Dear Pilot,
I’m not sure if we’re ever going to get to hear that particular story from U-505 again, if it’s the one I am thinking of. There’s been debate around here recently about how much of people we ought to be seeing and that story involves seeing quite a bit.
We’re holding the Pan-American Festival of the Arts currently and there’s been a lot of upset over one artist who did a drawing of a man with no clothes on. It must have been quite good because it won second place in the awards, but Mr. Danilov, the director, says that nude bodies are art, not science and so they should not be shown to children. Mr. Paley, who is in charge of public relations, says nude bodies are science and not art.
It sounds complicated, figuring out what is art and what’s science. It surely doesn’t help that it’s an art festival at a science museum. I’m sure I couldn’t tell the difference either if it was any business of engines. 999 says she’s been described as both science and art, and then 2903 said quite decidedly that a thing could be both then. I’d be quite happy to agree with that.
Since Mr. Danilov and Mr. Paley couldn’t agree if the drawing was scientific enough to be shown as is, they put some tape over the artistic parts as a compromise. The artist, though, didn’t like that at all and told the newspaper all about it. So now people are coming to the museum to see the controversial art, which means we in the yard are getting to see more people too.
I’m not sure if the Christmas trees themselves are donated, but all the decorations and the work of putting them on the trees are. Every tree’s ornaments are handmade and local groups and organizations come in to decorate the trees for the event. It sounds delightful and I’m a little jealous of the engines who get to live inside since they get to meet all these different people and see their trees. Luckily, we’re doing all these other festivals throughout the year so we in the yard are not missing out too much.
It’s wonderful that your CTA cars are being remembered – and used even! One sometimes gets to feeling our obsolescence in retirement, especially since we’re meant to be Useful. You’d think being a part of people’s every day would make us forgettable once we’re not anymore. It’s good to be reminded that many of our passengers think back on us enough to want that experience one more time.
Last month, my guides came out with a newspaper clipping to show me. It was a question-and-answer column and an elderly couple wrote in to say that riding my train was one of their fondest memories, but that they had lost the brochure from their trip and wanted to know if another could be found for them. Burlington Northern did find one and mailed it to them! We are retired and our railroad has been merged into three others and yet they are still taking care of our passengers for us.
And the CTA is doing the same for the 4000s. Even if yours cannot join their sisters back on the rails, they must be very proud that their service is being revisited for old times sake. I feel that way when I hear you are doing a run too.
Your friend,
Pioneer