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Somehow we survived another year despite the terrible pandemic encircling the world.
Once more we extend our gratitude for the front-line medical personnel, who are showing signs of trauma, taking its toll in fatigue, burn-out, and some, unfortunately, dropping out of the field of medicine.
I determined to shake this miasma of stress and uncertainty, largely fed by the intense, incessant pessimism of the media.
One of the best self-help steps I took toward shaking the miasma, was "cutting the cable." I switched to Roku streaming services. Not only did I realize a ~$100/month saving, but for the first time in my television viewing history, I CONTROL what I want to watch and when.
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| Readership since October, 2007 |
Invigorated by today's Blogger report of readership statistics, I will begin to gnaw on the backlog of unpublished materials developed last year.
Several significant news stories were released under the abhorrent banner "Breaking News!" in 2021. Some stations prolong the drama by following "Breaking News" with "Developing Story."
We will be sharing in-depth coverage of a few of those stories, including:
• Limited reopening of WSDOT/ODT/Amtrak "Cascades" service. Sorta. Canadian Border remains closed.
• Limited reopening of cruise ships to SE Alaska.
• Who is Royal Caribbean's "Flying Dutchman," and why she is destined to have no destination in the foreseeable future.
Canadian National Railways 5000 (pronounced 50-hundred) was erected by Montreal Locomotive Works in 1913. CNR's mechanical department adopted the Canadian Northern's method of locomotive classification, which is in the format of X-1-a.
X" denotes the wheel arrangement (and in some cases the driver size), while "1" denotes common specifications between groups of locomotives, such as cylinder sizes. "a" usually used to distinguish different batches of similar locomotives. CNR 5000 was Pacific 4-6-2 (Whyte notation); Type: Class J-1-a. 35% represents the locomotives rated "efficiency."
Of course you need the Official Roster, to interpret the class code. Diesel locomotives also carry the class code, such as GFA-15b, et sic perro.
She was constructed with a "California Cab" featuring an open cab with canvas side curtains.
5000 worked the Skeena Subdivision as the "local" servicing Terrace and Kitimat.
I suggest this is probably the last photo taken of her in Prince Rupert, becoming part of 922, Time Freight out of Rupert, heading for a temporary deadline in Jasper, in May, 1958.
Soon there came a day when steam powered eastbound 196, met diesel powered westbound 195, at Morricetown (Bulkley Subdivision) at 15.10k, ushering in the diesel era to CNR's West End.
The serotonin-boosting chant of the EMD 16V 567C engines had been on the freighters for some time, as reflected in this photo of the round house leads. CNR 7242 is the yard limit switcher. On her death bed, CNR 5152 (4-6-2) will lead varnish 196 up the Skeena River at super time, and CNR 4208 (GP-9) married to a bravo unit,probably an F-7, will follow 196 with 4th class freight 922 into the overawing Skeena River Valley.
Despite being a novice "rail buff," I instinctively knew how close I was to "the prize!"
My Dad, sensing my thoughts, reminded me I would be the prime suspect should I follow through with removing the number plate — simply because I was the only kid in town running at large in the yard with camera in hand.
So. 5000 left town later that night stitched into Time Freight 922, with her number plate and a mesmerizing brass bell ...
