On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
Auntie Anne
Hanoi Train Street is a narrow train bypass in Hanoi which sees a twice-daily train pass close to buildings on either side of the tracks (the railroad tracks take up nearly the entirety of the “train street”). The track was built by the French in 1902 and is still an active rail line.
There are bars and restaurants on both sides. When the train comes through, half of the street needs to move because the train comes by REALLY close. It was exhilarating!
Before the train came by . . .
Also pre-train. Our local guide, Cong, is in this picture.
After the train had passed
War for Ukraine day 1,140: Another Early Morning Russian Bombardment of Kharkiv
Baud
That’s wild.
Scuffletuffle
How are they alerted to the oncoming trains in enough time to move?
Baud
@Scuffletuffle:
I’m more curious about how they limit pedestrian access to the street so it doesn’t get too crowded for people toive out of the way.
Scuffletuffle
@Baud: Yes, that, too! Can you imagine the carnage if that street was in the US?
Baud
@Baud:
That should be “to move out of the way”
Baud
@Scuffletuffle:
In the old days, locomotives had cow catchers on the front to deal with that sort of thing.
Auntie Anne
So, the trains keep to a schedule, so folks know when to expect a train to come through. We got there early enough that getting a seat wasn’t a problem, but Cong told us that the police limit access to the street so it doesn’t get too crowded. And all the waiters in the bars/restaurants along Train Street make sure folks move out of the train’s way.
No One of Consequence
@Auntie Anne: I would imagine if they didn’t, their tips might suffer.
Cool and nicely shot. Thanks for these.
-NOoC
JeanneT
What did it sound like? In that narrow corridor, I’m imagining it was quite deafening!
Auntie Anne
@JeanneT: It was loud, yes. They did not use the horn, so we were spared that noise. My travel buddy found the experience frightening, but I thought it exhilarating.
Chat Noir
That is so cool! Your travelogue has been really interesting. I always thought it would be fun to go to Vietnam.
Ruckus
I wonder how many people in the US are actually near trains on an even semi regular basis.
Here in Los Angeles County we have electric transit trains and have had them for a few years. They of course can’t cover every square mile, but they do travel from east to west/north to south and cover a lot of ground. One can generally travel to much of the county and with buses for the last mile or two one can easily travel. And the buses on each end of trip cost more than the trains. In some places the trains travel down the middle of freeways and often pass the traffic at a decent bit faster than driving. IOW it works. There is even one subway line that is currently being extended to several times its current length. As more is built out more and more people are using the system regularly possibly because it can be faster than driving. And cheaper, with gas here running nearly $5/gal.
Scuffletuffle
@Baud: I would pay to watch that!!!
NaijaGal
@Baud: Play Ludacris?
frosty
@Ruckus: I rode a commuter train from Baltimore to DC, followed by two Metro lines for 14 years. I miss my afternoon naps – never once slept through my stop.
We have a tourist train that leaves from in front of my house, so yes, I’m a lot more familiar with trains than most of my fellow residents.
Never had one that went down the middle of my street. I rode through this one on the AutoTrain, though.
Ashland, VA Railroad Park