Tuscaloosa Train Depot

Coker, Alabama

Weather: low 54 degrees, high 86 degrees, clear skies

Earlier this week, an earthquake was reported in Bibb County. The earthquake was apparently centered a few miles north of Centreville, at a depth of about three miles. No injuries or damage was reported, although people near the epicenter of the quake were able to feel the tremors. The area I'm talking about is approximately 25 miles from Tuscaloosa, so we didn't know about the quake until it was reported by the news media.

When I was out and about yesterday, I passed by the Tuscaloosa Train Depot. Aha, I thought, photo opportunity. I pulled in and took a few pictures as I walked around and looked at the building. The depot is used by Amtrak, since Tuscaloosa is a scheduled stop for the train. What was surprising to me was the general state of disrepair of the building. There is rotten wood outside, the building needs painting, the brickwork is cracking, and the grounds are trashy. The inside of the building is dirty, and the waiting room looks like a bus station, with four benches for passengers to sit on. The room does not project the kind of atmosphere that would tend to encourage people to ride the train. We have seen train depots in a lot of towns, and many of the towns have refurbished them to take advantage of the historical aspects of the depots to encourage tourism. Maybe the problem with the upkeep of this depot is that it is apparently not owned by the city. In a way, that's good because the city does have Amtrak service. However, I tend to think that Amtrak might get more riders if the facility was upgraded.

There's not much going on around here at the present time. I did get the truck cleaned up, so it's probably going to rain before long. Carolyn's vertigo symptoms continue to get better. We have some activities planned for when she feels confident enough to get out and about. In the meantime, I'll be doing little things as I find them.

More later, be safe.

Today's Town - Bishop, California: A Place To Play, A Place To Stay

Not all who wander are lost.