Buskers and More Ferroequinology

Another quickie today.

I've been thinking about Marian's recent post regarding NYC street performers (or per Wikipedia, buskers), and their major difference from run-of-the-mill beggars, such as those often found on street corners in big cities (like Baltimore.)  Unlike begging, busking could be called the entry level for show business...and there are darn good videos of street performers currently visible on YouTube.  Check them out, some are really magnificent. 

FWIW, there is a subway in Baltimore, but I haven't tried that. So I can't speak for the presence (or absence) of either category. But I'd bet they are down there in the stations, though...

I can recall an interesting interaction with a beggar in Baltimore - back in the early-to-mid 2000's,  I was downtown attending a convention, but was dressed in stirrup pants, women's loafers and shirt, with my long hair, and carrying a purse.  Just before noon on a weekday,  as I walked alone in the direction of the light rail (trolley), a man moved in, six or seven steps behind me.  Looking in a store window as I walked, I could see him, scruffy and disheveled-looking.

Danger bells were ringing in my head as I heard  "Excuse me Ma'am."  I kept walking, at a bit faster pace.  And he kept up with me.  "Ma'am?"  "Ma'am, can I talk with you?"  (Bear in mind this was 7 or 8 years ago, before "cold steel" and other more powerful weapons were quite as common as they are today).  Noting that he would soon be within arm's reach, and with no shops in close proximity, I decided to deal with the situation.

Stopping abruptly, I whirled around to face him as I put my hands on my hips, and in my VERY best  and authoritative male voice told him to "Just go away and find someone else to bother."  The element of surprise startled him.  He looked at me, speechless, and slithered away (much to my relief.)  Needless to say, I wouldn't choose that course of action today - I'd run if necessary, to duck into a store for safety. (A good reason to wear sensible shoes.)  But more importantly, nowadays I just don't spend much time downtown...

Things continue to be busy here, so there is only enough time to post a few off-topic pix.  Hopefully at least some of you will find them interesting.

First up is Western Maryland Scenic Railway's #734 simmering in the November late afternoon sun at Frostburg, MD, back in 2005.  A beautiful day to ride the train...as the turnout indicates.

Next is a November sunset scene, as the now-empty excursion train is backed across the bridge to the shop in WV for the night...

Following is ex-Reading T-1 #2101 on 5/30/77, in Chessie Steam Special livery, at the Connellsville, PA station on the former B & O mainline from Washington DC to Pittsburgh, PA.  The station was bulldozed in the late 20th century, and all that was left last time I checked it out (from the train, several years ago) was an "Am-shack."  (Though I understand nicer digs have been recently built.) Regarding the steam engine: it still exists, but as a static display at the B&O Museum in Baltimore.  Unfortunately, it was damaged by fire in February 1979 while stored in the Silver Grove, KY, roundhouse. Cosmetically restored as American Freedom Train #1 (but badly in need of another overhaul), at least it wasn't scrapped!

Following is a picture of a northbound Metroliner, Amtrak's early entry into the high-speed race on the Northeast Corridor.  Metroliners were self-propelled, electric-powered multiple-unit mainline passenger equipment, with a very high top speed.  This was taken on 11/25/1973 at the Iron Hill grade crossing, which I'm told has been removed,  and replaced by an overpass.  The telephoto lens put the foreground "out of focus," to allow attention to be centered on the Metroliner.

So you think you had a bad day, sweetie?  Imagine having to call the boss about a little OOPS like the following! 

Sometimes even a 10 mph speed limit on a seldom-used branch line in western Pennsylvania is far too high.   Flangeways in the grade crossing behind the engine had frozen over from repeated road salt applications and freeze-thaw cycles during a snowy bitter cold snap at the end of February/beginning of March 1977.  This caused the locomotive's flanged wheels to ride up on the built-up ice and drive right off the rails, directly into a ditch.  The locomotive sat there unattended and idling for two days (so it didn't freeze up), till the wreck crew could get in to re-rail and remove it.  Fortunately, no cars derailed (they were retrieved from the scene shortly after the derailment), the grade crossing was not blocked, nobody was hurt, and no damage was done (except to the locomotive, track, and the engineer's pride.)  

Happy Motoring...