Cannot remember where I got mine. I think it was on a promo disk advertising avatars (from way back in the mid-1990's.
My Avatar is a picture I took of the former Shepard, AB station, relocated and shortened to fit available space at Heritage Park in Calgary. I picked it because it and our station at Irricana were 2 of 152 built by the CPR west of Thunder Bay, ON. They removed about a third of the length of the freight shed and to my eye it always makes the second storey portion look too tall.
There were a 197 of the type of station we lived in at Hatton, SK.
Bruce
So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.
"A Train is a Place Going Somewhere" CP Rail Public Timetable
"O. S. Irricana"
. . . __ . ______
Grew up in the 70s and spent lots of time watching the last years of the Rock Island in my backyard.
Mine is of UP 1995, the CNW Heritage unit, taken as it passed through Lombard on one of its first (if not the first) trip west that it made. It was taken at the Elizabeth Street grade crossing.Brian Hanel's picture of this unit may have been taken on the same day; we were in fairly close communication about its movement.
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
Mine is a bit of self-deprecation (akin to that in my handle): it is the illustration to the Railway and Locomotive Engineering article on Eli Gilderfluke's locomotive which was a sarcastic parody of many things Angus Sinclair and his staff noted about railroad technical innovations circa 1897, and the kinds of statements made by some of the innovators.
I would like to avoid saying 'plus ca change' (or for that matter 'I resemble that remark!') but it would likely be easy to develop a modern equivalent counterpart... in no few respects.
Rube Goldberg would have loved it !
- PDN.
Paul_D_North_Jr Rube Goldberg would have loved it ! - PDN.
And certain parties on this site would defend it as the greatest thing ever!
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
Zug,
Been trying to decipher your changing avatar since forever and I still come up blank. I suspect it is a quirk of your sense of humor.
Norm
zugmann Paul_D_North_Jr Rube Goldberg would have loved it ! - PDN. And certain parties on this site would defend it as the greatest thing ever!
It most certainly is the greatest thing ever... I especially like the headlight that can shine around corners and enables the engineer to see through mountains!
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
Semper VaporoIt most certainly is the greatest thing ever... I especially like the headlight that can shine around corners and enables the engineer to see through mountains!
So you could see through mountains - but yet still couldn't see why your conductor would do certain moves.
zugmann Semper Vaporo So you could see through mountains - but yet still couldn't see why your conductor would do certain moves.
Ah, but that would be the purpose of item 99. In the improved edition.
OvermodAh, but that would be the purpose of item 99. In the improved edition.
Expecting me to read a lot for a locmotive engineer.
The special x-ray light that can see through mountains and around corners also allows the engineer to "see" the inmost thoughts of those within range of the beam. So I guess you could see why your conductor made that move. I'm not sure if I'd want that ability. I think most of the time you are better off wondering why, rather than actually knowing why.
Jeff
Mine has to do with my freelanced railroad. It is what the logo (in silver) would look like against the green background of the rolling stock. (None of the equipement has this particular logo on it as I have never sized this for models. It is intended more for show than for equipment. Most of the time the tree is represented either by itself or as part of the lettering on the engines and passenger cars. It is adapted from a computer font.)
jeffhergert I think most of the time you are better off wondering why, rather than actually knowing why. Jeff
Plausible deniability is your best friend out here at times.
zugmannExpecting me to read a lot for a locomotive engineer.
But it's so much fun!
(Note the language Douglas Self, probably the most well-known connoisseur of locomobile strangeness, uses to describe the narrative material in the Gilderfluke article. There was a reason he did not go into proper 'historical' detail on this so-interesting bold new departure in train handling.)
My avatar is a westbound U.P. train I photographed in Cold Stream Canyon, about 5 miles west of Truckee. It was taken in early June 2013 when there was still snow on the peaks in the background. I liked the photo so much I've also used it on the cover for a self published book on Donner Pass.
Jeff B
traildoctorA snowmobile I owned when I joined the group (had three since). It is taken on a hill overlooking New Brunswick and the CN was passing in the valley below. I don't post often just here to read and learn.
I have a cousin that lives in Madawaska. Small world.
My race car uses a Rotax snowmobile engine and snowmobile CVT drive train.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACD traildoctor A snowmobile I owned when I joined the group (had three since). It is taken on a hill overlooking New Brunswick and the CN was passing in the valley below. I don't post often just here to read and learn. My race car uses a Rotax snowmobile engine and snowmobile CVT drive train.
traildoctor A snowmobile I owned when I joined the group (had three since). It is taken on a hill overlooking New Brunswick and the CN was passing in the valley below. I don't post often just here to read and learn.
CSSHEGEWISCH BaltACD traildoctor A snowmobile I owned when I joined the group (had three since). It is taken on a hill overlooking New Brunswick and the CN was passing in the valley below. I don't post often just here to read and learn. My race car uses a Rotax snowmobile engine and snowmobile CVT drive train. Does it race better when the temperature is below freezing?
Engine would probably develop more power were it below freezing, however, race rubber acts like teflon when temperature is in the 50's and below. Thermostat for the engine opens at 105 degrees. My cooling system allows the engine to maintain 160 degrees, however, I would like it to run cooler.
mine is a picture taken of the Red River Valley sub on the BNSF (former FW&D) coming into Vernon, Texas. I dispatch this railroad. As you can probably tell the picture was taken a while ago as the code lines are long gone.
A slightly longer tale. About a month previous to this photo I had been forced to use my 22 year old "beater" motorbike for an extended trip around the Canadian prairie provinces as a result of a major drive train failure in my primary ride. After about 2500 miles I was in southern Saskatchewan chasing the grain pedlar on the Great Western Railway. Late in the day I took a picture of the bike at this very crossing with a GWR train in the background. With the light fading fast, no more GWR trains planned for the rest of the week and my main goals completed, I decided to head north to the main CPR line to catch a few trains on the way home the next day. Just five miles further on, the old Honda suffered a terminal breakdown.
My avatar picture was taken about a month later, when I returned to the area to thank the locals who had helped me out. On arriving at the crossing, lo and behold the GWR was again arriving in town, so the obvious thing to do was repeat the picture with the BMW. (Fortunately no mechanical problems ensued this time.)
The locomotives are ex-CN M-420s built by MLW. They are still used occasionally by the GWR but more modern 4-axle GEs are their primary power now.
I've been chasing trains by motorbike for 42 years now. Perhaps eventually I will grow up and buy my first car.
John
My avatar is a Santa Fe drumhead sign that hangs in my living room. I inherited it from my grandfather who was a 45 year ATSF employee.
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