Time's a Wastin'

The Amtrak train that heads east from Albuquerque makes a stop in Lamy, NM. Lamy is a hamlet consisting of a few houses, a train museum, a bar and the train station. The building at Lamy is a time-warp experience, filled with heavy wooden seats with dark green leather upholstery complimented by framed black and white photos of young old men that stare back at the lady in the cage who sells tickets to exotic destinations such as Kansas and Wyoming.

Today, the stop at Lamy is extra long due to the lateness of the coroner. An old lady with a walker and luggage with tiny purple flowers on it passed away somewhere between Lamy and Albuquerque.

Jason Small and Drew Jaynes and I were passing through Lamy when we noticed the train and the accompanying signs of delay. Children with harried mothers and Amtrack personnel who repeatedly glance at their watches hung around the platform. Everyone notices the cold wind, but it's better than staying on a waiting train.

Jason wanted to get video of the train pulling out, Drew wanted to talk to people and take pictures of the depot. I just walked around, hoping to find something to shoot.

I ended up at the front of the train which had two engines and the platform only goes as far as the first passenger car. A customer service representative in a suit and tie nervously consumed a cup of coffee from a paper cup and I asked him about the delay. As we were talking, the conductor came walking toward us and I realized the conductor was a woman.

Martha Akeman of Albuquerque is a short compact woman with well manicured nails and a quick smile. She says she's worked for Amtrak for 26 years, with 11 years as a conductor and loves her job. Even on days like this when a passenger has a different "final destination" than the one printed on the timetable, Akeman wouldn't think of doing any other job.

The coroner arrives to take the dead old lady off the train and everyone gets ready to roll out of the station, minus one passenger. The coroner takes the old lady's walker and luggage with little purple flowers on it and puts it in the ambulance.

Jason prepares to get his video of the train pulling out and Drew talks with the conductor and the customer service representative and takes pictures of the depot. Life goes on.

Akeman consults her watch for probably the hundredth time today and even though her schedule is a train-wreck, she prepares the flyer for departure.

Minus one passenger.