Moving Train, I Get a Dollar!

My Dad really likes trains, so over the years it has become our family business to spot trains at every opportunity.  In fact, we have a reward system whereby the moving train spotter gets a dollar.  The program is mostly obsolete at this point, and I'm pretty sure that it started out as a quarter, but either way, it's how we get down.  I was waiting for the commuter rail at Union Station in Worcester last Thursday when I saw two CSX engines and a Union Pacific boxcar trundling up the way.  I got out my Blackberry and took a video to send to Dad. 



The engines pulled up on the second track from the platform, and some poor soul waded through the snow to tinker with a connection at the back of the boxcar, and then the mini-train backed up a little, went forward, then backed up all the way back whence it came.

It was a nice little dad/kid bonding experience.  I went on to classes and to ride several more trains - commuter rail, red line, green line - without incident.  A few days later, I got an envelope in the mail from Dad.  Christmas thank you notes had already been exchanged, so I figured it was an article he'd found or something.  I opened the envelope and found this:

 I assume this came from his favorite store in Florida, Nifty NicNacs, which specializes in retro doodads.  Here's what was inside:

My dad is adorable. I was on the phone with Mom and I asked if she knew he'd done this, and she goes "uh, YEAH, I reminded him to do it!"  You almost can't look at the cuteness for fear of going blind.  It's like looking at the sun.