(15 October 98) After we finally completed our move from Kentucky to Florida, in early September we made a trip to Texas and chased the Hill Country Flyer from Cedar Park to Burnet. Lots of side-by-side running shots posted; the track runs right along the highway. "The Flyer" is a Southern Pacific Mikado (2-8-2), # 786, restored to service after spending many years neglected except by pigeons and vandals in a park in Austin, Texas. Later that month, we made a trip to Wisconsin, where we attended the Soo Line H&TS convention in Stevens Point and also got to ride behind the newly-restored Soo Line Pacific # 2719 steam locomotive out of Chippewa Falls. There are four pages of pix posted, here, here, and here. # 2719 has a story similar to that of # 786, having languished from 1960 to 1994 in Carson Park, in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, before being braught back to its former fire-breathing, cinder-belching glory.
(15 September 98) Another major revision of the Home page. I changed the colors to a more Soo-like set (I couldn't find a good maroon in CorelDraw 3.0, which I use 'cuz I'm too cheap to spring for a more modern tool). I also, over the last couple of weeks, made changes to my Trains page, hoping for faster loading, and similar changes to my PC and HTML pages. Speaking of which, there's a new Background Color Index which you could download and use to determine what colors you want to use in your web design work.
(2 December 97) A major revision of the Home page. I've removed the background, made up some new buttons to travel to the major sub-pages, and hopefully cut down the clutter. Let me know what you think! Also, I've changed the music (on Home page and here) so you have to turn it on if you want it.
(21 November 97) I finally got tired of the music playing over and over when I'm editing my pages. Decided that y'all might be getting tired of it as well, so I've pulled the control panel to the top of the page so you could turn it off if you like. Also, it now only plays through once rather than repeatedly. I use "Crescendo" by LiveUpdate and have sized the control panel window accordingly. The Index and HTML pages have been upgraded so far; the rest will be completed as time permits.
By the way, if you don't care for the music I've picked for this site, just surf on over to "Big Ron's" and grab a MIDI Jukebox. You can keep it active (it comes up in a new, smaller window) and play whatever's on it while you surf all over!
(29 September 97) The 1997 convention of the SOO Line Historical and Technical Society was held at Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin September 19-21, and These Pictures are from the Saturday excursions behind #1003. She's a 1913 ALCO coal-fired 2-8-2 Mikado Steam Locomotive, restored after years of retirement. Also have a link to the Wisconsin Railway Preservation Trust, where you can help in the efforts to keep this historic part or our rail heritage up and running.
(11 September 97) Pictures of Canadian Pacific's Spiral Tunnels and Kicking Horse Pass have been added. This Shot shows one train passing below the Observation Platform, looping into the upper portal of the lower tunnel, and exiting the lower portal. One train which appears Three Times in the photo (it's a tall one; hope you enjoy it).
This Page shows both a model of the Tunnel System and a diagram of it. This Page has pix of the Great Divide, the watershed that separates British Columbia and Alberta.
(18 August 97) Pictures of Orcas Island and Vancouver Island added. Click Here for the first major day of our trip. Day two was spent lounging around on Vancouver island, and on day three, we headed for the mainland, where we caught up with the Royal Hudson (see previous posting). Click Here for some pix of the run from Savona (near Kamloops) to Jasper, Alberta.
(16 August 97) The first of my Train Pix from our August 1-11 trip to western Canada. I have quite a few from both Canadian Pacific and Canadian National Railways, but these first are of the Royal Hudson along Howe Sound, and from the West Coast Railway Heritage Park in Squamish. Set your browser to full-screen, and Click Here. Later postings will be from the Kamloops area, Jasper, the Spiral Tunnels, and Banff. Watch for them!
(30 July 97) Just slightly revised my Railfan Links page, with a few additions from misc.transport.rail.americas. I added a section for "Latest Locomotive Links" as well, so you don't have to look around for what's new there. Also did a bit of revision to my SOO Links page. If you need an old-style SOO gif, I have made up several in different colors, with clear or colored background. Help yourself!
I've finally put up a couple of pictures from our trip in February 1997 to Arizona. Pix from the Verde River Canyon Railroad excursion trip speak for themselves of the beauty of this part of the country. Click here , and let me know if you like them. (this 'un loads into a new browser, 'cuz it's pretty wide)
Anita and I went to Niagara Falls in May of 1997 to celebrate our 29 years of marriage. While there, I took a flight over the Falls (Anita didn't want to go) with the Niagara Falls Helicopter Tours. Pix from the air can be Found Here.
Thanks for dropping by Ron's Rec Room. I hope you enjoyed the pix I put up here, and maybe you found some links leading to other pages of interest to you. If so, let me know by signing my Guest Book. Thanks, and stop back soon.
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