Back to the train narrative, in North Platte

24 hours later we stopped at what I assumed was outside the north platte yard, several sets of tracks to the right and left of us, but the north platte train yard was supposed to be the busiest train yard in the world, and this did not seem all that busy...seemed we must be waiting clearance to enter, or maybe this is were the crew change took place... I contemplated a move to a rideable train car further up the train because the word was that North Platte was "hot" there were even claims of dog searches and infrared scanners. The advice was to leave the train, walk, or ride my bike to the far side of the yard and catch out on that side. But was that posable? Was there security that would catch me if I wandered off in the open, would I be able to find roads that paralleled the main line, would I be able to find the main line, do trains stop in a convenient spot to catch out on? If I stayed in the unit would I be able to get off and hide again....

Another train traveling the same direction pulled up on the track next to us. I think it is a train that we passed on a siding, I think we are waiting to pull into the yard, I decided to wait.

We move forward picking up speed, it's surprising how fast the train accelerates, past a light tower... We slow... More tracks and trains and lights up high and everywhere... The instruments inside seem to indicate fuel quantity at empty... A pickup truck drives past, and another seems to be following us, then turns off and drives away. I wonder if I've been seen, if anyone cares, if they've called the police, if the yard is "hot"

We stop... Another truck drives past, I climb down, with gear, on the side of the unit opposite where all of the trucks have been driving and walk up the train to the 48 that has a floor, set out a tarp, get my things as low and out of sight as possible and curl up with the tarp folded over me and wait to get moving.