Some of the first trains I saw were lumber trains, headed south
from Oregon through my hometown of Davis, California. I often watched
these trains with my dad.
As a boy, my dad built houses. I remember visiting his job site. There was always lumber.
As a boy, my dad built houses. I remember visiting his job site. There was always lumber.
As
these trains headed through our town, I remember seeing the lumber
stacked on the flat cars. As the trains rolled through town, carload
after carload of lumber passed by. As a six year old, I quickly
associated it with my dad and the houses he built.
This
was the first connection I made to trains carrying the freight we
needed. As I watched the lumber rolling by, I imagined it heading to my
dad's job. I thought of the lumber being part of the houses my dad
built.
As I made this connection, I knew that trains were
bigger than myself. I knew that trains helped my dad build his houses.
I knew that trains had helped build the house where I lived. This is
why we need trains.
