
Trains in Space - lermontov
http://www.lrb.co.uk/v38/n09/james-meek/trains-in-space
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jefurii
Unfortunately not a review of Leiji Matsumoto's "Galaxy Express 999", or of
Kenji Miyazawa's "Night on the Galactic Railroad", or even the wonderful
animated film based on the latter. Even so, it's a nice review of a book on
the history of British railways.

"...I lack the trainspotter’s enthusiasm for locomotives, and I’ve had some
horrible journeys on that train. But the theatrical grandeur of [a
locomotive's] arrival always alters my sense of my surroundings, as if a door
had opened, offering a glimpse of an intricate, sprawling structure normally
not seen at all, and never perceptible as a whole except through some
transcendental sleight of imagination: the railways."

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pdabbadabba
A fine article--but not the awesome analysis of whether one could use a train
as a form of space travel that I was hoping for.

~~~
Stratoscope
A couple of years ago I read an SF novel where people traveled between the
planets and star systems on trains. As I recall, the trains went through
wormholes or something, with train stations at each end.

The name of the book escapes me right now. I don't suppose anyone here knows
of it?

~~~
telharmonium
Peter F. Hamilton's _Commonwealth Saga_ involves interstellar travel on
trains[1] which pass through artificial wormholes. I wouldn't recommend the
books; he creates a world with so much potential, but the characters and story
are disappointing.

[1]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_Saga#Technologica...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_Saga#Technological_concepts)

~~~
zazard
I really liked these books. Would love to know about some that you would
recommend, then, you seem to be harder to convince than I am :)

Also, it seems he is currently writing a new trilogy in the same universe (The
Chronicle of the Fallers), the first of which is already out. Haven't read it
yet, however.

