Red in Morning

If, as the saying goes, red in morning is a sailor's warning, what does a red morning mean for train riders?  I think it means being able to watch a beautiful sunrise, which I am thoroughly enjoying.  Who knows, though, whether it may be an omen of things to come.  I shall keep you posted.

Holy Galoshes!

The soggy weather has put the latest commuter fashion trend in the forefront.  Galoshes of every shape, size and color have been everyday apparel for the last week or so.  MARC train riders (mostly women, but at least one man) have boarded wearing these shiny boots.  There are the conservative riders who wear the basic black versions and then those people who exhibit a bit more personality with their footwear.  The environmentalist, for example, wears an off-white pair with leaves imprinted on them. 
The Scot wears a tartan plaid pair.  I've seen fluorescent yellow, orange and green pairs too, which help to brighten up the cloudy, gray mornings. My favorite pair, however, had ducks from ankles to knees.  Perfect, I thought, for splashing in puddles.

New Time, New Train Schedule

MARC marked the time change by unveiling a new schedule.  The new schedule is the transit system's attempt to thwart the malfunctions and breakdowns that occurred during last summer's heat wave.  According to MARC officials, the new schedule means shorter trains running more often.   Those of us that ride the train from beginning to end are seeing little benefit from the move.  First, while the trains may be shorter, there aren't any more that run to Perryville, Aberdeen and Edgewood, the farthest stops from Washington, DC.  And, at least on the Southbound routes, these trains make every single stop so not only do they take longer to arrive at the final destination, fewer cars mean more people standing.  The Northbound trains are a bit better, at least for now.  I've actually been arriving home about five minutes earlier than under the old schedule.  The concern, however, is that with more trains operating when summer temperatures are on the rise, when one breaks down the end result could mean extra delays for all trains running after it.  It may take such an incident before MARC re-looks the schedule and attempts to revamp it yet again.

Going Away Party

It's 6 am, which may seem a bit early for partying, but MARC train folks are a die hard breed.  This morning a group of them (I'd say about eight) are celebrating the last ride of a fellow passenger.  I haven't been able to ascertain whether he got a job closer to where he lives or whether he is retiring, but despite the reason, the atmosphere, at least in this train car, is jovial.  Coffee and donuts are being served and even one of the conductors is joining the festivities.  I even scored a cup of java in the celebration.  Unless you've been a regular rider on these long morning commutes, you can't truly appreciate what it means when one of the "regulars" gives up the daily commute. Those of us that continue on, are a bit envious, and those that are leaving are bit sad to say good bye to their morning and evening social hour.  For now, though, we're just enjoying the coffee, donuts and commeraderie.

Hints of Spring

The cardinal was singing this morning as I walked laps around the train station.  It caught me a bit off guard because with all the cold weather we've been having, the birds have been rather quiet.  Conserving energy I assume.  But this morning they were singing loud and clear, marking what I believe to be the beginning of spring. There are other hints too.  Dawn's streaks of light I see now as I board the morning train speak to longer days ahead.  And for at least a full 30 minutes of my evening commute, I see sunshine and get to watch the sun set.  Pretty soon, it will be light for the entire evening commute.  I'm hoping that with this extra daylight will come a new-found energy. 

Snack Time

I was starving tonight as I boarded the train.  And apparently, I wasn't the only one.  The couple next to me was sharing a roast beef panini, while the woman behind me munched on cookies from a Nabisco 100-calorie pack.  Even the woman in front of me was scarfing down cheese curls.  I opted to drink a bottle of water because I read that oftentimes people feel hungry when, in fact, they are just thirsty.  It didn't work.  So a few minutes later I was diving into what I thought was a single serving bag of corn nuts.  Good thing I stopped to read the label though.  The bag actually contained four servings.  I think I stopped after finishing the second one.  Which means I will have enough to snack on again tomorrow.  I wonder what other people will have?