Trackside Treasure's Fourteenth Anniversary

This blog and this blogger are now another year older since Trackside Treasure's last anniversary. Who says you can't teach an old dog new trains? Although wallowing in nostalgia is permitted and encouraged here, it's also good to try to stay current.

Thanks to a heads-up from fellow VIAphile Matt Soknacki, I was able to catch VIA's inaugural Siemens trainset returning to Montreal from testing in Southwestern Ontario last Saturday. A new second set arrived twelve hours earlier, in pitch darkness, behind UP 5275. Boo! Darkness! 

This sighting speaks to me about blogging. First, it's good to make connections and foster community. That's what social media is for, but that often becames seeking likes and views, and fostering less positive things and attitudes. It's also good to get and give good information that's useful. Most importantly, it's about showing up and completing the loop. So, off I went to Mi 180 Kingston Sub, trying to avoid multi-lane traffic and wild parsnip (above photos). Another thing I like about blogging - its adaptability and spontaneity.

Fortunately, this first set stopped for a signal just after it passed me at a sunny 1430, so I was able to get it a second time, one mile to the east!

One of each of these pairs of photos is from a tripod iPhone video screenshot. The other is good ol' point-and-shoot. Just like blogging, we have to try to maximize the technology we have available to get good results.

And, just like VIA, Trackside Treasure is held together with duct tape. Patched at the last minute, whatever it takes, and it can always be revised and improved later! 769 posts so far, and counting!

Each year, it's important for me to take a moment to thank you, the reader. And you, the commenter. And you, the spreaders-of-the-message. Anything you do to take part in the Trackside Treasure community. Also, thank you to my current sidebar blog partners: Stephen, Dave, Steve, Chris, Michael, Don-George-Peter, Edd, Bernard and Marc. I enjoy following their blogs from my sidebar, and I trust you do, too.

THE CONTEST!

Now it's time for Trackside Treasure's annual anniversary contest. This is a yearly 'thank you' to readers for staying engaged. I want to make this really easy and fun. You don't have to be a train expert to participate. In fact, you don't have to be an expert in anything! There are three ways to win, and if you win, you'll receive the Trackside Treasure Fourteenth Anniversary Prize Pack!

• Tell me your favourite railway and why. Be quite specific, but keep it to twelve words.
• If you don't have one, what is your favourite colour?* Please keep this to two words. Bluish-greenish and greenish-bluish are the same thing, really.
• If you don't have one, what is your favourite bird? If answering swallow, please specify is that African, or European?*

*The contest is now closed.*

The winner will be randomly chosen from all entries received and announced in the next post. Thanks for playing!

LEGAL DISCLAIMER

Now, to keep the lawyers happy.

Not valid in Nepal, Namibia or Newfoundland. May cause horripilation, obdormition, photalgia, acute ioannaroumeliotis, sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia (if taken with ice cream), and the condition known as hot-dog fingers. These are verifiable, actual medical conditions. I didn't even make them up. Well, except one of them. (We did do the nose, and the hat.*) If this happens at knight, it's merely a flesh wound.* Do not even think about operating aircraft. Ever. Unless you're a skilled pilot, then go for it. Hey, what's the worst that can happen? Do not read if you're allergic to reading blogs. Not to be taken with grapefruit. Or, very seriously. 

*also an obligatory Monty Python reference. Oh, and thanks for reading this far for the asterisk. You're a star!