Trains; tyrants of the countryside.
July 25th 2008 10:10
Alright, first ranting post here! Allow me to start off by saying two things: first up is the fact that I do live in the countryside, away from the hustle and bustle of any big city (the nearest towns are rather small). Secondly, this rant is specifically about the coal hauling trains, the ones with the extremely loud horns and lengthy bodies. I'm not talking about subway trains or passenger trains, as I have never been around one nor do I live around them.
So, these trains. I'm half sure that my corner of the world is the only place that still has these damned things. There used to haul coal to where I'm guessing the paper mills and the chemical plant in the 'big city'. Now, I dunno who plans these things' schedules, or who the hell drives them, (I know people who operate trains are called engineers, so no joking about that) but, whoever they are, they seem to have no sense of time or location. Let me go in depth here.
I live in a mountainous region, many many mountains and large hills around here. As a matter of fact, I live back in a valley. Now, trains play a hand in this (this will all make sense in the end, I promise), in the fact that they are EVERYWHERE. They come through at all hours of the day and night, I live close to two railroad crossings, several underpasses, and two little train yards. There's track seemingly splayed out everywhere they could get it.
So, for those that are still out in the blue, let me simplify this; I live in a mountainous region, back in a valley with trains and rails everywhere, whose engineers appear to have no sense of time or where they are.
So, with that being said, guess what trains like to do? Blow their horn. Guess what one of the drawbacks of living in a valley is? The ECHO. Take all that into account plus the fact that the railroad close to me is stationed about halfway up a little mountain..
Starting to see the picture? These bastards blare their horns like they're gonna lose em, and doing so in an area with a bad echo. Therefore you hear these things as though you were near them, when in fact you're in your house. On top of that, the come through a TON (at least here lately they have been, not the way it used to be...), say, one every 15-30-45 min. They come through at all hours of the day and night. I hear these things at UNGODLY hours, like midnight, and many at 4-5AM. It is the most ANNOYING thing in the world. It also seems their numbers grow more frequent as the day bides on. (I get up early cause I sleep weird hours).
Now, I would be a bit more understanding about this, if it weren't for the fact that this is a recent change of pace. They used to come through once, maybe twice per day, and weren't nearly as loud. In the past, say, two weeks they've been louder and way more frequent. Even the ones in the towns are louder.
I'm honestly surprised no one else around here as even said a word about it. Then again, most people around here either can't put two and two together and find changes, or don't have the courage to speak up about it. (Unless it's about the government, that's a different story).
I can really only hope that this goes away soon, every time I hear a train now a days, I nearly scream. As far as I know, there's no where to complain, and if there was, I'd be willing to make a bet that the people there would deny any changes. They probably wouldn't take me seriously, considering in the towns, the trains pass very close by the residential areas.
All and all, I dunno what the hell the deal is. Perhaps we're importing/exporting coal, perhaps there's a higher demand. I can seriously understand more trains passing through, it's just the fact that they blare their horns like crazy and don't stop to think. I guess they don't realize there might be an epic echo and people might be trying to sleep.
I can't say this is one of my angrier rants, but I can say that this issue has been on my mind for a while now. I guess it's best I piss and moan about it now, before I went nuts and screamed bloody murder every time a train rolled by.
That's it for this rant, keep in touch for more; I've just barely scratched the surface.
So, these trains. I'm half sure that my corner of the world is the only place that still has these damned things. There used to haul coal to where I'm guessing the paper mills and the chemical plant in the 'big city'. Now, I dunno who plans these things' schedules, or who the hell drives them, (I know people who operate trains are called engineers, so no joking about that) but, whoever they are, they seem to have no sense of time or location. Let me go in depth here.
I live in a mountainous region, many many mountains and large hills around here. As a matter of fact, I live back in a valley. Now, trains play a hand in this (this will all make sense in the end, I promise), in the fact that they are EVERYWHERE. They come through at all hours of the day and night, I live close to two railroad crossings, several underpasses, and two little train yards. There's track seemingly splayed out everywhere they could get it.
So, for those that are still out in the blue, let me simplify this; I live in a mountainous region, back in a valley with trains and rails everywhere, whose engineers appear to have no sense of time or where they are.
So, with that being said, guess what trains like to do? Blow their horn. Guess what one of the drawbacks of living in a valley is? The ECHO. Take all that into account plus the fact that the railroad close to me is stationed about halfway up a little mountain..
Starting to see the picture? These bastards blare their horns like they're gonna lose em, and doing so in an area with a bad echo. Therefore you hear these things as though you were near them, when in fact you're in your house. On top of that, the come through a TON (at least here lately they have been, not the way it used to be...), say, one every 15-30-45 min. They come through at all hours of the day and night. I hear these things at UNGODLY hours, like midnight, and many at 4-5AM. It is the most ANNOYING thing in the world. It also seems their numbers grow more frequent as the day bides on. (I get up early cause I sleep weird hours).
Now, I would be a bit more understanding about this, if it weren't for the fact that this is a recent change of pace. They used to come through once, maybe twice per day, and weren't nearly as loud. In the past, say, two weeks they've been louder and way more frequent. Even the ones in the towns are louder.
I'm honestly surprised no one else around here as even said a word about it. Then again, most people around here either can't put two and two together and find changes, or don't have the courage to speak up about it. (Unless it's about the government, that's a different story).
I can really only hope that this goes away soon, every time I hear a train now a days, I nearly scream. As far as I know, there's no where to complain, and if there was, I'd be willing to make a bet that the people there would deny any changes. They probably wouldn't take me seriously, considering in the towns, the trains pass very close by the residential areas.
All and all, I dunno what the hell the deal is. Perhaps we're importing/exporting coal, perhaps there's a higher demand. I can seriously understand more trains passing through, it's just the fact that they blare their horns like crazy and don't stop to think. I guess they don't realize there might be an epic echo and people might be trying to sleep.
I can't say this is one of my angrier rants, but I can say that this issue has been on my mind for a while now. I guess it's best I piss and moan about it now, before I went nuts and screamed bloody murder every time a train rolled by.
That's it for this rant, keep in touch for more; I've just barely scratched the surface.
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