It took us awhile to notice, and of course, Cuppa was the first. It was last spring, and she hadn't noticed hearing any trains lately.
We used to hear them a lot in this community. Pretty well everyone is close enough to the tracks that we could hear the whistles blowing at all hours of the day and night.
Then they stopped.
Shortly after she noticed there was a piece in the local paper about the silence of the tracks. Apparently, the main user was a different company than that which owns the tracks. With the recession causing a decline in traffic, the company with the traffic was able to handle all of their own needs on their own tracks.
And silence descended on our town.
My guess is that the trains are gone for good, and although the whistles could be aggravating at times, they're missed regardless.
How sad, but I think these pictures are eerily lovely.
ReplyDeleteYou are up late! ;o) Your my early morning read before I start up work mode!
Daffy
I always wonder what will be next to go if the trains stop running, even if they never stop in the towns they go through.
ReplyDeleteLook at all the potential in those railway sleepers, though. How long before they get dug up to recycle elsewhere? People find the most intriguing things to do with such great chunks of wood...I wouldn't mind a few!
ReplyDeleteTrains are such massive vibrant things, its hard to imagine them disappearing from the landscape. Your photographs of the empty tracks are very evocative.
ReplyDeleteI love trains! This IS sad...hughugs
ReplyDeleteI hope for the communities sake they remove those tracks. We had a similar situation here and once folks get used to not hearing the train, if one comes along they don't heed and an accident happened. It is a sign of the times, for sure. Changing times. Great pictures. Sad.
ReplyDeleteqMM
love the photo shots...and yeah its kinda sad...i just love the sound of trains too. awww (((Hugs)))) to you and Cuppa!
ReplyDeletewhen i was a little girl i lived by the railroad tracks and i always waved to the guy with the hat on the engine and he always blew the horn for me and waved back...such good memories...i miss that train.
ReplyDeleteWe live about 2 blocks from our train tracks. I really don't mind them except for every now and then there is this one conductor that feels the need to hold down the whistle, all the way through town at 2:00 in the morning!! He's a bad man.
ReplyDeleteLove Di
The tracks nearest our home were used to transport car frames from a very large plant which employed many people. Sadly, it closed permanently this year and the tracks are silent too.
ReplyDeleteI love trains and find the sound of the whistle comforting, we have unused tracks here as well, so many changes in our world AC and not all for the better...:-) Hugs
ReplyDeleteWell, that's just SAD!
ReplyDeleteI am one who does not like things to change!
( I wonder if this helps or hinders your sleep at night...)
Junie