Which we could all use in these trying times.
It's a video set to the tune of "I'm A Train," and no diesels!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvJpgn7fVGY
Ties in with Captain Kangaroo. We loved our trains!
Now everyone's an ex-spurt on Amtrak de-funding, self righteous idiots concerning themselves with half pennies while Rome burns and trillions go by on the conveyor belt out the door.
Nice cross section of railroading, even got the Rock Island in a couple of times when it was actually an important part of the fabric.
Do I, we, lament and live in the past too much? Well maybe but I don't think so, we just know better, and none of us here are burning Rome down so there's that.
Bob Keeshan's estate was auctioned off in my town a number of years ago. Included was a lot of railroad memorabilia, along with a lot of Lionel equipment.
rcdrye Bob Keeshan's estate was auctioned off in my town a number of years ago. Included was a lot of railroad memorabilia, along with a lot of Lionel equipment.
Yeah, I mentioned the "Captain Kangaroo" Lionel layout on another thread. In fact, I found "I'm A Train" through another fruitless search on YouTube for some "Captain" layout in action footage. Like Overmod says, it's probably lost.
But maybe, just maybe, some might just surface in a CBS affiliate somewhere.
A personal note: When Bob Keeshan died I hung out a US Marine Corps flag with a black mourning streamer on it. Bob was a "Leatherneck," you know.
In the 1980s, Captain Kangaroo was at a promotion in New Orleans. My wife and I took our three daughters, who had never seen the show.
All the kids in the area looked bored while all the parents were thrilled to meet the Captain. My wife had him autograph a Captain Kangaroo album that contained the show's music.
His show was where I learned Make Way for Ducklings, Mike Mulligan and His Steamshovel, The Little Red Lighthouse, and The Story About Ping.
York1 John
This comes courtesy of Wanswheel.
Forty years later, and Albert Hammond's still got it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-ujyu5fEdE
How can you people rejoice in this song when it is so full of horror...
Overmod How can you people rejoice in this song when it is so full of horror...
OK, you lost me on that one.
Flintlock76OK, you lost me on that one.
Flintlock76 OK, you lost me on that one.
Well, Princeton of course!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8dTRE82ZC0
Overmod Flintlock76 OK, you lost me on that one. Where is the train going in this song?
Where is the train going in this song?
Well I did hear the term "breakers yard" but the rest of the song's so bouncy and upbeat I wonder if Albert even knew what a breaker's yard is. So when I hear "breakers yard" I just blow it off. Maybe he thought it was "brakers yard," where you put on the brakes and park the cars?
Look on the bright side, it could be the legendary Barry's Yard where so many steam engines got a reprieve!
Interesting, hearing "I'm A Train" getting the Ivy League treatment. I prefer Alberts, but the Princeton audience seemed to enjoy it.
Lady Firestorm and I went to Glassboro State. We didn't care too much for those Princeton snobs. Rutgers was OK though, Mr. Magoo was an alumnus!
Flintlock76Well I did hear the term "breakers yard" but the rest of the song's so bouncy and upbeat I wonder if Albert even knew what a breaker's yard is.
"Look at me for the very last time"
"It's been a life that's long and hard"
"Going down to the breaker's yard"
Not even the sweetest Pollyanna railfanette will convince ME that this will be Barry's and not Striegel's.
Interesting, hearing "I'm A Train" getting the Ivy League treatment. I prefer Albert's...
The one thing I can say ... maybe ... is that singing nerds at NYU do it in their own inimitable way, too, with much less black-tie sophistication:
but the Princeton audience seemed to enjoy it.
Well, if Orff can use tavern songs, why wouldn't we enjoy a Peter Schickele sendup of children's songs.
That is, to the extent we like art songs. I, for one, don't like art songs at all, especially with too much rubato... and this has done little if anything to change my opinion, especially considering the social shame quotient.
Lady Firestorm and I went to Glassboro State. We didn't care too much for those Princeton snobs.
Hey, look: Glassboro State is famous for Patti Smith! What more would you need to prove!
On the other hand, had it not been for GSC sending us their house-organ newsletter to be broadcast on WPRB, I would never have had the perfect title for our evening-news 'featurette' "... We Think It's News" (yes, title complete with leading ellipsis).
Rutgers was OK though, Mr. Magoo was an alumnus!
They did get us on a number of occasions, with one episode of the 'cannon rivalry' being even better low cunning than examples related in "When Steam Was King".
And who am I to say that Hollywood cartoonists were wrong in thinking "Rutgers was the embodiment of the 'old school tie' in America" in figuring out where J. Quincy and his attitudes on life came from.
I have a distinct memory of the Captain standing behind a table, singing a song (probably I've been working on the railroad) while Lionel motorized units bounced between bumpers on the table in front of him.
Trains, trains, wonderful trains. The more you get, the more you toot!
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Penny Trains I have a distinct memory of the Captain standing behind a table, singing a song (probably I've been working on the railroad) while Lionel motorized units bounced between bumpers on the table in front of him.
At least someone else remembers, although I've got a few years on you Becky!
Uh, I don't know what to think of the Madrigal Singers version of "I'm A Train," with all that stomping at the beginning I thought I was in for a Nuremburg rally version. A good attempt with fine harmonizing, but they should stick to madrigals, which I like by the way.
I arrived at the Pittsburgh Model Railroad Club with the Captain on his magic carpet when they did a show on the club layout sometime in the 1970's.
Mark Vinski
At 1:43 in the video what is the reason for the three rail tracks?
mvlandswAt 1:43 in the video what is the reason for the three rail tracks?
That split-second view is on the New York Central showing a Hudson approaching the beginning of a track pan. Note the tile ground cover to the right. NYC used the center rail to keep the scoop from scraping the ties if it was lowered too soon or not raised fast enough at the end of the trough.
Regards, Ed
Not at all critical of anything in it. Loved every second.
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