Here's a link to a nice little story about Surf, CA and the area around it. There is a link to some nice pictures including the Amtrak ticket machine and the train.
Great pictures, but was there a story as well? It's easy to see why you live where you do.
Posted by sbalax (Member # 2801) on :
Sorry, I only posted the link to the pictures. I'll try to find the link to the story. It was interesting on several levels. Part of it was about the Honda accident where a fleet of U.S. Navy destroyers went aground.
Frank in cloudy SBA
Posted by sbalax (Member # 2801) on :
Here's the link to the story that goes with the pictures.
Tom
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Absolutely, Mr. Black
Posted by TBlack (Member # 181) on :
Thanks, GBN; I've only ridden 11/14 north from Emerville, and the pictures Frank has provided show that I've missed something spectacular.
Oh, and Gilbert, could I ask a favor? Could you address me as Tom; nobody calls me Mr. Black. Besides, I'm younger than you, and certainly not as knowledgeable. It would make me feel more comfortable, thanks.
Posted by sbalax (Member # 2801) on :
Tom--
Do you remember our meeting at King Street Station? Do you have any idea what year that was? I know we were all taking the Empire Builder...
Yep, the same tracks as the Starlight. The scenery from Ventura through SBA and on up the coast is really spectacular. Much of it can't be seen any way EXCEPT by train. You got right through Vandenburg AFB. I've been told that when Nikita Kruschev's train (which I saw from UCSB as it passed through Goleta) went this way the window shades were lowered as they went through the base.
Frank in cloudy and damp SBA
Posted by sbalax (Member # 2801) on :
All--
Hey, I just noticed that I hit 1,000 posts. That's since October, 2003.
Henry--
When I tried that website I got a very scary warning saying that it was infected with "Malware"! Did you actually get on it?
Frank in still cloudy SBA
Posted by cubzo (Member # 4700) on :
So I am just curious here, by looking at the location of this station on google maps can non military personal use this station?
Posted by PullmanCo (Member # 1138) on :
Pre 9-11, I'd be able to say certainly, since my Dad liked to fish there. In fact, the first train order I ever got came from the SP agent at Surf (that building is obviously long gone, an SP Common Standard wood frame station). In fact, that was pre A-Day.
Post 9-11, I just do not know. Of course, if you have a DOD ID card and an installation sticker, it's easy Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
Sbalax Frank, no, I didn't see that malware message when I got onto the Point Honda memorial website. It seems quite normal. Perhaps the malware message was an artifact from another site? I hope I haven't been infected -- but my computer is a Mac.
Henry (the artist formerly known as Mr. Kisor)
Posted by sbalax (Member # 2801) on :
Cubzo--
It's a regular station stop for Amtrak and no problem getting on or off there. I believe there is also access through the base by road.
Henry--
I'm still getting that message. I have a Mac as well. It refers me to a google site for further explanation.
Frank in wet SBA
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
Frank:
Weird. Maybe it's the browser. I'm using Firefox 3.0.7.
Henry
Posted by cubzo (Member # 4700) on :
Mac user here as well, if your browser is Safari and you keep up with the security updates your chances of being infected by malware is slim. Unless you regularly visit porn sites. As macs become more popular that is likely to change.
Posted by TBlack (Member # 181) on :
Frank,
Boy, you've made me do my homework. I was in Seattle for lunch with my cousin, having arrived on the EB in the morning and leaving, with you, that afternoon. We had set up the rendez-vous ahead of time, and I had told you I'd be at the station wearing a bow tie to make recognition easier. My wife is better at remembering chronology than I am, and the best we can come up with is 2005. Does that sound plausible? That was the last serious train trip I've taken, as the professional side of my life has taken over.
Best to you, dear friend. Stay healthy!
Tom
Posted by sbalax (Member # 2801) on :
Henry--
I was able to get to it with Firefox. Apparently Safari saw something there that Firefox didn't!
Tom--
Yep, I think 2005 would be about right.
Frank in still damp SBA
Posted by pismobum (Member # 2628) on :
Surf was never on the military base. Back in the 60's Vandenberg was north of Surf and NAS Pt Arguello was south. Both launched missiles and later became one big base with Surf remaining on a strip between the base segments. People argued even in the 60's on pronunciation of "Arguello" - purists insisting it was "Ar-gway-0" and everyone else (including military) saying "Ar-Gwell-o". Or as the argument went - 'Jello' isn't pronounced "Hayo"!!
Posted by sbalax (Member # 2801) on :
Pismo--
LOL. You are close enough to understand the problems we have here in Santa Barbara with some of the street names. You know -- Arrellaga, Micheltorena, and the street where we live -- Alameda Padre Serra. And my personal favorite, Salsipuedes. ("Get out if you can.")
Interesting that Surf was never on the base. I guess that explains the access road.
Frank in sunny and very windy SBA
Posted by pismobum (Member # 2628) on :
Little off topic, but when I grew up in LA area in the 40's, there was a "Compton-Jaboneria" road. Seemed like it was jab-on-ear-eeyah but was actually hu-bahn-a-reeah. Of course we all had fun with La J-all-ah and the Moe-jayv desert
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
We have our problems with town and street names in the Chicago area.
Des Plaines, originally French, ought to be pronounced "Duh PLEIN" with the nasal N. But we of course say "Dess Playnes."
And Goethe Street, roughly "goot-uh" in German, comes out "Goathy" in Yank.
Posted by Stephen W (Member # 6059) on :
I think the French would pronounce Des Plaines as "Day Plenne" - apologies if I am being a bit pedantic.
Posted by Judy McFarland (Member # 4435) on :
In Milwaukee, we just give up and call Kinnickinnic Ave "KK"
My personal favorites: Cairo, IL (KAY-row) Chili, NY (CHAI-lie)
Posted by Ocala Mike (Member # 4657) on :
There's also Versailles, KY, pronounced VER-SALES by the natives.
Posted by PullmanCo (Member # 1138) on :
From another list, I was looking for a retired HW car off-track by San Juan Capistrano station.
Looking at googlemaps, it appears the town planners have abaandoned "Street" and gone entirely with Avenida de or Calle de..
Of course, like Mr Ainsworth, I grew up in Neustra Ciuidad de la Reina de Los Angeles... Posted by sbalax (Member # 2801) on :
Make that El Pueblo de Nuestra Seņora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula! LA is a lot easier.
We have lots of Calles, Avenidas and even a couple of Alamedas around here. Oddly, many of those names were in English before the 1925 (or is it 6?) earthquake. In the rebuilding there was an attempt to make Santa Barbara more "Spanish" so Fifth Street became Quinto, etc. And what had been Calle Estado became State Street. Go figure!
Frank in SBA
Posted by PullmanCo (Member # 1138) on :
And you even have Isla Vista!
Of course, I spent 4 years on the 7th floors of San Miguel Hall. One of my best friends in the world lived in Santa Rosa. I had friends in San Nicolas, San Rafael and Anacapa...
Thank the good Lord the University did not buy Francisco Torres until after I'd graduated.
No Riviera Campus for me! Goleta Point is where I spent my university years Posted by sbalax (Member # 2801) on :
Pullman--
The Riviera Campus is about 100 yards from me as I write this. It still looks good and the "Campus Aud" is now the Riviera Theatre showing mostly "art" flics.
I lived in Anacapa the first year it was open and had an ocean view room the second before moving to IV. I used to love watching the planes take off from SBA including the Pacific F-27's.
A bit of a reality check. My cousin and his wife were up last year to celibrate their 50th anniversary. She had lived in Santa Rosa and they went there and asked one of the students to take their picture. When they told her that Jean had lived in Santa Rosa 50 years ago the student was, "like, totally blown away".
Have you been on campus recently? I enjoy it but cringe a bit when I see buildings named after people I knew. Buchanan, Gervetz, Cheadle, etc.
Thanks for the memories,
Frank in dark and cold SBA
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
Stephen, I believe "Duh Plein" is the seventeenth century French pronunciation, to be super-pedantic. At least that's what we were taught in Bourbonnais, which those who live in Chicaguh pronounce "Burbunuss."
Further information on American butchery of place names in non-English languages is available here:
No, I've not been on campus in a coon's age... but I will never forget someone describing the carillon tower by UCEN as "Thomas Storke's last great erection."
Having a sunrise view looking back to downtown my senior year (7209 San Miguel) was a fantastic experience, especially as it was a double as a single.
Of course, going to the DLG Annex for onion rings at 11 at night was a way to be young
I used to take the Coast Starlight for Thanksgiving and Christmas break trips. At least once the diner was an SP car from the Golden State (single unit P-S product, so maybe from the SF Overland too), and I remember several times where the dome was one of SPs own 3/4 domes. The sleepers... IIRC ATSF Pine and UP Pacific 10-6 cars.
I'd ride it into LAUPT, and my folks would take me to Olvera Street for dinner. In spite of its tourist trap status, there really was good food there.
Posted by Stephen W (Member # 6059) on :
Thank you, Henry - I bow to your local and superior knowledge! I appreciated the link too.
Posted by RRRICH (Member # 1418) on :
What about that city in Massachusetts that the LSL stops at before Boston? Is it pronounced "Wooster," "Wurst-sir," or "Wur-ces-ter" (ike it is spelled?) And what about Worcestershire Sauce?
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
RRRich:
Having gone to school in Hartford, I've always known Worcester as "Wooster," but closer to "Wurster."
As for the sauce, druther use ketchup and avoid the issue entirely.
Posted by train lady (Member # 3920) on :
another for the list....Staunton,Va is Stanton. Oh yes, Calais me. is callus
Posted by RRRICH (Member # 1418) on :
What is our British members' take on "Worcester?" How about it, Mr. Williams?
Posted by Geoff M (Member # 153) on :
Worcester is pronounced as wooster (two syllables, not three). The sauce is simple woostersheer sauce (not shire but sheer!).
Some other odd names we have around here: Cirencester - pronounced siren sester Lacock - lay cock (the abbey there has featured in some big period dramas and in the Harry Potter movies) Frome - Froom Gloucester - glosster Loughborough - luffborough (or luffbra, as the first O in borough tends to be dropped in place names suffixed with such - but not in cases like "the London borough of Chelsea"!), though I have heard Americans calling it Looger-ba-rooga!
Geoff M.
Posted by Bob from MA (Member # 4686) on :
As native and almost life-long resident of Worcester, MA, I can tell you that most locals pronounce it "Wooster", with the double o sounded as in the word "look".
I have a whole list of MA place names that I like to show people from out-of-state to get their pronunciations, which are usually wrong. Those include Billerica, Cotuit, Haverhill, Leominster, Oakham, Petersham, Tewksbury, Waban, and Woburn.
Posted by HopefulRailUser (Member # 4513) on :
Geoff - on a visit to Great Britain a few years ago we stayed at a place near Keighley. Much to my surprise this was not "kegley" but indeed "keithly". I'm glad you answered the question about the British pronunciations as I have noted that they are often quite unique. The Brits especially like to destroy places with a French derivation, much as the American do. Prairie du "sheen"! A sad end for a lovely word even if it does mean d*g.
Posted by RR4me (Member # 6052) on :
Completely away from trains, unless you count the fact that many of the nuts are shipped by train, here in the Central Valley they have their own pronunciation for almonds. I have a good friend who first told me they are pronounced "amands", because when harvested, the L is knocked out of them!
He did not have a good answer when I asked why walnuts were not then pronounced wanuts.
Posted by Geoff M (Member # 153) on :
So for you Americans is a scone something that sounds like "stone" or like "gone"? For us, it depends on where you're from - regional variations.
Yes, Keighly is rather odd. But then so is Utica (pronounced Ethica I believe). So tell me how Nacogdoches, TX is pronounced?
Geoff M.
Posted by Bob from MA (Member # 4686) on :
Realizing that some were left hanging after seeing my list of MA towns, I will now try to give the common pronunciations.
Billerica: bill-rick'-a Cotuit: kuh-too'-it Haverhill: hay'-ver-ul or even hay'-vrl Leominster: le'-mun-ster or le'-mn-ster (as in the fruit lemon) Oakham: oak-ham (even emphasis on each syllable) Petersham: pee'-ters-ham or pee'-ters-hm (there are people who say peeter-sham) they're wrong!! Tewksbury: tooks'-bry (double o as in look) Waban: wa'-bn (a as in ball) Woburn: woo'-burn (double o as in ooze)
I'm open to corrections by other MA residents. I would have used the schwa in some cases, but I don't know off hand how to make it on my Mac.
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
quote:Originally posted by Geoff M: So tell me how Nacogdoches, TX is pronounced?
Na coe doe' cheese, more or less.
Then there is Natchitoches, Louisiana which is pronounced Na coe tish'
Or, how about Arkansas, which is, by decision of the state legislature pronounced Are can saw'
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
Surely there once was a Nacogdoches & Natchitoches Railroad? That would have looked impressive on the side of a boxcar, but people would have ended up calling it the "N & N."
Posted by ehbowen (Member # 4317) on :
Moving a little to the north and east, Cleveland area to be specific: I have yet to hear a definitive correct pronunciation for "Cuyahoga".
ETA: Henry, I'll bet it wouldn't have been long before folks started calling it the "Ninny"....
Posted by RRRICH (Member # 1418) on :
So how much further off topic can we get? What about the word "Caribbean?" Is it "care-i-BEE-an" or "ca-RIB-bee-an?" I prefer the first pronunciation.
Meanwhile, it should be a nice day in Surf, CA today (getting back on topic) -- I hope the Surfliners are on time!!
Posted by Geoff M (Member # 153) on :
Borrowing and editing some posts above: Billericay: (note Y on end) biller-rik-ee Leominster: le'-mn-ster Oakham: oak-um (even emphasis on each syllable) Tewksbury: tewks'-bry (as in ewe, not as in look!) Woburn: woe-burn Carribean: carry-BEE-an
Guessing at how I would pronounce this: Cuyahoga - Kie-ya-hoe-gah (Kie as in die)
Possibly some of the easist place names to pronounce are in the Philippines. Pronounce each vowel seperately, each vowel sounds the same regardless of adjacent letters, and stress the second syllable - in a nutshell, but of course there are some exceptions.
Geoff M.
Posted by Bob from MA (Member # 4686) on :
Geoff and RRRich,
Some people here do pronounce Tewksbury the way you have it. The pronunciation I gave was given to me by a former resident of the town. Oakham is never pronounced your way over here, as far as I know. And I concur with your version of Cuyahoga, with accent on third syllable.
I too prefer to accent Caribbean on the third syllable.
Posted by HopefulRailUser (Member # 4513) on :
Yep, my ex-husband was from Colusa, north of Sacramento, and it was "amands" all the way.
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
The whole problem is that English has such a mish-mash of ancestries, both Germanic and Latin based, and then has so many borrowed words, and then you have the American and the British versions, there are more exceptional cases than rule following cases. And to the confoundment of certain others, English in either or both versions has become the language of convenience for international business.
Posted by Vicki (Member # 3410) on :
There is a town named Utica not far from where I live and it's pronounced YOU ti ka
Posted by sbalax (Member # 2801) on :
Just checking in from Buenos Aires. Our hotel is the Elevage. It's given the French pronunciation not the Spanish.
I did spot a big sign saying that "Santa Barbara Outfitters" will be opening soon at the swank Mall down the street from us.
And, yes, the steaks are as good as they say and as inexpensive!
And very drinkable wines (mostly Malbecs) are no more than US$4.00 a bottle.
Frank "Your Man in Buenos Aires".
P.S. The hotel has free wi-fi which is generally pretty fast.
Posted by Geoff M (Member # 153) on :
Ah, Argentinian steaks - the best in the world! I went there myself a few years ago and can concur with the quality and inexpensiveness of them. None of this "carved onto a tray and into the supermarket while still warm" rubbish but proper meat that has been hung for 2 months or more. Just a butter knife will do, no steak knife required. I've not eaten an ordinary steak since. Sorry, salivating a bit there.
So how's the weather, Frank?
Geoff M.
Posted by PullmanCo (Member # 1138) on :
quote:Originally posted by Geoff M: Ah, Argentinian steaks -the best in the world
I guess you never had a corn fed Nebraska USDA Prime 12oz Sirloin medium rare in the Dome Diner of the City of Los Angeles.
That is the best steak in the world, and the same at the Golden Ox here in Kansas City is the close second Posted by royaltrain (Member # 622) on :
I was once corrected by an official from the town of Kissimmee Florida that it should be pronouced KuhSIMee and not KISSamee as I had done. She then said that it could be pronounced KuhSIMmee by day and KISSamee by night. A delighful compromse I thought.
P.S. to Geoff M. In Canada we (usually) pronounce scone as in gone not stone.
Posted by sbalax (Member # 2801) on :
Geoff--
Weather has been beautiful. Mostly in the low 70's and sunny with a light breeze.
We went to an Estancia about an hour outside the city today for more steak, chicken and sausages all cooked over a hardwood fire. Free flowing wine and beer made for a very entertaining afternoon.
We board the ship on Sunday but don't sail until Monday at 6PM so will have an "extra" day.
The Retiro train station is a couple of blocks from here but I have yet to get over there or to ride the "Subte", the subway. They are very proud that they had the first subway system in Latin America.
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