| Rail Tales - Boston, MAKOLO Blog Listing | |||||
|
Recent Blog Topics
|
||||
Save
Email
Print
|
Font Size:
October 23, 2008
DAY 7 Boston, Massachusetts Boston is famous for its baked beans and its history. And it is the history I’m interested in today. But first thing first. We arrive in Boston under blue skies and chilly temperatures. Amtrak pulls into the inspection pit check our cars, empty our retention tanks, and fill our water tanks. They check our trucks for unusual wear, and change out any brake shoes that were too badly worn. It takes most of the day because the crews are doing the entire train we came in on. Once I’m assured the Metis is in good shape mechanically, I grab a ride to Bunker Hill. Bunker Hill is a national historical landmark. It is here that the colonial militiamen threw down the gauntlet and fired the shot that became known as the “shot heard around the world.” The monument is impressive, not only because this is where the war of words ended, and shooting war began, but also because these badly outnumbered colonists knew the time for talking had ended. Ironically, the fighting didn’t begin because the colonists, (they weren’t known as Americans yet), were demanding independence. They were upset because they felt their rights as loyal British subjects were being abused. How does unfair taxes sound? Remember the Boston Tea Party? It all came to a head on June 17th, 1775. And the “shot heard around the world” started the war that would eventually lead to an independent United States of America. I wandered about the memorial for two hours, shooting my story, but also to see and feel this hallowed place where men loyal to the British Government, turned into patriots, and changed the destiny of the world. Returning to the Metis, which is now out of the inspection shop, we are once again on the tail end of our train that will take down the Northeast Corridor to Washington, D.C. they will take us into the station around 8-PM to load our passengers, then depart for Washington at 10-PM. We won’t see much as the trip is overnight, but hopefully Washington will be a lot warmer than Boston. Question: What’s the difference between a television reporter and a puppy dog? Answer: A puppy dog stops whining after six months. Be seein’ you |
| Post Your Comments |
|
|
