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| Title: |
The Box |
| Description: |
A discarded box lies on the platform near track 10A at Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles, California. The box, like so many souls living on the streets around the station in cardboard lean-tos, or sitting on park benches by day and huddling in the dark, fetid alleys by night, once had a direction and a purpose. Perhaps the contents of the box was even once appreciated by someone with the same feeling of euphoria that a bottle of Night Train shared among traveling companions can bring, or the warm contentment that a few hits off the glass pipe might provide - even if it be only temporary. One never knows what transpires in the minds of the forsaken. On one hand, the box's receipt might also have not been such a joyous event. It could have been accompanied by the crushing disappointment that results from the realization that most, if not all of one's failures in life are generally attributable to a lack of direction, self-esteem and/or the horror of a bad acid trip. And all of the street urchins leaning against the adjacent walls and pillars, surveying the open spaces like a pride of lions on some distant Savanna. Occasionally, they look down in earnest to dig the ends of smoked cigarettes out of the ashtrays to scavenge the bits of unburned tobacco for use in their hand rolled joes. In contrast, the box presumably has fulfilled it's "use" in this life and is now just sitting around, passing the time and waiting, waiting for what might be next. It and the urchins have been cast off and abandon, left to find their fates and final dispositions by the vicissitudes of the wind blown from the passing trains. As I watch, the box upon the pavement and the urchins upon the walls meld into the light and the cacophony that is the City by day, I am left to ponder the ultimate question that begs to be asked. Where will the urchins and box will ultimately end up at the journeys end, and how shall they get there? As for the box, only God and the janitor really know for sure. And the urchins? I can only hope they all get home eventually. Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal (LAUPT) (February 23, 2010) |
| Photo Date: |
2/23/2010 Upload Date: 2/25/2010 2:27:44 AM |
| Location: |
Los Angeles, CA |
| Author: |
El Roco Photography |
| Categories: |
Station,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
SCAX 861(F59PH) |
| Views: |
518 Comments: 2 |
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| Title: |
Preparing for the Evening Rush |
| Description: |
During the afternoon, most of these tracks were clear of trains except for those that pulled in, and then pulled out. However as the 5:00 p.m. rush hour approaches, trains and train sets are brought in and set up on the different tracks awaiting the many passengers that will soon inundate the platforms in about an hours time, all in the mad scramble to get home for the day. Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal (LAUPT) (February 23, 2010) |
| Photo Date: |
2/23/2010 Upload Date: 2/25/2010 2:24:31 AM |
| Location: |
Los Angeles, CA |
| Author: |
El Roco Photography |
| Categories: |
Station,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
SCAX 880(F59PHI) |
| Views: |
446 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Stop Taking Pictures in the Name of the Law! |
| Description: |
I guess I am in the minority with regard to trackside contacts with LEOs regarding the photography of rolling assets belonging to the railroads and their facilities. While I have been doing this for a while now in a number of places around California, today was the first time that I have ever been approached by a member of the law enforcement community specifically regarding my action(s) of standing on a platform snapping pictures of trains. It seems that Amtraks recent revamping of their system wide photo policy has placed their peace officers in quite the quandary, because while they obviously dont like having their pictures taken, there is really not a whole they can do about it when you are a ticket holding passenger in an area open to the riding public and not interfering with the loading, unloading, or operation of an Amtrak train. In this instance, it was my intent to capture an image of the Red Cap cart coming up the tunnel to the platform, however when the officer chose to face me and commence making gestures with his hand, he unwittingly became the subject of the photo. He was a nice guy about the whole thing though, so I will not be sending off a letter to the Director of Amtrak in Washington D.C. about this experience. Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal (LAUPT) (February 23, 2010) |
| Photo Date: |
2/23/2010 Upload Date: 2/25/2010 2:23:03 AM |
| Location: |
Los Angeles, CA |
| Author: |
El Roco Photography |
| Categories: |
Station |
| Locomotives: |
AMTK 459(F59PHI) |
| Views: |
488 Comments: 8 |
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| Title: |
From Out of the Dark Abyss and into the Light of Day |
| Description: |
Waiting for a train on a cool February afternoon in Downtown Los Angeles. Amtrak Train 579 enroute to San Diego waits on track 12 to depart Southbound at 4:10 p.m. PST. Tracks 11 and 12, Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal (LAUPT) (February 23, 2010) |
| Photo Date: |
2/23/2010 Upload Date: 2/25/2010 2:25:35 AM |
| Location: |
Los Angeles, CA |
| Author: |
El Roco Photography |
| Categories: |
Station,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
AMTK 459(F59PHI) |
| Views: |
260 Comments: 0 |
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