In a message dated 8/15/2008 11:40:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time, toniraye@dishmail.net writes: Hi All Not to long ago, someone posted information about railroads in Baden and said that our ancestors might have used the railroads to help them reach a sea port. I started reaching Trains in Germany and France since my great, great grandfather left Baden in 1837 and went to Le Havre to catch the ship. I discovered that the first long distance train was not completed until April 1839. It was from Leipzig to Dresden. gr, gr, grandpa could not have used that. I also discovered that France did not start building long distance railways until 1842. gr, gr grandpa could not have used that. However, I discovered that France is/was full of canals which connect all of their major cities and that these canals were used to move crops and people until the railroads developed. Also no one has mentioned the stagecoach which was in use in Europe and England long before it ever came to the US. So, if gr, gr, grandpa had a little money--don't know what these things cost to ride, didn't find a site that covered that--he could have loaded his clothes, food, and family on a canal barge and rode them for quite a distance. So, down the Rhine River to Strasbourg and then onto the canals for as far as possible to eventually reach Le HAvre. Tonia Many hitched the family cow to a cart and rode or walked along side to Le Harve. Then sold the cart and cow before departing on the ship. Kent **************Looking for a car that's sporty, fun and fits in your budget? Read reviews on AOL Autos. (http://autos.aol.com/cars-Volkswagen-Jetta-2009/expert-review?ncid=aolaut00030000000007 )