<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Last week I boarded the train on a trip from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania to New Rochelle, New York. The ride, about eight hours in total, lacked the typical stressors of airplane travel. I’ve always liked trains and after this longer trip, I discovered the rails do something I never noticed before. They sing.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>During a handful of long stretches, the familiar clickety-clack we all associate with a moving train faded and a resonating hum emitted. I found it hypnotizing; since I am not a musician I don’t know if the notes were in a major or minor key or which key. It started with a low note and increased until the note reached a soprano and ended. The audible phenomenon lasted only a short distance and varied. Think of a finger circling the lip of a wine glass on a grander scale.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rail Song<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>By Ann Chiappetta<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rails and wheels marry<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sharing the miles <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Conversations carry<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Conductor sashays past<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>In the distance the horn blast<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rebounds reaches the last car.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Pastoral corridor lulls<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The song is heard<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>A message<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>It conveys <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The paring of rail and wheel<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The joy of invention.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Disembarking upon arrival<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>from west to east .<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The urge to thank the thrumming metal beast<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>For performing it’s rail song<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Twitches fingers<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Stays with me.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Ann Chiappetta M.S.<span style='mso-ligatures:none'><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><a href="http://www.annchiappetta.com/"><span style='color:#0563C1'>http://www.annchiappetta.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Making Meaningful Connections Through Media<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><a href="mailto:Ann.m.chiappetta@gmail.com"><span style='color:#0563C1'>Ann.m.chiappetta@gmail.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Blog: <a href="http://www.thought-wheel.com/"><span style='color:#0563C1'>www.thought-wheel.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>914.393.6605<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>"Trust dreams. Trust your heart, and trust your story."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>- Neil Gaiman</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>