To me, rail travel is just as fascinating as air travel. On planes, I usually reserve a window seat so that I can watch the changing scenery below during daylight hours as the plane crosses borders. I have come across some very magnificent scenery on planes, from snow-capped mountains to majestic sunrise and sunsets.
During take-off and landing in clear weather, I will always look out of the window to admire the landscape of my departing or arriving countries. No matter how many times I have boarded a plane, this never ceases to capture my interest.
A plane journey is over in the blink of an eye, transporting us to our destination safely and quickly. A 7-hour flight from Singapore will bring us to Japan, South Korea, Australia, China and the Middle East. A 12-hour flight from Singapore will bring us into Europe and the UK.
In comparison, a train journey is slow and gives us time to contemplate and think about many things. It allows us to admire the moving scenery outside.
Within Singapore, the MRT is my first experience with rail travel. The scenery is, well, quite limited. Beyond Singapore, I have embarked on some notable rail travels.
For example, the Seattle to Vancouver Amtrak train which hugs the pacific coastline. Within Japan, the bullet train transports me quickly to different cities, from Tokyo to Hokkaido in the north, or Tokyo to Kyoto to Osaka.
I have also been on rail travels where the scenery is not as wonderful but the experience is just as great. Within Italy, from Rome to Florence to Venice. Within the UK, from London to Scotland. Within Norway and Sweden as well.
I have read about some rail travels in other countries offering majestic views. For example, the transiberia from China to Moscow passing by Siberia and the canadian from Toronto to Vancouver passing by the Canadian rockies. They have sort of tempted me into travelling long haul once more. 😃
Anyway, back to Singapore, the KTM in Malaysia have stopped travelling beyond Woodlands. So the rail tracks from Woodlands to Jurong and Tanjong Pagar have mostly been dismantled and turned into a green corridor for people to run or jog or walk. It has been sad to discontinue the train service. I haven't been able to get on one before its service ended. I have some hazy memories of having ride on a KTM train when I was really young, but that's about it.
For memories' sake, they have kept the rail bridges and its tracks untouched. Needless to say, they became places of attraction in their own rights. Locals, including me, have been flocking to take pictures of the rail corridor and the Tanjong Pagar railway station.
The walkable rail bridge complete with tracks by the Rail Mall
Beyond the bridge, the tracks were removed and turned into a green corridor
The magnificent structure in all its glory 😊
Not all the rail bridges are accessible. The one at Sunset Way has been cordoned off. Yup. So what remains now are short sections of rail tracks preserved along rail bridges and at Tanjong Pagar and Bukit Timah railway station. Well, I hope this piece of Singapore's history will live on.
