Book Review: Trains of Newfoundland

Trains of Newfoundland book cover

I had high expectations for Trains of Newfoundland, the fourth book by Kenneth G. Pieroway on railways in Newfoundland. I’m happy to say that my expectations were met and exceeded. This beautiful 122 page book features a foreword by Robert J. Sandusky, a preface, a map and a condensed timeline, but the vast majority of … Read more

Bayview Junction

GO Transit passing the CN Bayview sign

I crossed another item off my “to do list” – I visited Bayview Junction in Ontario. I listed three goals for 2022 in my Looking Back, Looking Forward post at the start of this year: As the classic Meatloaf song goes, “two out of three ain’t bad.” I rode the Canadian to Sioux Lookout earlier … Read more

It’s Been a While

Blurred train moving fast

I haven’t been railfanning much. I haven’t felt like it and I’ve been respecting that. In October I took a few photos of trains – almost entirely because I was bicycling past – and I didn’t “go out railfanning” once. In early November, I was finally inspired to go photograph some trains. On Friday night … Read more

Photo Gift Guide

Picture of grain elevator over desk

If you’re looking for some gift ideas for your favourite railfan, I have a few suggestions for gifts featuring photos. I use Redbubble to sell a variety of products featuring my photography (you can view my portfolio here). One of the main reasons why I like Redbubble is because they have such a huge range … Read more

Travel by Rail from Berlin to Cologne

Berlin Hauptbahnhof sign

My wife and I went to Germany in late 2021 to visit the Christmas markets. After we toured the markets in Berlin, it was time to travel to visit the Christmas markets in Cologne. We arrived at Berlin’s Hauptbahnhof (central station) well before our train’s scheduled departure time. It’s better to be early than late… … Read more

Riding Berlin’s Public Transit System

German S-Bahn crossing the Oberbaumbrücke

My wife and I visited Germany in late 2021 to tour the famed German Christmas markets. We visited Berlin, Cologne (Koln) and Frankfurt during our 12 day visit. We used public transit in each city, and in this post I’ll share a few photos and comments on Berlin’s subways and trams. Berlin’s public transit system … Read more

A Sunset Trio

Three trains

This post has been in “draft” state for more than three years. It’s maybe a stretch to call it a “draft”, as it was just a title and the words “August 18”. I had to do some detective work! First, I determined that I meant August 18, 2019. Next, I went to Lightroom and saw … Read more

Why I Was In the USSR

Two people in a rowboat

After I wrote about our apartment in Moscow, a few people asked why I was in the Soviet Union at all! The short answer was that my father – Sergeant George Boyko – was posted to the Canadian embassy. Canada has embassies in most countries. Embassies serve several functions, including serving their visiting citizens, working … Read more