Train Gravesite in Kusadasi Turkey

#Train_Gravesite_Kusadasi_Turkey

The Turkish rail companies imported their engines from Germany, England,
France plus the United States
 As they wanted to rely on a proven design because of the demanding geography of this country and with the changing weather per seasons

The rail network would have had to navigate mountainous regions with a steep gradient, with sharp curves, plus the summers that would have been hot /dry and winters very cold / with much snow

KeyTip; The museum is located around a 30 minute taxi ride from the port of Kusadasi to the town of Camlik  So i got the roundtrip price of $50 Euro with a 2 hour wait (feel free to negotiate as the locals like to do this)  plus it is a 3 Euro entrance fee  (hours are 8am-8pm)

 

Did you know there is only one place left on earth where steam locomotives are still widely in use
It is in China
 So now rail enthusiasts are travelling there to witness the last gasps of the engine
 that created the modern world

Steam locomotives were first developed in the United Kingdom during the 19th century and in use until the 1980s when most railways fully converted to electric or diesel power

Interesting Fact;
An average Steam Locomotive would consume 20 tons of coal plus evaporate 100,000 lbs
of water per hour
So in the name of Climate Change i am glad these machines are retired 😉

 

The Choo-Choo Sound
Ever wonder why that sound comes out
Its the used high-pressure steam being expelled up the smokestack after it has pushed the pistons

Powertrain 
Unlike a car motor (internal combustion) a steam engine is an external piece of machinery,
 which means the fuel is burned outside the the main power plant system to heat the water in the boiler

The Dog House
Some locomotives had a small shack located on the car (carrying the fuel plus water) for the head-end brakeman, which kept him out of the main cab

Linke-Hofmann-Werke had its origins in 1832

 It was a railway wagon factory in Breslau Germany, with this interesting historical fact
 The city returned to be a part of Poland in 1945 and back to its original name of Wroclaw,
 with the result of territorial changes after World War 11

Starting in early 1900s it employed over 50,000 workers plus manufactured 3,000+ locomotives which as you see some ended up in Turkey

During the Second World War Turkey remained neutral
  So as it expanded its rail network it kept importing locomotives from both Germany and England 

The Camlik Railway Museum is the biggest in Turkey and contains one of the largest steam locomotive collections in Europe (established in 1997)

The Yard Contains
 33 Steam Locomotives, 9 Passenger Cars, 7 Freight Cars and other Railway Vehicles 
The museum is located on the oldest line in Turkey, uses the original tracks built in 1866 plus sits on the property of the Turkish State Railway

Most of the passengers cars were of the George Pullman design

He was an innovative entrepreneur who had an extremely uncomfortable overnight train ride
 from Buffalo to Westfield New York
It caused him to realize the opportunity of a vast market for comfortable railcar service
 so 25+ years later, he had factories in the United States and Europe 

The Pullman Company manufactured the Pioneer
 Which was the ultimate in sleeping cars with hand finished woodwork, silver trimmed fixtures, etc 
 at a cost of $20,000 per car

Abraham Lincoln
The Pioneer was used as a funeral train for the assassinated President and carried his body during the final leg of the journey from Chicago to Springfield
This gained national attention which helped launch the brands success

The Pullman name lives on today in Europe as a symbol of elegance and luxury

 Early History
The company became the single largest employer of African Americans in the country after the Civil War by hiring them to be porters 
Besides the steady wages plus tips, it allowed them to travel widely which contributed significantly to the growth of the black middle class
 It added to all that knowledge plus learning by experiencing different parts of America

The Strike of 1894
When the owner decided to cut workers wages but not the rent in his company built towns during the depression, this led to a massive nationwide strike
This eventually started  the creation of the federal holiday; Labor Day

Innovations
Introduced the enclosed vestibule, which was an accordion-like covered walkway between cars to be used even at high speeds
Improved lighting and heating systems plus "paper" wheels for a smoother and quieter ride

Private Cars
Custom built that featured amenities like open fireplaces, marble baths and gold-plated fixtures costing in todays dollars over 1 million
 

The steam locomotive revolutionized travel as it broke down barriers of distance
From the first journey in Wales in 1804 up to todays heritage or tourist lines like the famous Hogwarts Express ( Harry Potter films)
It  has invoked many fond memories of how we humans have evolved with transportation which allowed us to discover the world that we live in

The manufacturing years of the steam locomotives located here range from 1891-1951
 With the oldest one built was by the Robert Stephenson Company of England
( first corporation in the world that was created to specifically build railway engines)

TCDD is an abbreviation for The State Railways of the Republic of Turkey

Also the numbers serve a purpose;
A) #3 the number of driving axles
 B) second #3 is the total number of axles in the engines
 C) #55 the engine serial number

TCDD celebrated its 150th anniversary recently with its I-Zmir to Aydin line of 1856.

During that time; countries of England and Germany arranged licenses with the Turkish Government for railway construction 
Even today the line is in use with an upgrade for modern commuter use

Locomotive wheels have a metal "tire" that is mounted by being heated until it expands, 
then fitted onto the wheel and allowed to cool
Then it shrinks into place, creating a tight grip

A total of 8600 kms of rail was laid during the Ottoman Empire between 1856 - 1922

Early Tracks
Were originally iron-reinforced wooden "wagonways" as horses pulled carts on them 
Then when trains took over and because of the weight of Steam Locomotives, the rails had to be improved 
 Thus since the 1870s the track has been made of steel 

There are no guides for this tour so do your research before heading here
 But Bonus
 You are allowed to climb aboard (using the engine ladders) to get inside the railcars, cabs and so on

The maximum speed for these locomotives was 190kms (120 mph) but it was never this fast as the railroad line was not designed for this  

I know a few car collectors that would pay big money for this patina 😃

Part of the coaling tower here that replaced (in the early years) the shoveling by hand method 

These stations were first built in Britain in 1847
 At first from wood, then steel or reinforced concrete which also used the gravity fed system

Collection of all modes of transport made for the rails as we leave the museum with its salute to the Golden Age of Steam 

Fun Facts

A) Fastest; the steam locomotive  LNER Class A4 Mallard

 which reached 203km (126 mph) in 1938

B) Giants of the Rails; the Union Pacific "Big Boy" weighed a massive

 545,000kgs (1.2 million pounds) 

C) First to 160km (100mph); the Flying Scotsman in 1934

D) Pulling Power; into todays times, a modern freight train can haul the same amount

 of goods as over 300 trucks

Santorini Greece & the Fira to Oia hike

#Fira_Oia_Hike_Santorini

As my travel blog is about tips on where to visit and saving money doing so
(Case in Point) i see that this hike was listed at $140.00 PP in small groups.

 Now my fellow travelers, you can do this on your own for 2 Euros
 (bus fare on the return to your starting point)
 All i ask from you is to wear proper footwear (you will see why with my photos) bring water, snacks, sunscreen plus a hat

 

Although we are in Greece, it was the Romans who first invented cobblestone
 streets and paths 
 But thanks for their creation (which gave us the convenience here) we are on our hike, but soon it will become loose gravel plus dirt as we trek towards Oia

Now as we walk around the caldera you realize the massiveness of the volcanic eruption that occurred here 3500 years ago (which today gives us these amazing views) 
 As it was one of the largest explosions in recorded history that created a tsunami that wiped out the Minoan civilization on the island of Crete 200kms or 125 miles away   

Today Santorini boasts the only inhabited caldera in the world, with the villages of Fira and Oia

Before Tourism
 Santorini was a major trading hub that brought visiting and local vendors to the markets that featured crafted pottery, woven textiles, wines, spices plus herbs

Today the island is world famous for its iconic whitewashed, cube shaped houses
and with the blue domed churches plus the very popular Red / Black Beaches
 (sand with pebbles of various shades because of the volcanic activity)  

Why are many of the buildings in a dome shape

It was for simple reasons;
 Basically for the low cost, as they were sometimes dug partially or entirely into the volcanic rock then its design was to have narrow, dome covered facades plus windows to bring in the natural light 

This part of the trail had some fencing up, so i assume its private property but looks like
 some of the "famous" Cave Houses of Santorini

In the beginning there were a necessity;
 For the poorer residents to escape the sun, winds and pirates

Moving Forward
 After the devastating 1956 earthquake, caves houses have been repurposed into some of the islands most sought after accommodations

Legend of Atlantis
With the Minoan eruption resulting in the collapse of the island center, many people believe it inspired the Greek philosopher Plato and the legend of that lost city

Jules Verne
The famous author was also inspired by the volcanos activity here during a visit,
which he wrote about in his books 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and The Mysterious Island

A beautiful view of the Aegean Sea from the caldera (from Latin caldaria meaning cooking pot)
 
   As in its Meaning;
 Its a large depression formed when a volcano erupts then collapses, so basically when the magma chamber empties it leaves no support for the walls thus fills up with water

Some challenging parts of the hike but also notice the black rocks, these are older volcanic stones from past eruptions being put to good use as you walk on history 

From above you can see the white washed structures as we make our way away from Fira
(which is the Capital of Santorini)

 As in its History;
 It first started out as a settlement in the late 18th century, eventually coming under the rule of the Turks ( strength of their military) which at the time was a good thing, as then they did not have to worry about the pirate raids on the island

Along your hike you will find vendors setup selling water, fruit, sunscreen etc
But again please bring these essentials yourself , as these pop up stands are not consistent 

The main reason most buildings are whitewash (made by mixing lime, water plus sea salt) the color is a reflector of heat so it works perfectly to keep the dwellings cool and fresh

We make our way up to the The Capel of the Assumption of the Virgin
as this is the last climb before Oia 

Now having a few Adult Beverages for a job well done in Oia 😃
Because of the island volcanic soil (which is rich in minerals) it has created some exceptional wines, after a few glasses......i agree👌

As i look at many of the two-story houses, i am told they were originally owned by wealthy shipowners which is a reminder of the areas maritime past

KeyTip
Its a pedestrian only area with its narrow streets, add in the big crowds
  around sunset and it gets to be shoulder to shoulder craziness
 So be very careful of your valuables

The local government was looking for a more elegant name so chose Oia  (Doric dialect meaning far)
as the village was so far from all the other settlements at this time  

Fun Fact
World Free Runners
Red Bull Art of Motion  uses the backdrop of this village which creates dramatic and photogenic scenes during their competitions

The whitewashed walls and the blue domes of Santorini was not always colored this way
It was right-wing military regime (1967-1974) that imposed that all buildings be painted in this color scheme and was to inspire patriotism / attract more tourists

Today;
As you can see some structures are changing it up to stand out from the rest, which ironically was the intended purpose from the beginning

Back in Fira and heading to my ship where the 588 Karavolades Stairs ( Old Port Stairs) awaits me,
 hey why not add it to the hike you just did 

Originally built in the 18th Century to serve as a direct connection between the Port and Town
 It now has become a tourist attraction;
 But please remember that the donkeys get the right of way,
 the cobbled steps are not all even so the footing is off and be aware on the dung 😅

KeyTip
 Or as you can see in the distance the Cable Car for 6 Euros for adults / 3 Euros for children to avoid the climb or descent