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Just stumbled on an episode of "Tracks Ahead" on Mikwaukee public TV that featured an interview with our train friend and author Henry Kisor. I enjoyed putting a face to the name I've seen posting here & whose book "Zephyr" I so enjoyed.
-------------------- My new "default" station (EKH) has no baggage service or QuikTrak machine, but the parking is free! And the NY Central RR Museum is just across the tracks (but not open at Amtrak train times. . ..) Posts: 337 | From: Goshen, IN | Registered: Jun 2006
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Well, Judy, thank you for outing me! Seriously, I had a good time doing that show. I thought the TracksAhead people were smart to caption my speech so that everyone could understand it.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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Anyone know how I could find out if/when it will be shown on any other PBS outlets? I assume that is a PBS show, right? I can access 3 different PBS feeds via my DirecTV, so maybe I'll get to see this.
Posts: 1530 | From: Ocala, FL | Registered: Dec 2006
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Thanks; I think I'll go ride a train. Loved the wool gathering comment! That sort of thing is what Amtrak should use to advertise train travel (let's not talk about reality for the moment).
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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Well that was pretty cool. What a hoot it was to see the original Amtrak designs and color on the interior of the Superliners. Orange curtains, orange vinyl headrests, and the dining car---oh the dining car!!! REAL FOOD!! I love how the narrator says that the chefs get to use their own special ingredients, and they use "regional cuisine" such as fresh fish from the Colorado River. HAH HAH!! Yeah, not so much any more eh? Now the "chef" gets in trouble if he spices up a dish or brings in his own stuff. Too bad---I have had some really, really great dinners on-board Amtrak when the REAL chefs would bring a whole slew of spices and other "stuff" from home to make the food that much better. These days, "Go to the freezer, get the box, put box in convection oven, place on plate". I guess that's why I'll never be happy with AmFood---because I know what it CAN be like.
Henry---do you recall what year this was? And that must have been great to ride up in the head-end. Do you recall where you went (from where to where)?
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Smitty, that was in 2001. Twelve years ago! The camera guys and I rode in the cab from Denver to Fraser, I think. That was a crowded cab.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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Thanks for the You Tube link, Henry!! Enjoyed seeing you and your wife in the video!! By the way, where can I find a copy of your book? Is amazon.com the best place to get it, or might it still be available in certain book stores? Thanks--
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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RRRich, the original edition of Zephyr can be found here and there in online bookstores. The updated (2012) edition is an ebook and is available on Amazon, Nook, and other vendors.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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Henry, I'll chime in, too. I particularly liked your wife's comment about your having been married 33 years and don't need to read her lips any longer. And your closing comments!....you're a poet!
Tom
Posts: 518 | From: Maynard, MA, USA | Registered: Sep 2000
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That was a wonderful piece! Now I have a face to go with the name. Thanks for the YouTube link! You were very fortunate to get that cab ride. The footage was gorgeous!
Henry: I have not yet had the pleasure of reading your book. I really must remedy that soon.
I, too, very much miss the days of food prepared on board mostly from scratch.)
Posts: 211 | From: California | Registered: Dec 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Geoff Mayo: Good to put a face to the name. Good video.
+1 from me too. Thanks for the youtube link, Mr. Kisor.
My question is which station/depot is that in your video, Henry? Debby seems to be "inside" the inner office in the agent's area, on the other side of the barred window.
Great to put another face to the name, as Geoff says. I've been able to do that with Mr. GBN a few years back. Still recall our two nice dinners: @ the Packinghouse in GBB, and the steakhouse in the CHI ex-urbs.
Posts: 588 | From: East San Diego County, CA | Registered: Oct 2004
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That was inside the Glenwood Springs station. The two women who staffed the station at the time were both in the book, so were very accommodating. I think they would have been anyway.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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I was just about to ask whether the interview portion was inside the Glenwood Springs station.
It's a wonderful piece and I enjoyed watching it. I had nearly forgotten the Zephyr from the days when a string of MHC's (Mail Handling Cars) typically trailed the Superliners.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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It's a wonderful piece and I enjoyed watching it. I had nearly forgotten the Zephyr from the days when a string of MHC's (Mail Handling Cars) typically trailed the Superliners.
There was one major drawback to us railfans when it came to those MHC's on the Zephyr----and that has to do with PV's. During the winter, there are some neat PV trips that I've taken from Emeryville to Reno (overnight, then back the next day). I think it has something to do with the air brake system on passenger trains, but the way they had to make up the train was to place the PV behind the Superliners, and then the MHC's behind the PV. So when you go out onto the "back porch" of a PV, you're staring at an MHC---which is no fun. Come to think of it, I don't think it was air brake issues....I think it had to do with the wiring that goes through the MHC's. Do they call it an MU connection? I'm not "up" on these technicalities....
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Out on the line seeing the mail handling cars always made me think of the institution where I earned my bachelors degree -
Mars Hill College.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Henry K -- my copy of your Zephyr book arrived today from amazon.com!! It looks like I got a copy which was actually signed by you!
Looking forward to reading the book -- it seems to contain a lot more than what I expected!!
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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