Trains, Negative Ads, and the Die is Cast...

I love trains.  Always have.  There was a train less than a block from my grandma's house in St. Paul, MN.  It was the first place I headed when we visited.  If you put your ear to the track, you could feel the train coming when it was still miles away.  Many a penny was squished into a pancake when that train roared past.

Great Northern Train entering St. Paul station

I may be one of the only persons in the world who actually likes being stopped in traffic at a train crossing.  The clickity-clackity of the train going by is like music to my ears.  As a child, I remember seeing the mailbag grabbed from a post with a big hook as the train flew by a station.

Mail pickup

This fascination with rails extends to the streetcars of my youth, mono-rails, and even the little park trains that cheat by running on little wheels.

Little train in Riverfront Park, Spokane, Washington

Model railroads are on the list.  My husband's father was a famous model railroader, and my brother's American Flyer engine proudly sits on a bookcase in our home.  And...we are actually discussing a G-gauge garden model railroad for our property (because we are certifiably insane.)

Garden Model Railroad

 I loved going through the Selby streetcar tunnel in St. Paul when I was a girl.  My grandma would let me ride back and forth to my hearts delight. God bless her!

Selby Street Streetcar Tunnel in St. Paul

The short downtown mono-rail in Seattle is a must do when I visit.

Seattle Mono-Rail

I've taken the tourist train ride in Ione, Washington many times (even though the cars seem to mimic a ride to Auschwitz.)

Ione/Metaline Falls Train

 A cross-country trip by rail is on the top of my list of "things I want to do before I check out", even though the trains tend to fall off the tracks at an alarming rate and the cost is outrageous.

Amtrak in the mountains

So you would think a person such as me would be the first in line to support high-speed rail lines being constructed.  Well, I'm not.

Because?  They Don't Work!!

Which brings me to a great post by the Lonely Conservative:   Dan Maffei Thinks Choo Choo Trains Will Boost Economy

What is it with Democrats and choo choo trains? You’d think they would have learned that dumping millions of dollars into rail subsidies was a bad idea in the 1970′s. But no, these progressives never learn. read the entire article

Hack Wilson is as sick of the negative political ads as I am - maybe more so. I don't think they work, and as a matter of fact, I don't think any political ads really work. I really believe the people that vote are smarter than the average peach pit - just my opinion...

As a result of his fine post, Hack earns the coveted:


Rant of the Day Award:

One week from Victory
by Hack Wilson


Today, in order to soothe my soul, a trip to Costco is on the agenda right after I have four brand spanking new tires installed on my car.


Play nice while I'm gone and visit Larwyn's Links (click on image) for the best of the web.