Santa Fe Railroad

ATSFa Railroad - Photo: Wikipedia

One of the most popular railways in history was known as Santa Fe even though its official name was Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe. From 1859 until 1996 this railway provided numerous services for hauling materials and maintaining miles of railroad tracks. It became one of the largest and most profitable railway companies during its prime.

The Santa Fe Railroad took a very entrepreneurial approach to their services. They purchased large areas of land from the government and then built their railroad tracks through them. They took the remaining land and sold it to businesses and individuals looking for a place to build a home or to operate a farm. They knew that by bringing people to these areas they would soon need supplies to be brought to them via the railway.

In addition, they implemented the concepts of adding buses and ferries to their passenger railway services. Since they couldn’t always reach the passengers by train they had locations set up where people could use the ferry or the bus to reach the train as part of the price of the train ride. This idea was an immediate hit and increased the number of people that began using the Santa Fe railroad for their transportation needs. 

In 1872 the Santa Fe railroad took advantage of the cattle industries in both Colorado and Kansas. They were able to ship live cows on their trains as well as to transport meat from the processing and ship it to other areas. Some businesses felt this concept was a double dip for the railway while others felt it was the genius idea that offered them plenty of profit without having to build more train tracks to reach it.

Yet the real money for the Santa Fe Railroad came with the discovery of gold in the mountains of Colorado around what is today Leadville and Cripple Creek. The railroad was able to bring supplies to the area for those looking to strike it rich. They also hauled the gold for the various companies mining it and charged a hefty price for doing so.

With the earnings that the Santa Fe railroad was making from the gold rush, they decided to expand their railway tracks into new territory. They faced many challenges getting them built along Raton Pass into New Mexico. There were simply too many hills and mountains to make this an easy job. 

Between 1965 and 1945 Santa Fe had become the most profitable railway in the country. They started out with only 62 miles of track and had grown to more than 13,000 miles. As the years went by Santa Fe continued to be a very profitable company, yet they had many competitors to contend with as well. This bit into their profits and they decided in 1983 to merge with Southern Pacific. 

The merger was never completed though as it was denied by the Interstate Commerce Commission. They felt that this merger would result in too many duplicate routes being in place by the railways. Many people were surprised when Santa Fe merged with one of its biggest competitors in 1996. Burlington Northern has always been well known for acquiring other railway companies. With this acquisition through their name took a change as well and became known as Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF). 

Yet both of these individual companies found that they were offering the same services, had similar goals, and wanted to offer the best possible training for their employees. They found they both had some strengths and some weaknesses but by joining forces they could emerge as the very best railway company in the world. 

Today BNSF is the most profitable railway in the business as they are able to offer competitive rates and they have thousands of miles of train tracks to incorporate various routes. They work hard to educate the public about safety issues and concerns. They also offer competitive wages and require all of their employees to engage in regular training. 

---

---

Did Colorado Kill Doc Holliday

Doc Holliday - Photo: Wikimedia

John Henry “Doc” Holliday’s final words, spoken as he lay dying in the Hotel Glenwood in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, were “this is funny”. We’ll never know, of course, exactly what the Wild West legend meant by this. Perhaps he found it ironic that after a life spent tempting death in the gambling dens of the American frontier, it was, at last, his 15-year long battle with tuberculosis that had killed him. But while it is certainly true that TB was the ultimate cause of his death, it may have had an accomplice…the state of Colorado itself. 

Doc was born in Georgia in 1851. His mother died of tuberculosis when he was only 15, and it is likely that he contracted the disease from her. It lay dormant long enough for him to complete his classical education and graduate from Dentistry school before symptoms began to appear. After his diagnosis he was told he had a few months, perhaps a year, to live. He was 20 years old. 

Climate was the only treatment anyone could recommend for tuberculosis in the middle of the 19th century. Seeking drier, hotter weather, Doc went west. Dying or not, he still had to make a living. Good dental hygiene, however, was not a priority for most cowboys, so Doc decided to try his hand at gambling.

Some historians have suggested that Doc deliberately put himself in harms way over the course of his life out of a desire to die a quick, if bloody, death rather than waste away as the result of his disease. Whether or not this is true, he certainly seemed to have the Devil’s luck (good or bad) protecting him. Though he was sickly, scrawny, famously quarrelsome and habitually in a state if of mortal danger, he always managed to survive.

Holliday has passed into legend as one of America’s most fearsome, steely-eyed gunslingers. But though he is credited with the killing of many men, these stories have no historical evidence. In truth, the one and only documented case of Doc killing anybody was at the infamous Gunfight at the OK Corral, when he shot Tom McLaury with a double-barrel shotgun at close range…hardly a feat the required a sharpshooter. Of his numerous escapades with a pistol, he displayed abysmal aim, probably as a result of the constant flow of whiskey he consumed to control his cough. He is said to have stabbed several men to death, but this seems unlikely given his frail health and wasted physique; he supposedly carried only about 120 pounds on his 5’10” frame when he died. 

More than a decade of gambling, smoking, drinking and fighting with some of the most dangerous men in America didn’t kill Doc Holliday, but it didn’t slow the progression of his disease, either. As he deteriorated he once again sought out “better” climate. In Victorian times (and for a long time after) consumptives were encouraged to seek high altitudes. This led Doc to the state of Colorado, the place that eventually killed him.

High altitude sickness is caused when the “thinner” air, where there is less oxygen in the atmosphere, causes the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream to decrease, causing headaches, nausea and a host of other symptoms. For someone like Holliday, who suffered from a severe and advanced lung disease that already interfered with his ability to breathe, Colorado’s high altitude was torturous. With his health worsening daily he decided to seek treatment in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, a town famous for the “healing” waters of its natural hot-springs and vaporous caves.

Visiting the hot-springs was the worst possible course of action for the tubercular Holliday. Sulfur emissions from the mineral springs and geothermal steam baths at Glenwood Springs stripped the few shreds of healthy tissue from his already ravaged lungs. After a bitter lifetime of gambling with death at the point of a blade or the barrel of a pistol, his diseased body got the better of him. After 2 racking, bedridden months in the winter of 1887 Doc Holliday’s lungs gave out and he died. Tuberculosis had been the loaded gun at his temple for almost half his life, but Colorado had finally pulled the trigger.

---

---

Choosing the Right Gloves for Goalkeeping in Soccer Training

Goalkeeper Gloves - Photo: Pixabay

If you play the position of goalkeeper in the game of soccer, it is important to know how to choose the right gloves for the task. During soccer training, it is important to have these available for use. As a goalkeeper, you are required to come in contact with the soccer ball and maintain control of it through the use of your hands. Having the right pair of gloves for goalkeeping in soccer can mean the difference between a game won and a game lost. Here, I will express some of the key components of the gloves that will allow you to decide what type is right for you during soccer training.

When choosing the right gloves for goalkeeping in soccer training, it is essential to understand that price has a lot to do with the overall quality of gloves that you are trying to obtain. The goalkeeper's gloves will help that individual maintain a grip on the soccer ball. You should never bypass a pair of gloves that have a really good quality to them simply because of the price. Paying higher for goalkeeper gloves that have excellent quality is much better than losing a game because you bought the cheapest pair that you could find.

The next thing that you should consider when selecting the right pair of goalkeeper's gloves for soccer training is the cut of the glove. This is the part of the glove that sits on the palm area. Normally, you can select from any of the following cuts in a goalkeeper's glove:

• Surround Cut
• Negative
• Rolled Finger
• Flat
• Rolled Index

You can find these cuts in rubber, hard latex, soft latex, and other textures. It is important to select a texture that you are comfortable with. The texture that you choose for your goalkeeping gloves should be comfortable enough that you can maintain a tight grip on the soccer ball during soccer training. If you find that you are unable to maintain a good grip during soccer training, you should experiment with an assortment of gloves until you find a pair that works for you.

When selecting the right pair of goalkeeper's gloves for soccer training, it is important to ensure that they are a right fit for you. If the gloves are too tight, it will make for an unbearable soccer training session. If you purchase gloves that are too large, the grip that you have will suffer. You should purchase a pair of gloves that allows you a little room to move, but are not too loose.

As you can see, choosing the right pair of goalkeeper's gloves for soccer training can be a tedious task. However, by using the basic knowledge of the position of goalkeeper, knowing a different kind of materials that are used to create the gloves, exploring the different cuts of gloves, and selecting the right size, it can be relatively simple. If you are still unsure of what kinds of gloves are best for soccer training, you should consider asking a coach or a more experienced person to assist you in selecting the right ones.

---

---

Relaxation New York City Style

New York - Photo: Maxpixel

New York City is perhaps the busiest city in the world. The people here are always running to and fro from work to home to meeting to school functions for their children to dinner you name it and most people in this city are constantly on the move. New Yorkers work hard and they play hard and for the most part, you will not find a city full of couch potatoes. 

As a result of the constant movement and often constant stress of keeping pace in the city that never sleeps there is a huge demand for spas, massages, and a service industry that is devoted to helping these overworked, overplayed, and overstressed people learn to relax. Of course, there are other industries in New York City that are equally dedicated to keeping them awake and alert. 

If relaxation is the order of the day you will be glad to know that there is a spa on almost every corner in New York City and if your vacation is one in which you wish to have a relaxing time of things then you may want to select a hotel with a spa on the premises and never walk outside. I can't imagine being in New York City and staying in my hotel the entire time but for some getting away is the only way they'll be able to leave work and responsibilities behind in order to truly relax and receive the full benefits of a spa treatment. 

In addition to the many spas that are available there are also gyms and sports complexes that will allow you to work out your frustrations or aggressions through physical exertion in addition to the many parks scattered throughout the city that offer places to walk, run, jog, ride bikes, roller blade, and participate in dozens of other physical activities as well. 

If the physical activity and the spa treatment don't help you reach your relaxation goals, then perhaps an evening out is in order. You will find all kinds of ways to spend your evenings in New York City. There are bars, lounges, comedy clubs, dance clubs, and simple hotel bars where you can have a nice drink or two to lighten your mood and then head back up to your room without the worry of how you're going to get back to your room. 

Of course, many believe that laughter without a doubt is the best medicine for whatever might ail you so the many comedy clubs around New York might be the best place to look for a night of fun and relaxation. Chances are if you're standing in New York City, pretty much anywhere you are kind of near a comedy club. If there's doubt I can almost guarantee that a bellhop or concierge might be able to help you find one close by and rather quickly.

Then, of course, there's the last resort. Well for some, for me it's the first thought that comes to mind for relaxation: hot tub and massage. Not necessarily in that order but either or both is a great way to spend the evening. If you are fortunate enough to have a loved one along with you it is a great idea to share both the hot tub and the massage. While giving massages to each other is nice, there is something deliciously sinful about lying beside each other while receiving the royal treatment. You know you will be heading back to reality soon so enjoy this while you can.

---

---

Camping and Picnics: The Perfect Combination

Camping - Photo: Pixabay

Are you looking for a fun and exciting way to spend time with your family, with your friends, or with your romantic partner?  If you are, have you taken the time to examine camping?  Camping is nice as it is occasionally referred to as a recreational activity that is affordable.  As nice as camping is, did you know that you can do much more, like have a picnic?  In fact, when you think about it, camping and picnics really are the perfect combination.

One of the many reasons why camping and picnics are the perfect combinations is because it seems as if they are designed for each other.  For instance, if you were to go camping, there is a good chance that you would choose to do so at a state park or a public campground park.  When examining these popular camping destinations, you will find that many of them have picnic areas, many of which may be right on or near your campsite.  It is common to find parks and campgrounds that already have picnic tables installed or you can choose to bring your own picnic blankets to use.

Another one of the many ways that camping and picnics make for the perfect combination can be seen when you examine popular picnic locations. What is nice about having picnics is that you can have them in your own backyard and at local parks. While some of the local parks that you may be interested in having a picnic at may be “traditional,” in nature, it is possible to find parks that also have onsite camping available.  Often times, you may find that camping is included in the cost of your admission. If the cost of camping is not included, you may be surprised with just how affordable the extra cost it.

When having a picnic, many families, friends, and couples, do much more than just eat.  That is one of the many reasons why camping and picnics tend to go hand in hand.  Many popular picnic activities, depending on the location of your picnic, tend to include boating, swimming, fishing, and hiking. These are many of the same activities that are associated with camping.  In fact, you will find that many state parks and public campground parks have swimming pools, lakes, or other bodies of water, as well as great hiking trails.

As much as camping and picnics make the perfect combination, many individuals do not make this association.  One of the reasons for that is because of many individuals associate picnics with a few hours worth of fun. Although picnics can last a few hours, there is no need to rush. Many families and couples have their picnics last hours upon hours.  If you are interested in doing the same and if you would like to picnic in a public location, like a state park, you may want to consider adding camping to your fun list of activities. Even if you aren’t familiar with camping, it is something that you should enjoy and many of the needed supplies are easy to come by, as well as affordable.

As outlined above, camping and picnics really make for the perfect combination.  If you have a little bit of free time in your future or if you are looking to take an affordable vacation, you may want to examining combining a picnic with a camping adventure, as you can have an unlimited amount of fun when doing so.

---

---

Stuffs to Think About: Two Types of RC Cars

RC Car - Photo: Pixabay

Do you feel the need for speed? Do you find underground racing a bit too dangerous for your taste? Do you think that playing the latest racing game on your PC is just too boring for you? If this is the case, then you need to get into RC car racing. RC car racing is one of the fastest growing hobbies today. This is because it appeals to the kid within people while challenging them to hone their skills. If you think that RC car is just about getting the most expensive model out there, you are on the wrong track. Here are the basics of RC cars:

THE TWO CLASSIFICATIONS

There are two general classifications of RC cars according to the power source:

1) Electric- This RC car type is the most common type in the market today. This might be because of the fact that most toy companies make this type of RC car for children or beginner RC car enthusiasts. Some advantages of the electric RC car are:

.

a) Noiseless- This means that an electric-powered RC car can be used without causing a lot of disturbance (excluding, of course, the number of people who will unwittingly trip over your machine).This also means that you can use it stealthily. Countless movies have featured the use of electric RC cars in recording conversations or taking hidden videos. Make your spy dreams come true!

b) Smokeless- Since this type of RC car makes use of electricity to power it, there is no smoke output when the engine is running. This is because no combustion happens within the engine of the RC car. 

Disadvantages:

a) Limited running time- An electric RC car runs on batteries. Because of this, the power it can use to run is limited to the capacity of the battery. A user who goes for this type of RC car has to cope with the delay of charging batteries or replacing them every time that they run out of power.

b) Limited power- The power of electric RC cars is limited not only in terms of time but also in terms of intensity. Put plainly, electric-powered RC cars just don't run as fast as gas-powered models. If you are looking for speed, this is not the RC car for you.

2) Gas powered- There's one thing that needs to be said about gas powered RC cars: you cannot put gasoline in it. Gas powered RC cars make use of a special mixture of fuel in order to run.

Advantages:

a) Speed- Many people are opting for gas powered RC cars mainly because of the fact that they are much faster than electric RC cars. 

b) Longevity- Gas powered RC cars can run for long times before they need to be refueled. This means that you get to use your RC car for a longer time. Thus, you get to have more fun.

Disadvantages:

a) Smoke- Since gas powered RC cars run because of combustion; it is natural that there would be smoke coming out of the car. This means that you won't be able to use your RC car indoors.

b) Noise- Gas powered RC cars make a lot of noise. This can either be a positive or a negative, depending on your attitude. For some people, the noise that this type of RC car can help them get attention from other people (Hey, some people do buy RC cars to get noticed).

---

---

Benefits of a good training journal

Photo: PXHERE

Most of us have trained at one part of our lives. Chances are if you’ve ever taken your training seriously you’ve used a training journal or a training log.

    

The main difference between training journals and training logs is what you document in them after each workout or day, etc. Training journals are just that. They are more of a journal rather than a log. They will normally include things like mental health and how you felt during the day or your workout.

Most of us have trained at one part of our lives. Chances are if you’ve ever taken your training seriously you’ve used a training journal or a training log.

The main difference between training journals and training logs is what you document in them after each workout or day, etc. Training journals are just that. They are more of a journal rather than a log. They will normally include things like mental health and how you felt during the day or your workout. They can reach a bit into some statistical information but this is normally saved in a training log.

Training logs are generally created of off some kind of a template. For example. Every day you fill out a form that has the same fields. Things like current weight, daily workout, diet information, are all things that can be put in a training Log on a day to day basis.

I wouldn’t recommend going all one route or all the other, both journaling and logging are important to keep an effective history of your past. I’ve found out through experience and that for convenience sake it’s nice to have two combined together in some way. This way it’s always easy to remember to do both.

Benefits of recording your training
The number one benefit of recording your training is to have a detailed history to look back on. This can be very useful in times of planning. For example to figure out what has worked for you and what hasn’t. It’s very useful for figuring out reasons for injuries or for times of burnout. 

Have you ever sat down and tried to plan out training with nothing to work with? If you have something to look back upon a detailed account of what you’ve done over the past few weeks it’s easy to plan ahead, and to effectively increase your workout intensity, etc to improve for the future.

A detailed journal is also really nice to have just for personal use and to be able to look back on past months and years, to remember different accounts.

Feel free to reprint this article as long as you keep the following caption and author biography in tact with all hyperlinks.

---

---