CRO: Chestnuts Roasting On

Sung to the tune of...Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire: 

Trackside Treasure and an open fire,

Laptop balanced on my knee,

Nice warm beverage surely helps to inspire,

My wife thinks I'm outta my tree!

Deep down, though, she knows, those CN, CP -

- VIA, GO dancin' 'cross the screen so bright,

Hubby railfan with his eyes all aglow

will stay up late to blog tonight.

Another post is on its way,

It happens once each six or seven days,

And every loyal reader's gonna see,

What I've been working on, beside my Christmas tree.

And so I'm flipping through my VIA sched-

yule trains of yesteryear, from 1 to 92,

Time to put both this 400th post and myself to bed,

"Merry Christmas to you!"

Merry Christmas to all Trackside Treasure's readers. Thanks also to my blog partners; Steve, John, Chris, Dave, Marc, George, Michael, Bernard, Matthieu, Robert, JD, and Oddblock Station Agent. When it comes to keeping Christmas classy, CP knew how to do it - Montreal's Windsor Station in 1986 (above). 

Thanks for your comments, suggestions, assistance and inspiration. 

After over seven years, this is still more fun than a barrel of elves. 

--Eric

Further, musically, may I suggest 'Children, Go Where I Send Thee' in this

  Little Big Town CMA Christmas Special performance. 

Harmonious. Authentic. Powerful.

And, 'Do You Hear What I Hear' by the inimitable

Whitney Houston on the Tonight Show, 1990.

Real. Soulful. Heavenly.

My e-Christmas calling card to you! Auxiliary crew checking out the derailment that they've travelled all the way from Toronto to clear up.

And thanks to readers for the Christmas greetings that are flowing in. Randy O'Brien of Niagara Falls sent a cool grain elevator-themed personalized posting: 

Winnipeg's Mark Perry sends a greeting featuring a diamond:

Mark has been sending out some cool classic Canadian photos:

Retired CN dispatcher Tim Ball gets the drift:

Prolific photographer profiles pastoral placement of CN GP-9 and SCL!

Saskatchewan snow country's Ken McCutcheon:

Oil-Electric blog partner Robert McDonald has trimmed the tree:

Confessions of a Train Geek blog partner Steve Boyko has snow - none here!

"E-card foam fad" from intrepid Cameron Applegath who travelled from the wilds of downtown Toronto to the wild west to snag this shot:

To the wilds of northern Ontario with Dave Shaw! Snowtastic!

And VIA from La Belle Province, merci a Bill Morrison!

Alberta heard from - Braedan Dunne and the CP Holiday Train at Lethbridge!

Ottawa's Ray Farand, Steel Passageways author: