You Can’t Take This Away From Me

Sorry, but you know I love cranes

Last year, I made a promise to many of my regular readers. I agreed to remind them before National Train Day, so they could organize their thoughts, photos and write their posts.

It seems that I was already in error, as AMTRAK had cancelled National Train Day last March, in order to save some of the piddly amount of money Congress gives them. That’s why there weren’t any activities in New Haven’s Union Station last year. Still, when I searched on National Train Day 2017, I found lots of events as well as an event page on Facebook.

“National Train Day is dead – Long live National Train Day!”

Be careful all you folks in America. As in all prior years, for posting purposes, National Train Day (Saturday, May 13th) falls dangerously close to Mother’s Day. If you’re like me, and you only post once on the weekend, you have to choose between trains and mom.

Perhaps my readers will permit me an exception on this one Sunday. I am torn between to ideas for Train Day, but none of the photos in the gallery will be reused.

The gallery includes a variety of train photos from my Pinterest board. I have almost 600 photos pinned, feel free to connect with me if you need some. Note: none of these are my photos. Click on any one to start a slideshow, and get a better view of the captions.

This post is part of Linda G, Hill’s fun weekly series: One Liner Wednesday. Check it out for the other one-liners.

You could write about the glorious days of travel when trains were fit for kings.
You could focus on the art and beauty of railroad infrastructure.
You could write about the history of train building.
You could write about historic trains.
If you worked in the Post Office, like I did, you could feature the mail train.
You could write about train wrecks that look like Starburst candy.
Of course, there’s always cranes. Train cranes to be specific.
There’s always a few episodes of the Twilight Zone that involve trains. I can remember two, but “A Stop at Whilloghby” is my favorite.
Not everything goes according to plan – that’s a good theme.
The first drive-thru
History on the lake. That’s a train ferry.
Fixing a problem. Kinda like Train-AAA
Sorry, but you know I love cranes
Hard work
Artistic photos like reflections of trains
And, there’s always marketing.
How the railroad was built
Ingenuity at work. How’s this for a snow plow.
Or, you could take a risque turn, if you’re so inclined

72 thoughts on “You Can’t Take This Away From Me”

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  1. You say trains, and I think traveling to see my grandparents when I was very young. The most exciting thing at that time was the Chiclet gum machine with the different colored gum in individual containers. I would insert my penny, slide the silver whatchamacallit over to the color I wanted and then press or turn something (can’t remember) and out would pop my one piece of gum. :-) Love the second photo with the two tunnels.

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    1. Thanks for the comment, Judy and for invoking that wonderful memory. I remember those machines. I think most of the excitement was in the operation and anticipation. We had one of those for a while in the bowling alley my dad managed. I never traveled by train until I was in my 20’s – streetcars, but not trains. That must have been fun!

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  2. Oh yay! Darn, I should have saved my train photo I shared on messenger. But I may have more. We have been to Lincoln a few times. Thanks for the heads up Dan. My Mom is no longer with us so I think she would love me doing a train post. 😊

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    1. I thought of you when I saw that photo, but only a few of us saw it, and you know we’re going to read your post ;-) Let’s show AMTRAK/Congress how badly they messed up. Well, Congress should be used to it by now…

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  4. Nice selection of Pinterest photos! No one can ever take trains and cranes away from you, Dan. I think of you every time I see one…which is kind of creepy but true ;-p

    Anyhow, I would join you in a train post on the 13th, but I last year’s post is going to be my one and only. It’s difficult to write about something that doesn’t hold the same amount of passion. I suspect Sharukh is planning one as well? Or perhaps he’s too busy.

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    1. Thanks Mary. It’s good to know you think of me outside of the NFL context. You did a fine job last year, and I’ll let you off the hook with no loss of bonus points. If I had enough of my own train-crane photos, I’d go along that track. I still haven’t decided.

      I did find a good story to link to for Friday! Not as good as I was hoping for, but it has a hook, and, no, it’s not about a crane ;)

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      1. Dan, I think of you in my different ways – bunnies, squirrels, red dogs, family man, IT guy, etc. I tend to go a little overboard on the football thing, so I’ll shut up about that for now. Thanks for giving me grace on the train thing. Maybe I could do another bike story instead…

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        1. I’m just picking on you, Mary. There’s a bunch of things that cause me to think about you and the others out here, but some are stronger than others. I thought of you immediately when that idiot ESPN “analyst” said the thing the Steelers should do in the draft is to find a backup QB that could be the next Arron Rogers – duh.

          I’m not so much encouraging folks to write about trains, more reminding the ones who want to that the date is fast approaching. As long as you don’t come up with something that requires another poem from me, I’m good.

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  5. I have so many memories about train travel and, although I live in Canada and despite the cancelling of National Train Day by Amtrak in the U.S., I will definitely post something related on the unofficial day. Whenever I think about trains, I think about movies with trains like “Some Like it Hot” or “North by Northwest” or myriad other. Long live train travel!

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    1. Thank you Susanne. The train movie that always comes to my mind is “Silver Streak” but your examples are great movies, whereas mine is a bit mindless. I think some groups are going to have events at train stations, despite AMTRAK’s decision.

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  6. There was a serious amount of thought that went into that gallery of photos! Great job on all the captions.
    LIke Mary, I think I may have left it all on the table with last year’s post. I will have to take a look through my photos and see if inspiration strikes me.

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    1. You hit Train Day out of the park last year, as I recall, Joanne. The captions are all the themes I thought about using. But, I have two other ideas kicking around. One depends on the weather. Thanks for the support.

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      1. I did go look in my library and I DO have train photos! Unfortunately I also discovered I have a problem with the external hard drive where all my photos are stored. Now I just have to figure out how to get those photos out of there without resorting to the backup.

        Sigh. Technology.

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    1. Thanks Linda. After AMTRAK started “National Train Day” a group of people started “International Train Day” and they have kept that going. I just hope that eventually AMTRAK is embarrassed into supporting it again.

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  8. You’d think Amtrak would want people to think about trains and train travel, wouldn’t you? I do have some memories of traveling on a train, although probably no pictures unless buried somewhere in the piles of B&W photos from that time. If I had just ridden the train on Mother’s Day, I’d have all bases covered.

    janet

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    1. AMTRAK did want people to think about train travel and, from what I’ve read, it was working. But, as a system, they don’t make money so they have to beg Congress for a few million. Compared to other forms of travel, AMTRAK is a bargain for the government, but there’s no place for logic in that body.

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  11. I put a reminder in my electronic calendar about National Train Day last year when you reminded us about it coming up then. Last week I got my reminder notice via my cell phone and have scheduled myself an excursion to photograph a Steamie this week-end to have a train to share on National Train Day.

    I haven’t been posting on the week-ends b/c I’ve been out shooting so I’ll have to schedule a post for Saturday.

    What a great selection of train images you have curated! I really liked the tunnel image, and the old steamie on that track in the water steaming into what looks like a steamboat!
    The newer train with the great reflection is lovely too.

    Thanks for the reminder. I’m even more motivated and inspired now.

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    1. Thanks Deborah! I had a note in my organizer to write this post :)

      I am hoping to manage a short excursion for my post. If I can’t do that, I have an idea to fall back on.

      According to the picture that steamboat was: “The 3rd “Ste Genevieve”, the Missouri-Illinois rail car ferry, which was retired in 1961. The Transfer Boat is seen with a steam engine pulling a cut of cars off the deck.”

      I’m looking forward to your post.

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  12. Ugh! Really? Cause I thought for National Train Day, I’d get the inside of Union Station. I often think of you when I see trains. And cranes. And Irish Setters. Hm.
    Anyway, that’s a bummer. I’ll still get Union Station.
    Thanks for sharing some of your top pics/picks from the web. Love those tracks crossing :)

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    1. Well, it’s not AMTRAK-sponsored, but it’s still a thing. We’re not going to listen to Congress…are we??? I’d love to see the inside. Actually, I’d love to visit ALL the Union Stations. I’ve been to several, but there’s tons of them.

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    1. Seriously a train crane for picking up trains. What’s not to love. Thanks Teagan. You have some serious experience in the steam engine world. Although I seem to recall yours doing well off the track.

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    1. Thanks Audrey. I hope to take a substantial train ride at some point. Maybe in retirement when I have the time. For now, the longest is about 6 1/2 hours from here to Washington, DC. Flying would cost a little more, save a little time, increase the hassle factor and decrease the fun.

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    1. Well, technically, Norm keeps Thursday Doors open until Saturday. Maybe you could post on Friday and split the difference. Actually, train people aren’t likely to care. Anytime is a fine time to show pictures about trains :)

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  23. I love your train posts, Dan. So many family members of mine, on both sides, were rail employees. It’s like another home to me. I also like some of those photos, like the diesel locomotive engine reflected in the water.

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    1. Thanks. I owe a debt of gratitude to those family members of yours, as does most of the people in this country, including the bozos in Congress who seem to want to squeeze the life out of train travel. I’d say “don’t get me started” but…

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  25. What an amazing collection on your Pinterest board, Dan!
    I’m doing my catch up with my friends tonight. . . :)
    I like trains and must admit the steam engines and old fashioned trains at Cedar Point Amusement Park were my first initiation. I have been on more subways than trains. I rode a bus to the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport to catch a Rapid Transit which took us into the huge, tall Terminal Tower between ages 12 and 16 until one of my “group” became a licensed driver. . . Once a month!

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    1. Thanks for visiting, Robin. I’ve been on more subways than trains but I figure if they’re on rails, it counts. It’s funny that you mention the days before someone in your group got a license – I remember those days.

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