Describe your avatar photo

[Willbridge]

For me my photo is of me riding the Royal Canadian Pacific's tail car across the Canadian Rockies west of Calgary. That was one amazing day.

My wife and I rode in that car for an afternoon in the Rockies on our honeymoon in 1972 (Edmonton>Calgary>Vancouver). She noticed from the conversations in the lounge that there seemed to be a requirement that these passengers had to have traveled in Europe. The rear brakeman joined in and he had been to Europe, too. I understand why you are smiling in the avatar.

 

[Seaboard92]

My wife and I rode in that car for an afternoon in the Rockies on our honeymoon in 1972 (Edmonton>Calgary>Vancouver). She noticed from the conversations in the lounge that there seemed to be a requirement that these passengers had to have traveled in Europe. The rear brakeman joined in and he had been to Europe, too. I understand why you are smiling in the avatar.

It truly is the best way to travel. I would love to do the Royal Canadian Pacific again for a longer trip. Hopefully after the pandemic ends I can make that goal a reality. I think I smiled that entire day too, so much so it brightened the mood of everyone else around me.

 

[Willbridge]

My photo was taken on a Danube River excursion. Note that the water in the background was not blue. I've only been to VIenna twice and it was gray both times.

My pen name is the junction that was the heart of the SP&S Rwy. in Portland. A kid could stand outside the office and watch the operator work the CTC board that functioned as an interlocking. The other locations that I could visit and learn were East Portland (UP) and Vancouver, WA. All three locations are remotely controlled now. Willbridge sounded more like a name than the other locations.

 

[Night Ranger]

I did not have an avatar till this thread started.

I chose this one because my older son said the phrase "Right On" suited me. I am a child of the 60s, a member of the first year of the baby boom. I make no apology for coming of age in the 60s because we were the generation that took the words of the Constitution seriously enough to try and make America live up to the ideals the country said it believed in. I was not a hippie or a Weatherman type revolutionary. I was just one of a lot of kids that age who believed passionately in human rights and equality of justice. I still have my optimism but it has sure been tempered. That's a "heavy rap" for something as innocuous as an avatar.

Night Ranger refers to the days I worked as a seasonal ranger for the park service.

 

[Shanghai]

Aaaah... you can't hide that face... think I've seen that pup before gazing out the window in the lounge car!

The face of my dog, Prince Archibald of Stonewyck (Archie) has not been seen on an Amtrak train.
Furthermore, he will not seen in the future as he passed away on December 7, 2020 at the University
of Florida Small Dog Hospital. He was a Coton de Tulear breed, which is rare in the US where only 4,000
are known to exist. We had him for nearly eleven years and miss him greatly. He died of cancer of the
tonsils.

 

[pennyk]

The face of my dog, Prince Archibald of Stonewyck (Archie) has not been seen on an Amtrak train.
Furthermore, he will not seen in the future as he passed away on December 7, 2020 at the University
of Florida Small Dog Hospital. He was a Coton de Tulear breed, which is rare in the US where only 4,000
are known to exist. We had him for nearly eleven years and miss him greatly. He died of cancer of the
tonsils.

❤ I love the photo and loved meeting Archie. ❤

 

[willem]

[...] he will not seen in the future as he passed away on December 7, 2020 at the University
of Florida Small Dog Hospital. He was a Coton de Tulear breed, which is rare in the US where only 4,000
are known to exist. We had him for nearly eleven years and miss him greatly.

I offer my condolences. I know losing a pet can be heart-wrenching.

 

[SarahZ]

The face of my dog, Prince Archibald of Stonewyck (Archie) has not been seen on an Amtrak train.
Furthermore, he will not seen in the future as he passed away on December 7, 2020 at the University
of Florida Small Dog Hospital. He was a Coton de Tulear breed, which is rare in the US where only 4,000
are known to exist. We had him for nearly eleven years and miss him greatly. He died of cancer of the
tonsils.

I'm so sorry to hear this. Archie was a beautiful dog, and I know you loved him dearly.

 

[Mailliw]

The face of my dog, Prince Archibald of Stonewyck (Archie) has not been seen on an Amtrak train.
Furthermore, he will not seen in the future as he passed away on December 7, 2020 at the University
of Florida Small Dog Hospital. He was a Coton de Tulear breed, which is rare in the US where only 4,000
are known to exist. We had him for nearly eleven years and miss him greatly. He died of cancer of the
tonsils.

I'm so sorry for your loss.

 

[RovinMoses]

Mt. Shasta on a beautiful winter day riding the Coast Starlight.

 

[Bob Dylan]

The face of my dog, Prince Archibald of Stonewyck (Archie) has not been seen on an Amtrak train.
Furthermore, he will not seen in the future as he passed away on December 7, 2020 at the University
of Florida Small Dog Hospital. He was a Coton de Tulear breed, which is rare in the US where only 4,000
are known to exist. We had him for nearly eleven years and miss him greatly. He died of cancer of the
tonsils.

Sorry Dick, do yall plan to get a Puppy?

 

[Asher]

The face of my dog, Prince Archibald of Stonewyck (Archie) has not been seen on an Amtrak train.
Furthermore, he will not seen in the future as he passed away on December 7, 2020 at the University
of Florida Small Dog Hospital. He was a Coton de Tulear breed, which is rare in the US where only 4,000
are known to exist. We had him for nearly eleven years and miss him greatly. He died of cancer of the
tonsils.

I feel your pain, it had to be tough to lose Prince Archibald, the King of your Castle.

 

[Barb Stout]

Night Ranger refers to the days I worked as a seasonal ranger for the park service.

Which parks? My sister's career was with NPS, so I like hearing about others similarly employed.

 

[Night Ranger]

Which parks? My sister's career was with NPS, so I like hearing about others similarly employed.

Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park with most of my time spent at what was then the Lookout Mountain unit. I was a part time ranger mostly in interpretation but held a Class C commission too.

 

[Cal]

Seems like I'm a bit late to the party

Mine is just a simple picture that I took showing a bit of the sightseer lounge and Glacier National Park.

 

[Trollopian]

I'm bi-urban. Washington DC and Pittsburgh, via the Capitol Limited. Hard to discern but I'm holding a "Pittsburgh" sign in my avatar.

 

[Ringfinder]

My Avatar is a Shay Locomotive that was built in Lima, Ohio. I am a docent at the Allen County Museum and the Shay is on display in our Musem. Many Shays were found at one time in Logging camps and Stone Quarry's throughout the US. In Cass West Virginia, there are 5 Shays that are used for tours. They sure sound good when they are all running at the same time and blow their Whistles. The first picture is one of me in my Railroad attire at Christmas in the Museum. The second one is of the Shay and the third picture is of a Locomotive in the Henry Ford Museum that was built in Lima, Ohio at the Lima Locomotive Works.

 

[rogers55]

I took the picture from rear platform of the parlor car on the Grand Canyon Railroad. I think we were heading northbound.

 

[me_little_me]

My picture is a giant M

• It stands for M&Ms (as soon as I can find another M somewhere
• It stands for Mom. The old lady passed away 32 years ago but I still have a picture of her somewhere. Hi mom!
• It stands for Me - crazy little egotist that I am.
• It stands for Money - I'm greedy too - that's two points in my favor.
• It stands for Maniac - I told you I was crazy. Make that 3 points.
• It stands for Married - 48+ years to the same gal.
• It stands for MTA, Metro, Metra, MARTA and all those transit systems that start with M (and other letters too)
• It stands for Music - I am so bad at playing and singing it, I can't even play it on a stereo.
• It stands for Linux, the best O.S. around. - Oops! That doesn't start with M - make that Minux. I just made that up.
• It stands for Minot AFB. Never seen it but did spend a few weeks at Grand Forks AFB while in the Military.
• It stands for MAnon - QAnon for moderates

It stands for a lot of other things. You can find them in the Encyclopedia.

 

[Exvalley]

Mine is the coat of arms from the town my grandfather was born in - Messina Italy. I hold dual US/Italian citizenship thanks to my grandfather.

 

[oregon pioneer]

I think I answered this question way back when, but I know I've changed my avatar since then. Now it's a photo of me on the Coast Starlight, in the PPC. It was taken in 2015, on the final leg home of a cross-country trip to Boston using the old zone system. I knew the system was going away, so I went east via the SL, CZ, Card and NER. I came back home by way of the NER to NYP, then LSL, SWC, and SL. Got to see some new scenery, and enjoyed the heck out of it. I was very happy when this photo was taken!

Now I take the shortest, route to Boston, and look for low-bucket days.

 

[Willbridge]

My photo was taken on a Danube River excursion. Note that the water in the background was not blue. I've only been to VIenna twice and it was gray both times.

My pen name is the junction that was the heart of the SP&S Rwy. in Portland. A kid could stand outside the office and watch the operator work the CTC board that functioned as an interlocking. The other locations that I could visit and learn were East Portland (UP) and Vancouver, WA. All three locations are remotely controlled now. Willbridge sounded more like a name than the other locations.

As I work on scanning old slides and negatives, I have gotten into Christmas Break, 1964. After the holiday, I dropped in on the Willbridge agent. Willbridge is still there, with more scheduled passenger trains than since the 1920's, but it's no longer an agency.

1964 - NP Pool Train 408 consist included baggage, RPO, coaches, parlor lounge, diner, and through sleepers to Oakland. This is the ancestor of Amtrak Train 11.


1964 - note the tobacco can on the telegraph sounder. The double tracks of the interlocking lead to the Willamette River bridge. The single line led to branches for Seaside, Vernonia, Forest Grove, Eugene, and Sweet Home.


1964 - the Willbridge agent kept busy issuing train orders for outbound SP&S, GN, NP trains and the UP Pool train.


1964 - the tower that wasn't a tower.

 

[caravanman]

It is interesting when older threads come back to life, a reminder of former members who no longer contribute, some for sad reasons, of course...

My avatar is from a few years back, about to check out of my hotel, and found one last beer in the fridge!

Oh yes, Happy Christmas all!

 

[wealwayswander]

An early morning walk in Dubrovnik.

Merry Christmas!

 

[John Santos]

My avatar came originally from the Bad Astronomy web site, where I used the identity "Buzz Parsec" as Buzz Lightyear's evil twin. (You can tell I'm evil by the goatee.)