Twas The Night Before Christmas
And except for emailers
Not a creature was stirring
Not even hi-railers.
The switches were placed on the layout with care
In hopes that A.C. Gilbert soon would be there.
The Flyers were nestled all snug in their beds
While visions of Royal Blues danced in their heads.
And mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap.
When down in the basement there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the staircase I flew in a fright,
Tore open the door and flipped on the light.
The glow of fluorescent on the concrete floor
Told me in a moment there must be more.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a 4-6-2, and stout engineer.
With six drivers in front, pulling a Northern tender,
I knew in a moment it must be A.C., but not very slender.
More rapid than wind-ups, his Flyers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name.
"Now, Steamer! Now, Switcher! Now, Alco and Baldwin!
On, Pacific! On Northern! On, Atlantic and Hudson!
To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!
Now choo away! Choo away! Choo-choo away all!"
As liquid smoke fluid on the coil does burn,
When Flyers meet with an obstacle, they follow the turn.
So ‘round the layout the Flyers they flew,
With a tender full of coal, and A.C.Gibert too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the floor
The sound of chug-chug let out with a roar.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Up the basement stairs A. C. Gilbert did bound.
He was covered in overalls from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of freight cars he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a railroader just opening his pack.
His eyes -- how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.
The spout from the smoke stack, he held tight in his teeth
And the smoke from a steamer rose up from beneath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And coupled the boxcars; then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the basement stairs he arose.
He had vaulted from the layout, from the steamer came a whistle,
And off raced the steamer like a new guided missile.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he ran out of sight,
“Forget about Wiis, toy trains rule tonight!”
Merry Christmas Timboy!
Becky
Trains, trains, wonderful trains. The more you get, the more you toot!
Merry Christmas to you, Becky!
Timboy
Very, very nice; thanks for your vision ... and a very Merry Christmas to you too!
LOL that's tremendous! Merry Christmas!
Aw gee, everyone. Blush. Blush.
It practically wrote itself, I guess I could say.
Gee Tim, with all these literary distractions no wonder you are not getting anything accomplished on your layout.
Merry Christmas.
I have figured out what is wrong with my brain! On the left side nothing works right, and on the right side there is nothing left!
Timboy Aw gee, everyone. Blush. Blush. It practically wrote itself, I guess I could say.
Tim,
Hah-Hah-Hah-Hah-Hah! Good 'un!
This is great, I couldn't have said it better myself.
Now you need to provide us with a model railroad oriented Auld Lang Syne in time for New Year's Eve.
Rich
Alton Junction
To all,
Tim, that is very good. Thank you for a reminder of what life was like in a simpler time.
Keep on training,
Mike C. from Indiana
Thanks everyone!
Gee, I dunno Rich. I have a feeling that anything like that I tackle would end up being anti-climactic. I really don't think I could do any better than this classic. Perhaps you could give it a try, from a fresh perspective. Flex your poetry muscles and give it a go. I found this one to be extremely easy and only went back to make a few corrections, after the first read-through. So, what do you think? Do you have any experience writing? No pressure, tho and thanks again.
Regards,
Jack
IF IT WON'T COME LOOSE BY TAPPING ON IT, DON'T TRY TO FORCE IT. USE A BIGGER HAMMER.
Timboy Thanks everyone! Gee, I dunno Rich. I have a feeling that anything like that I tackle would end up being anti-climactic. I really don't think I could do any better than this classic. Perhaps you could give it a try, from a fresh perspective. Flex your poetry muscles and give it a go. I found this one to be extremely easy and only went back to make a few corrections, after the first read-through. So, what do you think? Do you have any experience writing? No pressure, tho and thanks again. Regards, Timboy
Far be it from me to try and top this!
FANTASTIC ! Definetly need to be submitted for publication.
Merry Christmas !
Don
Thanks again, everyone.
Merry Christmas to all!
All my grand kids will be here in Arizona for Christmas. They are leaving the cold, snow, and ice of Minnesota today. They can't wait till they can run papa's American Flyer train's again this year. This is part of are Christmas tradition, just like the "Night before Christmas"
Regards, Chuck Eral
“Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand.”
AZ-Flyer@American Flyer Cabinet-top Layout (5'x16'): http://az-flyer.blogspot.com/
I'll get ya started:
"May old derailments be forgot, in the days of Auld Lang Syne..."
Hi Penney!
It's funny you should pen that. I had a feeble attempt and came up with this:
Should all derailments be forgot,
And never come to mind.
Should all short-circuits be forgot,
And left very far behind.
My steamer smoke is not so fine,
It just is not so fine.
I’ll use a drop of smoke fluid yet,
And make it smoke devine.
I warned everyone!
YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OTOH, can anyone add to this?
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