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Merry Christmas to All, and to All a Good... Berkshire?!

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Merry Christmas to All, and to All a Good... Berkshire?!
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, December 24, 2015 10:30 AM

I Hope all of you are enjoying a very Merry Christmas and bountiful New Year; and to you I have a Berkshire steaming through smalltown, USA on Christmas Eve, nineteen-whatever.

Just sit back and listen to a time we think to be simple, peaceful, and ruled by the iron horse.

 

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Posted by Firelock76 on Thursday, December 24, 2015 4:33 PM

Thank you so  much for that wonderful "Christmas card!"

Words almost fail me.  That whistle!  Like the voice of everything that is, was, and ever will be. All the past and all eternity.  History and mystery, especially in the snow.

Truly, the steam locomotive is the closest that God in His wisdom has ever let man get to creating life.

Merry Christmas to you and yours Mr. Connor, and thanks again!

 

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Posted by Firelock76 on Friday, December 25, 2015 7:17 PM

S. Connor

I Hope all of you are enjoying a very Merry Christmas and bountiful New Year; and to you I have a Berkshire steaming through smalltown, USA on Christmas Eve, nineteen-whatever.

Just sit back and listen to a time we think to be simple, peaceful, and ruled by the iron horse.

 

 

Hasn't ANYONE looked at this besides ME?  Come on people, you're missing something good here!

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Posted by Wizlish on Friday, December 25, 2015 7:26 PM

Firelock76
Thank you so much for that wonderful "Christmas card!"

And when you are done with it, turn down the lights, close your eyes, and listen...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUOu-F73Tdg

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Posted by Firelock76 on Friday, December 25, 2015 7:49 PM

And thank you Wizlish for your Christmas card!

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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 25, 2015 10:37 PM

Wishlish, thank you for sharing, a beautiful combination.

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Posted by NKP guy on Saturday, December 26, 2015 10:21 AM

   Well, naturally I looked into this post & recording as soon as I saw the magic word:  Berkshire.

   A few years ago I mentioned here that, although my family lived literally next door to the NKP main line in East Cleveland, we never heard the whistle of a Berk nor the horn of a Bluebird because the NKP RofW was on an embakment that had bridges over the many side streets of our city.  It wasn't until I was on a 765 fantrip many years later that I first heard the magnificent "voice" of the Berkshire that had passed our house so often.  I immediately loved it!

   Words like haunting, evocative, and of course beautiful come to mind whenever I hear that voice, as on this recording so generously shared in the spirit of the Christmas season.  These days when I hear and see 765 on, say,  the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway, I not only get goosebumps, I'm tempted to genuflect.

   Thanks for posting this, S. Connor.   Merry Christmas!

 

 

 

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Posted by NorthWest on Tuesday, December 29, 2015 10:47 PM

Firelock76
Words almost fail me. That whistle! Like the voice of everything that is, was, and ever will be. All the past and all eternity. History and mystery, especially in the snow.

Truly, the steam locomotive is the closest that God in His wisdom has ever let man get to creating life.

+1, and my quote for the most beautifuly poetic post of the year. Well said, sir.

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Posted by Firelock76 on Wednesday, December 30, 2015 5:14 PM

Thank you NorthWest!  NOW I'm speechless!

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Posted by kgbw49 on Wednesday, December 30, 2015 7:40 PM

Mr. Firelock76, you are The Poet Laureate of the High Iron. Your eloquence is only exceeded by your humility, which is the mark of a true gentleman. Well done, good sir! Well done indeed! Thanks for sharing that with us!

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Posted by daveklepper on Thursday, December 31, 2015 3:56 AM

JUST A HEARTY THANKS AND HAVE A WONDERFUL NEW YEAR

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Posted by Firelock76 on Thursday, December 31, 2015 7:14 PM

Thank you all, gentlemen.  I don't know about you, but there's just something about a steam locomotive's whistle that's just evocative and magical, it sends chills down my spine. Give me a feeling I can just barely can put into words.

I suspect it affects all of us the same way, and not necessarily railfans alone. 

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Posted by BOB WITHORN on Wednesday, January 6, 2016 7:00 AM

S. Connor & Firelock76, Tears come to the eyes, chills in the spine. Mr. Connor, what a fabulous clip to listen to and Mr. Firelock76, your comments made it the perfect way for me to end what has been a very tough year. The very best to all this new year, may it be your best ever.

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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 2, 2016 2:30 PM

Hi everyone,

Just a little bit of a "bump" to the top of the forum. I wanted to wait until closer to the big day, but the holidays are almost upon us, and it's worth enjoying even now.

I think we can all agree that the video I originally posted is good for the soul in ways we cannot fully understand, and it never fails to get me "in the mood" when I listen to it every year on Christmas Eve. I hope it does the same for all of you again this year.

Merry Christmas 2016, everyone.

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Posted by Firelock76 on Friday, December 2, 2016 7:54 PM

Just as good as it was last year, thanks for resurrecting it!

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Posted by kgbw49 on Friday, December 2, 2016 11:47 PM

Believe...

 

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Posted by ROBERT WILLISON on Saturday, December 3, 2016 10:41 AM

What a place to be, December  24, 1957, when common place  slowly disappears with little fan fare or thought to the future. So few realized that night what was slipping away.

Merry Christmas  to all.

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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 24, 2016 12:12 AM

Merry Christmas all, time for my annual listening. Smile

 

Just a bump to the top.

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Posted by Firelock76 on Saturday, December 24, 2016 8:47 AM

Bump it anytime you like Mr. Connor, this is one Christmas card that shouldn't get lost in the pile!

Ans a Merry Christmas to you and yours sir!

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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 24, 2016 10:49 AM

Thank you Firelock, same to you, and everyone else!

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Posted by Firelock76 on Wednesday, January 4, 2017 6:56 PM

Just had to watch it one more time, just to close out the season.

Maybe I'll watch it one more time on Twelfth Night when the season "officially" ends, just to perk my spirits up for the long, dreary months ahead.

Ah, Christmas. The axle on which the whole year turns.

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