Trains.................Those Trains

Writing is very therapeutic for me like Kate said in her blog. My experience is kind of similar to hers but with trains. If you haven't read her story about the old men in pick up trucks it is worth your time.

To get most anywhere in my town you must cross over a railroad track. There is only one larger road that bypasses this. When you venture out there is always a chance you will get stuck by the train. Not usually a huge deal except here lately. I have noticed that here increasingly these trains decide to stop and park blocking the crossing. I am not sure what the deal is with this because there definitely is not a train depo here. When they stop like this they take up a few crossings because there are so many of them so close together. It makes no sense to me really--you would think there would be a better place for them to stop. After all what are they stopping for? I often wonder if there is a secret pick up place along these tracks for stow aways. There is NOTHING around here to make it a beneficial stop.

Today we headed off for a fun day at the Children's Discovery Museum to meet some friends. Our day started later than we had hoped but all was well. We took off to the museum and hit the train crossing. Well, the train was traveling quite slow but surely it would not stop here in front of the crossing. Well, we waited and waited and waited and waited. Very patiently. The children and I made a game of it. We waited about 20 minutes. The train was going so slow my oldest started spelling and trying to sound out the graffiti written on the sides of the cars. Which could be a dangerous thing. By the way, I have always wondered how trains get this graffiti on them. Perhaps this takes place while it is stopped here. I digress, so finally we spot the caboose. We are so excited but the train slows to a complete stop with the caboose right on the crossing! Are you kidding me? Surely this train will not sit here blocking all this traffic. I thought. We waited 15 more minutes and still no movement. Many people came and went but we were trying to sit it out. After all my daughter's Sunday school lesson is in self-control. So finally we had enough and we turn around to travel way out of the way skipping all other possible crossings to make it to the museum. A huge set back in time.

Tonight, I go out to pick up a few items for the family. What do I hit again? A slow moving train. What is the deal with these anyway? Is there a new slow only speed limit for trains now? Did I sit and wait this time? NO! I did not want to take that chance again. I was by myself and I used up enough self-control for the day!

So today this happened to me two times in a row when I rarely ever see or have trouble with these trains. Perhaps I am making up for lost time! And at least I got a blog about it. Maybe not an interesting one to most but it sure is therapeutic for me to type!