Riding the rails

A couple of years ago I started to look into riding the commuter train to work.

Gas prices weren’t bad then, but the traffic was. We live about 13 miles from my job. On an average morning it takes 30 – 45 minutes to go those 13 miles. And that is just regular traffic, no accidents. God forbid there be an accident. Then we are talking an hour, or hour and a half to get there. And if the weather is bad? Forget about it. I would be better off to just stay home.

I knew a couple of people in my department rode the train in. So I looked up the web site to check it out. A monthly pass was $50. Not too bad, I guess. But I was told that our company issued them annually, and they are not prorated. This was about September or October, so I decided to think about it until the first of the year. Then if I was going to get one, it would be in January.

Of course I forget all about it.

So a year goes by and the traffic is worse. Actually, it is probably about the same, but my patience is less.

Then about February or March of this year I remember the train again. Gas prices were starting to creep up, so I decided to look more closely into it. I talk to one of the ladies that I know rides and ask about the schedules and getting the pass. The schedules worked out to where I have to leave the house only about 30 minutes early than I normally do, and I would get home about 30 minutes later. (Unless it was an accident or bad weather day, and then I would be home about 30 minutes earlier!) She gives me the name of the guy at the company who processes our applications, because we get a CORPARATE DISCOUNT. My eyes were spinning at that news.

Boy howdy, what a discount! I only have to pay $55 for THE WHOLE YEAR. And that is for the rail and buses. SCORE!

So I have been not driving most days since early spring. It is totally great.

The first day I was going to ride, my husband took me to the train station and waited with me. To make sure I didn’t get on the wrong train. He said “if you get stuck somewhere, just call me and I will come and get you”. I felt like a little kid going to school on the bus for the first time.

I was a little nervous. So I scoped out someone wearing a company ID badge, and I followed her. I got on the car she got on, I sat right behind her, and when she got up I got up.

Totally unnecessary of course. It is a straight shot. The trains are either east bound or west bound. I get on at the 3rd station, and get off 2 stations later. The shuttle from the station to my building, parks by a sign declaring the route. The driver drops us at the front door of our building, and picks us back up there at the end of the day. No sweat.

The only bad point; as gas prices are getting higher, it is getting more crowded. I end up standing up a lot. And getting out of the parking lot at my home station is always a challenge. Some days I end up sitting in a line of cars, for longer than the ride on the train was!

All in all, it is great fun. I get to people watch.

Stay tuned for: Commuting Views; The Newlyweds.