[stylist] The ShellBell Report

Wed Jul 1 01:48:32 UTC 2009

Shelly, You have real talent as a journalist.  Your facts are accurate, you 
don't fill your pages with opinion and stick to the subject.  Recently 
journalism has taken a few heavy blows.  Perhaps there's a place for you? 
Judith
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Shelley J. Alongi" <qobells at roadrunner.com>
To: "NFBnet Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, June 28, 2009 10:49 PM
Subject: [stylist] The ShellBell Report


> Hi Guys, Thought you'd like to read this. Have a great convention I'm 
> looking forward to next year.
>
> ***
>
> Adventure 101
>
> "Chatsworth? That's the San Fernando Valley," said someone, I don't 
> remember who it was, but the implication to me anyway was that Chatsworth 
> is hot. Apparently so. A brief glance at the weather forecast informs me 
> that on Monday June 29 the temperature will be 96 degrees. that means as I 
> prepare for my inaugural trip to the Chatsworth station I will need to 
> carry extra water with me. That means a water bottle or two, maybe a soda 
> for fun, a few granola bars, and maybe some fruit to stave off my enemy: 
> hunger. Yes I picked the day it would be 96 degrees in Chatsworth to go 
> off to the station holding a picture of  a Metrolink engineer to see if I 
> can find people who knew that engineer, Rob Sanchez. Will I get anywhere 
> and what does that have to do with me? Well since I have finally made the 
> memorial plaque for him I figured the next step on my journey was to go 
> out there and see if anyone would be willing to engage me in conversation 
> about him, if they knew him. I've always wanted to
> go to that particular station, the station where the Metrolink111 pulled 
> out at 4:16 pm on September 12, 2008 and met a Union Pacific freight train 
> LOF6512 at 4:23 pm after that engineer missed what is generally confirmed 
> by NTSB officials to be a red light. Calling out a flashing yellow light 
> which was followed by a solid yellow light, apparently not called out, 
> though officials won't say that the radio transmission might have occurred 
> and gotten stepped on, and then breaking a switch and slamming into the 12 
> car Leesdale Local, ending his and 24 other lives. Railfans there that day 
> said the light out of the station was green. The conductor said the light 
> was green. Officials say the light was red. It was a fatal light and was, 
> apparently, a train which was met every day around the same time.
>
> So what's my interest in all this? You can read about it in my essays if 
> you want to know the reasons. I'm headed out there to see if anyone knew 
> him and if they might have an idea about who might accept this memorial 
> plaque. Tonight I will do some research to see if anyone has done any more 
> work on memorial plans for the accident victims. I doubt if anyone has 
> done anything for the engineer. There were plans in the works several 
> months ago, but I haven't caught up with them since I was focused on not 
> missing any work so I wouldn't exceed my points and lose my job and so 
> that I could work enough hours to get vacation time: time which started 
> Friday at noon when I was released early. I put myself on the ER list and 
> finally after weeks of asking, was told I could go home since there were 
> enough people there to handle the calls. the ER list is a voluntary thing 
> and once in a while I take advantage of it.
>
> The idea for going to Chatsworth has always been in the back of my head 
> and I figure that if I don't find anyone who knew him or anyone willing to 
> talk, it will be another place to watch trains, and I can do that now that 
> I have two weeks of free time. I said I wouldn't do any serious research 
> on where we might put this plaque till I had it in my hand. Currently that 
> plaque hangs here on the wall above the computer in the office. Where it 
> will sit later I can't even imagine.
>
> Yes, I've been through the chatsworth station at least four times but this 
> will be my first time to get off there. If I can't find anyone who will 
> talk I could at least have dinner there and take my journey home After all 
> this is my vacation I can spend it how I like. Tomorrow it's all about 
> Chatsworth.
>
> So that starts my first official adventure. There will be more in the next 
> two weeks. I'll watch trains, read books, go to the dentist (that's a real 
> adventure), celebrate a birthday, and perhaps also meet the woman who gave 
> me Rob Sanchez's picture. In my own way and style I'll keep you informed.
>
> That's all from the cat castle today. the cats are happy I'm home or maybe 
> they're just happy they have food. I'm happy. For here, for now, life is 
> good.
>
> Till we meet again in person or online, keep dreaming!
>
> Shelley, Pearl, and Brandy
>
> Shelley J. Alongi
> Home Office: (714)869-3207
> **
> To read essays on my journey through the Chatsworth train accident, 
> Metrolink 111 or other interests click on 
> http://www.storymania.com/cgibin/sm2/smshowauthorbox.cgi?page=&author=AlongiSJ&alpha=A
>
> updated May 9, 2009
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