As we embark on a year-long retrospective series celebrating my Fifty Years Trackside - watching trains and taking numbers - this first five years begin with this postscript of two years' original, uncensored, unabridged notes penned by an unabashedly enthusiastic twelve year-old. Related but quite separate from the locomotive, car and caboose numbers I recorded, these notes are a variety of experiences mosty related to train-watching exploits described in the first post. [Captioned bracketed photos in this post by L.C. Gagnon, such as CN 9550-2533 leading a westbound freight past me in the Kingston station parking lot (top photo) on August 28, 1976.]
1976
Jan. 7 - Saw a Century in new colours.
Feb. 8 - I'm going to work for CP Rail, I decided, when I grow up.
Feb.18 - A freight broke in half. Air brakes. Tracks across from school. Engines and half of train came back, picked it up, went off.
Feb.20 - Today was a goodie. For three hours this aft I went up to the train tracks. Saw four trains. Tomorrow we go to the old station. [Notes from the first day:]
Feb.21 - Dad and I went to the station. Saw a train go under us on the overpass. I got a book to write trains in. [CN 3704-3742 westbound to DuPont passing the smaller Track 2 shelter at the then-CN, now-VIA station:]
[A westbound freight behind 3625-3108 the same day, photographed from Montreal Street as it passes through the new alignment of the 'bend in the road' between Montreal Street and Division Street:]
Feb.22 - Dad and I went to the tracks. Saw 5 trains. I got lots of numbers for my little book.
Mar.13 - I went train watching twice. Dad and I went out from 1:00-1:45, and saw the two Rapidos, tanker and a freight with 2 GF-30's and an MR-20. Stuck some pictures on my train book. It is good. In the last week, I got packages from Auto-Train, Milwaukee Road, Amtrak, D&RGW, and on Friday my 1972 BN Annual came. It is really neat. It only cost $5.95 and it has 100 pages.
Mar.18 - Today I went to the train tracks. Mark and Andrew were there. Saw 5 trains [March break].
Mar.19 - For the only day this week I didn't go to the tracks.
Mar.20 - Today Dad took me to the tracks at Collins Bay 6:45-7:55.
Mar.26 - I wrote to Chessie. I hope I get something.
Mar.27 - Two noon passengers came in to the station. I got near the engines. One guy gave me a timetable, the other an extra flag and his autograph [Elmer Ogden]. A nice bunch.
Apr. 4 - Went to tracks 6:30-7. Saw 2 Turbos. Dad came up. I'll write to CN tomorrow for a roster.
Apr.11 - Dad and I went train watching. He got stuck. Tried to get out, couldn't. Called a tow truck, $3.00. Saw good trains. Found lots of train stuff.
Apr.14 - Trains were good. Got lots of numbers.
Apr.16 - Mark and I went train watching [Good Friday]. Pinged puddle cans with rocks.
Apr.19 - Mark and I went to tracks. A CN man said a work train was coming. We wanted rides. It didn't come. Trains were best!
Apr.23 - Today I got stuff from CN, CP, rosters, etc. Lots.
Apr.24 - Mark and I went train watching 5:30-8:45. Saw 7 trains.
Apr.28 - Today I saw the yellow Turbo. It's cool.
Apr.29 - Mark and I went train watching 7:15-8:00. Saw yellow Turbo.
Apr.30 - Went to sleep in clothes.
May 1 - Went to tracks, up at 5:30. Saw good trains.
May 5 - Mark and I went train watching. We saw five trains, of which four were in meets. We also put our footprints in wet cement.
May 8 - Went train watching 5:30-7:30, 9:30-10:15. Mark went to Toronto Yard. Show-off!
May 15 - Went trainwatching 6:30-8:00. 4 trains.
May 19 - I love trains. I hate math.
May 20 - I saw 6060, all by itself. 20' away, going east. No coaches.
May 21 - Went train watching 3:30-4:15, 6:15-8:15. This is a big train weekend.
May 22 - Went train watching 6-8, 3-4, 6-8. Saw good trains. Train pictures came. Stuck them in my book. I've seen 18 trains this weekend.
May 23 - Watched trains for 2-5 hours. I have seen about 30 numbered trains - weekend.
Jun. 3 - I ran for a freight. Missed numbers. I was very bloody mad.
Jun. 6 - Went to tracks 6:45-8:00. Saw 4 trains - all passengers.
Jun.14 - I can hardly wait to go out West.
Jun.16 - Got my Railfan magazine. Good!
Jun.19 - Sent for four Railfan back copies.
Jun.30 - We started our trip. Motel in Iron Bridge is great. Saw great trains.
Jul. 1 - Now in Thunder Bay. The train tracks are 10 feet to my left. Saw excellent trains. One of the best motels I have ever stayed in - the Holiday Inn at Thunder Bay. Because the CN double track ran right behind it. At 1:30 in the morning, I was awaked to the sound of CN 1908, a GMD-1 and two boxcars. I was kept on edge for 20 minutes, watching way freights go back and forth. Finally, the parade stopped. The next morning I looked out the first floor window to see a train with two GP40-2's. The engineer and conductor must have had quite a surprise seeing a pyjama-clad kid waving to them and taking numbers out of a motel's back window!
Jul.2 - I'm in Manitoba. Trains are SUPER. I had good news today. I think tomorrow we'll go train watching.
Jul. 3 - We went to the station 9:30-10:40. Trains fairly good.
Jul. 7 - I'm in Duluth, Minnesota. Big city, lots of good trains today.
Jul.12 - I'm home. Everyone was mean to not stop to see trains.
Jul.24 - David and I went train watching, Napanee 10-3. Great trains. He wants to work for CN.
Aug.13 - Going to bed early because 6060 ride tomorrow.
Aug.14 - Up at 2, went at 3:15. Got there 7:30. Waited til 9:30. Left at 10:30. Back at 7:30. Waited till 11:00. Left, got home 3:40.
Aug.26 - Dad and I went to see the tie-layers at Collins Bay. Fun. I'll write up my trains tomorrow.
Aug.28 - Dad and I went train watching and taping 6:00-7:50, 12:00-3:00, 6:00-7:50. Saw good trains. [Eastbound Rapido with 6539-6629:]
Aug.31 - Went tie-nail hunting this morning. Bad trains. This summer was the first time I ever rode a bike. Since then I have made good use of it picking up and transporting refundable bottles and going train watching. It seems that whenever I put up the garage door, a train comes. The tracks are 70 seconds away and can easily be reached. It's my second favourite kind of transportation next to you-know-what!
Sep. 6 - Back to school. I can see tracks.
Sep.16 - Short bike ride, track crews here today.
Sep.21 - 6060 went by. I was awakened at 11:46 by Dad. He was standing by my bedroom window, listening. He said that 6060 was going by. I sat up and listened. Sure enough, I could hear CN's last steam locomotive huffing and whistling at Collins Bay. We went on it out of Toronto on August 14. Today it is going to Murray Bay, Quebec for an excursion on September 25.
Sep.25 - Went tie-nailing 1:30-3:15. Excellent trains.
Sep.28 - I was sitting in the living room watching Rhoda at 8:10. Dad was writing a letter, my sister was at band practice, and my mother was at her German course. All of a sudden, I thought I heard a steam engine whistle. I turned down the TV to listen. Sure enough, it was. My Dad got up, I turned off the TV, and we ran out. We opened the garage door, got in the trusty Volkswagen, and sped up to the tracks, nearly causing a collision. We got up to the tracks, miraculously, and we narrowly missed it. All we saw was the Turbo 67, nine minutes late. Missed 6060 once again!
Oct.19 - Yesterday I went up at 4:15 to see the track machines go back to Kingston. Four of them waved at me. Two of them were driving the machines with no hands. What a bunch! I saw the Dayliner. At 4:30 they went back.
Oct.30 - This morning I woke up at 6:55. I was quite groggy. I heard a freight whistling at Coronation Blvd. I ran over to my bedroom window but it was too fogged up. So I tore down to the dining room. I saw the train in the nick of time. I couldn't get back to sleep. That's one way to get me awake!
Nov. 3 - I can see trains from home.
Nov.11 - I slept in until 0730. Then I got up, ate breakfast, practised my piano and did the dishes. Then I painted my Me-262 while watching Captain Kangaroo. I raked leaves in the front yard from 10:30 to 11:00 then watched the Remembrance Day service and Happy Days. At 12:15, I went up to the tracks on my bike to see the Capitales. My first VIA MLW unit! I came home and ate lunch.
Nov.21 - Went tie-nailing with Dad. great trains.
Nov.30 - I compiled my monthly train-graph. Everything went down except Centuries which went up by one. Dayliners were the second-lowest that they've ever been!
Dec.19 [20] - Dad and I went to the tracks from 11:45-12:10. I took two pictures of the tanker train (below) and one of a MLW VIA A-unit. We didn't want to stay up to see the westbound passenger, so we went home and had lunch - a homemade pizza.
Dec.24 - Went to station twice. Great passenger trains! [My brother was heading to Dorval to visit our grandmother CN 3101-6623:]
Dec.31 - Three of my train pictures came back. Great!
A September 16, 1976 how-to:
The usual equipment for train watching is: notepad, binoculars, pencil, radio, engineer's hat, jacket, books to read. Some favourite places are the new station, the sports field, and Napanee. The procedure is to wait for a train. If it is freight, get 10-20 feet from the fence, or track. As it comes by, take down engine and caboose numbers. Write down types and railways of each car. If it is a passenger train at the station, stand beside engines, looking at various apparatus and as the train rolls out, take numbers of locos, baggage, club cars and coaches. If it is anywhere else get back 20-30 feet and get locomotives, club baggage and diner car numbers. For Dayliners or Turbos, get 10-20 feet from fence and take numbers. There are also opportunities to buy crests or write to GM or railroads for information. My father worked in Windsor Station CP in Montreal, and my brother might get a job with CN, CP or TH&B running a steam engine line. I would also like to work for CN. I'm sure this will always be my favourite hobby and I will never lose interest in it.
1977
Jan.14 - My number book has had a sudden lift in GF-430's and MR-20's. This morning, Mark, Andrew and I ran from Wedgewood to the tracks. It was a train with GF-430's. At 0910 there was an eastbound with the two MR-20's and one GF that went by yesterday: 2507, 2533, 96xx I forget.
Jan.15 - Dad and I went train watching. There was a freight with 6 locos. I wouldn't have gotten the numbers if not for my extensive training!
Jan.20 - Got system map, sheets, roster from BN. Neat.
Jan.26 - Saw a CN plow.
Feb. 8 - Went to see Silver Streak movie.
Feb.13 - Today David left for Schreiber on CP. Went train watching for 1.5 hours. All of the 7 trains were eastbound freights except one westbound passenger and one freight. Next Sunday is the first anniversary of train watching. We will have a big party, and the official watching of the eastbound Rapido and the annual number count.
Feb.16 - My fingers have gone very numb since I was just watching a train. Did you see that snowplow extra at 0913 eastbound with CN 4571?
Feb.20 - First anniversary of train watching. The train we were supposed to see was one hour late [marking the first train recorded a year earlier]. 3,122 numbers.
Feb.21 - Wrote to SP, P-S, DRGW, Auto Train.
Feb.22 - Wrote to Amtrak, IC, SF, Milwaukee. Hope I get replies.
Feb.24 - Derailment at Lyn - 14 cars, 2 locos. No trains.
Feb.27 - Saw many trains - 1 freight A-B-B-A with 4 cabooses.
Mar. 6 - Talked to Dave on phone. He is working brakeman.
Mar.15 - Wrote to WP, UP, SCL.
Mar.20 - Wrote to FGE, SLSF.
Mar.24 - Went to station. Chased wayfreight [to DuPont]. [Afternoon Railiner 6101-6003-6351:]
Apr.16 - Went train watching with Dave, and on bike: 5:30-7:15, 8:30-10:00, 11:00-12:00, 1:00-2:00, 3:00-4:15, 6:00-7:05. Took train pictures.
Apr.24 - Uncle Maurice and Aunt Irene came. Brought rail anchor from SCL in Plains, Georgia. 6060 will come on May 14.
Apr. 30 - Found 10 bucks at the tracks.
May 14 - Went to Collins Bay 9:30-1:15. 5 trains. 6060 great.
Jun.23 - Last day of school. Went to tracks with Dad. 4 trains.
Jul. 8 - Rode bike to Ernestown station. Good trains but that place is spooky.
Jul.20 - Rode to tracks for 2 or 3 trains. Hot day.
Jul.25 - Went to old Kingston station. Switching-neat!
Aug.1 - Dad and I taped RDCs at Collins Bay.
Aug.13 - Watched trains 4:45-6:30, slept 6:45-9:45.
Aug.22 - Went to Uncle Maurice's. Belleville yard for 1 hour.
Oct.10 - Saw 6060 at Hawkesbury.
Oct.28 - Biked to tracks. VIA RDC!
Oct.29 - To Toronto on RDC with Allison left 7:05 to CN Tower.
Running extra...
Still dealing with the after-effects of my bad case of Gormick-itis! Everyone's a critic. But now we're buds! Or should that be Budds?? Amazing what a 'moderated status' will do. Johannes and 'Dannes' FTW.
Time to touch grass:
Before social media, there were notes in notebooks. Having been suspended by Facebook for two months, I'm surviving just fine. Others will try anything. Here's one suspendee's solution and if this is not identity fraud, I don't know what is...
"Here's what I did. It was a waste of time trying to recover my account. I have created a new one and it has been active for 3 months now.
Brand new device.
Had my internet provider reset my IP address.
No pictures of myself or that I've ever uploaded on Facebook.
Different first name.
Different email address.
Different birthday.
Add randoms like 2 a week for a month.
After a month add ONE old friend. Add more randoms.
A week later Add another old friend. Rinse and repeat.
Do not send any previous pictures you've used on FB via messenger.
I use this device for FB only. $60 tablet from Walmart.
I get the missing all your photos and memories but this is the method I have found that has so far that didn't result in subsequent accounts and devices being banned within 3 days."
A dumb guy saw construction workers getting in to the Winter Olympics by showing their tools. He hadn't bought any tickets. As he approached Security behind a first guy who said, "Plumbing" and a second who got in by saying "Carpentry, he didn't panic. He simply picked up a roll of snow fence and got in by saying "Fencing".
First past the post...
Thanks to Paul, Mark C., Mark P., Terry and you-know-who-you-are for keeping me up-to-date in the Facebook-Free Zone! While I miss OS's otherwise received, I don't miss the drama which apparently I can get elsewhere! No-Drama Llamas!
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