VOA常速英语2019--最古老的运营铁路

The Oldest Operating Railroad

The Strasburg Railroad exists as this time capsule, if you will, somewhat stuck in time.We really desire for people to come here and just experience early 20th century steam railroading like they would have back then.I think it’s very historical. It’s very entertaining and educational and I really enjoyed it.And trains are such a part of the fabric¹ of this country, in fact, a lot of nations in the world.So it’s nice to go back and see how the trains operated in history.Well, it’s fun and I enjoy it because the scenery is so different and it just takes you way back in time.The short line railroad is essentially² a short connection of rail from one point to another, and in our case, we exist as this short connection between Strasburg Borough³ and then the mainline.So, the railroad was chartered in 1832, June of 1832.And we’re the oldest continuously operating railroad in North America.So the town people wanted a way to get to the outside world.So they were granted a railroad in 1832 and laid four-and-a-half miles of track, still the same length that we are today.And it was a freight and passenger conveyance⁴ until about 1950,when the railroad had fallen to the wayside by truck and airplane, and truck and car traffic, and train travel wasn’t really a thing any longer.People flock to this area to Lancaster County, to the Amish countryside, to see steam locomotives and to see the Amish, both of which we carry out today.It was fun to feel the sway back and forth⁵ and the slow pace.It does take you back in time, and it is something that’s unique,and I think everybody should at least have a chance to experience something like this for an old steam engine that you don’t see anymore.And it’s nice to go back.

斯特拉斯堡铁路的存在就像这个时间胶囊一样，如果你愿意，就有点像是被困在时间里。我们真的希望人们来这里，只是体验一下20世纪早期的蒸汽火车出行，就好像他们回到那时候。我认为它很有历史意义。它非常有趣，也很有教育意义，我真的很喜欢。火车是这个国家的组成部分，事实上也是世界上很多国家的组成部分。所以很高兴能回到过去，看看在历史上火车是如何运行的。嗯，那很有趣，我很喜欢，因为这里的风景很不一样，它会带你回到过去。短线铁路本质上是从一个点到另一个点进行简短连接的一条铁轨，对我们而言，我们作为斯特拉斯堡区和干线之间的短线铁路而存在。所以该铁路段在1832年被特许建立，1832年的6月。我们是北美运营最久的铁路。所以镇上的人想要一种通往外面世界的方式。所以1832年他们被允许建一条铁路，并铺设了4英里半的铁轨，长度仍是和我们现今的长度相同。它是货运和客运的交通工具，直到1950年左右，当时卡车和飞机使铁路出行的人越来越少，人们选择卡车和汽车交通，火车出行不再是一种趋势了。人们涌向这个地方，前往兰开斯特郡，前往阿米什人的乡村，去看看蒸汽机车，去看看阿米什人，那就是我们今天所做的。感受火车的来回摇摆和缓慢的节奏很有趣。它确实带你回到过去，这是一件独特的事情，我认为每个人都应该至少有机会体验像这样的东西——一个你再也看不到的老式蒸汽机。很高兴能有回到过去的感觉。

1 fabric   

n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织

参考例句：

• The fabric will spot easily.这种织品很容易玷污。
• I don't like the pattern on the fabric.我不喜欢那块布料上的图案。

2 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

3 borough   

n.享有自治权的市镇；(英)自治市镇

参考例句：

• He was slated for borough president.他被提名做自治区主席。
• That's what happened to Harry Barritt of London's Bromley borough.住在伦敦的布罗姆利自治市的哈里.巴里特就经历了此事。

4 conveyance   

n.(不动产等的)转让，让与；转让证书；传送；运送；表达；（正）运输工具

参考例句：

• Bicycles have become the most popular conveyance for Chinese people.自行车已成为中国人最流行的代步工具。
• Its another,older,usage is a synonym for conveyance.它的另一个更古老的习惯用法是作为财产转让的同义词使用。

5 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。