Letter from a rail nut ...

from: railnut@xxxxxxxxxxx.ca
to: cj@thiscrazytrain.com
date: Mon, Dec 12, 2011 at 8:40 AM
subject: Understanding locomotives

Hello,

I'm writing to you to point out something you said on your website about older GO Transit locomotives, specifically this article found at this URL: http://www.thiscrazytrain.com/2011/03/old-skool-will-it-chug-i-think-i-can-i.html. You titled it, "Old skool. Will it chug? I think I can, I think I can, I think I can ... ".

Laugh if you want, but I found that offensive. There's nothing "old skool" about these locomotives. The F59PH locomotives were designed to carry a limited amount of coaches. In fact, the numbered locomotive in the photo you published is the last of the series where EMD stopped building these in 1994. GO Transit began to phase out their use in 2008 which bears question about the date of your article, that being March of this year. This would not have been an express train as typically rush hour service makes use of the MP40PH-3C which offers more horsepower and can push/pull 12 coaches. If you are going to show older locomotives, please ensure you at least give more information such as the time and what station. This will show some respect for the technology and also the fact that MetroLinx (not to be confused with Metrolink in California, who coincidentally, also use the F59PH locomotives) isn't some archaic dinosaur of a transit system.

I strongly suggest that if you are going to demonstrate to your audience a knowledge of rail in Ontario that you do your research. One of my favourite blogs is Train of the Week. Here's more info about the MP40PH-3C: http://trainoftheweek.blogspot.com/2010/05/motivepower-mp40ph-3c.html.

Moreover, I invite you to consider me a friend and should you ever need clarification or assistance with locomotive information or rail in Canada you can contact me at your leisure.

A little bit more about myself. I'm 47. I'm unmarried and live in the same house I grew up in. I have been collecting model trains since I was 11 and have been interested in rail systems since my late teens. I attend all kinds of rail and train shows and have many friends who also share my interests. I enjoy British humour, Dr. Who, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and have a fondness for all things Star Wars. Surprisingly, I don't like Star Trek. I have worked for the last 20 years as an accountant for a large law firm. I enjoy traveling and writing poetry. If you'd like, I can send you a photo of myself or we can Skype each other so you have a better idea of what I look like so you can put a face to the name.

Sincerely,
Ronald Xxxxxxxxxx
(613) 726-XXXX

from: cj@thiscrazytrain.com
to: railnut@xxxxxxxxxxx.ca
date: Mon, Dec 12, 2011 at 7:50 PM
subject: re: Understanding locomotives

Hi Ron,
Is it okay I call you Ron? Nothing against the name Ronald but I immediately think of clowns and I don't like clowns and considering most kids are terrified of clowns, I always found it astounding that McDonald's still chose to use a clown to sell food to children. Don't you?

I'm not a liar so I have to be upfront and honest if we're going to be pals, okay? Here goes. When you wrote all that stuff to me about locomotives and something about California, I had a sudden urge to squirt grapefruit juice in my eyes. That was painful. Why? I'm just not a rail chick. I get on a train everyday and hope it gets me from Oshawa to Union station like it's supposed to. I figure if GO is using a certain locomotive, I have to trust that GO knows that the one they use is better than a donkey and a cart. Or a dog sled. Tho sometimes in the dead of winter, I feel that GO could make good use of a dog sled. How much do you know about dog sledding? I could easily go to Wikipedia.com and throw out some factoids that I'm sure would wow your pants off but I don't like to wow the pants off any man who isn't my husband.

When I was a kid and when I was done watching The Polka Dot Door, followed by Today's Special and then that rotten show called Fables of the Green Forest, I'd get ready to haul ass from the couch to the front of the tv to slap it off before I heard the horrible strains of that tecno synth and then impending "Ooooooh Woooooh Oooooh.... " Don't get me started on that stupid telephone booth. Shit gave me nightmares. You couldn't get me to use a telephone booth as a kid to save your life because I was sure some trash can with cascading inverted coffee cups down its sides and a busted antenna on its head, looking like an R2D2 rip-off, was going to kidnap me and transport me to this evil place where people spoke English weird and wore ascots. But hey, you had me at not liking Star Trek. Don't even get me started on that mess.

One night, as torture, when I was 7-months pregnant, my husband asked me to watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The hell was that!? I swear I sat there for 12 hours while some naked Gremlin screaming about Precious hopped around and shit. I kept waiting for Buffalo Bill to show up and come get his goddamn dog. What those people needed were a bunch of Boy Scouts. They would have got that friggen ring and sewed a couple of badges on to reward the effort with their toes and eyes closed.

I don't Skype so I don't see how that will work. You can send over a picture if you want. I'm not sure what to say to that. I'd hate to say no because I fear I'd leave you lying in bed tonight crying in your pillow but you seem like a decent guy so for sure, if I need rail info such as top speed, how many windows in a cab, how many cupholders, what kind of leather the interior is, etc., you bet I'm gonna hollah at you. Okay? Have a great night.

CJ