Welcome to The Frog Pond-bullfrog1954's channel! This is the place for rare train and railroad bits, interesting car rides, certain special events, other odds and ends, and history! I'll be posting both videos and slide shows from time to time, and everything is mastered in Hi-Def for best viewing quality. Subscribe-so you won't be left out!
Besides a week in OC furing the summer my wife insist we spend a week between Thanksgiving & New Years to tour the best Christmas display Winter Fest at the huge North Park. Glad they bought back the boardwalk tram car last year to drive you thru the 750,000 light bulbs on Christmas themes up to 30' high. Dollues & Fough Roller & popcorn store appear to be open all year but close atound 5 PM.
I once drove through a light display one Christmas night but forgot what year! Gotta admit it is interesting seeing OC in the winter! Practically got the place to yourself! You won't have a lot to do though, but still...why not! Last trip there was Sept 2019. Interesting they brought back Morbid Manor; was there in the 70s but later removed for a while. At least it's back! I also find interesting all the railroad history that I'll bet few people know of! Looking around there now one sees efforts for OC to get back to its RR routes! As a railfan I think that's great!
@@bullfrog1954 We have stayed in OC Thanksgiving week 6 or 7 times. Over halve maybe 3/4 of the restaurants are closed but still have a good # of excellent restaurants opened at least five days a week. Fagers has a great halve price prime rib every Sunday & Monday nights from late October to maybe March. Dollies & Pop corn store on the boardwalk open everyday until around 5 PM. My wife never gets tired of going to WinterFest in the huge North Park to see best Christmas displays with a total of over 750,000 light bulbs and displays up to 30' high. They finally raised the price from a very cheap $5 to $6. Doubt if they even break even only charging that little amount of money. The delicious cup of hot chocolate inside the huge tent still only cost a $1. We were down OC last week with our son & grandchildren.
Thanks for providing this. Great job and very interesting! I'd like to know where you picked up such in depth knowledge, especially related to the train lines. I have ancestry related to Maryland I just learned about. One of my great - great, etc .. grandfathers founded Woodsboro in Frederick County. Beautiful state! Thanks!
Interesting you have an ancestor who actually founded Woodsboro! Passed through many times! Back in 1983 rode the former MdMid train from Walkersville to Taneytown, passing through Woodsboro. Was last there a few years back capturing video of the station (posted). Most of my historical knowledge comes from various publications and visits to the main library in Baltimore where I studied all kinds of historic documents and publications. They had something called a Maryland Room where I would literally get carried away going through all that cool original historic stuff and lose track of time!! That was the 1980s; now there's something they call the internet where stuff can be found these days. Did find a site containing historic maps...that's now I do my research these days. Thank You for viewing. Glad you enjoyed! 😊👍✌
Well, I’ve played my fair share of Roblox railroading games, and to think that one GTW 6 chime sfx came from 11:18, I love this video, and as a fellow West Virginian, I love Cass, tho I’ve never been, I want to soon
You live in WV and never been to Cass?? You're missing a great experience! I was captivated from my first trip in May 1986! BTW Where in WV do you live (if you don't mind me asking)? I'm familiar with parts of the state and have posted videos.
@@bullfrog1954 I know its hard to believe but I havent been! My family has around the early 2000s, My Grandparents, Mom, Dad (I think) And two sisters went but I hadnt gone and I really dont remember why, as to where I am, I am in whats sadly the poorest county in the US, Mcdowell. If you go along the Norfolk Southern (ex N&W) Pocahontas division, You'll more then likely go straight threw my town
@@bullfrog1954 I know its hard to believe but I havent been! I want to go sometime soon tho, As for where I live? Sadly in the poorest county in the US, Mcdowell..
I'm assuming you mean the former B&O yard as there was no yard per se on the Corridor, only a spur to APG with sidings. I do have photos from the 80s; by the 90s all but one track was gone. At the moment the only posted photo is part of a slide show of a 1983 trip up the Philly Sub. It's here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-1EzfdP5LAG0.html Aberdeen photos start at 2:55 but a glimpse of the yard behind the station at 8:50 near the right of the frame.
Sorry didn't immediately reply-had a lot going on. If it weren't for what I had going on I'd be having great evenings (some dry humor there)! Still-Thank You! Wishing you great evenings too, and the rest of the day as well! 😊👍
I feel fortunate myself to have made it! Had three days combined into one, including the rainstorm! A great day and night! Thanx for viewing! Peace and Good Cheer... ✌👍👌
I've met people in Philly and my lady has roots there but never heard that pronunciation! Then again never talked about the beach with anybody from Philly...
@@bullfrog1954 yes, the light refraction of the mist... I've also been video taping my shadows, I seem to cast 2 of them on the upper body but closer to the ground is sharper, unified, normal looking. I'd never have noticed these things if not for my art degree, finally came in usefu3, lol!
@@ShekinahGwaii I thought there were two parts to each shadow; a "light" portion and and a dark one; both of which determine how the moon will appear during a lunar eclipse. Also, with rainbows there can be multiple parts to it, each containing the entire spectrum.
Check out these videos: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-o19xeZECrM4.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Ghrvra_pFuk.html Thank You!
You're quite Welcome! Luckily we did this trip before the coming of the bike trail! Despite being a onetime avid biker myself (vids posted) the trail would've detracted from effect we were trying to achieve-now things looked in the classic days of the line. Also did this in July 1997 with really great results: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-2fx0zQm8bVs.html Yep-those days were great! Thanx! 👌👍✌
Thank You! Others also say they appreciate my dry humor! Then again, I've had a bit of practice at this; having first been told that in the mid-1980s! I do try to get an occasional one-liner out but admit I sometimes flop! And, you're right...there are multiple health (and other) issues compounding things but at my age that's to be expected and that bad fall I took on my front porch steps in November 2022 only pounded another nail in my casket. Maybe one day I'll be able to do something substantial again. In the meantime there's lots of stuff in the archives including many rarities! Again thanx for your concern. ✌👍👌
Having fallen myself some time ago I definitely understand how that can be a life changing event. I too, come out with one liners that sometimes are not appreciated although I think they’re funny!
@@jonathanmeeks9973 Actually, the aforementioned fall wasn't my worst! Back in June 1998 I had a bad slip-and-fall in a supermarket one night! Worked for Blockbuster back then. After closing at 12 AM went to the market for a few things and walked onto an incredibly slippery floor at one point that was apparently all soaped up! Floor too slippery so couldn't regain balance and went right down! BTW NO "wet floor" signs anywhere in the vicinity!! Had a bad back injury in 1982 from an accident so I got in the habit of watching for "wet floor" signs! Can't afford another back injury; might be life-changing, and in 1998 it was...the beginning of the end. Went back to work despite the increased pain, but by July 1999 couldn't take it any more and had to take an early retirement. I've tried all kinds of stuff from medication to having pain nerves shut off (several times for that) but pain comes back. Also have a stim machine that provides some relief...whenever I feel like taking the time to put the electrodes on, that is. Still, I'd like to get out again! Might work wonders as it's been a while! Maybe still get an occasional one-liner out. As the Stones once said "...what a drag it is getting old." Peace...✌👍👌
@@bullfrog1954 My most recent fall was when I was returning from the eye doctor wearing those thick shades they give you after dilating my pupils. Tripped over threshold coming into house and down I went cracking my patella. I most miss your trips where you try to stick to the old roads.
Nice video and great channel! You have lots of information about the ma&pa railroad and I really love that because I’m trying to find more about the old history of the ma&pa railroad and what York’s history with railroads used to look like
Thank You! I've been researching Ma & Pa since I first learned about it in the early 1970s, not realizing I've actually seen the line as a kid! It was at the request of the folks putting this event on that I come and document it due to my establishing myself as both a Ma & Pa enthusiast and a semi-decent video producer (compliments, I guess). My resulting "clout" allowed me to see places in the station normally off-limits to visitors! On train rides the staff would often ask me if they didn't remember something! Hey, what else can I say... On the Ma & Pa Preservation website there's a page listing posted Ma & Pa videos, most of which are mine! Yep-I'm pretty well known in Ma & Pa circles! Click this: maandparailroad.com/videos.php Thanx again!
Thank You! Glad you liked the quality despite my having done this on 8mm tape before hi-def! Not worth doing that now due to the paralleling bike trail. I'm a biker too but I prefer trains!
The best way to see the actual row is on the Harford County webGIS page. They have base maps that show photo aerials, and you can clearly see the tracks and trestles of the MA & PA. It shows where the line went after Vale station in photos, taken when the track was still there.
Thank You for letting me know about that HC website! Checked out other stuff as well as Ma & Pa! Impressive aerials from 1938 and 1952; great that one can zoom in and still maintain some detail! Actually cleared a few things up for me! Shame Vale Station has been torn down since this video; I first discovered that in March 2020 during a drive. Here's the link to that video ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-g-rnP2V0U0A.html It's at the 23:06 mark. There's a website I've been using for classic maps and photos called NETR Historic Aerials. They too offer aerials but not as far back as the HC website and theirs don't maintain as much detail when zoomed in. The old maps going back to the 1800s are great as they show all the original routes of travel! Planned many of my Day Odysseys with the aid of those maps! Still interesting to see all the Ma & Pa detail! Actually got to meet Charles Mahan-Mr. Ma & Pa himself-in 1988 when I attended a slide show he put on of his classic pix but only took us as far as the Little Gunpowder! Shame he didn't take us into Harford County!! Still great to have met the man.
Summer 94 was my rite of passage induction into the counterculture. My mother's boyfriend was a music journalist and had tix not just for the reunion concert but for the Pepsi backed even with all the big names as well. Our car was blocked in shortly after we arrived to Bethel so I could not attend the other. My first Shakedown Street experience that yielded my first blotter acid adventure. Eventually I was walking around the campground under the influence and made my way onto a double decker bus where an old guy with a flowing mane of hair named something epic like "Sunbear" invited me to chat and drink tea. I asked him if there was anything in it and he said they did not take drugs. Hmmm so after a few minutes he suggested I come and live with their caravan. I told him I had a stepmom in Cincinnati Ohio and had to go to high school there. jj. At some point after leaving the bus I encountered a group of people tagging a white van with sharpies. I left a vestige for future generations ' " Acid Is Groooovy '94 EMI " I remember laying in my tent at night after the first trip and realizing nothing would ever be the same again. Correct. Thanks Life!
I myself really never got totally into the counterculture but I did drop in for visits on a semi-regular basis...best I can explain my involvement back in the day. It was great back then because it all seemed so fresh! Couldn't get to Woodstock '69 (but was caught in the same rainstorm as I was on a family trip to New Jersey that day-bit did see clips from the concert on the evening news) but at least made it to Bethel in 1994! Was there for just the one day but everything that happened at the '69 original happened on that one day in August 1994...down to the rainstorm! As the rain ended I expected to hear chants of "No rain!" but everyone shouted "MORE rain!!" Go figure! Was still great! Visited the site a few times since; the last being 2014 (vid posted in my Day Odyssey Series) but with the site now built on it isn't the same! It's a shame!! Peace. ✌
@@bullfrog1954 An epic recounting of the experience. The best thing we can do is make books and other media to document what we lived through. The younger generations that will never see that world will benefit from that too I'm in the process of writing a book about being Gen X and some of the rites of passage I went through in the 80s and 90s. Woodstock 94 was definitely one of them.
Would’ve been cool in my opinion if there was video or picture of BEDT 15 when it arrived on strasburg property for the first time the month before this was recorded. And before the engine became today’s working thomas replica. Not that it’s too big of a deal but it would’ve been interesting.
I have a movie from September 1978 where I show most motive power of the day; possibly showing the unit to which you refer. Hope to get it digitized one day as there's a big difference in how the Strasburg RR grounds looked back then! It's part of my archival collection of classic clips!
Thank You! The track now just dead-ends at Herr's as a stub but once ran all the way to the C&PD; last train having traveled the entire secondary was in the mid-50s. Probably stopped running beyond Herr's sometime in the 1980s.
Didn't the Orioles win in 1970 as well? I'm not from Baltimore but always loved the Memorial on the stadium. That typeface/font is beautiful. I'm sure it has a name, but I don't know it.
The Orioles may have won in 1970 as well but I really can't remember! Guess I'm getting rusty in my old age! As far as the font goes I tried looking through the fonts I have. A few come close but still don't quite match up. Best I can describe it is some kind of art deco (which I've always been a fan of).
@@bullfrog1954 Thank you for your reply. They did win it in 1970; they beat the Reds in 5 games. I agree with your describing that beautiful font as "art deco" as that was the first style that came to my mind. Am I right that the memorial was demolished with the rest of the stadium? If so, that is shameful.
@@anrun Unfortunately, you're right...the facade was demolished despite "promises" to keep it intact. Best of my knowledge the only thing "saved" was home plate which was installed at Camden Yards at its original opening but something tells me it's been long replaced. The seats at Memorial Stadium were sold off; assuming the buyers still have them that's all that's left from Memorial. Thanx for viewing and commenting.
@@bullfrog1954 Thank you as well. I'm not sure any memorial should be demolished unless there really is no other option. Surely, some place in the greater Baltimore area could have been found to house and display such a beautiful memorial. Again, shameful.
As a matter of fact, I do! I have one posted in my Google+ 2014 Photos of the Week slideshow at the 13:31 mark. It's the former Ebenezer Road crossing. Here's the link: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-tWfYvhKSyaY.html Other NEC photos there too. Have other photos as well not posted yet, but some classic Aberdeen MD photos on Google Maps. Click the Aberdeen Amtrak marker.
I’m an Aussie and you guys have a beautiful country . I really love those towns you went through to get to centralia . Very sad what happened there though. I really enjoyed the video hope you are doing great man
Thank You very much for your kind comment! Much appreciated! I don't get out as much these days as I'd like due to various factors including declining health due to recent injuries but still hope to get out again and get back in production. I do appreciate your concern, and soon as I can get some of this back pain to subside a bit I'm going to give it another shot. Thanx again. Peace...✌✌👍
@@bullfrog1954 I feel like I’m in a similar situation joint issues from work and rheumatoid arthritis in my lower back . I hope your gettin help look after yourself
I was doing relatively fine until a slip-and-fall in May 1998 forced my retirement in July 1999. I managed to survive two close brushes with death before that but it was that fall that changed everything! Got OK enough to do some biking but the back pain again increased due to another slipped disc (first one in 1990) requiring surgery...immediately after which I had my third close brush with death-cardiac arrest! After recovery tried getting back into the swing of things including making the videos I'd go on to post. Did OK until all the recent happenings; one of which was turning 70. That's what makes all this so frustrating-doing pretty-much OK until recently!! Hope your arthritis isn't getting you down. I've been dealing with that myself for decades now. I know how you feel-believe me! Anyway-good health to us both! Glad to hear from you! Hope you'll stop by again soon! BTW Had an uncle in Sydney till he passed in the late 90s. Had an "Aussie" connection myself! Peace and Good Cheer to you...✌👍👌
Had another look myself, and you could be right. To me, for the longest time, they were virtually indistinguishable! Then again-at least on that day-I was concentrating more on riding those historic rails behind a cool loco to think about the consist!
On Pete's latest video he went to ballpark. I told him about a video from 12yrs ago that should be featured in the museum. The one you made about the old stadium being torn down. I explained how informative & even had trivia. Others also wrote & told him. He can't figure out who made it & none of us told him. We will leave that honor up to you. A exceptional video. It should be played in baseball museums. It deserves a award. Gus we are very proud of you. I recalled it from years past (many also did) as I follow all your marvelous work.
I checked out Pete's ballpark video but didn't see where you explained anything! I did post a video of Memorial Stadium in 2012 but if Pete were to find it he'd have no problem as there are many ways he-or anybody-would know it's mine! After all-my name would be on it! Nothing to figure out! I do appreciate your compliments, but believe me...viewers know it's me! Haven't had a problem yet!
@@bullfrog1954 Something happened my post is gone! Other folks posts are missing also. Sorry Gus I can't explain it. Maybe Pete did but I don't know why he would as your video was very memorable & a part of history you so eloquently done. Anyhow sure appreciate your reply & wish you the best as always.
Really no post should disappear unless it's in poor taste or not within YT standards though I've seen some heavy-duty stuff which somehow got by. Normally only the owner of the channel and whoever posted the comment (in this case either Pete or you) can remove it but no one else. No biggie, really. I still appreciate your compliments!
Thanks for posting these! My family lives not far from the location. The WV Northern was completely standalone out of Kingwood WV with one interchange (B&O) at Tunnelton to the south. It operated as a coal hauler primarily from 1888-1991 serving up to a dozen substantial mines until its last customers shuttered for good. In its last years it operated a handful of SW1200 and NW2 locomotives, two which were later repurposed on the tourist line (depicted) from 1994-99 until debts and the town of Kingwood put them out of business for good. As part of the debt repayment all of the physical remnants of the line were sold off and/or scrapped by the early 2000s. Virtually nothing of the RR itself or any of the mines remains (except the ROW itself and some detention ponds), but ROW is being revived again as the WV Northern rail trail, with the first section (crushed limestone) having been completed from Kingwood Yard (now a lot and park) to Snider. The entire ROW is walkable / bikeable as far as I know. An interesting feature between Snider and Irona is a switchback to gain elevation to the Howesville area (shown). Even with 3-4 locos I couldn’t imagine trains on this line were all that long, considering the switchbacks and steep grades. Pretty neat and historical line, though! For more info see: www.american-rails.com/wvn.html
I'm familiar with most of the history of the WVNRR, and apparently I'm very fortunate to have gotten to ride it in May 1996 considering what's happened since! That was a great ride as I got to operate the switcher en route back to Kingwood and we even covered the rare mileage into downtown Kingwood not having been traveled in a while! As this was a private fantrip we had control of the train...literally. Our train negotiated the switchback rather well; only other switchbacks I've seen were at Cass. A revisit to the Tunnelton area in May 2013 showed a really sad sight (to us, anyway)...track pulled up and ROW growing over!I'm familiar with most of the history of the WVNRR, and apparently I'm very fortunate to have gotten to ride it in May 1996 considering what's happened since! That was a great ride as I got to operate the switcher en route back to Kingwood and we even covered the rare mileage into downtown Kingwood not having been traveled in a while! As this was a private fantrip we had control of the train...literally. Our train negotiated the switchback rather well; only other switchbacks I've seen were at Cass. A revisit to the Tunnelton area in May 2013 showed a really sad sight (to us, anyway)...track pulled up and ROW growing over! Same at Howesville! We knew the line stopped in 1999 but still-just couldn't get over it! All sadly just a memory now. Did get somethin g for my efforts though-in 2010 my rare Kingwood footage was used in a DVD production of the line and I was credited. Our 2013 visit is documented in a Day Odyssey video, and I have several other posted clips from my 1996 ride including my driving the train. Hope you'll check 'em out! Thanx for commenting!
You're quite Welcome! I have a Day Odyssey video from 2016 where I also show it! Here's the link: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-p1dyGGfgdac.html It's at the 23:23 mark.
The large building along Commerce St. was once a large feed mill. The smaller was not the freight station. The freight station was on the opposite side of the track, behind the Miss Oxford Diner. It burned down in 1988/89. East Penn owns the track to the state line. Cecil County owns the track in Md. It's still there in spots, some bridges were removed and torn out on the north side of Rising Sun.
I'm familiar with the Rising Sun area. What I've always tried to determine where in Oxford the LOS dipped below the standard tracks to head west. Of course the cut's been long-filled but would still be great to find the spot. Will have to check out historic maps.
@@bullfrog1954 I'm trying to remember. When I worked that line you could still see a trace of the one abutment. IIRC, it was between South St. and Mt. Pleasant.
Back in 1982 during a visit to Strasburg in one of the shops I found a driving tour of the LOS. It was just several 8 1/2x11 pages of maps and text bound inside a clear plastic "binder." Caught my attention as that was about the time I became really interested in the LOS having first heard of it in Hilton's Ma & Pa book. Can't remember who put it together (would've had to have been either Ben Kline or Bill Modinger) but it was set up as a circuitous route so one could begin the "tour" at any point on the line and automatically return to their starting point. It even had some points only reachable by "public" farm roads (which I did use without incident) but the tour took my by points I might not have ordinarily seen! Included everything-even the Quarryville branch! Very comprehensive! Problem is...I can't find it!! Right about now I could use it!! If I come across it I'll let you know! I still recommend Ben Kline's Little, Old, and Slow. Great history of the line!
Having read both Benjamin Kline's and George Hilton's books on this it seems the name came from intent (or wishful thinking) after its morph from the Peach Bottom Ry. Several subsequent incidents occurred which they hoped to take advantage of, like the Lancaster & Reading Narrow Gauge RR (only a name; standard gauge from the start) building from Quarryville to Lancaster and B&O extending its Childs line beyond Singerly into Lancaster County utilizing the LOS Quarryville line to reach the LRNG. When the Penn found out about B&O's plans to enter Lancaster County they bought the LRNG thereby blowing the B&O's plans, along with LOS plans to standard-gauge. The beginning of the end for the LOS.
@@bullfrog1954 The Peach Bottom RWY was when it was the Eastern Division of a planned narrow gauge network in South Central Pa. When this failed, It became the LO&S, the wester part became the Ma & Pa. The RDG initially leased the Quarryville Branch, for about 10 years. The B&O built from Childs, Md. to a point just north of Providence Mills. A financial panic ended construction and subsequent plans to build to Oxford. Reading gave up the lease, and the PRR took it over.
Nice video. Interesting to see what it looked like in 1991. I lived around the area for 14 years. Some things have changed and some things are the same. I have many videos from Ocean City, MD and around the area.
I did this for two reasons...to follow Maryland's onetime scenic ocean-to-Oakland route (marked by black-eyed-Susan signs) and to show people that OC doesn't disappear during the winter. Wanted to see it for myself too! I first visited as a kid in the early 60s...if you wanna talk about changes, I got stories! I've seen a lot of it! Back then one could still go under the boardwalk! How things change... 👍✌👌
