I took this photo from our front porch.
That’s how close the train comes over the trestle where we live.
Before we moved in, I was worried that having the train blow through on a daily basis would be annoying, loud and distracting.
But you know, it has become my one of my very favorite things when you hear the faint whistle and feel the rumble start to gain momentum under your toes. The whole house vibrates and shakes, but only for a minute or so - and the train never comes with any regularity so it sort of feels like an old friend breezing through for a quick visit on their way to somewhere important.
If it’s still daylight out when it rolls by, we try to meet the conductor on our porch with raised hands. I think they look for us, as more times than not, the man at the wheel waves back. If it’s night, we often quiet of whatever we’re doing - watching tv, doing dishes, rocking the baby to sleep - and sit in stillnss as we enjoy the steady high pitch sound of straining metal as it rattles our 80 year old windows.
M
i remember so vividly my first few weeks as a boarder at saint mary’s. everything about the south was so unfamiliar and uncomfortable to me and one thing that kept me with both feet on the ground was the familiar racket of the seaboard train passing over the tracks on peace street. every night at seven and eleven, every morning at five.
in college, every break i’d come home exhausted and the regular rumble of the train, rattling my walls and setting the crystal chandelier below my bedroom chiming, was one of the most comforting sounds in the world.
i could never imagine living in raleigh without falling asleep and waking up to the sound of these trains. it has become such an intrinsic part of my life and one of the so many things that make raleigh my home.
Reblogged from Stay Forever Sunday.
June 25, 2010, 10:02am Comments
