Fuel for Thought

Strangers On A Train or Wrong Turn

Trains run on tracks. Trucks run on roads. They are not interchangeable, although many times their paths will cross, you normally wouldn’t consider driving on the tracks. The last place a truck driver wants to find him or herself is stuck on the railroad tracks, even worse, to be driving on the tracks.

Let me tell you, it is an eerie feeling filled with anxiety and doubt if you find yourself driving on railroad tracks.

As it happened, I had to make a delivery and the main entrance directed me to another gate for trucks and deliveries. Well, I missed the tiny little sign for the “ truck entrance”, so I went around and found another entrance. It was locked up tight, no one around and no one to ask about gaining entry. I did have some phone numbers and while parked at the closed gate, I started calling around. I was told the entrance that I wanted was “at” the railroad tracks near the main car entrance. So away I went back around toward the entrance I had just passed.

There on my left, just before getting back to the main entrance, was a tiny little sign between the railroad tracks and a parking lot entrance. Great! I pull into the parking lot only to find it is a church parking lot and not the place I am looking for. As I get turned around in the small lot, half full of cars, and start to head back out, I stop at the driveway and look at the sign again. It seems to be pointing to where I am.

I see a gentleman, wearing a work uniform, walking down the railroad tracks toward me. I asked him if he was from the place I was looking for. He said yes and pointed to go the way he came, ON THE RAILROAD TRACKS!

Just the thought of stopping on railroad tracks is nerve wracking, driving a truck down the tracks is usually never a good idea. The dread of following someone's directions to drive on the tracks, and meeting a train, is heart pounding.

Reluctantly, I exited the church parking lot and turned onto the tracks. Slowly making my way down the tracks, hoping it is the right way, then I notice a driveway to a house connected to the track, then another driveway that led to a small dirt parking lot. I started to feel a little better about driving on the tracks, but it wasn’t until just around the curve, I spotted that sign I was looking for, “ Truck Gate”.

While I was a stranger on a train track, at least it wasn’t a wrong turn.

See you down the road,

Greg