Saturday, July 7, 2012

Trains, Track and a Western Sky


Man, do I miss the sound of a train in the distance. As a child, I imagined all the places it would take me and loved nothing more than to run down the road and watch it go by.  I had that schedule memorized. Now, with so many tracks removed, the romance of riding the rails is just a fairytale I still read to myself every now and then. Which might explain why this darn Rosanne Cash song has been running through my head the last few days. I said  'might.'  Here, you take it for awhile -------

BTW: a big thank you to Tom: oneflyspictureplace.blogspot.com  for letting me use his photograph. Trains, track and a western sky. What's not to love?  Here's Rosanne:




36 comments:

  1. I appreciate you using a picture of mine. Thank you for that.

    For whatever reason it seems like I've always lived close to tracks and trains. Twice very close. Worked foe a summer on a wooden bridge gang for the Rock Island in NE Iowa and that part of southern Minnesota.


    Once againI watch trains go by all the time now a bit over a quarter mile away.

    It would be easy to jump a train here as they stop a lot and there are a variety of cars at times.

    99% are headed north. I guess they must be going in a circle.

    Woooo Woooooo

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    1. Many times I've lived very near the tracks and do miss it. The track is now a paved hiking/biking trail.

      You've got a great view. I recall many trains in the distance near Wagon Mound and north, nearer to you. Trains and antelope. That's western.

      Thanks again, Tom.

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  2. That picture is amazing! Fly's photos are so much fun. I only rode a train once. I was young and the only train from Tx back to KC was the mail train. We stopped at every tiny town. It was dirty and hot. I'd sure like to take one of those luxury/scenic trips. mmmmm..doesn't that sound yummy???

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    1. I've been on a few in my younger life, blogged about that more than once, but never taken Amtrak and such. My younger son and I took a ride through the Black Hills once, but that was my last ride on a train. I've always thought the Orient Express sounds nice.

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  3. Reminds me of a line from a song some years back, "I don't care what train I'm on, as long as it keeps rolling on."

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  4. I haven't heard that song for many years. I only lived near a train the six years I lived in Moorhead before I moved across the river to Fargo. Listening to them blow the whistle all the way across town when you're trying to sleep--don't miss it at all. I lived so close that you couldn't hear your TV or music when the whistle was blowing in the summer time when you had your windows open. But--just the sound the the metal wheels clanking along on the track...that almost sounds like music. ;)

    I'm breaking my no word verification rule right now, just because I miss you. Just wanted to let you know that. Bye.

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    1. In honor of your visit, I will try it again without WV, and hope the spam returns to a minimum. Thanks for visiting, Rita.

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  5. We have a train going by a few miles away, and in the middle of the night I often hear that lonesome sound. I understand that people who live right by get used to the sound pretty quickly. I love the distant whistle... I rode the train from Bellingham to Seattle once, I had a great time but it's really really slow, since it stops everywhere. :-)

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    1. When I was out east a couple of years ago, the train went by just two blocks away on one side of me, and the ocean was right outside my window on the other side. I loved being between those two sounds as I fell asleep.

      The frequent stops might detract from my fairytale. :)

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  6. A train is my preferred route to travel.Here in the US we have made it almost cost prohibitive, where it used to be cheap. Last time in Europe I never drove a car for 3 months.I like to hear that whistle blowing, at my other home a regular occurence.Here we have lots going through, but you need to have your windows open.

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    1. Good Morning, Steve. Perhaps train travel will become more common again in the future. One never knows what changes will be wrought. Light rail is getting more commonplace, but that's not the same. Although the sound of any train is preferable to none.

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  7. Uno scatto che racconta attimi di vita quotidiana. Io vivo poco distanti dai binari e quando cambia tempo il rumore del treno sembra essere tra le mura di casa
    Ciao e buona domenica

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    1. Simo, I also appreciate those scenes from everyday life. They show us our commonalities. Living near the tracks now might be quite different than what I experienced as a child living in the countryside. I do miss the sounds. I hope you're having a Happy Sunday, as well.

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  8. Great photo, I love hearing the whistle of a train in the distance; I also like riding on trains, whenever Gary and I travel we seek out old steam trains to ride on, Santa Cruz mountains has a great one, and the conductor even let us take our dog on it. I once rode the train from California to Chicago and also California to Arkansas, and a few others I can't recall, great fun.

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    1. Good Morning, Linda. From California there are more options for traveling that way, it seems. From here, everywhere you go requires a 24 hour stopover in Chicago, and that makes it less tempting. Your trips sound like fun.

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  9. You make me wanna get on a train and just ride for awhile.....

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  10. Trains are one of favorite modes of transportation -- rode several long ago but getting more difficult to find lines where you want to go -- barbara

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    1. That's what presents the challenge. Now, we all cocoon ourselves in our cars, myself included, and I admit to liking being able to stop where and when I choose. Still, the dream persists....

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  11. Yes! Trains! I knew trains well where I grew up! Colorado Springs! Watched them, rode them. Even sat behind the engineer once or twice. Love trains. Bring them back!

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  12. I can hear the Amtrak coming into Portland, Maine, when I am outdoors. Even though I have never ridden on one, I still have the 'wanta go' feeling when I hear it.

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    1. Two springs ago, when I spent the month of April at OOB, it was the Downeaster, I believe, that went by two blocks away. I slept between that and the ocean and found it very peaceful and comforting.

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  13. There are tracks about a mile away from our house. At night if I'm already awake, I hear passing trains. And as I read this I was pretty sure I could hear one, too, though there is a lot of afternoon city traffic.

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    1. How nice to lie in bed and hear the trains. The sound of my youth.

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  14. Nice! The song really sounds like a train. I feel like trains are like wonderful Gypsies, traveling from one place to another... free and moving through life.
    I've always thought of trains as an analogy for our lives ... the journey.

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    1. They certainly do conjure that wonderful image. Perhaps that's one reason why they appeal to me so much. I seem to have a gypsy soul.

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  15. Teresa...I can hear the train in the distance from this new place and I love it! I have never been lucky enough to hear that where I lived before so this is really wonderful and I understand what you mean when you talk about the romance of it. In regards to your comments to my post: I sure hope that you don't decide to discontinue your blog. I find such comfort here even though I don't have the time I would like to comment more often. There is something so comforting about making "a friend" in these blogs and it feels very sad to me to lose contact with someone altogether. Maybe just take a short break or write less often? But, please don't go forever!!! I need you!

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    1. Teri, I'm so glad you have come to a place where you can hear the trains. It sounds so nice.

      I continue to ask what direction I should go, but it appears that I will continue on some level for the foreseeable future. I would miss my friends here, too. The sense of community it has provided is of immense value to me. Thank you, Teri.

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  16. Lovely photograph - and some great music as well. I still think that trains are the best way to travel - there is a romance about them which is hard to beat.

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    1. Hi Alan. Isn't that a great photo? Yes, the world still needs a romantic notion or two.

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  17. I once took a train journey from Germany through to Greece, you have reminded me of it. Perhaps i could conjure up the memories and relive it.

    Hope you'll soon get to ride on a train again.

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    1. Perhaps that adventure will make it into your memoirs or a future post. I'd love to read about it.

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  18. Dear Teresa, have you ever taken the train from Minneapolis/St. Paul across the northern states to Seattle? I haven't but Afton friends did and they waxed poetic about the trip.

    I got the Mary Oliver book "Thirst" from the library and read two poems and knew I had to have the book. So ordered it from Amazon. Thank you for sharing one of her poems with us. Peace.

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    1. I haven't. I understand that you must do the 24 hour changeover in Chicago, which would be doable, should I reconsider. I've been that way via car only and it was a slightly lower route through Montana, Wyoming and Idaho.

      Enjoy that Oliver book. She's such an inspiration to me.

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