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!

[freema]

Geez. That song is beautiful. The table is beautiful.

I love trains. As kids we always waved at the engineers, never knowing/understanding our grandfather was killed by one. How that must have torn my mother's heart.

The song itself, though, is glorious, as a "whoaaaaaa" moment for me. We received a call last night my father-in-law is hospitalized, suffering-we are waiting on an update, but it looks as if his time is coming soon. Thank you for this song, it gave me an opportunity to stop and put some thoughts together in my heart.

The only three (one just safely back from Iraq) who will carry on the name were just together for the first time in ages, at our house, and I was able to get a most awesome picture of them, for him, praise God.

Any and all prayers for him and for the family would be appreciated.

Thanks, ya'll. This is just awesome, awesome.

[lonestar]

I loved the train dining cars, too.

I spent a summer on a train in Europe. LOL!

[MEG33]

What fun..We travelled on a train to Bern and to Grindalwald from Germany..Beautiful..
I recall the kids loved the room service feature of our trips the year we lived in Europe. They were teenagers...LOL

[MEG33]

Prayers on the way, freema.

[Mama_Bear]

Oh, no.....I am sorry the link didn't work for you. I wish you could hear Idletymes' version of the song. The first and last parts of the song are violin solos performed by WVNan's son. It is so beautiful.

It's a large mp3 file (3.5 MB), so, if you are on a dial-up connection it will take a long time to download. Maybe you could click on it again and then go get some breakfast (or lunch) while you wait.

Alaska is one of only two states I have not visited (the other Hawaii). I really hope to visit someday.

Well, c'mon along. There is a ship (the Regal Princess) leaving San Francisco on July 15th that will take you there! :-)

[Mama_Bear]

I'm glad you could hear it. .30Carbine was not able to get it to play.

Yes, musical talent seems to run in Nan's family. Her son is very talented, not only on the fiddle but he is also a talented singer and photographer.

I need to take my Chachi in to the vet to check and see if the medication we've been giving him has taken care of his "mite" problem. Poor little guy lost a large patch of fur on his chest before we realized that he had a problem. :-(

Anyway, I've got to run. Hope to get back here later.

[MEG33]

Just beautiful!

[GodBlessUSA]

I hope your sweet Chachi feels better.

When I first played the song it stopped. It started buffering continuously. I re hit on the link and then successfully listened a couple of times. I had wondered when I first had trouble, maybe there were a lot of people listening when I was. I really enjoyed, thank you so much. :)

[Mama_Bear]

I am so sorry to hear about your FIL, freema. Prayers are going up for him and all his loved ones during this difficult time.

Thank you for this song, it gave me an opportunity to stop and put some thoughts together in my heart.

Well, I am glad that I posted it, particularly knowing that it gave you some comfort. (((((((((freema)))))))))).

[Mama_Bear]

Oh no, MEG....photobucket seems to have lost your image. :-(

[GodBlessUSA]

Freema, My prayers said, for your FatherinLaw, that he makes a full recovery and is comfortable with no pain.

Prayers for the Heroes in your family who defend and protect Freedom. God Bless.

[Mama_Bear]

I hope your sweet Chachi feels better.

Thank you. Actually, he doesn't seem to be bothered by the mites at all. The only reason we took him into the vet was because I noticed a large patch of fur gone on his chest. It's a fairly common problem that many puppies have. Seems his immune system wasn't able to keep them under control.

Glad you were able to hear that mp3. :-)

Oh gosh, I am running out of time. Gotta go. HUGS!

[MEG33]

Can you see the picture in 27? Mama Bear said no.

[dutchess]

Wow. Awesome thread sistah!!! Simply beautiful. Looking forward to listening to the music when I get home from work. AND, Midnight Train to Georgia is one of my all time favorite songs! (do ya think I like this thread???? :o) )

Ah trains...my brother had the whole lionel metal steam engine train set... All the landscaping etc. It covered our pingpong table and I remember playing with it for hours. Also, lots of train rides when traveling overseas, especially in Poland etc. Our last train trip was from SanClemente, Calif. to SanDiego about 6 years ago. Winding through the mountains of SanDiego was beautiful. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!!! ((((billie)))))

[dutchess]

Hi Meg. I'm not seeing the image in #27 either. It just says the image is no longer available. :o(

[Texagirl4W]

How very pretty, Billie. This brought me back many, many, moons ago when my father took me to New Orleans on a train to visit my eye doctor. From the train station we took a city bus to Canal Street where the doctor's office was located. I don't expect, in my lifetime, to ever see New Orleans as pretty and 'pomp' as it was then.

[dutchess]

Oh, prayers for your father-in-law and family freema. ((((freema)))))

[MEG33]

Wildflowers near Haines,Alaska

[GodBlessUSA]

No I don't see that post .... LOL :) Sorry for the late response. My computer is a trouble maker today. I have to go get a new modem and I'm hoping that is why. I sometimes can't download my comments page.