Sun has gone away,
Darkness ends our day…
Hear a dog bark
Out of silence, it’s sharp,
The bark of a cute shar pei.
–
—-J.E.C.
Monthly Archives: April 2017
Light Blogging, If Any For Some Time, Probably
Yes! Been there and done it!!!
Microsoft seems to have trashed my main computer with an update Thursday night. either that or the hard drive suddenly just died, leaving only the Blue screen of death. So, all the stuff that comes through that computer is not available and I’m need to get that computer working so the blog is going to have to get short shrift for a while.
Wish we still had Railway Express
Nobody’s Christmas gifts would have been late!
We know that the passenger network of trains was becoming less complete, especially after WWII, while the airlines and road systems were being built up.
But in the Transportation Act of 1940, the railroads and Federal Government terminated the old land grants which relieved the railroads of transporting mail at a discount price. Did the Post Office Department began looking for alternatives to rail transport of mail, even though it was a very efficient operation? This act may have provided one of the specific reasons for the mails to be diverted, little by little to highway trucks and to the airlines.
Arguably, the Transportation Act of 1958 had as significant an impact upon RPO network pruning. It liberalized the procedures for discontinuing passenger services. With the loss of branch line RPOs –mostly 15-feet and 30-feet space authorization- – the feeder services to trunkline…
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History: The Slide Rule
Vietnam vet gets high school diploma 50 years later
Stephen Cukovecki is presented with his HS diploma 50 years later.
One Vietnam vet received his diploma, cap, gown and tassel after 50 years of leaving the halls of his high school as a young man. Now, a three time Vietnam tour vet, Stephen Cukovecki, now a Xenia resident, received an honorary Veteran Diploma presented by Beavercreek High School Principal, Jeff Jones.
“As superintendent, my name sits on about 3,700 diplomas and this one is going to be one of my most honored diplomas to present,” Beavercreek Superintendent Otten said during February’s school board meeting.
Mr. Cukovecki was surrounded by friends, family and Beavercreek community members as he was congratulated on a lifetime of service and dedication to the United States through his courageous tours during the Vietnam War and being an exceptional leader in the community throughout his life. In 1967, just two weeks before his graduation, Mr. Cukovecki…
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Beacon, New York Station Over The Years
Featured image above: Beacon station in 1915
The CNE tracks and platform are completed.
Beacon Historical Society collection, courtesy of Bernie Rudberg
The new station complex looks to be completed but there are no people in the picture.
Beacon station in the 1980’s
Jim Moseman collection
In this photo there is no sign of the stations and platforms built in 1915. In the background is the outline of the Beacon Newburgh bridge which drove the ferry out of business in 1963.
Beacon station today.
B Rudberg photo
In 2005 the passenger ferry service has been revived and seems to be doing well with commuters who take the Metro North trains to New York City.
Find more great pictures and stories on our Fantastic WebSites
https://penneyandkc.wordpress.com/some-fascinating-web-pages/
Yes there were milk trains on the Delaware & Hudson
The D&H negotiated the joint trackage between Mechanicville and Crescent with the BHT&W while it was still separate from the Boston & Maine. The D&H had trackage rights on the Troy and Boston (and then B&M) from Troy to Eagle Bridge.
The D&H’s R&W Milk train started from Green Island, crossed to Troy, ran on the B&M to Eagle Bridge, then picked up milk on the R&W (Rutland and Washington, D&H Washington Branch) to Castleton and Whitehall.
Then it ran non-stop to Albany with the milk cars to the NY Central RR for New York, and the engine and crew returned to Green Island.
At certain points in history, the cars went to Troy instead of Albany. But no problem, there even used to be a local passenger train running between Albany and Troy.
Find lots more great stories and photos of the D&H
ON ENVY AND ITS CONSEQUENCES
ON ENVY AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.
While writing this write up, I asked my grand-daughter whether she felt envious of her classmate who stood first in the class. She unwillingly replied in affirmative. Then I further asked her the reason their feeling of enviousness. She very innocently replied that all the teachers adore her, because she not only excels in academics but also in co-curricular activities. She further continued that, surprisingly, ask her opinions about some important matters concerning class; like how to keep the class room neat and clean, choosing the historical places to be visited for getting firsthand knowledge of these places, debates to be or declamation etc. All the classmates want to emulate her; which doubtlessly is an healthy trend. From her, I came to know that there are the ones who feel hateful towards her and would like to harm her. One day, one classmate stole her…
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Taryn: The Lost Magnifica Sequel (Chapter 3)
III
“Today is going by so slowly… too slowly…”
Tired of conversing with Sentinel, Taryn shut him down and lay back on her bed for a few hours. Finally, she decided that she needed to get off campus and try to sort out these feelings. She needed to piece everything together, and staring at four walls wasn’t going to do it.
She stood and grabbed her thin leather jacket off of the hanger behind the door. She was going to take a ride and clear her head. Cruising through the city always worked in the past, she’d hoped it would be the same way now.
Taryn was about to leave when she saw the old framed photo on the table next to her bed. The glass was cracked, but the picture inside was still in nearly perfect shape. She picked it up and studied the familiar faces.
It was a…
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American Privilege
Any essay on “privilege” has to start with a solid disclosure. As a middle-aged pale male, I have no business lecturing anyone on privilege. I’m at the top of the heap, and I know it. That is my point in this piece, after all. I have the privilege of contemplating privilege.
It still seems to me to be primarily the benefit of the doubt. If I walk into a store, I’m a customer – not a potential thief casing the joint. If the cops pull me over I get a certain level of respect that not everyone does, and I do use this to my advantage at times. If things get really bad and guns are pulled out, the benefit of the doubt makes me the good guy in the split second decision that separates life from death.
I have no illusions about any of this. That is, actually, my…
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Ancien Hippie 