On A Sunday Morning Sidewalk

All's quiet on Independence Ave in Cleveland, Ohio at 7:15AM, but in a few moments the hustle of several EMD switchers will come to life with crews of the AM shift of the "CROW", Cliffs Steel's internal switching railroad. Most mills like this are nearly impossible access, but public street Independence Ave cuts right through the heart of it and it's rail operations. I felt it would be best to be here on a Sunday morning when everyone are still nursing their Saturday night head wounds and the other area businesses are off for the day. Along the street are sidewalks that even Cliffs security can't toss you off from. There, kick back and watch the show as short trains of slab and hot bottle cars come from all directions crossing Independence Ave.

I couldn't help but think of Kris Kristofferson's classic "Sunday Morning Coming Down" while trying to get my head straight after a long overnight drive from the Hudson Valley in New York.

One of the greatest songwriters had passed a couple of weeks earlier and Johnny Cash's throaty rap of the song repeated over and over in my head.

"On a Sunday mornin' sidewalk

I'm wishin', Lord, that I was stoned

'Cause there's somethin' in a Sunday

That makes a body feel alone

And there's nothin' short a' dyin'

That's half as lonesome as the sound

Of the sleepin' city sidewalk

And Sunday mornin' comin' down"

The CROW came down all right, blowing the coke gas around as they sped past, back and forth. It brought me back to life.

A fascinating high strung operation to witness on the inside, on a Sunday morning sidewalk.

Done