History(30.Train)
1 \! k! j4 K1 e# k2 ^8 s' [; g I’m doing to talk about a train exemplifies例证, 例示 the rise and fall of passenger trains in the United States . The Twentieth Century Limited. Let me go back just a bit. In 1893, a special train was established to take people from New York to an exposition 博览会; 说明; 展览会 in Chicago. It was so successful that regular规则的, 经常的, 有秩序的 service was then set up between these cities.
) {" @- ?4 T6 I" e( |/ Y" { k0 b& ]
& T' E x! T4 n5 H" M. o7 V T
) ~5 ^+ Z( ]) b4 K4 x$ o4 q. x! R. a The inaugural就职演讲; 开幕辞 trip of the Twentieth Century Limited was made in 1902. The train was different from what anyone had ever seen before. It was pulled by a steam engine引擎, 提供动力的机器 and had five cars, two sleepers, a dining car, an observation car, and a baggage car, which believe it or not contained a library. The 42 passengers the train could carry were waited on by a large staff. There were even secretaries秘书, 部长, 书记 and a barber on board.
8 ~8 \4 l8 j/ }4 Z: [ j I( e; B, E/ s4 d. Z
# ~. A) g, u3 H' `
It wasn't long before people had to wait two years to get a reservation. As time passed, technical improvements shortened the trip by a few hours. Perhaps the biggest technological change occurred in 1945 --- the switch开关, 转换; 电闸 from steam to diesel 柴油机 engines.
! w7 U8 W& U. G9 n0 R
+ l+ z/ f, ~4 J5 j; s1 B
. R# M$ h2 B$ E- @- z! F5 n7 D: I
By the 1960's, people were traveling by car and airplane. Unfortunately, the great old train didn't survive until the end of the century it was named for.
