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Re: I miss the old days-every day is tomorrow's good old days
Author: BOB2
Date: 11-22-2013 - 02:04
I just watched the Big Boy move video on You Tube and it was great. It'll be great to see it under steam when it comes back. These are still the "good old days", just in different ways.
Every other day or so my son takes the Gold Line over the high bridge and jumps on the busway to CSULA, and I'm glad we made good use of the rail infrastructure legacy here in LA for what will be his future "good old days" railroad experience. Now, we're extending it to Azusa, and my old friend Carl Ragoza may once again just be able to hear the sound of at least trolley horns on the old AT&SF Second District.
When you get nostalgic for the good old days, remember to just go to LAUPT, and see more than 3 times as many folks coming in and out, on way more trains every day, than at the height of the WWII and post war boom period. In the Spring 3751 will steam up again, and in May we celebrate 75 years of LAUPT, hopefully with 3751 present. And, while there was some great railroading, back in the "good old days", when we had the first strike I was in back in 1971 or so, I was on picket duty at LAUPT. At that time, there were so few passengers you could bowl in the tunnel without hitting a soul. So for LAUPT these are actually the "good old days".
A Metrolink train trip to Lancaster and back through the beautiful and historic Soledad Canyon segment is a tonic for the soul, or even a short trip to Newhall for the Santa Clarita open market, or to historic downtown Claremont for a nice lunch with a friend can be a wonderful day trip.
A ride on anything along much of the Coast from San Diego to San Luis and you are riding through a vista on some of the best of California from the beaches and coastal views of our off shore national park, and it's also a fun day trip to share with others.
Take a friend on any of our tourist and specialty operators, from Fort Bragg to Felton, from Napa to the Sierra, to the F&W, as well as our great RR museums, which generate millions in tourism and media business, and offer a glimpse into the history and legacy of CA railroading for all kinds of folks.
Future railfans and future volunteers to participate in, and preserve our rail legacy are to be won by outreach and inclusion, through education and exposure to railroads and railroading, especially as a wonderful mode of enjoyable and useful travel.
Sure, a few less of the "off the wall" kind of trolls would be nice, but great railroad stories from those who were there or are still there is still one of the best things about the Altamont rail community, and well worth that small price of admission.
I am also thankful to our host and editor, for hosting this community at Altamont, in order to allow so many to share this strange affliction for choo choo's and the arcane science of ferroequinology with others, be they neophyte "foamers", or an "old" (and occasionally cranky?) "head".
Every other day or so my son takes the Gold Line over the high bridge and jumps on the busway to CSULA, and I'm glad we made good use of the rail infrastructure legacy here in LA for what will be his future "good old days" railroad experience. Now, we're extending it to Azusa, and my old friend Carl Ragoza may once again just be able to hear the sound of at least trolley horns on the old AT&SF Second District.
When you get nostalgic for the good old days, remember to just go to LAUPT, and see more than 3 times as many folks coming in and out, on way more trains every day, than at the height of the WWII and post war boom period. In the Spring 3751 will steam up again, and in May we celebrate 75 years of LAUPT, hopefully with 3751 present. And, while there was some great railroading, back in the "good old days", when we had the first strike I was in back in 1971 or so, I was on picket duty at LAUPT. At that time, there were so few passengers you could bowl in the tunnel without hitting a soul. So for LAUPT these are actually the "good old days".
A Metrolink train trip to Lancaster and back through the beautiful and historic Soledad Canyon segment is a tonic for the soul, or even a short trip to Newhall for the Santa Clarita open market, or to historic downtown Claremont for a nice lunch with a friend can be a wonderful day trip.
A ride on anything along much of the Coast from San Diego to San Luis and you are riding through a vista on some of the best of California from the beaches and coastal views of our off shore national park, and it's also a fun day trip to share with others.
Take a friend on any of our tourist and specialty operators, from Fort Bragg to Felton, from Napa to the Sierra, to the F&W, as well as our great RR museums, which generate millions in tourism and media business, and offer a glimpse into the history and legacy of CA railroading for all kinds of folks.
Future railfans and future volunteers to participate in, and preserve our rail legacy are to be won by outreach and inclusion, through education and exposure to railroads and railroading, especially as a wonderful mode of enjoyable and useful travel.
Sure, a few less of the "off the wall" kind of trolls would be nice, but great railroad stories from those who were there or are still there is still one of the best things about the Altamont rail community, and well worth that small price of admission.
I am also thankful to our host and editor, for hosting this community at Altamont, in order to allow so many to share this strange affliction for choo choo's and the arcane science of ferroequinology with others, be they neophyte "foamers", or an "old" (and occasionally cranky?) "head".
