Yesterday I talked about Thomas the Tank Engine. Well from Thomas, his interest stayed with trains but branched out to real steams trains and then to any type of train in general. This interest started with finding out that some of the Rev. W. Awdry's trains, author of the Thomas stories were based on real trains. While wandering through Barnes & Noble, HistoryBoy found a book entitled The Illustrated Book of Steam and Rail. It is a reference book, 512 pages, lots of pictures, lots of words describing each picture in detail. In this book, HistoryBoy found a picture of the the real "Stepney" engine.
Can you imagine it, a 4 year old poring over this book and getting so excited over it? Adults are looking at me with amused glances thinking that the poor child doesn't know what he is looking at. I am thinking "Oh no, not again." I know I am in for a completely obsession, except now instead of hearing about Thomas, I am going to learning about rail gauges and rail lines and how fast this one goes, when they started production of a particular train and when they stopped making it.
Thankfully he found the book in their bargain book section so I am not against buying it. Usually the books he really loves are SO expensive. I mean, really, what reference book is cheap to buy? Thankfully he does love the DK Eyewitness Series which is relatively affordable, so I can buy one here and there for him, and he can ask for them as a gift for his birthday for Christmas from a relative and get it.
And I was right, I learned about narrow gauge, standard gauge, mountain gauge and high speed train like the bullet train. I know there are probably some I have forgotten too because, thankfully, this obsession has subsided somewhat, but when some breakthrough on speed records for trains (like the bullet trains) or some new patents for design, he knows about it somehow. How I amnot sure, he just says he heard about it and knew. (Does he have train ESP?) And needs to look it up and get all the new info on it so he can be up to date. And we still own the Illustrated Guide to Steam and Rail to look up anything he may have forgotten.
Until tomorrow...
I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave a comment or email me at teenahope@gmail.com
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