Proof positive that I’m a hopeless trainspotter
There is a lot of utility work (and some house-moving) going on on Milwaukie Ave this week, so I decided that I would attempt to avoid sitting on the bus twiddling my thumbs by taking a bus across the river and changing to the #70 bus, which goes up the (so far) uncontaminated by utility work 17th Ave. The bus I chose was the #17, which goes down 17th as far as Holgate (which, conveniently, happens to be past the Haig St stop and the Toonerville bridge.) I decided that it would be a good plan to get off the #17 at Haig and walk over to see if anything was moving around the north end of Brooklyn Yard.
Nothing was visible from Haig street, but when I started walking away I heard a nearby collection of toots and the sound of accelerating diesels from the vicinity of the 12th Ave crossing. I could have stayed at Haig St and taken some pictures of the approaching train framed in the signal just south of Powell and 17th, but if I could make it to the Toonerville Bridge, I could get a picture from up in the air.
The Toonerville Bridge is about 2 blocks away from Haig & 17th. If I ran I could make it to the bridge ahead of the train.
It was 100°F. The sensible thing to do would have been to stay at Haig and watch the train from there.
Of course I ran. It was only 100°F, after all.
It's not mad dogs and englishmen. It's mad dogs, englishmen, and trainspotters.