WHAT SAYS “NEW ENGLAND” ?

My model layout wanders it seems

Away from cherished themes…

What for you

Says “New England” too,

Beyond operational schemes?

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 Does NISSEN BREAD,

MOXIE, barns red,

SPAGS and stores

With “colonial” decors,

Monuments to Revolutionary dead?

–

Dairies and granite quarries

In earlier days held stories…

Ice cream and views

Along the Turnpike count too,

And whaling ship stories!

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Broad “a’s” in speech,

A Kennedy’s reach…

Where Plymouth Rock stays

And Sturbridge Village ways

Are preserved to history teach!

–

So for my small train set,

What industries are best…

Beverages and rock salt

Metals, food stuffs sought,

And historic touristy nests?

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Gravel still travels by train,

Lumber and minerals same…

Environmental ire

Has dampened coal fired

Power plants, but garbage still flames!

–

A water-powered mill

And museum of trains fit the bill…

For small excursions

Of rich incursions into filling the local till!

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Do you think I’ll have enough room,

I figure some things will die soon…

New England gives

And takes to live,

But survival cannot be assumed!

–

–Jonathan Caswell

ONE LAST RUN…BEFORE THE BLIZZARD???

He knows what the guys go through,

He once helped run steam trains too…

One more run–

A little more fun–

Before the season is through!

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For us, little Number Twelve,*

An oh-four-oh “T” to delve…

Into steam

Locomotion…the dream

Of a lifetime…where we dwelt.

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That EVERETT two-six-oh,

Is a proud steamer we know….

Dimunitive survivor

With dainty drivers,

“Just one more run…before the heavy snow?”

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🙂

–

–Jonathan Caswell

*Number Twelve, running back and forth on a siding at the Flemingville, NY , station site.  I stunk as a fireman shoveling coal…so I ran the little engine under supervision of the “old heads”(experienced railroad men).

RENEWABLE RESOURCE ECONOMICS

What do southern railroads ship,*

The mighty and useful wood chip…

Used for fuel burning

Or products discerning,

Or hauled to Europe by ships!

–

Not all wood chip trains are southern,

Burlington Electric*–another one…

Vermont’s goal

To burn less coal,

Making saw dust and chips “well-done”.

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Trains take the chips to the plant,

Silencing critics who rant…

About wasted fuel

Train efficiency rules,

While barges on shallow rivers just can’t!

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–Jonathan Caswell

(Photo is from Google Images…of wood chip loading into railroad cars on the GEORGIA WOODLANDS RAILROAD.)

HALLOWEEN HAIKU

It’s never too late:

Halloween celebrating…

It’s family fun.

–J.E.C.

–

Before midnight comes

And it’s All Saints Holy Day

Let’s kneel down and pray!

–J.E.C.

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Vandelism squashed

Families took back the night

The nineteen fifties!

–J.E.C.

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Little ghosts need rest

Tomorrow’s another day

Put costumes away!

–J.E.C.

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Imagination

Haiku inspired by the mind

Covered with…a mask

–J.E.C.

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Gone all the candy,

Sugar high kids just can’t sleep…

Warm milk and stories!

–J.E.C.

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Adults a grand time

Pushing the erotic edge

Skimpy means you’re cold!

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–Jonathan Caswell

GOING APE OVER RS-1’S!

Not all these pictured are mine,

But I like the product line…

At Tioga Transportation

Museum, *two were stationed…

The place was “home” for a while!

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ACTUALLY there were three,

Bought from AMTRAK to see…

Sixty-two and forty-four–

Fifty-nine we saw no more–

A leaser Fifty-nine  would be!

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One–I think forty-four–

In AMTRAK colors before…

Being painted for the Valley–

Maroon for Lehigh Valley

Railroad, the history of which we adored.

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Sixty-rwo, similarly  attired,

Started faded blue when acquired…

Both ran on our “main”

A branch line with freight trains,

Operating which  several youth inspired.

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Was the best group I was a member,

Pleasant times I remember…

Taken under wing

By another to learn everything,

Oh…those Santa Trains…in December!!!

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Insecure enough to collect,

Reminders of days elect…

Sense of belonging

Brings on longing,

RS-1 locomotives reflect!

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–Jonathan Caswell

The Tioga Transportation Museum, in a restored former Lehigh Valley wooden railroad station, was located north of Owego, NY, a half-hour or so drive from Binghamton, NY—where I was living with my parents  and going to school.

WARM DAYS–ENOY THEM

Up here in the North East,

Autumn’s become a feast…

Of summer-like temps.

Foliage that tempts,

For a week at least!

–

I have a few days left,

To photo colors I think best…

A little green

Few dead branches seen,

But color on most of the rest.

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And there are flowers to catch,

Before killing frost wrecks…

Color abounds

Perfumed air around,

The leaving of the last batch!

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–Jonathan Caswell

NIGHT WIND PERFUME!

Cooler nights in tune

With wood smoke perfume…

Gone is our stove

And treasure trove,

Of wood to warm up the room.

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Electric–efficient, big bucks–

Missing those chain saw cuts…

Warmed you twice–

Chucking ashes then thrice,

We’d go back…no ifs “ands” or buts!

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Still on cooler nights to smell

Fireplaces burning well…

Bittersweet joy

Splitter is unemployed,

Odor of security in the dell!

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–Jonathan Caswell

(Outside wood furnace image from  www.nachi.org)