Since it started up in 1989, Vos' venture has been blowing steam in the face of Spoornet's own luxury choo-choo, the Blue Train, whose pedigree is enviable.

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U.S. officials acknowledged that commanders will face a challenge of continuing to train Afghan forces while overseeing the extraction of tons of equipment and thousands of soldiers over the course of the year.

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And women who watched the train leave and the years pass can still see the handsome face of their young sweetheart.

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"Take your head out of the sand and face up to reality because it will hit you between the eyes like a steam train if you don't wake up to it, " he said.

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The train operating companies, Arriva and SL, may now face an investigation into a possible breach of safety laws.

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