Or “Why I missed my curfew”

Like any good teenager, last night I had fully intended to be home at the time that I told my parents as to not worry them. Unfortunately I don’t usually anticipate the travel time to include the possibility waiting for trains, and for good reason. The most obvious reason is that a few months ago, it was in our local paper that the train line in town would soon be getting its last locomotive. The railroad line would have no more trains. (In my entire life living in this town, I only had to stop for the gates twice for a train.)

It was a dark and stormy night

Cue creepy organ music. It was about midnight and raining just enough to make it annoying to have my windows open in my non air conditioned car. I was driving down the road when I saw the array of dazzling red lights. Obviously the gates were down for a train I thought. But then it occurred to me: there were no trains to pass through anymore. As the creepy music intensified I joined the waiting line of cars. I decided to give the poor crossing the benefit of the doubt. 20 minutes of waiting for a train and… no train. It was stuck in the down position. Well great.

What a rational human being should do in a time like this. AKA the tldr;

In the event you ever find yourself in a situation like this, here’s what some google-fu turned up while waiting. First wait long enough in order to determine that trains are in fact fiction just like unicorns and tuned piccolos. Then exit your vehicle and locate the 1-800 number on the crossing mechanism. Call it and then explain where you are and BOOM! They will be happy to fix it and send someone out right away. It’s really that easy. Happy railroad crossing!