(unless its relevant to you)



Seems my computer (or laptop, actually), in addition to being completely out of memory, is thouroughly infested with viruses as well. (Where do I get my membership card?) Like, I'm fighting through "you've been infested" pop-ups just to type this. And apparently my anti-virus program has been replaced with some sort of bizare "evaluation" software that will DETECT viruses but not REMOVE them unles I pay them something. (I've never trusted anti-virus software. I bet it's another virus, too. (In fact, I'm almost SURE it is.)) Anyway, internet use is becoming quite unpleasent, primarily because every two minutes or so I get redirected to any one of a number of random pornography sites. Disgusting. (To say the least.)

So, I'm afraid to all you folks to whome I owe any kind of artwork... I probably won't have it done. For quite some while. I'll be able to get online at public computers, perhaps, but my laptop alone holds my art programs and what not.

Apologies.


(I'm not even gonna bother trying to fire up Word to spell-check this thing. That would take an extra half hour.)

After chatting with some folks recently and sorta thinking over what I'd already for a while suspected, I've decided to take a leaf out of Railwolf's book (though for a different reason) and take a bit of a break from the Hotbox. Seems I only compound many people's complaints about that place by being present.

That said, to those who might be put off by that chat... some very sharp minds frequent that room. If you ever feel like discussing the finer points of steam pressure equalization, bizarre locomotive suspension systems, or federal regulations regarding car riding, give it a chance and visit. Push through the sometimes-present cloud of randomnosity, if you must. It'll be worth it. ^^

It’s times like these that I just feel a strange, inexplicable feeling of regret. Captain Lou Albano, professional wrestling manager, rock star, and videogame hero (though he hardly deserves the indignity of an introduction), has died at the age of 76.

I’m none too familiar with Albano’s career in the WWF, but I find it safe to say nevertheless that the man was made for the job— a sport of showmanship if there ever was one. When he started his career in the ring he was what they considered a villain— a “heel” in wrestling lingo. He’d rant and storm around the stage and fight the referees and get stuff thrown at him from a well-riled and -angered crowd of spectators. Then, when he got sick of dodging projectiles for a career, he turned his act around to become a “face”— a baby face, that is— a sort of “good ol’ boy” personality who appealed to the masses rather than angered them. Then he got into rock n’ roll with Cyndi Lauper during the ‘80s, starred in a couple of music videos, and got a song written about himself. He even cameoed in a movie or two, including a humorous scene as wrestling announcer from Hell in Stay Tuned. Finally, at the undeniable height of his career, the 300-pound bearded character -became- Mario for the Super Mario Bros. Super Show!— co-starring with Danny Wells, who played Mario’s brother and fellow-plumber, Luigi. Albano brought his showmanship to the set, bringing style, personality, humor, and heart to the character that has hardly been seen since in any of Mario’s myriad subsequent TV and videogame incarnations.

The Captain seemed to brush off his role as Mario in his later years, much as comedian George Carlin did his role as Mr. Conductor in his own. But, like Carlin, Lou gets all the more respect from me for (temporarily) casting off his “tough guy” personality for the sake of making a classic kids’ show. And not anyone would have been fit for the handlebar mustache and size-XXL red overalls that Lou took up— he gave the role his all and -made- his character. His Mario was a real one— a slobby, Italian-American Brooklyn bum— who perpetually found himself ridiculed by his brother and a slew of patrons and customers for his dull intellect and questionable cleanliness. And, at the end of the day, no one laughed harder about the whole thing than Lou himself— he had fun with it. You could tell.

I’m not sure when I really began to appreciate the Captain (as a little kid watching his show he kinda scared me, I must admit), but for many years now at least I have seen this man as the definitive “Super” Mario Mario (the SMBSS! would seem to have coined that name, by the way— not the infamously-horrible movie made a couple of years later!)— and I considered him among my heroes. I’m happy to say that I’ve had the chance to make a tribute or two for the guy before he passed on, but still, I feel bad that he’ll never know how much I loved his work (and indeed, the chances of there ever being a decent Mario movie are now pretty much kaput). There can’t be a Mario fan out there today who hasn’t at least heard “Do the Mario,” sung all of twenty years ago... and now, the man behind it all is gone...


...but not forgotten.



”All together now! Juuuust... liiiike... that...!”

topic)



Those of you at all familiar with the Strasburg Rail Road in Strasburg, Pennsylvania, are probably as well familiar with that company’s status as Thomas Capital of the United States. It’s appeared in Thomas movies, it sell loads of Thomas merchandise, and its shops crank out dozens of full-size push-along Thomas replicas like WWII Liberty Ships. And then... there’s THOMAS.

THOMAS is an honest-to-goodness working steam-powered Thomas the Tank Engine lookalike. It was built on the hulk of Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal (BEDT) 0-6-0T No. 15... and there lies the rub (at least if you ask me). I’ve oft grumbled (sometimes vehemently) over the years about No. 15’s fate... and I’ve oft been countered with the argument of, “shut up, at least she runs.” To which I have been likely to retort, “no, she doesn’t, THOMAS runs, but BEDT 15, now, is gone.” Etc., etc.

NOW. I’m a big fan of seeing Thomas in steam. I’m also a big fan of BEDT 15. Could there be a way to please every camp involved... and maybe even some that aren’t?? I do believe there is.

Here’s what I humbly propose to whatever powers-that-be are crazy enough to listen to me rant: Strasburg RR, with its incredible shop and boiler-making facility, could BUILD, FROM SCRATCH, A BRITISH LB&SC CLASS E2 0-6-0T [link] . My reasoning behind this proposal goes like this:


1.) Much like Britian’s spectacular “Tornado” project, building a new E2 would give the rail preservation world a replica of a long-lost engine type. “Leviathan” shows we can do it in America, too— and an E2 is a small engine.

2.) A Thomas based on a real E2 would look like what Thomas is supposed to look like. The THOMAS in use today, with its exterior drive and proportions based around its American body more so even than human ergonomics (look at the height of its pseudo-British-esque cab windows!), only approximately resembles its subject.

3.) A corollary to the above: never again would the following conversation be able occur: “Mommy, why does THIS Thomas have those big red pistons?” “That’s because THIS Thomas is real and the one on TV is only a toy, Jimmy...”

4.) A corollary to the above: With THOMAS’ tendency to travel (and with THOMAS’ ability to draw tremendous crowds), many Americans would be introduced to the overseas style of railroading. There’s a real Thomas event for you— fun, and educational too.

5.) The old THOMAS, still in good mechanical order, could be restored to its original BEDT 15 self. While the E2 Thomas is subtly teaching folks about Britain’s industrial past, No. 15 could be teaching folk’s about America’s. What more could we ask of a railroading day?


Now, when we’re talking about building a new E2, keep in mind that I recognize the need to equip it with airbrakes, a plow, a light, and etc. So what do you all think... would building this piece of British history be worth it for all parties involved?

Well, it seems that this is it, folks... the last of the once-forsaken N&W steamers has been moved out of Virginia Scrap Iron and Metal. Truth be told, it happened sooner and quicker than I had thought it would... rather than at the end of September, the moves were orchestrated between August 21-25 (last Friday, Monday, and Tuesday for 1151, 1134, and 1118, respectively). And I only found out about it tonight... so in a way, I kind of missed it. (I would have certainly liked to have offered moral support while the moves were ongoing, had I known they were ongoing.)

So really... wow. It’s hard to believe that it’s done. That these engines actually escaped the fate bestowed on them all the way back in 1950. So many things had to happen (or not happen...) just right for these engines to be sitting where they are sitting tonight. I can’t help but think that Richard Jenkins and his website have helped immensely in making the engines known— and now, as he himself has put, we’ve come to the “end of an era.” Soon, the very last of the Virginia Scrap Iron and Metal Co. will be torn down, and the old scrapyard itself will be “lost” beneath a new hospital wing, never to be seen again... ironic, and perhaps a bit sad, for history's sake, the way that turns out. But then... the eminent destruction of the yard only underscores the incredibleness of the engines' escape.



I do hope that someone thought to take that abandoned four-wheel lead truck with them before the day was done. It would be a real shame to forget the engines less fortunate than these amazing three saved this week.



Here’s a quick chart summarizing the current whereabouts of each 4-8-0:

1151 – moved Friday Aug. 21 – to and staying at Roanoke Museum of Transportation
1134 – moved Monday Aug. 24 – currently held at Roanoke’s 9th Street Yard for cosmetic restoration, to be sent to Railroad Museum of Virginia, Portsmouth
1118 – moved Tuesday Aug. 25 – to and staying at Roanoke Chapter, NRHS’s 9th Street Yard, Roanoke (traded from original owner Will Harris of North Fork, Inc. for Roanoke Chapter’s E.J. Lavino 0-6-0 No. 34)

(All info found at [link] .)