Railroaders' Nostalgia > Here's one for all the geezers on TO!

Here’s an image for all the geriatrics among the TO membership. It was a crummy, overcast day. But I was headed for Abilene, going after a whole different agenda. Like I always do I left town with my camera gear in tow anyway. The railfan gods know this, so they always send me something to shoot no matter how bad the weather is. My next birthday jumps me up into the 7-something bracket. But regardless of the weather I’ve never completely lost the thrill of the chase. As a Major League pitcher might say: “I can still bring it!”

Lately, there has been a bit of discussion here & there pertaining to growing old. It’s a fact of life none of us can escape. Father Time, that old curmudgeon will always square his books! But I learned years ago that if there is something you cannot change or some onus you cannot wiggle out of, then all you have left is to get some humor out of it. One of my personal policies in this life is that if I can’t laugh at myself, then I’m not allowed to laugh at anyone else. Those who have known me all these years will attest to the fact that if you’re around me very long you’ll soon be laughing or smiling at something I’ve done or said. All 6 of us 1980s KS Gangsters had the same collective attitude. It’s part of what made us such a tight railfan brotherhood. Now there’s only 2 of us left...

All that said, I’d like to tip my cap to a few members (read: GEEZERS) here on TO. To name a few: Bob H, Steve P, Joe M, Don A, Don W, Larry G, Dick S, Ken N, Vince P, Dick E, Keith A, Gordon M, John W, Ross R, Dick M, Joe B and especially Marty, PhotoBob & JCL. I tip my cap and bow deeply with respect for your well-earned seniority! (If I have dragged your name onto this otherwise venerated “geezer” list and rudely reminded you how old you are, please forgive me. And if I have somehow left your name OFF this “geezer” list, failing to rudely remind you how old you are, please forgive me! Bottom line is we can all take comfort in the fact that we’re all still above ground... ;^)

Enjoy your day...

1. BNSF 4613 leads a grain empty about up the Strong City Sub 3 miles N of my 2nd hometown, Abilene, KS. “It was a dark & -almost- stormy afternoon...” ;^)
Photo date: December 13, 2024.

Thanks for the Geritol!
Lance Garrels
santafe199

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Now that is an awesomely moody pic for a Friday the 13th - the day I always endeavored to remember to mark off on.  It immediately reminded me of a night pic I saw of a SOU Ps-4 Pacific in Trains Magazine when I was a teenage railfan.  The Ps-4 pic had the caption - "Looms large the locomotive".  That train is looming large from the fog with the ditch and headlights blazing.  Keep shooting.  All of us need Geritol of some kind.  I use to swig Geritol straight out of that brown bottle before work - until one day my conductor (LG) told me Geritol had too much alcohol in it (someting like 30% or better).  My old conductors tended to know a lot about alcohol contents.

I read somewhere, I don't mind being a senior citizen, but I'm not looking forward to graduation. 

Good comment DD40. I turned 74 yesterday. 2024 is the same calander as 1968. The way I remember that is I had to go register for the draft on Friday December 13, 1968. A funny about Friday the 13'th. When CSX consolidated the dispatchers in Jacksonville, there was a virus embedded in the dispatching programs, at 13;13 hours on Friday the 13'th the dispatcchers could not line any signal not already lined. It took about a year to find and correct the virus.

Sam

I don't mind being 77, it's my body that doesn't like it, lol.

Larry

Ritzville Wrote:
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> I don't mind being 77, it's my body that doesn't
> like it, lol.
>
> Larry

That's funny! That's about how I feel at 70! 

You guys sure aren't giving me much to look forward to!
   Doug (almost 70!)

As Mark Twain said, "If you can't make 70 by a comfortable road, don't go."



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/17/24 12:29 by xrds72.

Well put, Lance.  I'm still "out there" but I don't stray very far from the car, nor do I climb or hike to unusual vantages.  No sense tempting Father Time.
Ken Nagel
Grand Rapids, MI

I turned over 84 last month.  I'm older than I've ever been.

I hear ya Don. I'm same age.

And when someone tells you to act your age tell them you don't know how to since you have never been that old before!  ;-)

"How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?"   ...Satchel Paige

Young 70s. All I can say here is: I'm totally grateful for mine and wife's RRB Pension. 
It's how we survive and are able to pay our Bills now in our Golden Years. Good health
is the Number One thing; I'm sure all here agree. Hope we all can have a healthy 2025.

DD40 Wrote: > … but I'm not looking forward to graduation …

I love that one DD, thanks! I’m gonna pass that one on to all my friends… 🤗

Posted from iPhone

I went by 84 on August 10……

Glad I made it, have a lot of friends
here on TO…

Great being able to enjoy all the the
experiences and photos …

Thanks go out to ALL my friends …
Especially the Portland, ORHC folks.

W.

Posted from iPhone

Merry Christmas from another old geezer retired railroader!. Always enjoy your photos and stories. Another quip on aging someone told me recently: "Time is the greatest teacher. Unfortunately it kills all its students." A bit grim, but true :-) 

Frisco1522 Wrote:
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> I turned over 84 last month.  I'm older than I've
> ever been.

I'm only 75.  I once, but only for a short time, held the record for youngest in the world!

mapboy

Frisco1522 Wrote:
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> I turned over 84 last month.  I'm older than I've
> ever been.

Hey Guy!  It's good to hear you made it to Notch 84 and I'm wishing you well as I enjoy all your postings.  I'll join your age on Jan. 19th and so far, am still manuvering pretty well.  Those aches and pains from my hips down let me know who's vying for control, but giving it my best here.  Wishing you and all here a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Only in my 50’s but I was anointed “Old Head” by a REAL Old Head before he pulled the pin 6 years ago.

So I got that going for me… which is nice. 😆

Regards

Posted from iPhone