Starting out from his home town in massachusetts,1 via boston and chicago, theroux travels by train across the north american plains to laredo, texas. Construction began in 1922, but progress was painfully slow and the track only reached esquel in 1945, operating as a freight service bringing supplies, and later on passengers, to and from the region service declined throughout the 1960s and 1970s, although the train journey was popularized by paul theroux and dubbed the old patagonian express in his 1979 book of the same name. Read the old patagonian express by train through the americas by paul theroux available from rakuten kobo. Most of the coaches were wooden second class boxes crammed with indians on their way south.
Setting off in his hometown, and ending up almost at the end of the world, paul therouxs the old patagonian. The train ride serves principally as a tourist attraction and for most this. Pdf the old patagonian express download full pdf book. The old patagonian express is one of the most famous historic trains in the world. The old patagonian express 1980 edition open library. It adds to the particularity of its minimum gauge, the unique landscape that it. Setting off in his hometown, and ending up almost at the end of the world, paul therouxs the old patagonian express is a travel writing tour. By train through the americas is an unusually snarky look at latin america and its people, but then his views are typical of the period in which the book was written some forty years ago. By train through the americas starts from medford, massachusetts, where his parents live, and the twomonth journey is under way. Journey south to esquel to board the old patagonian express steam train for a round trip to the small town of nahuel pan. India 2016 freight train on the darjeeling railway.
Awardwinning travel writer paul theroux invites you aboard the old patagonian express by train through the. It adds to the particularity of its minimum gauge, the unique landscape that it traverses. The other book i read more recently was the old patagonian express, by paul theroux. Listen to old patagonian express by paul theroux at. Many of therouxs books revolve around train travel, with descriptions of the places and the people he meets along the way, with writing that is brutally honest, poignant, and funny. By train through the americas by paul theroux 1989, paperback, reprint at the best online prices at ebay. Beginning on bostons subway, he depicts a voyage from icebound massachusetts to the arid plateau of argentinas most southerly tip. The train ride serves principally as a tourist attraction and for most this will entail a trip meandering from esquel through the hills to the village of nahuel pan 22km away. The old patagonian express by train through the americas. When it was inaugurated, it used to operate as a social train joining esquel chubut and ingeniero jacobacci rio negro along its 402 km 250 mi rails, until the. The old patagonian express is a railway line was originally planned as part of a larger network that would connect all of patagonia, however, the project was never completed due to ministerial. The nothingness itself, he concludes, a beginning for some intrepid traveler, was an ending for me.
But the old patagonian express is not just a book about travelling. Each time paul theroux takes a trip the great railway bazaar, riding the iron rooster the result is unmistakably paul theroux. An indepth look at the hugely varying landscapes that make up this expansive region of argentina, our ultimate patagonia journey idea includes everything from estancia stays and horseback riding to a jaunt on the old patagonian express and whalewatching. There are many great moments and observations in this book.
The old patagonian express is advertised as a journey through the landscape and time. Aug 10, 2017 the old patagonian express tells of paul therouxs train journey down the length of north and south america. Beginning on bostons subway, he depicts a voyage from icebound massachusetts to the arid plateau of argentinas most southerly tip, via pretty central american towns and the ancient incan city of macchu pichu. Among his best known works of travelwriting are the great railway bazaar 1975, the old patagonian express 1979, and riding the iron rooster 1985. At the time of its construction, the old patagonian express line was intended to form part of a planned rail network across patagonia. Read download the old patagonian express pdf pdf download. The old patagonian express audiobook by paul theroux. And he has never been sharper than in the old patagonian express.
Also known as old patagonian express this is the famous train of small gauge 75 cm. Starting out from his home town in massachusetts, via boston and chicago, theroux travels by train across the north american plains to laredo, texas. The old pantagonian express is about 20 years old now but i still reread it every couple of years. He arrives there on the final teenyweeny steam train, the old patagonian express. By train through the americas by paul theroux 1979, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. He has arrived precisely at nowhere, at enormous empty spaces. Thinking of the locomotive, the black smoke coming out of its chimney, the whistling right before leaving, the wooden car, and the. Norman dietz theroux travels the old patagonian express on a bolivian train. The old patagonian express is a written account of a train trip taken by noted travel writer paul theroux from his home in chilly massachusetts down to the most southern tip of argentina.
The old patagonian express by paul theroux penguin books. Starting with a rushhour subway ride to south station in boston to catch the lake shore limited to chicago, theroux winds up on the poky, wandering old patagonian express steam engine, which comes to a halt in a desolate land of cracked hills. Patagonia is always seducing, with its large extensions, its magical scenery of plateaus, sea, mountains, lakes and rivers. From the starting point in massachussets, theroux remarks on how his fellow commuters are merely commuting a short distance, whereas he is travelling to the tip of south america. Or, to choose actual first sentences at random from three books. A trip to the past in a racing train from the early xx century. Travelling mostly by hire car on an epic road trip that features just a sprinkling of. The old patagonian express 1979 is a written account of a journey taken by novelist paul theroux. Paul theroux wrote this in 1979 2 mar 2019 travel, truth. Starting with a rushhour subway ride to south station in boston to catch the lake shore limited to chicago, theroux winds up on the poky, wandering old patagonian express steam engine, which comes to a halt in a desolate land of cracked hills and thorn bushes. Mar 27, 2008 the old patagonian express tells of paul therouxs train journey down the length of north and south america. Although the project to connect the area to bariloche and beyond was launched in 1908, it was subject to numerous setbacks caused by governmental wrangling and the difficulties brought on by the onset of the.
But with theroux the view along the way is what matters. The old patagonian express was the last train paul theroux took in his journey from boston to patagonia. It is an account of pauls travel from boston, massachusetts, to esquel in patagonia, mostly by train. By train through the americas starting with a rushhour subway ride to south station in boston to catch the lake shore limited to chicago, theroux winds up on the poky old patagonian express steam engine a kind of demented samovar on wheels, which comes to a halt among cracked hills and thorn bushes in the. The old patagonian express audiobook on cassette, 1986. Starting with a rushhour subway ride to south station in boston to catch the lake shore limited to chicago, he winds up on the polky, wandering old patagonian express steam engine a kind of demented samovar on wheels, which comes to a halt in a desolate land of cracked.
Starting with a rushhour subway ride to south station in boston to catch the lake shore limited to chicago, he winds up on the polky, wandering old patagonian express steam engine a kind of. The white ants had made a meal of my hammock, the book might begin. Thornberry in costa rica, the bogus priest of cali, and. Some of the trains were superb, but most were deplorable and the journey was one of contrasts in people, in temperature, in scenery, in altitude, and in attitude. The people, extraordinary, eccentric, replusive, individualistic. Starting out from his home town in massachusetts, 1 via boston and chicago, theroux travels by train across the north american plains to laredo, texas. Yet often travel books can be about little apart from their author. The old patagonian express is one of the most famous trains in the world. Starting with a rushhour subway ride to south station in boston to catch the lake shore limited to chicago, theroux win. Riding the tracks of a historic narrowgauge railway, this steam locomotive slices through typically desolate and treeless stretches of the patagonian steppe.
The old patagonian express tells of paul therouxs train journey down the length of north and south america. Starting out from his home town in massachusetts, via. The old patagonian express by paul theroux, 1980, pocket books edition, in english. Sep 16, 2018 the old patagonian express by steam train from i. The tour takes half a day and starts at the end of the rail in the original line joining the districts of ingeniero jacobacci and esquel with regular passenger and cargo services. Sep 14, 2019 the old patagonian express by steam train from i. A witty sharply observed journey down the length of nor.
Viejo expreso patagonico, in english known as the old patagonian express, is a 750 mm 2 ft 5 1. Such an observation may seem flippant how could the book not be about the countries theroux passes through. The travels took the author through peru, and specifically cusco and machu picchu. Lawrence and john dos passos and graham greene and evelyn waugh. By train through the americas is an unusually snarky look at latin america and its people, but then his views are typical of the period in. Its a unique historical and cultural heritage, drawing railroad fans from all parts of the globe. The train is stationary for fifteen minutes before departure, allowing spectators time to take it the sight as well as a lungful.