Merry Christmas 2017

Well, it's that time of year,
Christmas time is here,
Snowy scenes and festive themes
And airhorns in the air.

For some reason, I can't stop writing in the form of Christmas songs. Must be the chestnuts roasting on an open fire, every Christmas card I write, busy sidewalks....oh, there I go again. Anyway, here at Trackside Treasure, it's always great to sit down with a warm or cold beverage and check out my blog partners and benefit from their blogging prowess, each from his own unique viewpoint. But allow me to digress into a Christmas song - to pass along Season's Greetings to Trackside Treasure's readers - this one sung to the tune of 'It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas':

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Everywhere I blog,
Take a look at the Christmas tree, speaking prepositionally,
Upon the fire it's time to throw on another log!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Train books on every shelf,
But the prettiest sight you'll see is the one under your tree,
From Santa (or his elf).

Canadian bloggers:
Steve, John and Chris, Dave, Michael and George and Marc et Matthieu, a vous!
From south of the border there's Bernard and Edd and they're most welcome, too!
And I for one, can hardly wait, till they all publish anew.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Every time I blog,
There's a modeller here and there, though prototype material's fair,
I find X2F's are always a tough slog.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Soon, crossing bells will ring.
And the thing that will give you pleasure, is the reading these blogs bring,
Here on Trackside Treasure.

And, if you're as indecisive as I am (or wait a minute, am I?) and can't choose just one greeting, for those who wish to 'elevate' the discussion, here's an alternate, cool Christmas greeting based on an A.M. Gagnon photo:

Normally, you'd be reading the Running Extra section here. That's material that comes to mind each time I post - sometimes related, sometimes completely unrelated to the post. This Christmas season, I'm including the rail-themed Christmas greetings I receive from fellow bloggers and other online well-wishers. Enjoy!

Photo sharer Mark Forseille, Port Coquitlam, BC snapped CP's Holiday Train (above) and Edd Fuller of The Trackside Photographer blog's wintry tower scene (below):

Ken McCutcheon is getting the drift!

Randy O'Brien's base of operations...one I definitely recognize:

Paul Charland RDC headlight...deep and crisp and even:

Trackside Treasure blog partner Bernard Kempinski:

Bob Boudreau...wintry:

 Rapido Trains:

Steve Boyko, at the crossroads of two years:

 Cheryl Stromsmoe at snowy station:

 Dashing through the show...Ray Farand: