Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Trackside Treasure Second Anniversary

Two years ago, I gathered together photos and notes I'd taken over the previous 32 years and called them Trackside Treasure. Alliterative, yes. A catchy title, maybe, but has this blog proven to be interesting and informative? As a reader, I'll let you be the judge.

Looking back retrospectively from the Skyline toward the Park car over the past two years, we can also look forward from the locomotive cab to see the track ahead for this little corner of cyberspace.

Over 40 readers and searchers visit each day. Your comments contribute to what I've posted and keep the blog interactive. Posts have been picked up by Trainorders.com, Runningtrades.com, Railfans.ca, Rapido Trains' Telegraph newsletter, and even US-Modellbahn.net, a model railroad forum in Germany. Blog and web partners Steve, Robert, John, Scott, Dave, Matt, Chris, Byron and Jason link to my blog and vice versa. In nearly 100 posts, I've found the reminiscing, research, writing, scanning and template design for Trackside Treasure engrossing and enlivening.
Any chance I'll run out of material? That'll be a frosty Friday in February . There are dozens of potential posts percolating, with new ones being hatched hourly. I know there are better photographers and writers out there, but I'm going to continue unearthing the story of Canadian railroading as I've seen it play out in front of my camera lens and coach window.
And now to our annual contest. To win the somewhat-coveted Trackside Treasure prize pack, the first correct answer by email to mile179kingstonATyahooDOTca, or as a comment to this post wins. The question? In six easy steps:

1. The first three letters of the named train in the first photo.
2. The second initial of the Canadian-designed passenger train in the second photo.
3. The first two letters of the the reporting marks of the railway shown in the third photo.
4. Add them all together to make a six-letter word.
5. Take the fourth, first and fifth letters from the word in step 4 to form a three-letter word.
6. The correct answer is a nine-letter, two-word name of a piece of CN maintenance equipment to be featured in an upcoming post.

Good luck and as always, thanks for stopping by,
Eric

5 comments:

Robert in Port Townsend said...

Congratulations Eric on your 2nd Anniversary. You spin interesting threads. (Although it would have never occurred to me to write down the number of every bleeding rail car passing me by! Since the days of the caboose are gone, I'm gone 10 seconds after the trailing unit!)

Keep up the good work! I'm gonna work on your puzzle ...

-- Robert in Port Townsend.

Zartok-35 said...

Here's to 2 years. It's been a great ride, you've seen some pretty cool trains in that past back there. I'll be around.

I'll try the puzzle as well. I have a hunch, but I won't post that yet.

Steve Boyko said...

Congratulations on two years, Eric!

Almost 100 posts? That's only 3 months of posting for me! ;)

Seriously, I enjoy reading your blog and look forward to your well-thought, well-researched posts.

Eric said...

Thanks to all for your kind comments. Robert, these days it's worth sticking around as there might be a mid-train DP unit too! Elijah, there are more cool trains to come, and Steve, it's slow and steady for my blog. The longevity and prolific nature of "Confessions" is truly impressive.

Contest entries are coming in...
Eric

Bryan said...

Maybe I'll win the contest based on sheer bulk of entries.

1,2,3: ENTerprise, R, ON
4: TONNER
5: TEN
6: TEN TONNER
...whatever that is. A truck maybe?

1,2,3: CANadian, R, ON
4: NON-CAR
5: CAN
6: CANNON CAR
Useful for blasting away trackside shrubbery and abandonned track.

1,2,3: THE Canadian, R, ON
4: THRONE
5: TON
6: TEN HORTON
Number of cups of coffee needed to pick up the latest derailment.

1,2,3: MALahat, R, ON
4: NORMAL
5: MAN
6: LORAM MANN
The guy who drives the railgrinder.

Ok, I'll stop.