Complexity

Imagine how many different hands worked to bring this one steam engine to life - from the designers and drafters to the miners of the coal and ore, the welders and boilermakers, the riveters and fitters, the engineers and conductors and the passengers who paid to ride behind her.

Log Train

Yesterday I explored a new section of road that was completed last year and saw this train car load of  logs on a siding near a lumber yard full of exceptionally clean logs.  They were all debarked, straight and perfectly tapered.  After a little digging this morning I learned that the Oeser Company makes wood utility poles for the power industry. 

Tag!

This is one of the more ambitious tags I've seen on a railroad car. 

I was at a tank car loading facility recently when a railroad employee began cleaning graffiti off the car identification numbers.  He would spray something over the area that needed to be cleaned up and wait several minutes before coming over and scrubbing off the graffiti. The paint rubbed off almost effortlessly, so whatever solvent he used must have been powerful:  I was about twenty feet away and it was making me light headed.

Little Red Caboose

A weathered railroad car sits by an old section of track near the south end of Lake Whatcom.

Skywatch Friday: Blue Sky Over Train

October Theme Day: Graffiti

I never thought I'd wander around Bellingham wishing there was more graffiti. Luckily, I can always count on the freight trains.

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Amtrak

Passenger train

Taking you there

Without a care