This week’s theme for Heads or Tails is “Heads” – Stack. (You can’t honestly be surprised that I chose this photo, can you? lol!)
This is my very favorite stack. I have hundreds of shots of shots, from every angle, in every season, and in all light, just of the stack. Somehow, it soothes me. It’s not just belching out smoke, it’s allowing for power, for travel, for adventure. It creates art in the sky from the rolling, tumbling columns of smoke it sends forth. I could see that smoke for about a mile, coming in to work, and it let me know that my girl was up, and running and happy to see me. Childish, perhaps, but more child-like to me.
When I was a child, lo these many years ago, the steam powered coal trains used to run thru WV and KY, I remember daddy pacing the engine many times as we drove along the holler, just to make me smile. The sound of that train whistle still haunts my memories, and makes me smile. When I would stay in KY, the coal trucks would come down the holler, loaded and overflowing with huge chunks of coal, headed, I was certain, for “my train”. I would walk the roads, picking it up to take it home to show him. We of course would burn it in the stove, and then I felt like I was the fireman on that train, that I would travel and have adventure too.
I’ve not traveled far, perhaps I’m more like a short-line, but my adventures have been many. This train, this stack, reminds me that being a short-line is ok, it’s still beautiful, and that if you keep your fire hot and even, bank it off when you have to, you’ll just keep chuggin along.
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Ah, yes even I appreciate steam trains. It’s like being thrown back in time, even though I never saw one in my childhood.
When me and Mr Lifecruiser was in Scotland the last time, we did take a ride on the real Harry Potter-train, from Fort William to Mallaig, meaning that we were passing the famous Glenfinnan viaduct! Such an experience!
I have a brother in law that is crazy about steam trains and know everything about them, so while the train was puffing up some hills, I phoned him to let him here the steam engine work and luckily enough, the whistle blowed right then. He was thrilled – and no need to say: very envious!!!!
My stack is making me to a couch potato…. *giggles*
As I sit here, home schooling the older kids, the 9 month old baby sits with his Papa watching Thomas the Tank Engine!
We are BIIIIIIIIIIIIG train people!! Great stack!!
Ohhhh, Mr. Skittles (Mike) is gonna love this post!
Awesome post – and really cool photo.
You have some great memories there. I can remember when I was 3 or 4, in the late 60’s, walking beside a railway track with my late father. We were heading to the colliery where he worked, to collect his wages. A locomotive came along – it used to run between the numerous coal mines in the area (south west Wales). To my excitement, it started to slow down, and eventually came to a halt. Next thing I remember, was my dad hopping aboard, hoisting me on with him. We had a ride down to the colliery in the driver’s cab, as the driver turned out to be my cousin James.
we love trains here! great picture
A very good photo for the meme. It reminds me of an engine that’s in a museum near me that is one of my favorite things to see in it. It’s an old C/O steam engine that is huge and beautiful to look at and imagine what it was like when it actually worked. Good job.
I LOVE that shot. My kids LOVE trains and can’t wait to ride one.
I have to show my son your picture. He’s going to think it’s one os Thomas’ friends. Speaking of Thomas the costume is turning out really good. I can’t wait till it’s done so I can show you all.
You took a great photo there, I love the angle. I have been trying to get a good shot of a steam engine myself actually and can’t get it to look any good. Actually I can’t even find a steam engine and have to make due with diesel!