Kathi, for me my dream gift for the holidays would be the chance to ride from Chicago to Galesburg in the cab of a BNSF locomotive on a "Z" train on one day and then back to Chicago the next day on another train with the night in between spent in Galesburg while railfanning the city. Dreaming??? You bet I am!
Well Kathi,
As long as I don't have to play by the rules of reality...I really would've liked this set of O. Winston Link Special Edition Prints that went for $150,000.00 on EBay.
Chris
-ChrisWest Chicago, ILChristopher May Fine Art Photography"In wisdom gathered over time I have found that every experience is a form of exploration." ~Ansel Adams
A new Digital Camera...(FujiFilm S9100 or a FujiFilm S5)
A decent digital Video Camera....
Tripod,
Hi Powered binoculars.
Scanner mounted in my car, with a decent antenna, and a spare speaker to plug in so it can be heard outside the car....
Small portable refrigerator that runs off of the car's battery to keep the pop, and kid's juice cold....
I'd be happy with that....
Some things I'd like to receive...
Hmmmm. All I want for Christmas...
1. A black hat. (the one I wear around here is getting beat up)
2. A black Jeep Wrangler with appropriate off road capabilities.(to reach those far away places)
3. An adventurous blonde chick. (To take pictures of me having all this fun)
4. A vacation from my life (so I can drive across the country a couple of times and see all those spots I haven't had time for)
5. A private island with no phone service (crew caller can't find me there)
6. A private railroad dome car. (so I can ride back and forth across the country in style)
7. A private railroad baggage car (so I can bring the Jeep)
8. A satellite phone (so I can phone it in from wherever)
9. A short line near home to park the toys on.
10. A boat so I can get to the island...
LC
My wish list would include a nice RV, free gas vouchers, and about 2 months with no obligations to take a trip out west camping out and photographing all the famous railroad spots (Powder River Basin, Donner Pass, Cajon Pass, along with many others....)
Short of that, a way to get a line up of trains on railroads whenever I want it, and a nice new Canon L series lens. And a cab ride on the BNSF transcon from Twin Cities to Chicago fits in there pretty high up too...
Noah
Some things I'd like to give:
1. Several copies of the Kalmbach American Short Line Railway Guide 6th Edition. (When it gets written and published!)
2. A shirt with the name and logo of a certain railroad on it.
3. A winning lottery ticket (kickbacks gratefully accepted)
4. A pair of jeans that are now 2 sizes too big for me...
I'd take a cab ride on ANYTHING.
Two tickets for the American Orient Express would be nice as well.
Brian (IA) http://blhanel.rrpicturearchives.net.
blhanel wrote: I'd take a cab ride on ANYTHING.Two tickets for the American Orient Express would be nice as well.
A cab ride!
Willy
Kathi,
Since you got my reality based private message, here's my 'fantasy' one.
1. Bring CNW back by swallowing UP,
2. I'll take a cabride in a CNW widenose GE,
3. Winning lottery ticket would also be appreciated (kickback given too like LC's)
Dan
My own dark room (you know all of those train pictures can get very expensive at $8.00 a pop for a 24 exp. roll).
I wouldn't mind having that North American rail atlas either.
This is easy for me. It's very high end, but the top of my list is a private railroad passenger car, fully decked out with three state rooms, dining for 8, lounge at the end and, of course, an open platform. Fine furniture and decor, and mechanicals certified for Amtrak would round it out.
Oh yes, the well stocked car would include engraved invitations for Forum members and other distinguished guests.
"We have met the enemy and he is us." Pogo Possum "We have met the anemone... and he is Russ." Bucky Katt "Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future." Niels Bohr, Nobel laureate in physics
1,435 more posts on the forum from 1435mm.
Mark Hemphill filling in as editor of Trains one month a year while Jim and Kathi are on holidays.
You mentioned little notebooks--I'll settle for the little scratch-pads I always use.
The "missing" volumes of the SPV Railroad Atlas.
High-powered binoculars, preferably like the ones Mookie's so crazy about (what were those, 10x70?). 50x is what I've had, but wore them out--the new ones have to be very rugged.
And, as long as I'm imagining things, how about a gift of time, please? A couple of extra hours per day would be nice, or maybe a provision in my contract that permits me to ease into retirement, rather than the clean break that's expected.
(I don't play the lotteries, but anyone who would like to share some excess winnings...)
And, while we're being really imaginative, I'd like to see an end to bureaucratic red tape that keeps things like the Midwest high-speed program, CREATE, Metra expansion, and an end to the constant budget battles for existing programs in the future so far that I'm afraid I won't see any of them becoming reality.
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)
Kathi, my second choice would be a Rochelle style railfan park at Eola yard complete with either a covered viewing area like Rochelle or with big umbrellas, vending machines, bathroom(s), a built in scanner and perhaps a few barbecue grills. Yep, I know I am asking for a bunch, but what the heck.
I Wish for;
Engineers that Can Smile, and Wave, at least some of the Time.
Railfans that can Act Responsibly, at least Most of the Time.
Another Forum Topic would go Away.
1. Railroad atlas would be pretty sweet.
I was shopping at Caboose Hobbies in Denver two weeks ago and saw a Lionel model of ATSF 5942 (an FP45 locomotive painted in the passenger Warbonnet color scheme). The prototype is on display today at the Illinois Railway Museum, but 36-years ago it gave me the fastest ride I've ever had on a freight train: 55-mph eastbound up Cajon Pass and slammin' through Victorville at 82-mph on the Super C. Having that model engine certainly would be a meaningful Christmas present.
But maybe more than a Lionel locomotive, I'd love to have a looseleaf binder filled with printed copies of all of Michael Sol's Trains Forums comments about the late great Chicago, Milwaukee, Saint Paul and Pacific. Reading the fact filled stuff that he's written about railroad operations, pricing, marketing, and economics is nearly an M.B.A. in transportation finance. Studying railroading as a business is an aspect of railfanning that I probably find the most enjoyable.
nanaimo73 wrote: 1,435 more posts on the forum from 1435mm.Mark Hemphill filling in as editor of Trains one month a year while Jim and Kathi are on holidays.
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
well if we are wishing...
permanent bathrooms in Deshler.also make it so we could move the B&O caboose to the rail park and make it a room to rent.(getting csx to lease the land(or sell) inside the south west wye might be tricky).
I would go for a cab ride but how about a caboose ride on the local?I would settle for a ride between the M&W siding and the yard at hire road.
stay safe
joe
ps how about a place for the 765 to run other than its shop track??? she needs to get out and stretch.
Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").
A CHANCE TO RIDE SUPER-C IN THE CAB OF SD45-2 5700,PAINTED UP IN THE BICENTENIAL SCHEME,STROBE LIGHTS FLASHING,HORN BLASTING,SHOOTING THRU SANTA ANA CANYON.
ALTHOUGH I SAW THIS TRAIN MANY TIMES I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE BEEN ON THE TAIL END IN CABOOSE WATCHING THE TRAIN AHEAD AS WERE DOING 75 IN A 55 ZONE!!!!!
ALSO A COUPLE OF NICE LENSES TO GO WITH MY CANON EOS DIGITAL REBEL.
MORE TRIPS TO WATCH TRAINS,AND TAKE MORE RIDES.
LONG LIVE CHICO!!!!
To be imaginative i would like to see the return of some New Haven DL 109's and their Osgood Bradley (Pullman Standard) "American Flyer" coaches. Oh yeah throw in a New Haven EP 4 electric locomotive.
But to get real I would like a more reliable digital mini-dv camcorder, a steady tripod because the one I have now is worn out, and a more powerful antenna for my hand held scanner.
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
A cab ride on a crack route - something with a high priority so we can spend most of our time at track speed.
The private railcar for a month or two (along with passage behind any number of trains) sounds interesting, especially if put together with
Open access (I'll be safe!) to some interesting rail facilities. Places the average fan doesn't get to see.
A chance at the throttle of mainline steam, on the mainline.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Oh, I don't know...
Maybe a small, simple monument on the Mall in Washington DC to all the men and women who gave their lives while on duty...
Something simple, like a boiler plate or a driver, with their names and road engraved on it.
I think you would be surprised at how many names it would have on it.
23 17 46 11
edblysard wrote: Oh, I don't know...Maybe a small, simple monument on the Mall in Washington DC to all the men and women who gave their lives while on duty...Something simple, like a boiler plate or a driver, with their names and road engraved on it.I think you would be surprised at how many names it would have on it.
Somehow, Ed, I don't think I would be all that surprised. But, a monument would be nice...
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.