Meet the People Who Keep Vintage Rail Cars Rolling Across America
About two dozen classic carriages around the country offer time travel by train. by Justin Franz July 6, 2023
"...In the 20th century, especially ...after World War II, rail was not only one of the most logical ways to get around the country...it could also be one of the most exquisite. Lounge cars offered plush, window-side seats so passengers could enjoy the passing scenery. Sleeping cars offered a comfortable place to rest through long journeys. Dining cars churned out meals that are a far cry from today’s airline food—rather, they could be on par with what was served in the nation’s finest restaurants. That golden age of luxury rail travel was brief. As the interstate highway system expanded & commercial air travel took off, passenger rail service began to decline in general, and luxury forms were among the first casualties..."
first a quick stop at the 1817 Athenaeum (closed today, but sister-in-law is a member). Once there were many of these loca institutions devoted to #education and #reading. Only 16 remain.
The people who fight the conversion of driving lanes, parking spots & parking lots into anything else are never accused of wanting to freeze a city in amber.
A few #history and #HistoricPreservation outings in Concord before a meeting tonight. I began with the Ralph Waldo Emerson house, which I somehow had never managed to visit before. An excellent tour, made better by the fact that I was the only guest at that hour @histodon 1/n