JimInVa
Train Attendant
I've been posting for two weeks and lurking for months before that, so I guess I owe everyone a Real Introduction:
I did everything in my life at a very young age. Now I'm old at a very young age. Go figger. Four kids: two in college, one a HS senior, and one who just started HS in the Fall. Married to an amazing, eclectic woman (who won't admit it, but is a card-carrying member of MENSA). She's an up-and-coming singer/songwriter. Check her out on MySpace at www.myspace.com/lisaannwright! I used to have one of the coolest jobs in the world: I got to fly planes and write about it. Boeing 777, 767, Airbus narrowbodies, all sorts of little lightweight fighters, the odd general-aviation airplane. Now I manage people who do what I used to do. I think they got the better end of the deal. When I'm not managing news operations, I'm a volunteer firefighter. Now that actually IS the coolest job in the world. If I could afford to go career I would, but I can't right now (see the entry above about kids).
As for trains, right now I'm living my life on the Acela...at least once a week, often twice a week, and three times a week is not unheard of, between DC and NYC. My first train ride was on the Lake Shore Limited as a youngun. I grew up in the siberianoid provinces of upstate NY, and the Limited took me to visit my relatives in NYC a couple of times a year. I crossed the country a few times, too; the Lake Shore to Chicago, picked up what was THEN the Sunset Limited (in the 70s), and back again. Twice! I spent several years after that painstakingly drawing box cars to try to capture each company's logo -- Burlington Northern, Southern, Soo Line, ATSF...you get the idea.
Recently, I've done the CONO, the Crescent, the Southwest Chief and the Builder, and am getting ready to do a big cross-country extravaganza next summer as a graduation trip for my third son. We'll start by heading to Chicago, then pick up the Chief to Emeryville...visit with some friends in the mountains...then catch the Coast Starlight to Seattle, spend a day touristing and then head home on the Empire Builder. Me, my wife, and (with luck) all four boys, two roomettes and a bedroom. It will be the boys' first time other than the occaisional Acela or NY Regional ride.
Everyone here has been awfully nice since I joined and started posting. Seems like a good group of folks.
I did everything in my life at a very young age. Now I'm old at a very young age. Go figger. Four kids: two in college, one a HS senior, and one who just started HS in the Fall. Married to an amazing, eclectic woman (who won't admit it, but is a card-carrying member of MENSA). She's an up-and-coming singer/songwriter. Check her out on MySpace at www.myspace.com/lisaannwright! I used to have one of the coolest jobs in the world: I got to fly planes and write about it. Boeing 777, 767, Airbus narrowbodies, all sorts of little lightweight fighters, the odd general-aviation airplane. Now I manage people who do what I used to do. I think they got the better end of the deal. When I'm not managing news operations, I'm a volunteer firefighter. Now that actually IS the coolest job in the world. If I could afford to go career I would, but I can't right now (see the entry above about kids).
As for trains, right now I'm living my life on the Acela...at least once a week, often twice a week, and three times a week is not unheard of, between DC and NYC. My first train ride was on the Lake Shore Limited as a youngun. I grew up in the siberianoid provinces of upstate NY, and the Limited took me to visit my relatives in NYC a couple of times a year. I crossed the country a few times, too; the Lake Shore to Chicago, picked up what was THEN the Sunset Limited (in the 70s), and back again. Twice! I spent several years after that painstakingly drawing box cars to try to capture each company's logo -- Burlington Northern, Southern, Soo Line, ATSF...you get the idea.
Recently, I've done the CONO, the Crescent, the Southwest Chief and the Builder, and am getting ready to do a big cross-country extravaganza next summer as a graduation trip for my third son. We'll start by heading to Chicago, then pick up the Chief to Emeryville...visit with some friends in the mountains...then catch the Coast Starlight to Seattle, spend a day touristing and then head home on the Empire Builder. Me, my wife, and (with luck) all four boys, two roomettes and a bedroom. It will be the boys' first time other than the occaisional Acela or NY Regional ride.
Everyone here has been awfully nice since I joined and started posting. Seems like a good group of folks.
