(Reblogged from einegrosseabenteuer)

Istanbul Ferries

Alright, these aren’t trains, and they don’t even travel on land. But they’re an essential Istanbuli experience, and one used daily by millions of Turkish commuters crossing the Bosphorous between the European and Asian sides.

Empire Corridor Capacity Improvements: Final Phase Signal Improvements Hudson Line: At a cost of $18.6 million this project will replace the final 48 miles of the Hudson Line signal system between Poughkeepsie and Albany and bury the signal cable. The current system is 30 years old and outages in inclement weather account for most of the delay affecting all trains between Albany and New York City.

Empire Corridor Capacity Improvements: Final Phase 4th Track Construction at Rensselaer Station: This $35.4 million project will complete work at the new Rensselaer Station which was opened in 2002. The funding will be used to construct a new fourth track, extended platforms, realignment of existing tracks and new signal system.

Good to hear they’re looking to smooth out service in my neck of the woods. From Transportation Nation, http://transportationnation.org/2011/04/04/ny-governor-andrew-cuomo-applying-for-high-speed-rail/

New York Subway 1986 NYC -directors cut- with stereo audio track.mpg (by RailroadPacific)

(via @keepalbanyboring)

Passing through an Istanbul aqueduct

I can’t say I feel sorry for the crawling cars (or myself, as I’m on a bus) having to slow down to make way for a bit of Antiquity.

Riding the tourist trolley up Istiklal Caddesi, Istanbul, Turkey

It’s not all fun and trains. This old time trolley/tram (it looks like a trolley but rides along a track) still hauls tourists up and down the Europe-esque Istiklal Caddesi in Istanbul’s Beyoğlu neighborhood. It’s tourtisty as all get out, it only makes sense if you’re traveling in the uphill direction on a hot day, and it doesn’t have any stops other than the two terminals, but it’s a fun thing to do on your first visit.

Here’s a photo of the trolley from the ground:

Istiklal Caddesi trolley

Car-loads of German fans arrive in Vienna for the Euro 2008 final

If you want to see people being brought together by transit, or football (soccer), or both, look no further than the next major tournament. The Viennese U-Bahn was pulsing with fans making their way into the center of the city on the night of the final between Spain and Germany. Each car had its own raucous sing-along and the atmosphere was impossible to ignore.

If one platform was swarming with German fans, walk further down and find a band of Spanish ‘matadors’.