The Tracks by My House - A Story about Growing Up at the Metro Tracks

I grew up one block from the just christened Metro Expo line train in West Los Angeles. It was from the days of my earliest memories until we moved away in 1984. Exposition Blvd was a short walk northbound, on my BMX bike perhaps 30 seconds or less, and the sets of tracks were just another 5 or 10 seconds. As a child I remember hearing the train horn blare at 6:30am on most weekdays unless I slept through it. The high pitched sound was the signal of a new day and hopefully a great one for the neighborhood. 

The freight cars were the dirty brick red type that had a layer of dirt, dust, and grime from traveling across the country. They hauled boxes of goods that made the economy work, and another few pedals and jumps across the narrow Exposition Blvd and across the tracks was the giant dilapidated warehouse and giant parking lot for a giant chain discount store, now defunct called Zody’s. I don’t remember the engine being especially ornate, the chain of cars not that long, and unless I’m confusing it with a model train, there was a caboose with a huge diagonally printed “Santa Fe” logo.

Continued at yomyomf.com



Myself and fellow Neighborhood Council candidate Ron Migdal and photo taker, Cate Park campaigned for a while at the Bundy Stop. It actually felt good to do this as a team. We even asked the WLA officers to cast a vote for us.