I have discovered a marvelous machine, a remarkable invention which I think may revolutionize life as we know it. It's called... the train.
What do you expect? I grew up in Orange County; the only trains we rode were at Disneyland.
But seriously, it's been a revelation.
I had a business meeting scheduled today in Downtown LA and while I was looking forward to the meeting, I was dreading the drive. My recent experiences trying to commute to the city, inching along at 4 mph for hour after hour, sucking in exhaust on the 5, left a pit in my stomach just thinking about it.
And then it occurred to me... I could take the train!
The train? Who does that? Well, I did, and I'm giving it rave reviews.
I happened to mention my plan to a friend and you would've thought I said I was going by flying saucer. But really, it couldn't have been easier.
There's a station not far from here, near my folks. I drove over and parked (for free), bought my ticket and soon after, the train pulled up. I boarded the train at 9:29 and 20 minutes later I was staring up at the Downtown skyline. It took me longer to drive to the station. Down one flight to the subway, and 15 minutes later I was at my destination, early enough to have a cup of coffee and prep for the meeting. I was in shock.
Now, there are some drawbacks. The drive from OC to LA is not exactly what you would call "scenic", but the view from the train is simply ghastly. Mile after mile of industrial wasteland, crumbling factories and rusting and decaying warehouses with the occasional truck depot or scrap yard or cement plant to break up the bleakness. And the homeless encampments. It's like something out of a "Terminator" film. But that's a small price to pay for the convenience, and besides you can just turn your attention to returning e-mail, which is what I did. Which is something you can't do in the car! Actually, you can, but you shouldn't.
The return trip was just as easy. At one point, each way, we passed over a parking lot. And then I realized it was Interstate 5. I can't even imagine what my blood pressure would be right now if I'd driven.
And then there's just the shear romance of it. Union Station in LA is astoundingly beautiful, the very last grand train station built in this country. Even the little train station in my old home town has such a Mayberry, small town charm. I have to admit, I was completely sucked in by it all.
It all felt so "Mad Men"-ish.
