Slice of life - Train time. [View all]

[pinto]

As many of you know I live mid-way between LA and SF. The Union Pacific rail line runs through the town. It's one of AMTRAK's busiest routes. LA -> Seattle. Seattle -> LA.

When both Coast Starlights are relatively on time, they meet at the station here. Head to head on adjoining tracks. The southbound on the outer track, northbound on the inner track next to the station.

Long trains in passenger rail terms. 10 - 12 cars besides the engineer's locomotive.

I walk up to the station sometimes, especially when I hear the engineers' horns echoing from both ends of town. One is coming down the grade from the north. The other is coming into town, from the south, through a valley that runs in from the coast.

It's really fun to watch. The southbound usually gets first call on all the stuff that has to happen. Passengers on and off, water refill, baggage handling, some crew changes, etc. Then the northbound pulls up to the station. Same routine.

Both engineers give a horn and a wave to each other as they switch places.

Our "Railroad District" has had a real renaissance. The city, the state, the feds and AMTRAK have all collaborated on it all. And the "Establishment" apartment house remains as is. Jack Kerouac was a resident at one time, did some writing there. He was a rail fan.