A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....03-07,08-06....All Aboard!

Billie

[Billie]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

If you have a suggestion, or an idea, or if there's a FReeper you would like to see featured, please drop one of us a note in FR mail.

We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, Dutchess, DollyCali, Mama_Bear, GodBlessUSA ~

CLICK

In September, 1825, the Stockton & Darlington Railroad Company began as the first railroad to carry both goods and passengers on regular schedules using locomotives designed by English inventor, George Stephenson. Stephenson's locomotive pulled six loaded coal cars and 21 passenger cars with 450 passengers over 9 miles in about one hour.

I am fascinated by trains. I love to ride on them. When I was a little girl, my teacher took our whole class on a short ride (about 20 miles) on the train that came through our small town every day. Ever notice, especially in small towns, how the engineer always waves at the cars waiting for the train to pass at a railroad crossing? :)

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Songs are written about trains. Movies have been made about them. The first western to tell a complete story in film was "The Great Train Robbery" filmed in 1903 in New Jersey. That movie started a great relationship between trains and movies that still survives 100 years later.

"The General" (1927), a comedy starring Buster Keaton, was regarded as one of the greatest of all silent comedies - and possibly the best train film ever made. It was a Civil War adventure-epic classic made toward the end of the silent era. Posters described the slapstick film as: "Love, Locomotives and Laughs."

Trains were a big factor in several of the James Bond movies, most notably: "From Russia With Love", and "Live and Let Die."

Here are a few more movies either written *about* trains or, as noted above, were a big factor in the storyline. The list is by no means complete, and most of them I've neither seen nor heard of, but for what it's worth, here they are....in no particular order:

• Silver Streak ~ 1934
• Union Pacific ~ 1939
• Murder on the Orient Express
• Von Ryan's Express
• Strangers on a Train
• The Lady Vanishes
• Son of Frankenstein
• Sherlock Holmes in Washington
• Terror by Night
• Ticket to Tomahawk
• The Great Locomotive Chase
• The Narrow Margin
• North by Northwest
• The Train
• Orphan Train
• Terror Train
• Chattanooga Choo Choo
• Back to the Future Part III
• Runaway Train
• Planes, Trains and Automobiles ~ 1987
• Throw Momma from the Train

These are but a few songs I found about trains. I'm sure you can all add many, many more to the list. I've listed only those I could link to music - mostly midis, but the last one is an mp3 - and still a favorite of mine: "Midnight Train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight and the Pips.

"Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe"
"Casey Jones"
"Chattanooga Choo Choo"
"City of New Orleans"
"Freight Train"
"Honky Tonk Train Blues"
"King of the Road"
"Last Steam Engine Ride"
"Night Train"
"Orange Blossom Special"
"Wabash Cannonball"




~ Gladys Knight and the Pips ~

Finally, let me close with a link to an inspirational album by Country & Western Singer, Randy Travis. You should be able to view the titles of the songs in the album; and hear clips of those you might be interested in.

"Glory Train, Songs of Faith, worship & praise" ~ Randy Travis

12-28-05 ~ Hall of Fame #14

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 03-06-06 Military Monday

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' Every Thursday at the Finest The guy's good, folks!

[Billie]

What a sweet picture of Marissa and Mr.Amy! Thank you, Amy - I'm really glad you enjoyed this thread. You've had lots of train rides! I think someday I would love to take a trip on the Amtrak.

[dutchess]

Well, you're all sparkly today. Lookin' good. : )

That's because there is a special bro who takes care of us at the Finest. (((((wolfie))))))

[JustAmy]

**smile **

Aren't we cute? Remember the conductor wanted to toss us from the train? Two sweet kids like us, I wonder why?

[Diver Dave]

I was fortunate enough to get to ride on one of the old steam engine trains once or twice.

Was this the one, Louie?

[Billie]

Hi, Dave. That's neat you got your electric train, and you and the boys still get to enjoy it every Christmas! Such a cute picture of Logan!

[dutchess]

Hi Amy. What a sweet picture of Marrisa and Mr.Amy. Didn't realize she started out blond (but as adorable as ever). So sorry Calif. won't work out next month. Where are you going on vacation????

[Billie]

Hey, Temple. Thank you, and thank you. :)

[Billie]

Afternoon, Billie. Really neat thread. : )

Afternoon. Thank you. :)

[Billie]

Oh, that's great! And hasn't Christian grown!

[Billie]

Yes..I could see them fine..Wonder what the problem was?

It was maybe reloading from your cache probably?

[JustAmy]

Hi Dutchess.

So sorry about next month. We made our plans for Easter Vacation. Our son is going with us and he will do the driving.

The only living Aunt on my Mom's side lives in Oregon. Her health is so-so. We have been planning to visit for the last 3 or 4 years.

My brother just moved to Idaho .... so we are going to Idaho and Oregon. Will spend 3 days in Idaho and a couple of days in Oregon.

Maybe you can plan to come back to California in September. The FReeRepublic picnic is scheduled for 9-9-06. It would be wonderful if you and Mr. D could join us this year.

[Billie]

:)

Now get to work! :)

[Billie]

I am going to have to leave for a while. Thanks, everyone, for your stories and pics!

[MEG33]

Iris Thank you,Louie...Hugs

[JustAmy]

We have taken several trips via Amtrak since 1987. Some of them have been by train one way and by car one way. When we went to Denver, we drove so we could make stops in Utah and also see some of Colorado. We returned the car in Denver and rode Amtrak back to Fresno.

We enjoy the food and meeting new people on the train. It's always been a great experience.

[Majie Purple]

"Hi, there, Majjie - glad, glad, glad you love trains, too. Makes for much more fun checking out the thread. :)"

Awww, sweet! How could I not come back and say thanks for that...mucho huggos...LOL...os!(LOL is for for the "cutsie" spelling I did, and not your kind words.)But You know that already,I'm certian!

Drat! I forgot to reload Wolfie's "Maggie Siggy again!
Picture it...right...about...Here!

[Majie Purple]

oops I wrote maggie meant Majie obv!

[Majie Purple]

HAhahaha...! Thomas the Train LOL!

[LadyX]

What a great topic, Billie!
While aware many regulars here have heard this before, newer ones might find it interesting, and the last part of it funny.

Back at the end of the 1800's, my father's father was a railroad engineer of some prestige.
His run was between Pittsburgh (where he lived) and Washington, D.C., and advertised such dependability that for every minute they ran over the scheduled travel time, they would pay each passenger a whole dollar!!

As you can imagine, he was quite proud of his position of trust, fully dedicated to avoiding having to pay that penalty.
One very snowy winter day, he was leaning out the open window, scanning the track ahead for any possible impediment not visible through the windshield, when his upper dentures came out of his mouth and flew out into the deep snow!

HUGE DILEMMA!!
To stop the train and look for them, risking causing payments to the passengers - or to have them forever lost??!!

Without hesitation he pulled the Emergency Cord, the train abruptly grinding to a halt, yelling loudly to his fireman,
"I think I just hit a man on the track!!" - hopped down, ran back and found his dentures, not yet buried in the snow - and hopped back aboard, quickly resuming the trip.

The real miracle was he managed to make up the time, arriving in D.C. right on schedule..)

Sadly, he a few years later was pinned between two railroad cars in the yard and was badly injured, and he moved his family to Orlando for the kinder climate when my Dad was 10 years old. He died when Daddy was 17, so I never knew him.
By the way, he was credited with inventing air brakes to stop the trains, but failed to apply for the patent before another man did.

[LadyX]

Nan's son, Roy, is indeed a wonderfully talented musician!
Thank you for the link so everyone can enjoy it, M_B.