Today is National Train Day. National Train Day was started by Amtrak in 2008 as a way to spread information to the general public about the advantages of rail travel and the history of trains in the United States. Amtrak stopped recognizing National Train Day after 2015 due to their own budget cuts, but many people still recognize National Train Day as a way to celebrate our rich railway history.
I can’t let this day go by without recognizing and bragging on the railroad industry legacy in my own family! The handsome devil pictured on the left is my paternal grandfather, Richard Sachse. He was a smart dude. He was born in Germany 1881 and studied engineering there (received degrees in civil engineering from the University of Dresden and structural engineering from Hanover University), but came over to the U.S. and became a naturalized citizen soon after the turn of the century.
He began service with the California Railroad Commission as an engineer in 1911 and by 1914, was appointed Chief Engineer. His most impressive contribution to the railroad industry was his extensive work related to the planning and building of Los Angeles’ historic Union Station. If you’ve ever been to Union Station in Los Angeles, you know what a beautiful art deco, mission revival gem the building is. But I’m talking about something deeper than the architecture.
As Chief Engineer of the California Railroad Commission, my grandfather was charged with solving the transportation problem that was growing more and more dire in Los Angeles in the 1920s. Downtown traffic was increasing (car ownership was becoming more common), streetcars and interurbans stalled in the congestion, and the city lacked a plan for improving its public-transit facilities. The result was an investigation and report (nearly 600 pages) called “Report on Railroad Grade Crossing Elimination and Passenger and Freight Terminals in Los Angeles.” (You can still get a copy of the big ol’ report on Amazon!) The report dealt with grade crossing elimination, a proposed union passenger terminal, freight movement, and electric interurban transit solutions. Also involved, of course, was all the related change required for reconstruction and new construction of city streets, viaducts and bridges, and city-wide planning as a whole. The work includes many historical photos, renderings, graphs, and statistics involving the traffic and transportation problems of Los Angeles in the 1920s. The Union Station opened in 1939.
I found this wonderful footage of the opening day at Union Station at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences Archive. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Toot toot! Happy Train Day!
So, after many years of denial, my a-brother has shown an interest in his bio-fam. His DNA failed. Twice. It’s really weird . . . and rare. He submitted his saliva sample to 23andMe. But it was a failure. Jeezus. My poor brother. We tease him that it means he’s got alien DNA in him. Weirdo. I like this analysis. He doesn’t.
As for me, I’ve been busy meeting more family members–wonderful aunts on my maternal side, and more cousins on my paternal side–who have all been so wonderful in opening their hearts and sharing stories. There is so much rich history that I am still learning. And I am thankful. It’s been a journey with surprises that I never expected. I’m loving it.
I’m still editing and rewriting. It’s a big job. It will never be perfect, or just right. I am thankful for my editor, who has been guiding me and punishing me (just kidding), so that I know where to go with my story. Thank you for hanging in there with me.
I apologize in advance. This is a long post. Since it’s been awhile since I’ve updated my blog and my journey in earnest, I wanted to summarize my story and let readers know where I am on this crazy journey. I also wanted to answer a question that I’m asked often: “What did you say to your biological father when you introduced yourself?” Every journey is different and complicated in its own way (although I’m not sure any journey is more complicated than mine!), but I want to encourage everyone who is curious or is being held back by his or her own fears to move forward. And remember, happy endings are not the goal–the goal is wholeness. 
I was twenty years old when curiosity got the best of me. Of course, adoptees understand that it is much more complicated than just simple curiosity. It’s a need to understand and know one’s true identity. Identity that includes a sense of belonging and a knowledge and familiarity with family history, heritage and ethnicity. A yearning to find someone who looks who looks like me.
Luckily for me (and other adoptees from the closed records era), the evolution of science and technology over the years helped keep the dream of finding answers alive. For adoptees, a DNA test can provide the first ever connection with a biological relative. You may only get distant relative matches at first, but by contacting those relatives and exploring family connections and sharing stories, many adoptees are able to identify close family members and even birth parents. And today’s internet-strong social media makes it easier than ever to connect and make contact. It’s tricky and can even feel like trying to find a needle in a haystack at times, but DNA testing can reveal so much. Even when it feels like you’re fighting against all odds.
Unfortunately, a large percentage of the distant relative matches will not respond to requests for contact. But because the databases are so large and growing daily, you are still likely to make many important contacts. And here’s the key: you have to be consistent. You have to be willing to tell your story over and over again. You have to talk about your adoption and provide every bit of information you know. Names, places, even stories that may or may not be true. Share and share again. Someone out there knows your truth. Or, someone out there knows just enough of your truth so that you can put the puzzle pieces together. And you never know—you may beat the odds—like I did.
Adoption: My Truth 