Tim Stockwell
Merry Christmas!
"Yeah, you know something...Vermont should be beautiful this time of year, with all that snow."
- Danny Kaye as Phil Davis in White Christmas
My wife, my son, and I leave tomorrow to go visit her family in Potsdam, NY over the holidays, so I figured I'd do my "Merry Christmas" post now.
First, admittedly, this shot is a reposting. However, as George Pitarys always correctly points out, shots you posted shortly after first joining Flickr typically haven't been seen by all the followers and friends you've made over the years. So, it may be the first time many of you have seen it!
One of the traditions my wife and I have every Christmas season is watching Irving Berlin's White Christmas. In that movie, Danny Kaye always reminds me a bit of my late grandfather (though no doubt a more youthful version)--the way he used to dress, the way he used to talk ("It's just a scratch" is something I distinctly remember my grandfather saying), etc. Also, like the character Kaye played (Phil Davis), my grandfather was a World War II veteran. The beginning of the movie (set in the European theatre of World War II) especially serves as a reminder that this Christmas season isn't the first where Americans have been through a lot. There was an entire generation--most deservingly now called "The Greatest Generation"--that went before us and seemed to be able to handle hardship a heck of a lot better than we do today. We'd be well served to learn from their example--to not point fingers, but to instead realize we're all on the same page and to look out for each other.
Back to the movie, the plot centers around the characters making a trip to Vermont during the Christmas season. It's one of the things that makes me think of Vermont this time of year. Another thing that makes me think of Vermont during the Christmas season is all the colorful red and green engines Vermont Rail System used to have--especially when you were able to catch them in the snow.
On January 3, 2010, Vermont was hit with a pretty significant snowstorm. The following day, I headed up there with plans to chase the "B&R Job" from Rutland down to North Bennington. However, I was tipped off by friend and VRS conductor Ryan Strong that the B&R Job had the then-dreaded VTR 311 leading, while his train--GMRC 263--had not one but two Green Mountain-painted engines leading. The decision about which train to go after was easy, and I had a most enjoyable day chasing Ryan and 263 down to Chester and back.
Having had to navigate some snowy road conditions between Wallingford and East Wallingford, I was a little late to start the chase. This was my first shot of the day at Ludlow--one of the few times the sun popped out just in time to illuminate the consist.
Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
GMRC Train 263
Ludlow, Vermont
January 4, 2010
Merry Christmas!
"Yeah, you know something...Vermont should be beautiful this time of year, with all that snow."
- Danny Kaye as Phil Davis in White Christmas
My wife, my son, and I leave tomorrow to go visit her family in Potsdam, NY over the holidays, so I figured I'd do my "Merry Christmas" post now.
First, admittedly, this shot is a reposting. However, as George Pitarys always correctly points out, shots you posted shortly after first joining Flickr typically haven't been seen by all the followers and friends you've made over the years. So, it may be the first time many of you have seen it!
One of the traditions my wife and I have every Christmas season is watching Irving Berlin's White Christmas. In that movie, Danny Kaye always reminds me a bit of my late grandfather (though no doubt a more youthful version)--the way he used to dress, the way he used to talk ("It's just a scratch" is something I distinctly remember my grandfather saying), etc. Also, like the character Kaye played (Phil Davis), my grandfather was a World War II veteran. The beginning of the movie (set in the European theatre of World War II) especially serves as a reminder that this Christmas season isn't the first where Americans have been through a lot. There was an entire generation--most deservingly now called "The Greatest Generation"--that went before us and seemed to be able to handle hardship a heck of a lot better than we do today. We'd be well served to learn from their example--to not point fingers, but to instead realize we're all on the same page and to look out for each other.
Back to the movie, the plot centers around the characters making a trip to Vermont during the Christmas season. It's one of the things that makes me think of Vermont this time of year. Another thing that makes me think of Vermont during the Christmas season is all the colorful red and green engines Vermont Rail System used to have--especially when you were able to catch them in the snow.
On January 3, 2010, Vermont was hit with a pretty significant snowstorm. The following day, I headed up there with plans to chase the "B&R Job" from Rutland down to North Bennington. However, I was tipped off by friend and VRS conductor Ryan Strong that the B&R Job had the then-dreaded VTR 311 leading, while his train--GMRC 263--had not one but two Green Mountain-painted engines leading. The decision about which train to go after was easy, and I had a most enjoyable day chasing Ryan and 263 down to Chester and back.
Having had to navigate some snowy road conditions between Wallingford and East Wallingford, I was a little late to start the chase. This was my first shot of the day at Ludlow--one of the few times the sun popped out just in time to illuminate the consist.
Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
GMRC Train 263
Ludlow, Vermont
January 4, 2010