August 2, 2016

  • The Ghost Train -- and a bird or two

    Train tracks run right through the center of San Juan Capistrano.  Trains using these tracks are freight trains, Amtrak trains, and commuter trains from San Diego headed up the coast, through Los Angeles to coastal towns as far north as San Luis Obispo.  Crossings in San Juan Capistrano are at grade level, guarded by bells and gates that lower when a train is coming.  Locals have long complained about the "ghost train," a situation that often happens when a train is in the station and not moving, or when there is no train in sight.  As a frequent visitor to the town, I have never experienced a "ghost train" until this past weekend.  I sat for several minutes behind bells, flashing lights, and the train crossing gates -- only to learn that there had been no train!

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    This has become a major political issue -- the City has tried to negotiate with the owners of the tracks, only to learn that there is nothing can be done about the ghost trains, and the city's traffic just has to put up with them.  I think there must be something such as cycling the gates not to operate if a train is not moving on the tracks, but apparently this would be too expensive or too risky for the train companies!

    I was actually on the way home from Dana Point Harbor, where I had gone to see the great blue herons.  There were just two birds at home in their nests when I got there, so hidden that one had to wait for movement in order to locate them.  The gray patch in the tree to the left of center is actually the back of a bird.

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    Soon, a slightly smaller bird flew in and replaced this bird in the nest.  After a moment, he spread his wings and folded them down again to a more comfortable resting position.  This shot is a bit unusual -- it is one spread wing.

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    The other bird was higher up in the tree, and more hidden by the leaves.  I did get some shots, just to show he was there, that show his white bill as he groomed himself in the nest.

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    I will still continue to visit the birds as I can, but don't expect to see them often, as the heat has been pretty intense recently.

Comments (16)

  • I think I've 'seen' a few of those ghost trains in my lifetime. :)

    • I am in San Juan Capistrano fairly often, and this was the first time I've 'seen' the ghost train! If I lived there, though, it could be a little frustrating!

  • It must be frustrating to wait on a ghost train.

    • Since I had heard of the ghost train and never seen one, it was a photo opportunity, and a little amusing. However, the frustration of daily ghosts must be pretty awful for those who live there!

  • Once at night I was stopped for a train--no barricades. Then I heard another sound--a second light said 'Second Train.; I was on one of the tracks. I back up just as the train whizzed by. God was watching a careless teenage boy.

  • Hehe! Yeah, we have ghost trains every now and again since we are so close to the train yards in Elkhart. If one of the long ones needs to pull forward and then back up to get more cars it will trip the gates and they will just stay down for what seems an eternity... you just get used to it. At least the city has an ordinance that prevents the trains from blowing the horns at crossings with gates and light... This was a HUGE improvement for the people living next to the tracks when the trains would run all night...

    • I had never heard of ghost trains until I lived near San Juan! I imagine that it's very frustrating to have to wait for long trains to assemble themselves> We have ordinances that prevent (or reduce) train horns in populated areas at night -- even so, trains are big noisy beasts!

  • @HUMOR_ME_NOW: Yikes, Frank!

  • "ghost trains" ~ quaint terminology ~ scary thought!

    • It is a little scary, when you don't know whether there's really a train or not! And a little frustrating for those who must cross the tracks in their daily routines!

  • @slmret: @slmret: @slmret: yes!!!!

  • I am sorry, Janet ,I believed having left a comment here .
    The red light for ghost train is something weird . When I was young there was people to open and low the gates but now all of those things are automatic . Too much . This is the proof.
    I am glad you found again your famous blue herons .
    Love
    Michel
    ps : perhaps did i comment this on WordPress ?

    • I think you did comment on WP! I'll be in Santa Barbara for the next 10 days or so, and will post more photos when I return home.

  • It almost sounds like there is a glitch in the wiring. SJC is a nice town, and deserves better treatment from the railroads.
    Glad that at least two of the herons were still there.

    • It has more to do with RR safety laws -- they have to have gates down if there's a train within a particular distance -- often in SJC it also has to do with curves in the tracks that make it impossible to see the train that really is there but that you can't see!

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