Soul Train

I don't have a digital camera, so I can't show it, but on one of my station platform are some Sailors and one lady that represent my Navy family from that war. I remember the Cat Stevens song, and I remember one called "Declaration" by the Fifth Dimension from the same time. It was the Declaration of Independence set to music. THAT one always makes me tear up when I hear it. Believe it or not, it was a banned song on Armed Forces Radio. Crazy world, ain't it?

artyoung posted:

I don't have a digital camera, so I can't show it, but on one of my station platform are some Sailors and one lady that represent my Navy family from that war. I remember the Cat Stevens song, and I remember one called "Declaration" by the Fifth Dimension from the same time. It was the Declaration of Independence set to music. THAT one always makes me tear up when I hear it. Believe it or not, it was a banned song on Armed Forces Radio. Crazy world, ain't it?

Thanks for sharing that, Arty.

Interesting idea for a thread, Arnold.

For me (and my wife, who enjoys our layout very much,) an especially and unexpectedly (because it wasn't planned  to be as it developed) enjoyable sharing of the layout occurred when we had invited this group of seminarians, along with our Pastor, to our home for a Christmas luncheon.

The trains were ready to run, of course, especial since it was Holiday time, but I had not mentioned the layout to them; rather, during champagne in the living room when they first came into our home, it was Father who asked if they could see the trains. I was surprised because our Pastor had not shown any particular interest in the trains, previously, beyond his natural courtesy.

I preceded their going down to the basement, to get the whole shebang cranked-up and sounding its special cacophony, by the time they began their decent, escorted by my wife down the stairs. From my position at the bank of ZWs, I was able to observe them descending the stairs in their cassocks, and heard and watched their unbridled joy in discovering the trains and miniature community unfolding in front of them, and I was thrilled, frankly, as was my wife. The seminarians began scurrying throughout the trainroom, moving carefully, but voicing exclamations about every detail they saw, as they noticed them and shared independent discoveries with one another and us. They were very, very happy. I can still hear them and feel their presence that day in my mind.

The whole experience felt like a Corporal Work of Mercy, knowing that when these seminarians returned to their studies at the seminary, they would, likely, never see a train layout again. Some of them were about to leave for Rome, and I was absolutely positive they would not be seeing model trains there (!) A serendipitous moment had turned out to be 1 1/2 hrs. of adult playtime, of a sort, not counting the luncheon afterwards !

Seeing their happiness was a tremendous Christmas gift, to me. I was grateful for their joy and remember thinking to myself that the best things and times are those that are shared with others. Unfortunately, we did not have cell phones possessed of cameras, at that time, so we had no way of preserving the event, beyond the joy in everybody's hearts. The layout had made somebody happy. That was the greatest , for me, and for my wife.

Moonson posted:

Interesting idea for a thread, Arnold.

For me (and my wife, who enjoys our layout very much,) an especially and unexpectedly (because it wasn't planned  to be as it developed) enjoyable sharing of the layout occurred when we had invited this group of seminarians, along with our Pastor, to our home for a Christmas luncheon.

The trains were ready to run, of course, especial since it was Holiday time, but I had not mentioned the layout to them; rather, during champagne in the living room when they first came into our home, it was Father who asked if they could see the trains. I was surprised because our Pastor had not shown any particular interest in the trains, previously, beyond his natural courtesy.

I preceded their going down to the basement, to get the whole shebang cranked-up and sounding its special cacophony, by the time they began their decent, escorted by my wife down the stairs. From my position at the bank of ZWs, I was able to observe them descending the stairs in their cassocks, and heard and watched their unbridled joy in discovering the trains and miniature community unfolding in front of them, and I was thrilled, frankly, as was my wife. The seminarians began scurrying throughout the trainroom, moving carefully, but voicing exclamations about every detail they saw, as they noticed them and shared independent discoveries with one another and us. They were very, very happy. I can still hear them and feel their presence that day in my mind.

The whole experience felt like a Corporal Work of Mercy, knowing that when these seminarians returned to their studies at the seminary, they would, likely, never see a train layout again. Some of them were about to leave for Rome, and I was absolutely positive they would not be seeing model trains there (!) A serendipitous moment had turned out to be 1 1/2 hrs. of adult playtime, of a sort, not counting the luncheon afterwards !

Seeing their happiness was a tremendous Christmas gift, to me. I was grateful for their joy and remember thinking to myself that the best things and times are those that are shared with others. Unfortunately, we did not have cell phones possessed of cameras, at that time, so we had no way of preserving the event, beyond the joy in everybody's hearts. The layout had made somebody happy. That was the greatest , for me, and for my wife.

Frank, I totally understand how wonderful that get together was for your audience. We, on this Forum, get a taste of that just about every time we see one of your scenes in your posts. This is because of your extraordinary modeling skills and the love you express in your creations  for the beauty in the common man, in nature and in the man-made things in your scenes. 

We, model railroaders of all skill levels, see beauty in many things that others cannot see, such as the beauty in coal hoppers, oil tanker cars, junkyards, alley ways, etc., especially if they are weathered and down and dirty.

Arnold

Artyoung's above reply about patriotic music inspired me to share the following:

It's April 17th, 1951, the home opener at Yankee Stadium. It's the only Yankee opening day when DiMaggio and Mantle were in the same outfield. 

Now it's time for the 7Th inning stretch. Bob Sheppard, whose golden baritone voice was the closest thing on Earth to the voice of God, is about to speak.

Bob Sheppard: "Ladies and gentlemen, please join Kate Smith as she sings God Bless America:"

Kate Smith's singing voice is so powerful that she did not need a microphone to be heard by 60,000 fans! And hear her passion as she hits those glorious high notes at the end of Irving Berlin's masterpiece!

Notice that even the D Train, out of profound respect, stops for God Bless America.

Arnold

zzzzzzzzzzZZZZZzzzzzzzzZZZZZ

Love it, thanks. Don

scale rail posted:

Love it, thanks. Don

For those Forum members who may not know, Don Mccuaig is a masterful professional cinematographer. If you have not yet done so, treat yourself to the fabulous videos he created of his model trains, his scuba dives in Hawaii's waters, etc., on YouTube.

Arnold

artyoung posted:

Believe it or not, it was a banned song on Armed Forces Radio. Crazy world, ain't it?

Understandable taken in time context as part of a medley of "anti-establishment" protest songs.

Cat Stevens is not the man or performer of yesteryear. Just sayin.

I have to say, the title of your thread threw me.  I was expecting something more along the lines of this!!

mike.caruso posted:

I have to say, the title of your thread threw me.  I was expecting something more along the lines of this!!

Understandable. This "Soul Train" tittle of this post is intended to be all inclusive, meaning whatever moves one's soul in any way related to trains.

Walter Anderson posted:

Cat Stevens is not the man or performer of yesteryear. Just sayin.

None of us are, except in our minds.

What, me worry?

Thank you, Arnold. I had hesitated posting that, but felt it might have been an appropriate reply since you asked for something "that has really moved" us regarding our trains. Also, I have always found OGR Forum to be a friendly place, so I felt my sharing that narrative about how happy those seminarians became might have been acceptable.

And Thank you so very much for your additional comments about my modeling and layout. You certainly are a kind gentleman.

FrankM

Yup - I agree Mike Caruso, was expecting a similar theme.

No loss, this jogged my memory; a very overlooked and underplayed Philly Soul train-related classic:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYgiO21OXGg

One to mention is Arlo Guthrie singing about the Illionois Central Gulf brown and Orange City of New Orleans.

Kate Smith sang this song best! 

mike.caruso posted:

I have to say, the title of your thread threw me.  I was expecting something more along the lines of this!!

Yes!! I didn't expect to hear "Peace Train" on "Soul Train" when I looked at the post  Nice video Arnold.

Not the Detroit Emeralds, yet it is the "Station"  

Feel The Need - Graham Central Station https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B10-z3dXDCg

A childhood memory: One of my Dominican Nun teachers in St. Elizabeth's elementary school would hand crank an old Victrola to play a 78 rpm record of Kate Smith singing that song as only she could before we started our class day!

Here is the kind of "Soul" some of you folks expected from the title of this topic:

I liked but never loved Stevie Wonder until today. It is so weird, but it's like someone threw a switch in my brain, and now I think Stevie Wonder's songs are awesome.

Arnold