May 19, 2006

• The Depot

  

  
  

  Train Station on Wikipedia

  
  

  It used to be, there was a train depot in almost any small town or city. Back before the development of our extensive highway system and the common use of planes, the train depot was the place that every material dream stopped along the way to its destination! Whether you were going to the person or place of your dreams, of the person or thing of your dreams was coming to you, it stopped at the train depot.

  
  

  

  
  

  You might take a car to get to the depot, but if it was a long trip, you took the train. You slept on the train, you ate on the train, you had your honeymoon on the train - you took the train!

  
  

  

  
  

  A few of the old depots are still in use today, but in many small towns, not only have they torn down the depot, they have ripped out the tracks!

  
  

  

  
  

  From the wikipedia article linked above:

  
  

  
  

  Early stations were usually built with both passenger and goods facilities (though there was very often a separate freight terminal nearby, even in quite small communities). This dual purpose is less common today, and in many cases goods facilities are restricted to major stations. Generally stations are sited next to a railway or railroad line, or form the terminus for a particular route.

  
  

  In rural and remote communities across Canada and the United States passengers wanting to board the train had to literally flag the train down in order for it to stop. Such stations were known as "Flag stations".

  
  

  Many train stations — unsurprisingly — date from the 19th century and reflect the architecture of the time, grand in scale and size, lending prestige to the city as well as to railway operations. Countries where railways arrived later may still have such architecture, as later stations often imitated 19th century styles. Various forms of architecture have been used in the construction of railway stations, from those boasting grand and intricate almost baroque-style edifices, to more stark utilitarian or modern styles. Stations built more recently often have a similar feel to airports, with a cold and plain abstract style.

  
  

  

  
  

  This is a restored depot in Texas.

  
  

  Before the telephone, frequently, the telegraph office was located at the depot! Imagine xanga posts transferred via the telegraph and morse code! With a huge fee for each comment or post!

  
  

  
  

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  Spazmom40 says she might auction my ear on EBAY if she finds it!

  
  

  

  
  

  This is a picture of the missing ear!

  
  

  

  
  

  I am making a buy it now offer of 1 million Donkey bucks!

  
  

  

  
  

  Hey! Who let these guys in my Fridge??? All the chocolate is gone!!! Spazzzz?????

  
  

  
  

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  Dead Turkey Jokes of the Day Does your train of thought have a caboose? Is it time for your medication or mine? How do I set the laser printer to stun? I took an IQ test and the results were negative.

  
  

  
  

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  What serves as your "train depot" - the stop on the way to your dreams?

  • 6:53 am
  • 28 Comments