International Railroad Discussion > New Series on Trans Siberian Express Trip Part 1

The lock down is finally over in Michigan. So less time on my hands. But with still limited international travel, I thought I'd start another series. The inspiration was a reply to yesterday's "Station Where Is It"  thread where I mentioned old trams in Russia.  In June 2008 I began my trip to  Vladivostok, Russia with a NWA flight (at least I think it was still NWA then)  from DTW to Seoul. Overnight and connecting flight on Korean Air. Before the departure of the Golden Eagle Trans Siberian Express, run by the former GW Travel out of the U.K., we had a city tour of the headquarters  of the Russian fleet. This area was off limits to tourists during "former times."  So I'll start with photos including some trams from that city tour. 

First is part of the Russian Pacific fleet. Next two: A funicular that runs from the sea to the upper part of the city. 

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Many trams in Vladivostok. A few or us bailed out of the museum tour to do some tram spotting.  One of the tour participants was from Texas. Complete with large hat and string tie. You should have seen the looks he got from some of Vladivostok's more attractive women. I guess it's not much of a tourist destination. 

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Last for Part I. We encountered this wedding party out for some photos. So I joined in. Note I wasn't with Yana then so I didn't see any harm. The trip would have been far more enjoyable had she been with me to translate the entire thing and help with restaurant issues. We wouldn't meet again until 2012.  Second photo is plinthed loco at the Vladivostok station and map of the Trans Siberian route. I won't post station photos here as they will appear in the "International Railway Station Where is it" series. 

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Excellent Series Thanks.

Good to see these, Bruce. Very different.

Enjoyable images, thanks. As luck would have it, I've met several people who have been to Vladivostok in past years, a city that is not exactly on the usual tourist routes. They all liked the city and found it interesting, but were uncomfortable with the level of military security they encountered, even after the city was somewhat more open than in Soviet times, when it was a closed city until 1992.

Even in those earlier "opened" days, I'm not sure that the photo you have of the Udaloy Class destroyer 548, Admiral Panteleyev, would have been, shall we say...appreciated. How times change. A very handsome ship, and a capable platform. It participated in the 2012 RIMPAC international naval exercises off Hawaii.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/04/20 11:24 by ironmtn.