Posted on 06/24/2010 8:35:39 AM PDT by Willie Green
I just returned from a trip to see a friend in Baltimore, heading north and returning south by way of an Amtrak train.
Basically a day’s worth of travel both ways, it was an experience I don’t think I’ll forget.
My first impression as we moved from Greensboro east to Rocky Mount was that the world of the train line can be likened to the “innards” of America.
It oftentimes passes the unglamorous portions of our society and along its route you’ll see other sometimes defunct and decrepit organs, but those which are nevertheless still vital to the overall existence (or were at some point) to the corporeal body of the United States.
From viewing the backside of rural truck stops and the relics of once bustling factories, an unknowing alien, having landed and decided to take the train to “our leaders,” might presume the country a brick and wrenched metal wasteland — and they might be right. But from a closer inspection and perhaps broader view, the sights along the tracks are a glimpse into what was and what is possible with human and American ingenuity. Unfortunately, it seems all the jobs now exist three blocks over at the strip mall, but 50 years ago, a trip on the 79 Carolinian would be a primer course in what made America a strong and proud nation.
Upon entering into the more urban areas the scenery changes, but relatively remains the same. Red brick buildings sit like the heads on Easter Island, nothing more than a canvas for burgeoning graffiti artists and a haven for our underbelly — nothing but a pile of rocks to most.
Is it depressing? Somewhat. Is it beautiful? At times, in its own way.
Is it real? Absolutely.
On the way back the view was the again the same. Through coastal plain towns where shops and restaurants sat near the railway to serve passengers and locals alike, now gone, abandoned to more than likely never return. CiCi’s Pizza and Applebee’s surely replacing them off the new highway.
I imagine the feeling was the same for anyone who had traveled through much of that country prior to our colonization. Where great forests and marshes stood for centuries now are uniform field after uniform field of soy beans, tobacco and the like. A scar on the earth, from a certain point of view.
Through many portions of the ride the wood was the only scenery, which inspired in me thoughts of Native Americans moving swiftly through the trees on a hunt to feed their families. How much more beautiful that would have been to see than a fertilizer sprayer over a soy field.
Of course, I’m a hungry guy and I like a Camel smoke now and again, but it seems a shame to lose our natural beauty for such things, when a daily job of finding food seems much more pleasant than to sweat like a hog on a hog farm.
I point no fingers for the loss of the wilderness, or the decline of American industry. It’s an event, just as they all are, that came about by way of countless other events. I’d have to say if a finger was pointed it would have to be the largest finger in the world, with so many faces left to wag in — I mean I was riding a train which cut through the land like a knife edge.
But like the scenery speeding past my train car window, the culmination of my thoughts on the ride came in the form of a realization of just how rapidly our world changes — both metaphorically and literally.
I wonder if it was always that way? I also wonder if it’s a good thing and at what cost and at whose direction?
This doesn’t mean change and growth isn’t inevitable or welcomed at times, but I can’t help but think as we hurdle down the track into the future if we aren’t gradually losing something. Maybe it’s our connection with ourselves and with the land. Or maybe it’s our connection with the past. Or maybe it’s a little of all of these.
Whatever it is, something’s missing and I think we all see it, or at least sense it and unfortunately I think we’ve sensed it for a while now.
But wherever you sit, I recommend you take a nice long train ride some day and think about it before it’s too late.
Wife and I both like train trips. Relaxing. Hope to take more when/if I retire.
Mount Airy to Baltimore in only a day! WOW!
Sounds nice. As long as I am not forced to pay for someone else’s train fetish. That’s the problem.
A long train ride will make you think;
I could have been there already if I drove.
Who smells like pee?
Why does that strange man keep looking at my laptop like a hungry dog?
How does that mother ignore her baby screaming like it was on fire, and can she teach me that trick?
A long train ride will make me think how much happier I would be driving my truck.
As long as I am not forced to pay for someone else’s train fetish. That’s the problem.
Trains are just another government jobs and welfare program.
I get my best thinking done while I’m driving.
and while driving you can also sing with the radio or talk to yourself if you like
Of course people do those things on trains too but you can do it without bothering anybody.
A train ride is interesting as an occasional diversion but I wouldn’t want to depend on one to get anywhere. I don’t think we can afford interesting diversions anymore.
“Zactly.
Trains always run through crappy areas of any city.
Equally as interesting as the scenery is the people that ride the trains. Daddy what’s a train??-song title.
How many of these city slickers can I take out before somebody brings me down?
The central planners never think about the fact that there are some people they should not force into close contact with large numbers of people.
Yes, it’s always been that way. As you said, it’s reality.
“Trains are just another government jobs and welfare program.” ???
Probably because the nice parts are newer, and don’t allow tracks to be built through them.
You might enjoy reading something by Dr. Theodore John “Ted” Kaczynski on your next train ride.
A long train ride makes me think airplanes are a better mode of long-distance travel.
How many of these city slickers can I take out before somebody brings me down?
The central planners never think about the fact that there are some people they should not force into close contact with large numbers of people.
Is that some kind of sick and twisted "joke"???
Or do you actually think that highways and airports get automagically built by some freaky "invisible hand" without any input from the central planning boogeyman?
Not Mount Airy, North Carolina.
“A long train ride makes me think airplanes are a better mode of long-distance travel.”
Twenty years ago, maybe, but these days, I am not so sure of that, it is just a travel mode with no alternatives except the car.
Simply a fact that you marxists don’t have the stones to admit while you sit around your little circle jerks making plans for other peoples lives and money.
I guess I was right, you DO believe that airports and highways get built without any planning.
Walking is also good exercise, and does not require large taxpayer subsidies.
If you’d taken the 2 am Amtrak red-eye from Greensboro to DC, then a connector to Baltimore you’d have been on a train for 8 hours.
Wonderful piece- thanks for posting!
My preferred method of traveling up north (Florida to Massachusetts) has always been the train. Normally I get a “room” and it’s 24 hours from Central Florida to Boston.
No cell phone- no tv- no radio- no internet. A good book and the window are my entertainment and it’s a joy. I love the train- though Amtrak leaves a lot to be desired.
And you don't even have a computer!
≤}B^)
Yeah. Like “Amberlamps” and the “I AM A M*****F*CKER” guy.
I can see why this guy never made it out of Mt Airy. This is rambling and shambolic at best.
TL/DR: “change sucks, but it’s okay, I guess.”
The guy needs to take train through New Jersey into NYC.
I’m NOT a big fan of the North East.
But I took a train from Morristown to New York City. The only word I can use for it is, well, “charming.”
We went through little towns and the country side. I put down my book and watched it all unroll. Since I am an “addict of the printed word” that’s pretty telling. You wouldn’t have seen anything like that on the highway. I think Heart’s “Life in a Northern Town” was playing in my head the whole time.
One thing for sure, once you get out of urban hellholes like Newark, New Jersey really IS the Garden State.
I’m not a fan of rail for commuting (though it actually seems to work for that in the North East, too), but you can’t beat it for tourism.
Except maybe that time the plane banked over London on approach to Heathrow... I really can’t describe how I felt.
Wonderful piece- thanks for posting!
No, thank YOU for braving "the elements" to show your support!
Yes, there are warts and blemishes where Amtrak needs to improve performance.
The good/bad news is most of these problems are due to Amtrak running on track that's owned by the freight lines.
The GOOD news is, service can be dramaticly improved by fixing the bottlenecks and conflicts with freight. This is much less expensive than building all brand new from scratch.
The bad new is, the tracks are still owned by the freight lines, and they're not always cooperative with sharing/upgrading the track, no matter who's paying for it.
Imagine the anger that will arise when they start seizing private property along the route.
LOL @ Post #5!
;)
Actually, “Life in a Northern Town” was by Dream Academy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xyQ5jBJx5g
Yes. Subsidized travel for the people who ride on them and cushy public sector employment for the people who operate them. In other words, a jobs and welfare program.
You could probably apply that to any mode of federal control over transport...highways, autos, intracoastal, shipping, air space, airlines. I think most view it as an alternate mode of travel, with the associated regulations.
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