Just this week, I ran into an old friend in Walmart (imagine that!). She mentioned an upcoming trip to the Midwest. I asked if she planned to fly. But no. She said she was thinking of taking the train.
“Oh, I love taking the train!” I enthused. I prefer it to driving or flying, that’s for sure. I’ve taken Amtrak to Washington, DC many times, even to New York City on several occasions. It’s so easy! And, once you get there, you don’t have to deal with parking; just raise your arm and climb into a taxi.
I did have one piece of advice for her: Upgrade to business class. The reason? There are few babies and children who are engaged in business. It doesn’t cost much more, and it’s a whole lot quieter and less crowded.
My friend mused about how her mother used to put her on a train and send her off to Ohio, in her youth. Back then, mothers thought nothing of it. Just pack the kid a couple sandwiches, and drop them off at the station. (Packing your sandwiches is also still a good idea.)
That very night, the story of a horrific train derailment topped the news. It involved an Amtrak passenger train, and an errant dump truck that wandered into its path. Several people, including the truck driver, died. The whole train derailed, and ended up on its side. Passengers who survived were terribly shaken, and that’s to be expected.
I thought about my friend: She’ll probably never take the train now, I thought. I think we’d all have a few misgivings.
Here’s the very best thing to come out of that awful story: A group of Boy Scouts was either on the train, or in the vicinity. The news never said why or how they were there. But, I think the angels sent them!
These young teen boys ramped into action, helping to extract passengers, and tending to the wounded until emergency aid arrived. One held the truck driver’s hand, so he wouldn’t die alone. “I just knew I wanted to help people,” was the explanation of those Scouts who spoke with reporters. Of course! Isn’t that the whole point of being a Boy Scout?
My heart was lifted by these selfless, helpful boys. God bless ‘em! They should be awarded a Presidential medal of some sort. They sprang into action and performed countless good deeds, without being asked.
The accident occurred at a railroad crossing that had no bars, no lights, no alarms. Apparently, folks who live in the area had been lobbying for such things at this crossing for years. Yet, nothing was done. The excuse given was, it would have cost $400,000.
Something tells me $400,000 would have been a small price to pay, as the railroad will find out soon enough. At least four people died, and countless others were traumatized. Once the shock wears off, they’ll start acquiring lawyers, I am sure.
I don’t know when, or if, the opportunity will come for me to take Amtrak somewhere again. I hope it does, though. I miss traipsing around DC being a tourist, although these days, DC seems like one of our most dangerous cities.
I fervently hope that, should I again hop the train, there will be a contingent of Boy Scouts on board, too. I know I’ll feel much more secure. Boy Scouts and what they stand for … you gotta love it!
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