Post 490: Thirteen years later...

I received an email recently from a friend who is celebrating a milestone in his online writings, which got me to thinking about my little corner of the internet, the Beachburg Sub. With this post, I have reached 490 posts, meaning I'm closing in on that magical milestone of 500. 

 

On April 30, 2013, I posted my first entry on this blog. I was a fairly new father at that point, not to mention a little less grey. A lot has changed since then. I became a father again (in 2015), changed jobs in the public service twice, moved twice, and have grown into the person I am today. I say grown into who I am today because my mental health journey from 2013 until now was not without its bumps. However, with hard work, I was able to overcome bouts of mental instability and enjoy life.

The name Beachburg Sub was my first choice and only choice. I think it symbolizes my approach to railway blogging, which is talking about the old and the new. Waxing on the nostalgic and looking forward. The Beachburg Sub is now a short piece of track that was once part of a national transcontinental line. It now sits in limbo, possibly as a key future piece to Ottawa's commuter rail network. 

Much of my journey has been made easier through the online bonds I have formed with other railway bloggers. Everyone I have encountered has been most gracious with their time and with helpful information. And I'm not just talking about Eric Gagnon and Steve Boyko, two of the best railway bloggers out there today. Eric (of Trackside Treasure) and Steve (of traingeek.ca) have helped me along the way and offered encouragement as well.

But many others (Dave M., Keith Boardman, A.J., Kevin from Windsor, J.D. Lowe to name a few) have contributed to this blog just by reaching out, offering information, asking questions, steering me to new topics and pointing out where I've missed the mark.

I consider myself lucky for getting to know everyone who has helped me. Whenever I encounter something where I don't know as much as someone else, I always find those people are quick to fill in the blanks for me. I recall how intimidating it was to start a blog in 2013, simply because people often give in to their worst impulses online. I wanted no part of that.

Thankfully, I have encountered almost no hostility on this blog. To be honest, I don't know if I have ever had to deal with anything unpleasant from readers. You have all been very kind. 

That's why I thought it would be a good time to express my gratitude to you all now, rather than wait for some other arbitrary even number.  

 

My family's history in the railways is what sparked my lifelong interest. But everyone who has dropped by this blog is what has kept me going. We live in a time when railways are not nearly as colourful as they once were. We also live in a time when civility is sadly at a premium. That is why I value everyone that has helped me along the way. This blog is in my name, but it is the work of everyone who came before me and is as much the product of your contributions as it is mine.

 

Thank you.

 

Michael

 

hammmond DOT michael77 At gmail DOT com