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I won’t post it here, but there is short poem called “The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner” by Randall Jarrell. It was actually included in a book of poetry we used in high school. That fact amazed me then, and still does.

Traffic on BNSF must be increasing - these units are being returned to traffic: https://www.railpictures.net/photo/752761/

The detailed comments about the locos’ colour schemes seem rather pointless! https://www.railpictures.net/photo/752746/

We have a selection box of chocolate bars and a box of small chip (UK - crisp) packets to eat our way through. We usually get only a few trick-or-treaters at the door - if we get 25, it’s been a busy night. But last night, we had exactly zero - not even the kids from the houses on either side of ours. This was the last Halloween that fireworks were to be allowed here without a fireworks certificate. It sounded like people were having a final blast. Nonstop explosions from about 5pm, and they were still going strong at midnight. And I dressed up as a tire changer, so the winter tires are now on the car.

Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7. That is the Julian Calendar equivalent of December 25 in the Gregorian calendar. There are many Orthodox Christians in Canada, mainly in the Prairie provinces. They can take advantage of the (Western Christian) Boxing Week sales to get their Christmas presents and supplies at a discount.

And there are still the remains of the snow fences!

It could have been seen somewhere else between when I saw it in Banbury shed on September 9 and when it was moved to Hellifield in November. However, I doubt if it could have been repaired after September9 (especially since we were told on that day that it was not going to be repaired), returned to the Southern Region, used on the S&D, then withdrawn on September 19.

I believe you are correct! http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=4764560 I was going by the shape of the cab roof, which isn't that of a GP30. BNSF started that GP39-3 rebuild program using GP35s - I've read a discussion where someone asked why they were using GP35s while retiring GP30s, which weren't much older. It appears that they did use GP30s later. #2523 is rebuilt from GP30u #2419, which had already been rebuilt once before, and by then had been retired by BNSF. It was bought back from LTEX for rebuilding. (LTEX - Larry's Truck and Electric - I love that name for a locomotive owner!) According to this, the rebuilds have16-645s rated at 2300 hp: https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,4484644 New GP39-2s have 12-645s.

I’d have to ask “How late in 1965 was ‘late’?”. I’ve seen a couple of withdrawal dates for 34051 - 1965/09/19 and 10/1965. I saw it dead in Banbury shed on 1965/09/09. It had failed there, and shed staff told us they didn’t think it was going to be repaired and returned to service. I would say it couldn’t have been on the S&D any later than the first week in September 1965.

According to a couple of websites, that loco (2523) is a 4-axle GP39-3 - a rebuilt GP35.

Not very clear, but it looks as if there aren’t any steps there: https://images.app.goo.gl/CDdQKRGTbEnWHuBh7

You’re going for the “Most ‘groans’ on a post” award, aren’t you?

Both the G&SWR ‘Baltics’ and the Caledonian ‘Wemyss Bay Tanks’ referred to above were built by NB Loco, as were some of the LMS Stanier 2-cylinder 2-6-4Ts.

I don’t think the ‘flatiron’ would fit. From the Wikipedia entry for the class: “The class were rough riders at speed. They were liable to oscillate on poor track, which led to a number of derailments.”

Presumably by the same means employed today? Lucky you!

Hiccup cure - drink from the far side of a glass. It always works for me. I think the bending needed to do it affects the diaphragm, which is spasming to cause the hiccups.

I believe railways ask for indemnity from consequences of accidents due to the non-sounding of horns in towns. If the municipality won’t give it, they won’t implement quiet zones.

Discussion of the rule, including some history here: https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,2305536 An interesting thing mentioned is that the signal used to be long-long-short-short. Having watched some videos of trains blowing crossing signals, I’m sure I can hear some engineers on eastern railroads (CSX and NS) blowing long-long-short-short-long; the two shorts can be quite distinct.

The American Aleutian Islands, which are part of Alaska, extend beyond 180 degrees. So yes, Alaska is the most easterly state in the USA. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semisopochnoi_Island

... or driving, or signing legal documents.

No, parts of Alaska are west of Hawaii. Hawaii does have the most southerly point in the USA, though.

For the first time, I watched our 3 year old grandson play organised soccer (UK - football) this morning. Just 'training', but he seems to be getting the hang of it and - more importantly - enjoying himself. He does have some family background. Two of his great-great-grandfathers played at a reasonable level - one Scottish League, one English League, and a great-grandfather played Scottish Junior. One of his grandfathers (me) is still playing 'recreationally' - or was till Covid appeared, and is hoping to get back to it sometime soon. His other grandfather stopped a couple of years ago, about the time he started drawing his pension. And his dad is very good and still playing approaching his forties. It's the sport played most by kids here in British Columbia - all year round, at least here in the Lower Mainland (unlike baseball), cheap (unlike hockey and Canadian football), with games at sensible times of the day (unlike hockey) and pretty controlled (unlike lacrosse - a great, fast game to watch, but vicious at the higher levels).

Those were special boat trains run in connection with trans-Atlantic sailings by Cunard and Canadian Pacific liners. The trains were named 'Cunarders' and 'Empress Voyagers' respectively. Passengers were ferried out by Clyde steamer from Princes Pier to the liners lying at anchor at the Tail of the Bank. These were regular scheduled trains run in connection with Clyde steamer sailings. Quite a few commuters travelled from towns like Dunoon and Rothesay to Glasgow, taking trains from Gourock or Wemyss Bay. There were also connections with steamers at Ardrossan (for Belfast and the Isle of Man as well as within the Firth of Clyde) and Fairlie Pier. Tank engines were used on all of these services, as well as some tender locos. As noted, the pre-grouping companies used big tanks on these routes, and these were replaced by LMS 2-6-4Ts, and eventually Standard 4MTs were used as well. Various flavours of LMS tanks appeared – 'limousine cab' Fowlers, Stanier 2-cylinders and Fairburns. There were even a couple of Stanier 3-cylinders trialled in the early 1950s, but they did not stay long. You ask about 'relatively quick' tank engines. The 2-6-4Ts could move. I have been behind a couple (one Fairburn, one Standard) doing 80 plus on these services.

I believe both statements are true - at different times. Crewe North Jubilees did work the Northern Irishman into Stranraer during WW2 - down train one night, up train the next night, with a return Stranraer-Glasgow trip during the day between. (“Legends of the Glasgow and South Western in LMS Days” by David L. Smith). 20 Crewe North Jubilees were identified as having the bracket fitted for the portable catcher. (“The Jubilee 4-6-0s” by Ray Townsin). Later, in BR days, Kingmoor engines did take those trains between Carlisle and Stranraer - Jubilees and Clans.

Some really nice scenic details: https://www.railpictures.net/photo/752255/