Scanning news about trains today brought me bad, sad and bizarre stories.

The Bad

3.5 mile Union Pacific freight train

A 3.5 mile long freight train crosses the US. 3.5 miles?!? That is a long wait if it crosses your path to work, or home, or school. Officials are also concerned about the train’s braking capacity and whether the track can handle the forces of the train. Union Pacific officials responded saying the long trains save energy, run cleaner and reduces maintenance.

The Sad

California’s nonpartisan legislative analyst criticized the state’s bullet train business plan. The analyst stated it falls short on its discussion of funding, ridership and measurable time lines. The California High-Speed Rail Authority created the business plan as the state entity building the $42.6 billion project that would link San Francisco to Southern California. For now, though, planning continues on the high speed rail line, and the business plan will be adjusted as progress is made. Construction is anticipated by 2012.

The Bizarre

Passenger Falls Asleep on Second level - gets locked on train

In Washington, a man fell asleep on the Sounder train, and woke up five hours later locked up in the train yard. The passenger was on the train for 5:30 hours and woke up at 9:30 at night locked in the train car. Sound Transit reported crews sweep the trains every night before parking them in the yard but did not find this passenger sleeping on the upper deck. The passenger was quoted as saying this should serve as a wake up call for other passengers and the trains’ security team. The wake up call line is just too perfect.