The first piece of the agenda was to attend the Association of Railway Museums Convention in Scranton, Pennsylvania'home of Steamtown National Historic Site. And so I found myself aboard an Air Canada 767 from Vancouver to Toronto on September 18, where I spent the afternoon and overnight. Naturally, I had to go into the city, riding bus and TTC subway. There was time to take the ferry to Toronto Island in the Lake, the ride the new Waterfront LRV line and to watch some of the evening parade of GO and VIA trains head out of Union Station.

September 19, and I'm on Air Canada again, this time an A 320 to New York, La Guardia airport. From here it's a drive in the pouring rain in a rental Ford to Scranton, PA where I arrive early afternoon. I find the former Lackawanna Station easily'it is a six story landmark in the centre of the city. Now a Radisson Hotel, this will be my home for the next few days. The station has been beautifully restored and converted to the hotel. It is the former headquarters of the Lackawanna Railroad, built in the early 1900's. I find room #404 and hear an unusual sound'an air whistle and the sound of an Alco prime mover. I look out my window to see Delaware & Lackawanna RS3 #4118 at work, complete with air whistle. My window affords a view over the former Lackawanna RR double track main, now home to the D&L and to Steamtown's steam excursions to Moscow and beyond.

September 20 is spent with the ARM Board as we work on strategy, then the conference opens on September 21 with some great sessions, including John Hankey who was from the B&O Museum in Baltimore and is now with University of Chicago. A walk to town at lunch time discovers the Steamtown yard, lots of big engines on static display all with main rods missing or disconnected. A horn is heard and a walk to the nearby overpass reveals another Alco'this time a Delaware & Lackawanna C-636. This regional shortline has some interesting motive power! An evening tour to the Anthracite Mine opens the history of the area'coal. This was the prime commodity for Scranton, and the Lackawanna Railroad's claim as 'The Road of Anthracite'

September 22 continues with ARM Conference sessions, but a noontime drive north seeks out the Tuckhannock Viaduct. Wow is the right word for this, the largest concrete viaduct in North America, which carried the Lackawanna Railroad right across a huge valley. Its giant concrete arches make a spectacular picture against the crisp blue skies. Today, Canadian Pacific operates across this section of the former Lackawanna, and while I miss any action at the viaduct I catch and pace a CPR train with three SD40-2's back into Scranton.

September 23 is our day at Steamtown'Oh what government money can do. We start off right, being picked up at the hotel by Nickel Plate GP9 #517 with two coaches, and backing to the National Historic Site arriving by train. We have the morning to tour both the NHS and the adjacent trolley museum, which is just receiving an interurban car and unloading it from a low bed truck. The trolley museum is new and occupies the former powerhouse at the site, it has an excellent children's area, a wonderful cutout display in a Birney car, and several streetcars and interurbans. Unfortunately, no operating track is yet going although lots of overhead is in place.

Steamtown itself is an interesting set of exhibits. The former Lackawanna roundhouse and maintenance complex is a wonderful base, and the US Parks Service has spent oodles creating new looking display areas while retaining the originality of the roundhouse, turntable and locomotive restoration shop. All the latest theatres, animated exhibits etc. are present, but there are some unexpected things too. Much of the collection sits outside in the elements'while there is lots of unused indoor space. The roundhouse features a wonderful elevated walkway where you can see the real activities associated with locomotive operations'the operating loco is readied for service in full view. But there is only one operating loco, CPR #2317, and most of the roundhouse stalls are empty while many steam engines sit outside.

We take in all the exhibits, then watch as CPR 4'6'2 #2317 emerges from the roundhouse onto the turntable. She turns and moves off to the coaling track, being readied for service for the day. (She will pull two trips to Moscow and back today). We continue to explore the exhibits and enjoy lunch, then time for a train ride. We board the steam train, #2317 with five former Lackawanna and Jersey Central commuter cars, and depart on time at 1500 hours. The steam engine becomes the most memorable part of the Steamtown experience, as we head off up the mainline around 15 miles'all upgrade'at 30 miles per hour. Hearing the steam engine work hard for half an hour is something special'especially when it is a CPR engine here in the heart of Pennsylvania. And, she is a coal burner'complete with cinders and soot flying back along the train!

Sunday, September 24 can only be described as a day of travel trauma! Departing Scranton at noon with lots of time to spare for the three hour drive to New York (again in the rain), we discover a huge traffic jam getting over the Hudson River bridge and to New York's' airports. The spare time evaporates as the rental car is finally turned in and the bus drops me at the terminal with only 40 minutes before flight time. The line-up is, of course, long and I check in 20 minutes ahead of departure. Arriving at the gate, I discover that the flight is delayed 30 minutes (why couldn't they tell me that at check in?). The delay escalates as La Guardia airport is backed up and flights are being held in the air. My plane finally arrives, Air Canada turns it around quickly, and we pull away from the gate almost two hours late. Then we wait 40 minutes for the take off runway. My planned four hour connection time to a London flight at Toronto has evaporated.

We touch down at Toronto at 2050 hours, then have to wait for the gate. Off the plane at 2105, I have to claim baggage, clear customs, change terminals and check in for a 2200 hours departure. At 2125, I am standing waiting for the 'every five minutes' inter-terminal bus. Of course, one doesn't come until 2135. I arrive Terminal One at 2145 and run to the check in counter for the London flight'fortunately, I had my boarding passes issued in New York when I saw the delay. Air Canada comes through, though, an agent takes my bags and me personally to the departure gate on a trolley and I board the B 747-400 and collapse into my seat. Thankfully, I used some extra points for Business Class this flight! I arrive at Heathrow airport, my daughter greets me and we drive to her place'Monday is to relax and adjust to the time difference.

Tuesday, September 26'off to London. I walk to the Worcester Park rail station (on a commuter branchline) and head for London. Transportation here is easy'there is no need to worry about a train as they operate so frequently the most you would ever wait is 30 minutes'even on a branchline. Since being privatized, the former British Rail network is operated by several companies, each are progressively adopting their own paint schemes for the electric MU commuter equipment. For four pounds ten pence I have a day long Travelcard' good for commuter rail to four zones and all buses and the Tube in the region. Southwest trains operates the trains in this area, with Waterloo station their base.

While travelling around is easy in one sense, in another it is not. There are no less than twelve downtown rail stations, all stub ended and only linked with each other by surface transport or the tube. If one needs to transfer between mainline services, it can be very difficult hauling luggage up and down escalators, along long underground corridors and on the crowded underground trains. That being said, if you're not trying to do this, getting to any particular spot in the city is quite easy, once you get your bearings on the different trains and where they operate.

My Southwest train is typical commuter stock'a four car MU set with third rail power, three and two seating inside on single level. Only one car is actually powered, three cars are trailers, I note them to be quite slippery on wet rails on several occurrences (it does rain a lot in London). We clip along between station at speeds to about 60 mph. I get off at Clapham Junction'Britain's busiest railway station. Clapham is really something to see, just a couple of stops from downtown London (both Victoria and Waterloo station), it is a major transfer point. There are 18 active platforms and I have never seen so many trains come and go! These are all mainline and commuter trains, at platform 10 (Southwest) trains stop every three minutes! I stand on the platform end and can see as many as five or six trains coming towards me at a time! In 15 minutes sitting on a bench, I count more than 60 departures! I depart from platform 14, on a Connex service to Victoria station and then do some exploring of London.

The London Undergrd. (or The Tube) operates the eleven major rail routes throughout the metropolis. Services are frequent and very crowded'typically three minute service on major lines in town. Most of the trains are quite modern (built in the 1990's) and feature the curved profile necessary to clear the old low clearance tunnels of the Tube. The trains are not air conditioned, and interestingly the platforms are rarely the same level as the train floors'a long way to go for accessibility! 'Mind the Gap' is the by word of the underground station and this warning plays out over the loudspeakers at many stops! But, it's the only way to go in London to get places quickly'which it does with great efficiency.

In my sojourn in the city, I also try the Docklands Light Railway'also run by London Transport. This system serves three lines in the docklands area, and is lighter density than the Tube. Mostly above ground, the driverless four car sets are somewhat reminiscent of Skytrain'except they have great front seats looking forward through large front windows! I discover that this totally automated system, while powered by conventional motors, was built by Bombardier! The system operates at lower speeds than Skytrain, navigates tight curves, and has very frequent station stops.

September 27'we drive to Dover. Much of route M20 follows the Chunnel line and the heavy construction work on the new high speed track for the Eurostar is in evidence. Currently, the high speed train is restricted to regular train speeds in Britain as it runs on conventional rail routes to the tunnel entrance.

Now, its off to Beirut for six days of work and a couple of days for exploration. Lebanon is a welcoming and pleasant country, in spite of still showing many scars from the war. Much of the infrastructure has been rebuilt and tourism is being very much encouraged. The rail network, however, is one of the casualties. On a bus tour north on October 5, the former coastal route is very much in evidence. Rails and bridges are still in place, but rolling stock sits rusting in the weeds at several locations. Next day, another bus tour over the Lebanon range of mountains turns up an abandoned rack railway with many tunnels and snow sheds over the pass between Beirut and the Bekaa Valley. The Roman ruins at Baalbak are-wow!

October 7, I depart sunny Beirut (it's a typical 25 degrees) on British Airways and land at Heathrow in London in ten degrees and rain (also typical). Lugging my bags, an adventure is about to begin as I will try to get to Berkhamsted by Tube and rail. I choose the Tube because it is raining outside and because it represents fewer changes for where I am headed. The other option would be to take the Heathrow Express'commuter rail service to Paddington Station. The problem is, I have to get to Euston station and that would mean two Tube lines in addition to the Express.

I board the Tube at Heathrow (it serves all terminals directly and I can purchase my TravelCard there) and settle in. It's a lot of stops to Euston station on the Piccadilly Line, but I have space for my bags and a seat. The fun starts in town when I have to make my one change to the Northern Line'this involves many sets of stairs, escalators and long corridors. I feel like my arms are about to fall off! Onto a crowded train, just three stops to Euston. I struggle off to more corridors and escalators, finally struggling through the exit into Euston station where I'thankfully'am able to grab a luggage cart. I discover a train to Berkhamsted departs in ten minutes, I head for platform nine and board the Silverlink commuter service with the now familiar four car MU sets (although these are overhead lines) and relax. Berkhamsted is 45 minutes to the north on the Birmingham mainline'a four track high speed line. Our commuter train here can hit 90 mph, the adjacent Virgin Express trains pass every 15 minutes or so at 110 mph! My hosts pick me up at Berkhamsted station and I settle in for a week in the area.

October 8, time to take a train ride. I board the SilverLink train at Berkhamsted and head towards Birmingham. It's a lovely ride through the green English countryside, but I also get a dose of English culture. A loud group of English males board and proceed to smoke pot, make a ruckus and mess up the coach. No one else seems to pay any attention, I switch cars at a stop. I get off at Rugby (named after the game) and walk around a bit, enjoying the Oxford Canal and the town. At Rugby station, I watch the trains come and go for a while, then board the train for the return. Again, I get a dose of English culture, as a couple sits down across from me'she with spiked red and orange hair, he with pink hair, leather jacket with metal spikes, a belt made of bullets and an open bottle of red wine from which he drinks. Again, no one seems to pay any attention until the conductor comes and finds they have no tickets. The male says they have no money, as he takes a drink of wine. The conductor disappears, returns with some security people later and throws the couple off the train at a stop. I get off at Berkhamsted'an interesting day!

October 9, and I head into London on the train. A Travelcard doesn't become effective until 0930, but its ok to board the 0927 train here. Price from this location (seven zones) is ten pounds sixty. Our inbound train is eight cars (two four car sets) and the parade pf passing trains in both directions is impressive. This line passes several freight facilities and a major Royal Mail station'there are lots of interesting things to see. A five car Royal Mail trainset passes on the high speed track at 110 mph (we are doing about 80 mph in the same direction)! Freight yards still have the ubiquitous British 0-6-0 diesel shunters, painted in a variety of schemes. There are lots of EWS (English Welsh Scottish) GM Diesel locomotives around, they sound just like SD's when they race by. In London, I take a double deck bus to Harrod's for shopping, go to Leicester Square by Tube, and visit the London Transport Museum.

October 10, a day to visit my daughter'but it really ends up a day of train riding. I depart Berkhamsted in the usual fashion on the 0927, but get off at Watford Junction. Here I board SilverLink Metro'a local service with three car MU overhead wire trainsets. This takes me to Clapham Junction, where I enjoy coffee on the platform while watching the rail action all around me. Next, its Southwest Trains to Worcester Park in the southeast'I have gone from northwest to southeast without hitting London, something that was not possible in British Rail days I'm told. I next board Southwest's 1145 for Worcester Park, then walk to have lunch with the family. Returning via Southwest trains in the other direction, I again change at Clapham Junction, this time taking a Connex Express train around the city, changing back to Silverlink County service at Watford. This is much faster than the route I took this morning, and I arrive back at Berkhamsted at 1545. There I spend platform time watching the high speed trains to Birmingham, as well as commuter services and several freights on the four track mainline. Quite a day of travel for 10 pounds sixty!

October 11'I've been waiting for this one, off to York! I start out earlier from Berkhamsted on the Silverlink to Euston station, then walk the five blocks or so to Kings Cross station. This is the mainline station to York (and on to Scotland), operated by the Great North Eastern Railroad (GNER). I purchase my ticket for the 0900 departure and go for breakfast. The electric mainline trainset is impressive'power car with wedge nose, seven coaches, restaurant car and two first class cars, cab control / baggage car. The trains operate push pull and have seats facing both directions. The windows are large making for a good view, but upholstery and carpet were very poor. Many seats were broken and loose. The train was well patronized, the restaurant car was open for all passengers (on some runs it's only for first class) and a tea trolley provided service at your seat in coach. The ride was smooth and very fast, 1 hour 50 minutes to York at 110 plus mph.

Of course, the purpose of the trip was to visit the National Railway Museum and it was great. Housed inside the former locomotive works, it is well laid out and sparkling clean with locomotives and cars polished and shining. The turntable is a complete circle inside the main engine shed! The restoration shop is also open to the public, who view from a second floor gallery while the work goes on below in an organized and spotless shop. A balcony outside allows visitors to watch the mainline action at York station, with platform announcements played so each train and its destination are identified. Outside, there are few pieces of equipment and a 7 1/2 inch gauge railway for rides. The Museum is spectacular and gets many thoughts rolling in this writers head!

York is an old walled city and has a lot of charm as well. The narrow streets and shops are fascinating, the Minster (Yorkminster) is almost as impressive as Westminster in London. After a good walk around (again a rainy day) I return to York station, watch the action in the trainshed for a while, then board a train back to London. Walking back from Kings Cross station to Euston station, its back to the now familiar SilverLink County service.

October 12 is another London day, then for the final full day I head out to Stratford Upon Avon October 13 for some Shakespeare heritage. Another interesting rail day, as I ride the Silverlink County service all the way to Birmingham, then change to Central Trains service to Stratford. This is a three car diesel powered set, which takes about 35 minutes through the rural countryside to reach its destination. The sun has come out, so I ride the open upper deck of a bus to the Shakespeare sites and get well windblown. Then I walk the town taking lots of pictures, including the River Avon in flood. My planned route becomes a find your way around the flooded sites adventure! Late afternoon, I board Central Trans for Birmingham and retrace my route to Berkhamsted.

And, then it was over. Canadian Airlines returned me to Vancouver October 15 on a B 767, a good and on time flight, and it was back to the waiting activities of home. I had been gone a total of 28 days'the longest I have ever been away at one time. I covered three continents, four countries, and traveled on a variety of planes, trains, automobiles and even a couple of boats. I could write for many more hours and tell many stories, but that's enough for now. When can we leave again'