Category Archives: Christmas trains

MODELING MEMORIES

His memories of New England various,

Were by and large vicarious…

Mostly pictures he saw

with interest and awe,

His chances of a visit–hilarious!

Point of fact he was too young,

Couldn’t drive himself even some…

The eight-hour ride

Once a summer left wide,

Window for relevant magazines to come!

Still his interest grew,

Past the time when he knew…

This paint scheme was gone,

these ALCOs moved on.

But the history he wanted to view.

Found an N scale engine thus,

Painted just like this—a plus–

To re-enact

Historical fact,

Without too much fuss!

–Jonathan Caswell

 

WHY MRS. CLINTON IS GONE*

*(From this Header Image Randomized  File)

As by election she’s gone,

Blog administrators move on…

Needed space

For the poet’s face,

And his wife–picnicking on the lawn!

And which would he rather see–

Clinton or industry…?

His options voiced

And made his choice,

Mrs. Clinton, you are now “free”.

Have you seen the poet’s new hat,

Fake beard and all of that…?

Come again

Let the images run,

And maybe in time, you’ll see that!

–Jonathan Caswell

THREE RAILS TO WONDERMENT!

A train trip around the tree,

In wonder imaginary…

Looking for sparks

From wind-up Marx,

At Christmastime under the tree!

–J.E.C.

A VISIT TO ALCO #11 IN NEW YORK STATE!

I often wanted a model

Of this one engine to throttle…

But the full size is hard

With no back yard,

Not as rich as Onassis, Aristotle!

On the MIDDLETOWN AND NEW JERSEY,

It was being rebuilt–no hurry–

On an engine house visit

They let me go in it,

To take my pictures–no worry!

I was taking color slides,

Harder to share, besides…

My pictures are locked

In a photo slide box,

Converting to the cyber world…dollars and time.

I learned of Number Eleven,

Reading a book–rail fan heaven–

The Narragansett Pier

And Bath and Hammondsport near here,

And Rail City Museum given.

Until in New York State,

Where the B & H and Rail City wait…

She went to Middletown,

New York, I was around,

But in Pennsylvania she’s running great!!!

–Jonathan Caswell

WILL CHRISTMAS (TRAINS) HAPPEN?

WILL CHRISTMAS HAPPEN?

Will a Christmas tree choo-choo train happen?
Good enough so others start clapping?
Can he find an old board
And icy streams to ford,
And space nearby for his cabin?

The goal is to not build too much,
Of fantasy—just a touch–
Some green dinosaurs,
The mining of ore,
Realism need not be a crutch!

I’d want to have lots of trains
Of various periods sustained…
Steam and diesel-electric
Trains eclectic,
No barriers to joy contained!

I ask only the fun
Of making the whole thing run…
Three separate lines
Of trains piled up fine,
Is it as you would have done? –Jonathan Caswell