It all began innocently enough with a set of Thomas the Tank Engine DVDs. Colin had been a big fan of the books growing up so we thought it was a nice thing to start Sam on. Fast forward a few months and we've now got a serious train lover on our hands. Not a day goes by without Sam standing in front of the tv holding a train in one hand and pointing to the screen saying "dee-bee-dee". I can't say that I blame him though because the whole thing is rather addictive. Between reading the books and watching the DVDs, I've become quite a fan. Kicking it up a notch, we've now started Sam off with a handful of wooden train pieces and some track but we're starting to realize the slippery slope that we've embarked upon. There seem to be countless engines, coaches, track sets and buildings that we can add to his collection. For now, we're planning on expanding his set slowly and in the meantime, are crossing our fingers that he stays a Thomas fan for a very, very long time!
Speaking of trains, there used to be a railway in Newfoundland. In fact, the Newfoundland Railway was operational from 1898 to 1988 and was instrumental in opening up the centre of the province to the mining and pulp and paper industries. During World War II when German U-boats patrolled the waters around Newfoundland, the railway provided a crucial means of transporting Canadian and American forces from bases throughout the province to St. John's where the military convoys were assembled for the dangerous trek across the North Atlantic. Despite its glory days, the modern fate of the railway was essentially sealed for two reasons. First, it was the only railway in North America using the narrow gauge system. Second, it became less in demand as it became more economical to transport people and goods on the Trans-Canada Highway. It's a real shame that the railway is gone as it would no doubt have become a popular tourist attraction for the increasing number of visitors to the island. Also, we would have had a great time going for trips with Sam. One, albeit small, consolation is that there is still a railway museum here in St. John's that we can take Sam to, the Railway Coastal Museum. I haven't been in a few years but remember having enjoyed our visit. As I recall, they have one room with an enormous model electric railway set up. If they offer family passes, that may well become a popular place to visit on a rainy day...
On a completely tangential note, for people craving a new video installment, here's a clip of me quizzing Sam on his Moo, Baa, La-la-la book by Sandra Boynton. We love her books and read them all the time. I was pretty impressed this week when I started reading the Moo, Baa, La-la-la book to Sam and he started filling in the barnyard animal sounds. I guess he really has been paying attention!
