Railroad Trips
All about Railroad trips, worldwide.

Tarmac-bound at high speed, by Rosie Ramsden

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AJ Hackett opened the world’s highest sky jump, a plunge off the 233m outer rim of the Macau Tower, in 2006. You, too, can jump off the Macau Tower – if, that is, you fancy plunging towards tarmac at a hundred kilometers an hour.

A hybrid of bungee jump and skydiving, the sky jump is a controlled aerial journey involving no rebound or hanging upside down, which ends with a gentle landing at the base of the tower. The system is regulated by a cable brake and the fall takes 14 seconds. The inaugural jump was completed by Mr. Hackett, from New Zealand, on 17th December 2006. His career as a sky-jump installation tester began on that day and thankfully can continue, due to his having got his sums right.

Dare-devils are clad in specially tailored suits and connected to three cables, so ensuring absolute safety. At approximately 10 metres above the ground, the cable drum switches down-gear to allow for a soft landing. Unlike a bungee jump, Sky Jump is a controlled aerial journey, so you won’t bounce back and you won’t end up upside down. There is also no chance of the cable wrapping itself around your neck, as has happened to at least one bungee jumper.

I had a great experience at Macau’s Great Tower and would like to share it with you. When my Dad asked me what I wanted to do on his day off in Macau, I said I wanted to see the sights, one of which is the Macao Tower. I didn’t know about the jump, so you can imagine my surprise when I looked up to see someone plunging earthwards from the top. “Wow? Dad! That’s amazing. I want to have a go” I said, tugging at his shirt, as I realized what was happening. “I thought you would,” he said as he fished for his wallet. A little later, as an attendant helped me into a harness and tightened the straps, I watched the orange jumpsuits walk around the outside deck as if they were training for a moon-walk. A Chinese man got suited up before me and I watched him enter the crew pit, then be guided outside to where the jump gate is located. A crew member grabbed the “Big Man” (a long, thick set of cables wrapped together in material) and hooked it to a loop on the man’s back. After the checklist he guided the man to the gate.

He told the jumper that at 50 feet he would stop his fall to take a photo and asked that the jumper look back up at him. The man nodded in agreement, looking as though he didn’t trust himself to speak for fear of emitting an un-macho squeak. The attendant opened the door and led the man to the edge. He didn’t hesitate and was gone in seconds. I doubted whether I would be so brave. I felt adrenaline entering my heart as I took a deep breath, trying to control the mounting fear of knowing it was my turn. I stepped outside. Out on the deck, the crew member said “Don’t worry, Losie, it’s safe”, pronouncing my name in the usual Asian way. Its used to find it sooooo annoying that Asian’s can’t pronounce my name “Rosie”, but I changed my attitude when our Filipina nanny pointed out that I couldn’t pronounce her name properly either. He yelled back the checklist and asked me, “Are you ready?” But he wasn’t really after an answer and so didn’t give me time to open my mouth and say:

“NO, Definitely not, I’ve changed my mind, don’t bother about a refund, I want to go down the slow way. I mean, I can’t feel any wings sprouting out of my shoulders, so I can’t possibly fly, right, so this is lunacy. I might be a young British female, but DO I LOOK LIKE A B***** BIRD ?

He opened the gate and told me to put my hands on the top bar of the railing as the gate swung open in front of me. I did, but realized I really had changed my mind and was not going to jump – no way, José. “Look over there, Losie, look at Hong Kong” the crew member said, pointing at where my sister had been born. “You’ll be fine. Trust me” he assured me. “No. This does not feel right. I do not want to do this,” I said, standing at the edge with the gate wide open.

The crew member attempted to reassure me, closing the gate and talking some calm back into me. I didn’t hear him – the only thought filling my mind, heightened by the blood throbbing almost audibly in my temples, was that jumping off the tower was suicidal. Life suddenly seemed even more precious than previously, I was far too young and thought myself much too beautiful to die. Besides, I’d never had any children, never been rock-climbing in Krabi, never seen a sunset from Annapurna base camp, only seen Boyzone in concert nineteen times.

This felt very different from jumping out of an airplane in Australia. That had seemed only slightly daft, as the airoplane was perfectly serviceable and I had no particularly pressing appointments on the ground. The crew member continued to try to reassure me “Come on Losie, you don’t want to come this far and turn back”, he said.

Before I could give voice to my objections I heard the sound of cheering and realized that everyone on the top floor had gathered behind us and was cheering me on. “Please don’t do that,” I said, waving feebly at them while smiling wanly. More afraid of the embarrassment of turning back than of the dangers of proceeding, I turned round, faced the open expanse and leaned forward. The cable stopped after 50 feet for the attendant to take my photo. “Look at me,” he yelled from above as I hung suspended below. “I can’t,” I yelled back, “My head doesn’t turn that far. It’s impossible, my neck’s not long enough. Who can do that, anyway? I mean, how many giraffes do you get jumping off this thing?” The cable was released and I started a pleasurable descent, slowing down about 30 feet from the bottom and landing softly on my feet, right on target. Dad’s eyes were the first things I saw as I hit the landing pad. He was laughing a somewhat nervous laugh, presumably relieved it was all over. I suddenly realized how much he loves me, that he was willing to put up with watching me do something that must have scared him witless.

 Our driver Andrew greeted me at the exit. “You crazy lady. Your Dad say you no like be high, why you jump?” he asked. “Because I wanted to beat the fear” I said. Today, the spectators on the top floor had given me the courage to jump by shaming me into banishing the fear. Andrew asked Dad why he didn’t jump too. “I have no desire to do things like that,” he replied. “I’m old enough not to need to bother with proving things.” What is brave? To jump or not to jump. Which is braver? She who jumps or he who jumps not? AJ Hackett once chided reporters. “You must jump before reporting,” he said. So, now, after having completed the same feat, I feel I have earned the right to ask, “If you are young, do you have what it takes? If not, is the only reason that you wouldn’t do it that you feel you don’t need to bother?”

Whilst in Thailand, why not visit one of the country’s currently best three beach destinations:

Koh Lao Liang: http://www.andamanadventures.com/kohlaoliang.shtml

Ao Nang: http://www.andamanadventures.com/ao_nang.shtml

Railay/Tonsai: http://www.andamanadventures.com/railay-tonsai.shtml

One of modern Spain’s most significant achievements has been the development of the Alta Velocidad Española – the Spanish High Speed Train.

Started in 1992 to help promote traffic between Madrid and the Expo ‘92 of Seville, the train service has gone from strength to strength, astounding many of its original critics along the route. The dedicated standard gauge track used by the RENFE-organised train service is still expanding, with new routes designed to come into service within the next few years. The fact that the trains have a standard gauge also means that it will be possible to achieve compatibility with the services of neighbouring European countries – making links with them even easier. Projects at varying stages at the moment are direct high speed links with France and Portugal and there are even tentative plans for a southern rail link from Algeciras to North Africa.

The long-awaited high speed link between Madrid, the Spanish capital, and Barcelona, the country’s second city, was opened in February, 2008 and immediately became a success. Leaving from Madrid’s Atocha train station and finishing its journey at Barcelona-Sants, the first and most obvious advantage is that a traveller can go direct from city centre to city centre – no more aggravation getting out in and out of airports.

For the service to be successful there had to be sufficient trains to cater for the demands of all the passengers and at present seventeen trains make the daily journey each way. The first train leaves Madrid at about 6 am – arriving in Barcelona at 8.43. The last train of the day from Madrid is the 9 pm – arriving at 11.38. The journey time on the non-stop Madrid to Barcelona train, therefore, is just 2 hours, 38 minutes: compare this to the previous journey time of in excess of six hours. The train travels at a maximum commercial operating speed of 300 km/h – 186 miles per hour.

Of course, not all the tains are non-stop – some have calls at Guadalajara, Calatayud, Zaragoza, Lleida and Tarragona – thus lengthening the journey time to just over three hours. Most people, however, won’t mind the extra time taken on the journey. The train is a much more comfortable way to cross Spain than in a cramped aircraft. The dining car snacks are tasty but if you are travelling either by Club Class or Preferent, rather than Turista, a meal is included in your ticket price. Additionally, there are more spacious seats – some with card tables, others which can be turned to face either direction – television screens and a much more convivial atmosphere. The plane might only take just over an hour but by the time you’ve factored in all the checking in time, getting through the arrivals’ lounge and the extra travel, there’s not going to be much difference. Prices are quite similar too – you can get a one way ticket on the train for as little as €47 if you book well in advance but, in most cases, a return ticket will cost between €157 and €192. And, thankfully, you won’t be in danger of being charged for excess baggage!

An added bonus that the airlines will never dare offer is that if your train is delayed by 15 minutes or more you will be entitled to a 50% refund of your ticket price. If it’s more than 30 minutes late, your journey becomes free of charge!

The upshot of all this, of course, is that air travel between Madrid and Barcelona – just two years ago the busiest route in the entire aviation world – has been significantly hit; an estimated 20% shortfall in passenger numbers. There are now nowhere near the 971 scheduled flights of 2007 – and Iberia are apparently planning to introduce a new smaller plane shuttle service that will leave each airport as soon as it is full and keep flying back and forth between the cities. The current economic downturn has meant that air travel has been hit worldwide anyway – and this new competition on such a busy route has had a significant impact.

Environmentalists have expressed their pleasure at the cutting of flights from Madrid to Barcelona – and travellers – businessmen and leisure travellers alike – seem equally as delighted.

It’s certainly given people the opportunity of trying out the fabulous AVE experience.

The Trans-European high-speed rail network is one of the European Union’s three Trans-European transport networks, along with road and waterways.The aim of this EU is to achieve the interoperability of the European high-speed train network at the various stages of its design, construction and operation.The network is defined as a system consisting of a set of infrastructures, fixed installations, logistic equipment and rolling stock.

High-speed rail is emerging in Europe as an increasingly popular and efficient means of transportation. The first high-speed rail lines in Europe, built in the 1980s and 1990s, improved travel times on intra-national corridors. Since then, several countries have built extensive high-speed networks, and there are now several cross-border high-speed rail links. Rail operators frequently run international services, and tracks are continuously being built and upgraded to international standards on the emerging European high-speed rail network. In 2007, a consortium of European rail operators, Railteam, emerged to coordinate and boost cross-border high-speed rail travel. Developing a Trans-European high-speed rail network is a stated goal of the European Union, and most cross-border rail lines receive EU funding. Today only the core countries of Western Europe are ‘plugged in’ to a cross-border high-speed rail network. This will change rapidly in the coming years as Europe invests heavily in tunnels, bridges and other infrastructure and development projects across the continent.

The European Rail network gradually spread out to other cities, and into other countries such as Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and the UK. Due to the early adoption of high-speed rail and the central location of France in Western Europe, most other dedicated high-speed rail lines in Europe have been built to the same speed, voltage and signalling standards. The most obvious exception are the high-speed lines in Germany, which are built to existing German train line standards. Also, many high-speed services, including TGV and ICE utilize existing rail lines in addition to those designed for high speed rail. For that reason, and due to differing national standards, trains that cross national boundaries may need to have special characteristics, such as the ability to handle different power supplies and signalling systems. This means that not all European Lines are the same, and there are interoperability considerations.

Westeren Europe has no high-speed trains of its own yet. French TGV and German ICE lines extend into Switzerland, but given the dense rail traffic, short distances between cities and the often difficult terrain, they currently do not attain speeds higher than 160 km/h there. The fastest trains are the ICN tilting trains, operated by the Swiss Federal Railways since May 2000. They can reach higher speeds than conventional trains on the curve-intensive rail network, however the top speed of 200 km/h can only be reached on high-speed lines.