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Legacies – Living History

One of the things I regret is that I did not take the time to learn more about my family history from my parents when they were still living. Now I have a lot of questions and it is too late to ask. One of the best ways to learn about earlier times is to talk to the people who lived through them.

A while back, John Springer, who is a regular contributor the The Trackside Photographer, phoned me and said that he knew of several retired railroaders who had worked at a time when telegraphy and morse code were still in use by the railroad. A few weeks before Christmas, we had the opportunity to record a conversation with three “old-timers” and listen to their stories. This is history—living history.

Their stories are fascinating, and provide a vivid glimpse into a time when railroad operations were more akin to the 19th than to the 21st century.

Edd Fuller, Editor

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Talking Pictures – Episode 4

If you are of a certain age, nothing says Christmas like Santa and a Lionel train under the tree. In this episode we talk with artist Angela Trotta Thomas, who has worked with the Lionel Train Company for over 30 years creating captivating art that evokes memories of childhood in a time before computers and smart phones.

Don’t miss this special Christmas edition of Talking Pictures! And if you like what you see, please like and subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

Wishing you a memory filled Christmas
and a safe and prosperous New Year

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The Village of Make-Believe

A Christmas Journey

The Village of Make Believe loves visitors! Historic Village Neighborhoods, Fantastic, MultipleEvents, unique Gift Shopping and so much more await you. Downtown Make Believe is wonderfully compact, making it easy to meander among our distinctive artisan boutiques, shops, the depot, and Village Square. And there’s always the Village Trolley to quickly whisk you between Make Believe’s neighborhoods for some delightful window shopping You are sure to find the perfect gift. Just a bit out of town is the ever-popular Snow Mountain Resort where you can ski (downhill and cross-country) and skate to your heart’s content.

Spend a cozy night, few days, or even a week. Enjoy the holiday decorated streets around the Village Square, as well as the majestic, lighted Christmas Tree. Eat in one our mouth-watering restaurants. Hibernate at the historic Pink Flamingo Motel along the bay, the centrally located, newly renovated, historic Nickolas Hotel, or settle into one of our comfortable B&B’s. Or if you’re into skiing, there’s the rustic Whispering Pines Cabins and a comfy Lodge at Snow Mountain.

That, from The Village of Make Believe Chamber of Commerce pretty much sums up why a Christmas visit to this magical place is a must. And to make it possible, the Whimsical & Northern Railroad has frequent, affordable service between the Big City and the magical Village of Make Believe.

Let’s board the train and delight in a bit of whimsical magic as we travel through The Village of Make Believe. Although the story began before any of us were born, we will limit our visit to the last ten years or so.

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Patch Board

Patch board in “NG” Telegraph Office – Montpelier, Ohio

Center left to right above patch board: DC meter, speaker and another DC meter. Before this photo was taken in 1976, between the DC meters was an oscilloscope to tell where a telegraph wire was broken to send out the lineman. This scope had about a 170 mile range and by turning a dial on the front we could go down the wire to find the break (line would spike up at break).

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Editor’s Notebook

What is a Photograph?

It has always seemed to me appropriate that we store our digital images on a “memory card.” Digital photographs are stored in electronic memory in much the same way that our brain stores electrical impulses as memory. Whether electronic or neurological, memory is ephemeral. Digital memory can be corrupted, erased or rendered inaccessible by changing technology. And, over time human memory becomes unreliable, fades and is forgotten.

Digital photographs have no physical reality and can be viewed only with the aid of a digital device. Much like our own memories, they simply do not exist in the real world.

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Talking Pictures – Episode 3

In this episode of Talking Pictures, our guest is Scott Lothes, the President and Executive Directory of the Center for Railroad Photography & Art. In addition to his role at the Center, Scott is also a widely published writer and photographer, and in this video we discuss his own railroad photography.

Talking Pictures is a video podcast that features artists and photographers in a discussion of their own images, or pictures that they find inspirational or meaningful. The focus is on the images, not on the technical aspects of photography.

Edd Fuller, Editor