European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 12, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Magazine South african railways Blue train often passengers who travel is route Between Cape town and Johannesburg sumptuous luxury from the past. Traversing apartheid by rail by Alan Cowell new York times a most imperceptibly bestow a Blan Slone gaze of table Mountain a train pullout of Cape town every other Day offer ingils passengers a luxury from the Pas i that seems to contrast with the sad Nesses of the present in the land it traverses. For the last 40 years the Blue train successor to older african expresses that once spanned the Empire. Of Cecil John Rhodes has made ils Way Between Capo town and Johannesburg a distance of 395 Miles. A plane takes roughly an hour and 50 minutes to make the journey the Blue train leisurely and matronly takes a Day an express defined More by the Pace of slower trains on the Roule than by any great proclivity for Speed emergency decrees May come and go in South Africa us sense of institution seems to Bay bul the Blue train goes on forever beyond ils Pedalo carnage there May to turmoil and censorship in a land confronting the worst racial crisis of its modern history. Within those same carriages the message is different offering a Caress for those who might like to think that some things at least do not change whatever the evidence to the contrary. Air Ravel has eroded demand for places on the train accommodation that Al its most Basic is a Small compartment and. At ils most extreme a suite that lakes up half a Carriage Wilh its bedroom lounge and private bathroom onco they say you had to Wail six months or a booking. Now you can get one outside Peak summer months like this one in six hours. But the journey has not changed that much across the ocher emptiness of the Karoo sem desert and up onto the Plains of the Transvaal a voyage that slices through South Alica and its extremities of vision realities filtered through stalled blinds into an air conditioned cocoon the train 16 carriages Lonj and named Lor ils Blue while and yellow livery holds the same Lalus As what is called an International hotel that Means in South Africa s code that there is no prohibition beyond the Cost of a fare thai starts at around $250 one Way on people of different races travelling on it. Railway buffs like to Trace the train s h