Of Last minute preparations and train whistles~~~~

Hello Darklings,

I'm just taking a short break while things bake in the ovens for the party tonight, everything will be ready by 4 p.m. but guests won't be by until 6 p.m. which will give me a chance to change clothing and look nice.

Coralline is putting the paper doyllies on the serving platters as I type this and Sis and Brian are baking some things at her house, her kitchen is now fully functional. 

Yesterday we took our last trip to the Dickens Faire which closes today, it felt good to immerse oneself in into a Dickensian mood.  Tonight we will wear our Dickens clothing as well.

But something a little strange caught my attention, why? I don't know except that I simply noted it in my mind.

Train whistles of all things, the conditions must be right for me to hear them, but it seems from 7:30 a.m. to now 9:30 a.m. I heard at least 5 sets of trains all "blowing for the crossings"  and then silence, now I'm not talking about each crossing, no, but like 15 to 20 minutes apart, 5 of them.  If I was a train buff I'd have a copy of the schedule of which trains were going by, passenger and fright.  But there is something about a Train whistle or in this case Disele horn that "talks" to people.

Of course anyone who works on the railroad or who is a train buff will know exactly what the whistles are all about.  And at the crossings espeically it is warning that something very big and powerful is coming, be careful -- danger, but at the same time as it passes it is also saying "Hello/Goodbye, I'm just passing through, glad to see you, hope you hear me that I'm just passing through."

If the train is going slow enough people near the road way will wave to the train, they don't know who the people are working on it, the engineer, the brakeman, the conductor and fireman, but these people have traveled across the country doing a hard job, in someways a lonely job and a friendly wave even from a stranger helps, and to get a wave back, it almost seems like luck.  

There is something powerful about a train, and espeically the old steam trains that would chuff, and huff with a regular tempo, that would make it seem alive, towards evening if one saw the rotating light moving around to illuminate the tracks, like a moving eyeball.   I feel that the best sense of capturing this feeling is in the movie "Murder on the Orient Express" with Albert Finney and a wonderful cast of actors. 

You see the people moving toward their train compartments, the hustle and bustle and each character with their own personality getting on the train, the baggage being loaded, the food and wines going to the dinning car, everything being made in preperation, but the train it stands quietly, silently on the tracks, its steaming breath barely moving, but waiting to stretch its iron muscels on the iron rails and gallop its way to its destination.

Finally the train is loaded, passengers are in their compartments, the doors are closed and locked, the conductor signals, and slowly the camera moves to the front of the train as it sits there waiting like a sleeping giant.  Then suddenly an explosion of light from its lamp, it has awaken and with the engineer gently coaxing it, the train begins to gather its iron muscels and pulls the cars slowly, steadily from the station, gathering speed until it is free from its "stall" and heads towards destiny.

It is one of the best film expressions of the excitement and power of a train and makes it part of the cast.

And it is also one of my favorite films.

But now for nearly the last 20 minutes all is silent, either there are no more trains for now, or the wind has gently shifted so the sound no longer carries.

And my little helper is asking me what is next to do.  So back to my party preperations.

Later Darklings

I couldn't find a train but maybe a trolley will do, if I had unlimited funds I'd find this house and retore it.

Of Trains, Spirit Stores and Transit issues~~~~

Hello Darklings,

And Hello to you Undergroundfortea,   I have to agree traveling by train is the only way to see the country comfortably and in style, and I always prefer having at least a roomette, you can have your privacy, sleep in comfort without having to deal with a snooring neighbor or rude seat mates.  And you see sooo much of the country side, it gives you a better panorama of what our country looks like.....and all in comfort, no weight baggage issues, no long lines, hardly any delays, good food  and to be able to stretch out and walk around.

There have been times when I've had to go to L.A. or back East to visit family or relations but I've always taken the train and train travel has improved.  Many years ago I went back east by Coach----Never again, although service was very good, but having a roomette (at least) made it so much more Luxurious.

I have taken commuter trains when needed and that is not bad and its relaxing.  But flying, unless it was something of great urgency, I never fly.

And when you compare the cost of traveling by train, taking a plane or Greyhound Bus, the train wins everytime.   Unless you're going to a place where there is no train connections so its Greyhound.

Why one of the things Doyle and I plan on doing is taking the train to Yosemite, now the train doesn't go into Yosemite but there is a jumping off point where you catch the Yosemite shuttle into the Valley, then in touring the Valley and other areas you take the Valley tram, one does not need a car.   All one has to do is plan things carefully.

About the Spirit Stores, well with Blockbuster closing so many of them it does leave an opportunity for Spirit to make use of those locations,  they are usually easy to get to, have parking and easily spotted for the general public, it makes perfectly good sense.   I like them because if I see something in the Store and then when Halloween is over I can order it from the web site already knowing the quality of the product.  It can be very helpful.   And I am a tactile person, I like to touch or see the actual object before I commit myself to purchasing it.

I told Coralline on the phone last night and she is soooo looking forward to going,  and we are planning another shopping spree this coming weekend.  Well its just as much for me as it is for her.

About AC Transit.....it seems that Union and that particular Board was on the ball working out their negotiations, they saw the problems BART was having and they were not that far apart on issues and both were in agreement on many things.   At least common sense was working with them.  They were not going to the media but staying at the negotiation table until a final agreement was made.     So the Buses are running----Yeaaaa!!!  says a lot of my co-workers.  It will help with some of their commuting.   But we may have to fall back onto carpooling on Monday if no 60 day cooling off period is declared.

Yesterday the Director said to us that with the planning that we've made for such a problem, that it will be kept in place (that is on file) to have on hand for the possiblity of any other future transit strikes, that way the "wheel won't have to be re-invented"  we'll have a plan on hand and just do a little tweeking as needed.

And about that truck that caught on fire, it was an unusual situation, it does happen from time to time, its rare but not unusual.  It's just that it happened right at commute time and with a bridge they have to careful of the stablity of the pavement surface and it was also a sort of accident scene so all those things had to be looked into which caused further delays. 

But I have to say I have never seen such tempers fly like what was reported, it was pretty scary.

That is why I and many of my co-workers always have Plan B and Plan C in place,  and thank goodness for basic cell phone service to give family members the "heads-up".

But now I'll be getting my things together and hi-ho its off to work I go,  Sis is home today doing reports, but I'll be taking Belladonna to my elderly neighbor, the dear lady loves to fuss over the little darling.

Later Darklings