Strasburg, Pennsylvania, USA

Strasburg, Pennsylvania is not far from all the outlet shopping near Lancaster. The town is well known for its railroad which thrills children and adults alike. On the day I took these shots, Thomas the Train was on site, much to my disappointment. However, kids love that character. I prefer the regular steam engines which make for great photography. The tower at the left was moved to this location. The view from up there is fantastic. Although only two stories tall, the surrounding countryside opens up because it is the gentle, rolling farmland of the Amish. It also gives you the perspective of the yard master in days gone by.

Across the street is the Pennsylvania Railroad Museum, which hosts literally dozens of steam engines and cars of all description. At the height of its operations, the Pennsylvania Railroad was known as “the standard railroad of the world.” It controlled much of the passenger traffic between, Philadelphia, New York, DC, and Chicago, not to mention the freight business. Using the type of engines shown below, the “Pennsy” connected the eastern half of the country with the west.

It’s hard to imagine the smoke and soot of steam locomotives. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing some of them in action here at Strasburg as well as in New Hope, PA. They may be majestic, but they’re also dirty. Nonetheless, it’s important to see such machines in action. They are a form of living history that helps us keep things in perspective. Of course, there’s fun to be had in Strasburg, such as this little steam locomotive.

This post begins a new category here at The Bent Page. Years ago I used to take many photographs of trains and industrial sights. Some of them were published in the magazines that focus on those subjects. So TRAINS becomes a category here starting today.

Published in: on September 14, 2008 at 2:51 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, USA

Valley Forge, Pennsylvania is hallowed ground. It was here that George Washington and his ragtag army toughed out a bitter winter. He rallied those troops despite the conditions and challenges that lay ahead. Today, there is a park where the troops formed their camp. A bicycle trail traces a path around the perimeter.

This building serves as offices for the nearby church. I’ve always liked it. The stonework is exceptional, the leaded glass windows stately. It’s located a bit close to the road. Still, if I could move it to another place, it would be a noble home. Behind it is a cemetery encased in mature, leafy trees. More hallowed ground.

Throughout the park, you’ll find replicas of the huts the Continental Army used as shelter. (You’ll also find plenty of deer. Be careful when driving through the area. The deer have a habit of jumping out at the last minute.) Here is a photo of the huts.

On this day, 7 years after the 9/11 attacks in New York, we should all be thankful for those who’ve made recent sacrifices as well as those who did more than 200 years ago in order to begin the United States of America. They risked their lives against the world’s superpower in 1776, suffered through winters like the one at Valley Forge, and ultimately prevailed. Are we willing to give it our all the way they did?

Published in: on September 11, 2008 at 10:27 am  Leave a Comment  
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Tawni O’Dell, novelist

One of my favorite authors is Tawni O’Dell. She’s written three books, Back Roads, Coal Run, and Sister Mine. She’s from the western part of Pennsylvania and her stories all take place there, an area I happen to be familiar with as well.

What impresses me most about O’Dell’s stories is her authenticity of voice. Her characters are real, not only in the context of the fictional world she creates, but also in the here and now reality in which we live and breathe. In Back Roads, her lead character is a young man (teenager really) named Harley, who is slowly going down the tubes as his disintegrating family continues to fall apart around him. He struggles with the cards he’s been dealt and does his best, never getting a break, never finding what he needs. And yet there is a sort of grace to the ending of the story. A reader who doesn’t feel for Harley and his family and the people of his community might want to check for a pulse.

Similarly, in Coal Run, O’Dell brings us a washed up college football hero whose father was killed in a coal mine explosion. This event haunts the community and the lead character, Ivan. He has his bitter moments, his lusts for women and a better life, but he is grounded in this community of miners. O’Dell puts the reader inside this world to the point where you can feel the coal grit under your finger nails. You understand Ivan, his longings and his ultimate redemption because O’Dell is capable of making you believe in these characters.

Sister Mine is a different book from the first two. It’s something of a cautionary tale with more humorous events and more hope. The lead character is an ex-cop from D.C. who returns to her hometown as a cab driver of all things. Through this device she romps among the townspeople. Her sister shows up, involved in a baby selling scam that goes haywire. It works out with some laughs, a few close calls, and plenty of joy, which is welcome variety.

All in all, O’Dell will surely have a long career writing novels. I anxiously await the next one and hope she stays with this familiar territory. A writer with less talent would have run out of words by now. Not O’Dell. She knows how to put them together in a satisfying and enlightening manner. I only wish some other writers would work this hard.

Published in: on July 5, 2008 at 6:52 pm  Comments (1)  
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