Trains .. Trains..

[samokan]

I did experience riding together with a homeless guy in Odakyu asking some money from passengers. He has this little piece of paper and he showed it to some passengers, who mostly declined.

A friend during her younger days, went backpacking in Europe, and to saved on transportation, she used the Railway to move from one country to the other. I want to experienced that too

[godwine]

Originally Posted by samokan

I did experience riding together with a homeless guy in Odakyu asking some money from passengers. He has this little piece of paper and he showed it to some passengers, who mostly declined.

A friend during her younger days, went backpacking in Europe, and to saved on transportation, she used the Railway to move from one country to the other. I want to experienced that too

On the note of homeless people, I ran into at 2 homeless guys in Japan under different occassion, they are the type that fit the "homeless because of economoy" type, very well educated and well spoken, but just couldn't afford to live...

[JohnBraden]

Originally Posted by astrogaijin

Chicago has the Metra which runs from all the major suburbs to Union Station and only that one station. There is also the El which runs over the roads but I've only been on that once and don't want to again. Not clean at all. As for the Metra, I've been on it many times going into Chicago but it's takes 2 hours while to drive takes 1 or less since it has to stop at every single station if your not on it during rush hour.

Metra uses more stations than just Union Station. I've taken Metra from Ogilvie Station, which is just down the street. There is the station close to the Art Institute as well...

I've taken Metra quite a few times to go to the suburbs and I would get irked if the trains were more than a few minutes late, especially the time right after my return from Japan. I was so used to the Japanese trains, I was, like I said earlier, spoiled.

I also don't like the fact that most train stations in the States aren't set to the level of the car door. One has to climb onto the train and for an elderly person, it can be quite an ordeal.

Since I live in the city, I've used the CTA's El (for Elevated) system countless times. It's filthy, unreliable, the train conductors are mostly rude and loud, some of the clientele leaves much to be desired, the tracks are rickety and rusting, and in dire need of upgrading. It does get you from here to there, but I do miss the JR and subway lines in Tokyo.

Next year I'll venture out to Osaka and see their transport system. As far as any others I've been on in Japan, from the Shinkansen to the local trains between towns, I don't have a bad thing to say about them.

I've been so far removed from Spain in both time and space that I know things have been radically changed since the last time I was there to take the Talgo from Madrid to Barcelona. Their trains, which aren't the fastest or the best compared to the Japanese, still puts anything the US has to shame....

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by godwine

On the note of homeless people, I ran into at 2 homeless guys in Japan under different occassion, they are the type that fit the "homeless because of economoy" type, very well educated and well spoken, but just couldn't afford to live...

I see homeless all the time...

They build little villages of cardboard and blue tarp along river sides and under overpasses... You also run into them a lot by stations, sitting in the stair wells or sleeping on cardboard sheets by the doors. Most who I have actually seen enough of to judge have been of the "homeless due to alcohol and/or mental illness" rather than economic reasons.

I hate to say it, but I really think that most of the "economic reasons" types have their own demons - they just hide them better. There are countless programs to get these people off the streets and into jobs or facilities. I have seen numerous documentaries following charity and government groups trying to help these people off the streets... with very poor results due to the people themselves.
I know everyone thinks differently, but... If I were on the street I would not turn my nose up at a "boring" factory job that offered fair pay with room and board for a 6 month to 5 year contract.

[GoNative]

I didn't see many homeless in Hokkaido. Possibly a bit like in Russia, the winter takes care of them!!

[JBaymore]

Lots of homless living in a "blue tarp city" in Ueno Koen.

best,

.............john

[astrogaijin]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Obama want to put in a high speed rail line from the east to the west but it was cut since the cost was to high for laying new track and the difficulties of going through the Rockies on a straight track.

[godwine]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

I see homeless all the time...

They build little villages of cardboard and blue tarp along river sides and under overpasses... You also run into them a lot by stations, sitting in the stair wells or sleeping on cardboard sheets by the doors. Most who I have actually seen enough of to judge have been of the "homeless due to alcohol and/or mental illness" rather than economic reasons.

I hate to say it, but I really think that most of the "economic reasons" types have their own demons - they just hide them better. There are countless programs to get these people off the streets and into jobs or facilities. I have seen numerous documentaries following charity and government groups trying to help these people off the streets... with very poor results due to the people themselves.
I know everyone thinks differently, but... If I were on the street I would not turn my nose up at a "boring" factory job that offered fair pay with room and board for a 6 month to 5 year contract.

Oh, I've seen plenty of homeless, i am just saying, i happen to have seen 2 that was able to present themselves.... so i was thinking there maybe more...

Ueno koen, I've seen some girl that might have been homeless.. she was young, and she dressed young, but she was just sleeping on the steps.. or she might have been drunk

[GoNative]

Originally Posted by OHayou

Ohhh, that's definitely a stark contrast to what I experienced in Japan.

In New York there are beggars that come through trains (beggars in the context of being homeless as well as people who have just hit hard times and are out of a job.)

In New York subway systems (I've only experienced New York but I'm assuming it might be the same in other big city subway systems) you will have musicians (as well as performers like break dance groups, etc) who play in the subway halls and main areas. I'm assuming they need a license or permit of some sort (perhaps not though) and typically they are pretty good at their craft. They have tip jars, pamphlets containing information about them, possibly CDs they are selling. Doesn't sound like that is the case in Japan though.

I've seen plenty of buskers and dancers in subway areas in Hokkaido.

[JohnBraden]

If I hear someone else singing Amazing Grace on the subway stations in Chicago, I swear I'm going to run amok....