are a few places on the LMS Network I'd love to see or experience. EDIT: Actually an honourable mention for no.1 would be experiencing the Advanced Passenger Train in 1985. The APT is my favourite electric train and I was always fascinated by it, mainly due to it's underdog status. It's also a rather sad story as it was ahead of it's time and had so much potential, but budget cuts, political and BR Board decisions sealed it's fate.

[@kineticrail]

Im not sure on most. But i would say for number 3. Romney hythe & dymchurch in the 20's when howey and zambrowski would race the trains along 5. The opening of the stockton and Darlington in 1825. Seeing the commotion in the Ronald Emberton painting would be amazing in real life.

[@cmdrflake]

Well, let’s see. I would dearly love to see early diesels and the last of steam following WWII. As to where, it gets sticky. I would love to scour New England for legendary lines like Boston & Maine, it’s numerous branches and Pacifics in Boston suburban service. That said, I would have to go further back in time to see the two foot gauge lines in Maine. I got a chance to explore the roadbed of the legendary Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes. They folded in 1933. Other lines lasted later, with one giving up thanks to a WWII scrap drive. I also love the Rutland, perennially struggling with old pre-WWI steam for the most part. Then, too I’d love to see East Broad Top in normal service which ended in 1956. Then there’s the Lehigh Valley. Their newest steam power was quite handsome, but the Cornell Red first generation diesels were worth my attention. As to where I’d kill time, Waverley NY. You had the Erie, Delaware Lackawanna & Western and Lehigh Valley all just feet apart! Out of Buffalo, I’d take the “Black Diamond” on LV to Sayre, PA and explore that place, then catch DL&W’s Westerner back to Buffalo. Or, out on Lackawanna’s New York Mail and back on the LV’s “Maple Leaf”.

[@tjmfarming9584]

As a west Aussie I'd most likely go back to 1955 to see the last days of steam on the midland line in WA and see steam engines running through my backyard

[@user-rs1dz8co2s]

1. Milwaukee Road Pacific Extension on the Olympian Hiawatha behind an EP-2 Bipolar motor in the 1920s to 1930s 2. East Broad Top railroad when it still hauled coal circa 1930's 3. Broad Gauge operations in India when steam was still prevalent. 4. The Chicago Rock Island and Pacific railroad when it shut down on March 31, 1980 5. The reopening of the Strasburg Railroad in 1958 6. A ride on the Southern Pacific Sunset Limited across the Southwest 7. American Freedom Train with SP 4449 in 1976 8. The railroads of Chicago in the late 1930s with steam and new Streamliners arriving

[@stashyjon]

1 - GWR mainline to Bristol in 1910. The Great Bear, the Frenchies, Cities, Dean Singles.... heaven 2 - Southwold rly circa 1921. Always facinated me that line. 3 - South Devon rly circa 1849, just to see some of those huge 4-2-4 well tanks 4 - Port Carlisle Station. 1st June 1932 - Witness the death of a very interesting line and see if it was, as the locos claimed at the time, "closed because of the poor and inadequate service offered to the public" 5 - Looe Station, 11 September 1879. The celelbrations for the openning of the Liskeard and Looe were apparently legendry. So why not go and enjoy? 6 - The Cheltenham Flyer, Circa 1929. A castle doing those speeds in regular service? not arf. 7 - City of Truros run down Wellington Bank with The Ocean Mails 9 May 1904. Natch with a stop wath to prove once and for all where the first 100mph record lies, once and for all. 8 - The woodhead route, circa 1930. Beautiful scenary, steam working hard on a busy line. Nothing more to say

[@The_Random_Aussie]

Being an Aussie in NSW and deliberately limiting myself to my home country 1. Blue Mountains line around 1962-65. The electrification had just occurred, steam was only just starting to decline and dieselisation was well & truly underway, so it had a good mix of all three during this time. It's also an extremely picturesque route. 2. Puffing Billy Railway during its heyday in the 1920s. 3. (Broad guage by the Australian definition here) South Australian Railways during the 1940s when the 520s were state of the art. 4. The original closure of the Zig Zag Railway in 1910. Just to see the last few trains when the Zig Zag was part of the mainline. 5. The opening of Albury railway station in the 1880s. The moment when (then soon-to-be) Australias two largest cities were "linked" by rail. 6. The Great South Pacific Express in the late 90s. It was a collaboration between Queensland Rail and the Orient Express to run a similar style train Between Sydney and Kuranda. It was only around for seven or so years. 7. 3801 taking the Western Endeavour from Sydney to Perth/Fremantle area in 1970. It was the first time a steam train had crossed the country, 1970 being the first year it was possible to cross the country in a single train. 8. Gosford during the late 60s. Same reasons as the blue mountains line, Gosford being the end of electrification on the Sydney - Newcastle line between 1960 and 1982. (I read a story of two train drivers in 1970 taking a freight train from Sydney to Broadmeadow (near Newcastle). 46 class electric locomotives to Gosford, changing to a 38 class (look up 3820) coupled to a 60 class Garrett locomotive. Diesels taking over at Broadmeadow for the run towards Brisbane, the crew clocking off at Broadmeadow)

[@johnd8892]

A bit of time travel to see 520s in the late 40s early 50s and lots more SA and Vic : kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqTGnYCvnpmNqtE

[@observance830]

The journey from King's Cross or Euston, to Wick in 1950. Chew the atmosphere time. Not forgetting the Cornish Riviera Express and the Axminster to Lyme Regis branch line, around the same era.

[@aidanstrand4864]

1: Ryde Pier Head - Ventnor post war but before BR. The Isle of Wight railway network has always been of interest to me and by going there in the few years after the war and before BR, I would have been able to see the 02's in Southern railway livery before the BR black livery we're all so common with today. 2: Vale of Rheidol in 1968. The main reason is to see the locomotives in BR's rail blue livery but also to witness the locomotives working their way up the steep gradients. 3: Poole park miniature railway in the 1950's. I've seen photos of when the line used a much more elegant looking steam locomotive than the traffic it gets today, if any. It'll be great to have seen it in it's heyday. 4: Swanage branch closure, 1972. I'd like to go back to this point in time because even though the line was closing, it would soon be reopened by the dedicated volunteers and restored to it's former glory. 5: Bournemouth East station opening, 1885. Although I don't have much of an interest for the "early days" it must have been amazing to see what it was like inside the station when it first opened, with many passengers looking up at the glass ceiling and giant supports in awe. 6: The Bournemouth Belle in the 1950's. I've chosen the Bournemouth belle because it'd be a luxurious way to travel from Waterloo to Bournemouth behind a un/rebuilt Merchant navy at speed. 7: Mallard's world record run in 1938. Although being a Southern region enthusiast, Mallard has always been my favourite steam locomotive. I remember when I was younger and my dad had a collection of railway DVD's, no doubt because I had already shown I was into railways by watching Thomas and playing with wooden toy ones etc. On that DVD I'm sure I remember seeing her with Chocolate and Cream coaching stock, probably on some tour in the 80's. Been my favourite ever since. 8: Parkstone station in the 1950's. Parkstone is notorious for the gradients in the up direction, leading to heavy trains to be banked. As well as this, it was just after Poole where the line to Broadstone and the S&D joined so you'd be able to see a wide variety of motive power charging it's way up the bank. I remember one story from Peter Smith's book about when they took a 9F or some other loco up the bank the first time. When they quickly gained and maintained speed, they practically left the banker behind and it had to chase them up the bank rather than give them any help!

[@loughno.2772]

1 Sligo Leitrim & Northern Counties railway in 1951. 2 Caven and Leitirm railway in 1959. 3 Guinness Brewery Tramway narrow gauge of 1f 10in in 1956 4 Clogher Valley Railway closure in 1941 5 Great Northern Railway of Ireland merger in 1876 6 Ncc North Atlantic Express in 193X 7 Armagh rail disaster in 1889 8 Belfast York Road Station in 1963

[@nabil944]

1. Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway Round trip, 1952 2. Corris Railway round trip, 1928 3. GWR Brunel line, 1942 4. Corris Station 5. Kings Cross 6. Sliver Jubblie Express, 1936 7. Prometry Point, 1869 8. Kingswear, GWR Rivera Line, 1935

[@johnd8892]

re: 7 . Nothing happening at Promontory Point in 1869. A huge significant event at Promontory Summit though. www.nps.gov/gosp/faqs.htm#:~:text=The%20correct%20name%20for%20this,all%20other%20forms%20of%20media. Read the FAQ to help clear this up or look at some good maps.

[@Redshirt214]

1. A hard one, but I think I’d go with riding my local line, the Rocky River Railroad, in the 1870s. Nice relaxing trip in my hometown, back when it was a sleepy country town. Though I wouldn't mind riding behind the Terriers on the LBSCR in their prime. 2. I’d ride a train of the IGJR in the 1890s. I’d just love to visit Meji period Japan anyways, and their 3ft 6in railways with their 2-4-2T tanks, four wheel and bogie coaches, 4-4-0 powered expresses, and other weird quirks like human powered trams would make it a fun train spoting trip, even if the comfort isn’t great. 3. I think it’s be neat to pay a visit to the Soviet Union and get to watch steam there at it’s height in say the 1950s? 4. I'd love to witness the last passenger run on the W&LE. 4-4-2's & wooden cars in 1920s America! Yes please! 5. I'd love to be witness to the opening of the B&O Railroad, it's a pivotal point in US history. 6. I would love to ride some of the most famous American streamliners, of which there are many to choose from… but I think that the California Zephyr of the 1950s would be the best choice, as the scenery would be fairly impressive, plus all dome cars! 7. Famous event… as sad as the tragedy was I’d like to see the Lincoln Funeral train in 1865. Truly an epic event. 8. I’d like to chill out around the Chief Wawtam car ferry in Michigan… maybe in the winter? I’d take any time period really, as I think icebreaking steam powered car ferry operations would be fascinating to watch. Especially if it’s still the steam era and there are passenger cars being loaded\unloaded.

[@steamrailwilly]

I don’t know the when, but I would like to see when the Chicago & North Western Railroad ran through my hometown. My hometown is located at the end of a branch line that meets the Union Pacific (about 45 minutes to an hour away), and was where a C&NW branch passed through, meaning that the town was a meeting place of two railroads. However, the C&NW branch was used less and less as time wore on, and by the time my dad was a boy, the branch was torn up. I would like to see just what the route of the C&NW branch was, and the towns that lived along it.

[@MartinAsleep]

My Choices are: 1. Definitely the LNER from London to Scotland 2. Probably the Ffestiniog 3. The Romney Hythe and Dymchurch railway 4. The closing of the Barnstaple to Bideford line 5. The opening of the Manchester to Liverpool line 6. Orient Express. For the style and comfort, the train had to offer 7. The Harrow and Wealsdone crash. It would be interesting to watch from a safe distance what happened in the accident 8. I would say the Settle and Carlile Curved Viaduct of the Somerset and Dorset railway bridge

[@LongStripeyScarf]

I know this is a bit different to the example given, but a class 66 running light loco is 127tons on its own. So to me, 60t of train with brakes at the front and back (albeit mechanical, I do realise that!) doesn’t seem too bad. 1) Same as Chris’ choice, but ride Kings Cross to Peterborough and stop off and spend some time at Peterborough with my Grandad watching trains in about 1938. 2) Narrow gauge trip behind Dolgoch prior to preservation. I’m not a massive narrow gauge fan. The other option would be the Ravenglass to Eskdale on the original gauge. 3) Nope, I’m overriding the Tardis with the telepathic control circuit, stuff the rules, I don’t care! I’m picking a TRAMWAY instead and there’s nothing you can do about it. Wisbech and Upwell, LNER steam trams hauling the long train of vans filled with the summer strawberries through the village lanes and over the little bridges. I bet that was a glorious sight. 4) The closure of the Nene Valley routes to Wellingborough or Market Harborough, I’d get to do that journey with my Dad as he was there. 5) The opening of St Pancras, it’s my favourite station on the railway! Such an incredible terminus, even today. 6) Flying Scotsman, behind a loco other than 4472. I love the loco, but it’d be nice to be able to say that you’d travelled it behind something else. A long lost loco or class of loco would be amazing, especially a GNR loco. 7) I’d go and see myself! It’s not a special event for most of course, but passing out as a main line freight driver at the hands of 66779 ‘Evening Star’ was pretty damn special to me! 8) Carlisle Citadel station for my chill out spot. I can’t decide on the era though, do I go far enough back to see Caledonian and Midland loco’s or come far enough forward to see the A3’s and big LMS loco’s there? Tough choice, but I think both eras would suffice. I’m drawn toward seeing the original canopy there however...

[@MrLIVERPOOLP]

1) Talyllyn in Hayden Jones era with number 1 still running. 2) Welshpool and Llanfair, the last train from the original station going through the town on one of those trucks used, (I would bring something to sit on). 3. GWR in broad gauge paddington to Bristol. 4. (cheating here) accross USA pulled by steam

[@joshslater2426]

In general, I would just go to the Edwardian or late Victorian era. From about 1870 - 1913 is my preferred era of railways, when pre-grouping companies were going strong. Seeing companies like the Great Eastern, Great Central, North Staffordshire, LNWR, LBSC or Furness Railway in action would be a treat.

[@martinfaland7819]

1. The CNW western mainline from Chicago to Omaha, mainly because this is my local line and CNW steam is very under represented espically late CNW steam locomotives like the H and E4 locomotives plus being able to see the many streamlined trains bound for the west. 2. The Sandy River and Rangley Lakes Railroad in the early 1920's. The Maine 2' gauge railways arent talked about as much as say the Colorado 3' lines so It would be rather interesting to see a unique form of railroad in the eastern US in the latter heyday. 3. The RH&DR in the late 1930's. 4. The close of the Chicago North shore & Milwaukee. This was one of the largest interurban railways in the US and rather unique for how modern it's mainlines were I would love to have seen what it had been like to ride a train from the Loop in down town chicago or 5. The opening of Los Angles Union Station. LAUPT was one of the last major passenger terminals to be completed in the US and one of the most unique too built in the mission style. the event was rather large in 1939 showcasing many famous engines from the Santa Fe, Union Pacific, and the Southern Pacific running down the street in Downtown Los Angles. 6. It's a Tie between the 20th century limited (1938) or The Hiawatha (1940 or 53) 7. The Chicago Railroad Fair in 1948. This was one of the last major exhibitons of the big railroads in the US and turned a rather large crowd promoting the railroads and the many destinations around the country you could see, this fair showcased some of the latest devlopments in railroad technology as well as some more faymous pieces from the past and present in the "Wheels A Rolling" pageant held daily. 9. Roosevelt road in Chicago approx 1945/46. Roosevelt road crossed over the majority of the major stations in Chicago (except Northwestern station) so seeing this area in it's heyday with steam still operating on the majority of passenger trains as well as being able to see the arrival and departure of some of the big named trains like the Zephyr's, 20th century, Broadway, Super Chief. would have been an absolute treat to see.

[@barleyarrish]

to travel on the crystal palace high level to see sir charles barry's gothic station in good condition ( i only saw it just prior to demolition) and to experience the palace itself.

[@ninanvmd8720]

I'd go back to October 1976 to ride the first HST out of London Paddington.

[@bittern4464]

1. Would have to be the LNER's ECML circa 1928, preferably so I can see Flying Scotsman go past on her first non-stop run, but also so I can explore the motive power that was running at the time 2. Puffing Billy circa 1920, was just a lovely line and it'd be nice to see the full fleet going along doing their thing. I believe at this point there was 3 different liveries on the locomotives too which would be nice to see 3. N/A, haven't got a good answer 4. N/A, don't know enough about stations that closed to pick one 5. N/A, don't know enough about stations that opened/reopened to pick one 6. I'd love to ride behind the LNER's Coronation service, preferably with 4491 Commonwealth of Australia at the head of the train 7. While Scotsman's 1934 run and Mallards 1938 run are very tempting, I think I'd have to go for 1988 in Australia, to see her running down here. Would probably pick her running with 3801 near my hometown, but the chance of running into my grandparents and father might be a bit too high lol. To avoid any schenanigans, I'll say that I'd love to ride on or witness Flying Scotsman's Broken Hill run which is the current record for longest non-stop steam journey. 8. I don't know enough about the British railway network to pick a good answer, but I think I'd like to hang out at Kings Cross in the late 30s and see all the express and suburban services that arrive and depart, and who knows maybe bump into Sir Nigel Gresley or something.

[@patrickwebb7311]

For me, it'd have to be 1) New York-Chicago on the New York Central Railroad, maybe on the 20th Century Limited. This might be cheating, but it would be cool to ride along the famous water level route. 2) The Tayllyn Railway shortly after opening or the Denver & Rio Grande Western in the 1920's. 3) The RH&DR, any time really. Seeing the RH&DR operating in pre-preservation time would be amazing to attend. 4) Hmmm, I may go with the L&B as well, or any of the closures on the Somerset & Dorset. 5) The opening of the station on the Riverside & Great Northern, the 15" in the Dells. Seeing the line relocated on their opening day would be quite a sight. 6) It's a tie between a few: The 20th Century Limited, The Hiawatha, or any of the Daylights, in particular for the latter the christening train. 7) I think I'd want to attend the inaugural run of the Flying Scotsman, London-Edinburgh non stop. Or Tornado's 100 mph run (yes that was more recent, but I didn't have a chance to attend) 8) Elkhart Station in Indiana during the 1930's/40's, or Fort Wayne. For Elkhart, seeing the Hudsons, Mohawks, and other locos of the NYC would be fascinating. On the other hand, Fort Wayne was also a major rail hub. Though if I had to choose the ULTIMATE place for the US, Chicago. You could bounce around to stations at the US' Rail Capital.

[@battle604]

I would love to go back to when the southern railroad was still in operation and see there crecent limited express

[@LegoJamTrain567]

1. Scarborough-Whitby Route, 1938 my local line no longer in existence running parallel to the beautiful Yorkshire coast. 2. Narrow Gauge, Horwich works 1939 following wren around for the day would be fun. 3. Broad Gauge, Paddington to Bristol anyone who says anything else is crazy. Broad gauge at such speed and such scale will never be seen again 4. The closure of the S&D such a momentum line. 5. The opening of the Manchester to Liverpool line, it was the genesis of intercity travel. 6. The Flying Scotsman, circa 1938, 7. Same as Chris, Mallards July 3rd 1938 speed record 8. Chill-out at York station at really any time period from its opening to 1953. Anyone disagree or agree?