Switching Destinations

John French
Sep 7, 2018 · 3 min read

1967 — Silvis, Illinois

In the dark of night the rail yard assaulted me with a confusion of startling sensations, the chest-throbbing bass of the train engines, lanterns flashing signals, and the blinding glare of the locomotive beam, all amidst the smell of diesel oil.

In my second year of college I worked graveyard shift for the Rock Island Railroad in the switchyards where freight trains were…

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John French

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River guide, Buddhist, bicyclist, telemark skier, Tai Chi player, and writer.

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