Big Iron

Here is a photo taken at the New Hope & Ivyland Railroad yard. It’s of a massive steam engine that is undergoing a complete rebuild.

I wrote a short story called, Big Iron Holiday. In it, two friends (Ellsworth Botcher and Ned Fry) reunite after the end of the First World War. One is a railroad superintendent, the other is a pilot. I intend to use this short story as the basis for a novel titled simply Big Iron. The novel will follow these two characters and their lives as the United States evolves through the boomtimes of the 1920’s, the Great Depression, and the lead-up to D-Day. There will be some other characters, too, ranging from Hollywood stars to the men who kept the railroads running through all types of conditions.

As readers of this blog know, I like long books. Big Iron will be a long book. It is my hope that it will run more than 750 pages. Good characters, like the ones I have in mind, should easily be able to carry it that far.

What’s your favorite long book?

Published in: on October 31, 2008 at 12:25 am  Leave a Comment  
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New Hope & Ivyland Railroad

The New Hope & Ivyland Railroad is another piece of living history. It is a tourist train that carries passengers from New Hope, Pennsylvania to Lhaska, several miles away. I’m not positive, but I think the line was originally part of the old Reading Railroad.

This isn’t my greatest photo of No. 4, which was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works many years ago. I actually have some very nice black and white photos of this engine and her tender in both black and white and color. I took them back when I used Hasselbalds and large format cameras. The prints hang on the walls of my house. Take a look at the engineer; he certainly looks the part. I have to get a hat like that.

The last few weeks the train has been running steadily, giving people great views of the fall foliage and pumpkin patches set up for children. New Hope itself is a fun town with plenty of good restaurants, odd shops, and dinner theaters. It gets crowded on the weekends.

Published in: on October 30, 2008 at 12:56 am  Leave a Comment  
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Chris Botti, Master Musician

Over the past several years, I’ve had the pleasure of attending many Chris Botti concerts. I’ve seen him play small jazz clubs and in huge arenas with Sting. The man knows how to play a trumpet (another great understatement of this blog). Most recently, we ran into each other at the Ram’s Head in Annapolis, MD.

That’s him on the left. I’m the knucklehead on the right. Anyway, Chris has a sound all his own. His original works vary from punchy to subtle, giving him an opportunity to show his vast range of talent. He’s also a nice guy who takes the time to meet his fans, sign CD’s, and have a few words with those who attend his shows. Thus, he’s a real professional who deserves all the accolades he gets. Play on!

Published in: on October 23, 2008 at 1:40 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Creating Atmosphere, Part V

There’s more to atmosphere than moody old churches and damp ruins. At this time of the year, there is the fall foliage which signals the change of seasons, the coming of winter, and the harvest parties that have more elegant names to dress them up.

The photo to the left was taken looking down from a stretch of Route 6 in northern Pennsylvania. This vista has it’s own atmosphere, one that would do well in any story, fiction or not. Some views along this road seem hardly changed since the days of Daniel Boone. Now that’s an early American atmospheric setting if ever there was one.

It’s good to get out and see nature whenever you can. Living in a metropolitan area deprives people of the expansiveness of the areas beyond the metroplex. At the same time, I spend many months on a small Caribbean isle that has neither the lush green of the tropics nor the seasonal rotation of northern climes. Thus, a scene like the one at left is a real treat.

Get out and see something. It will enrich your life, calm your nerves, and do wonders for your karma.

Published in: on October 12, 2008 at 8:06 pm  Leave a Comment  
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