STM Blog
Why I Want to Take the Train from Phoenix to Los Angeles—Even If It’s Not Easy
The author expresses a deep love for train travel, particularly the Amtrak routes. Despite Phoenix lacking direct Amtrak service, the longing for a train journey from Phoenix to Los Angeles remains strong. The experience of transitioning from desert landscapes to the California coast symbolizes the possibilities of enhancing passenger rail connectivity in the region.
I’ve always loved trains.
Not just as transportation, but as an idea: the rhythm of the rails, the slow reveal of landscapes you’d never notice from 35,000 feet, the sense that the journey itself actually matters. That’s why every time I read about Amtrak’s Sunset Limited, especially its long sweep across the Southwest, I can’t help but think the same thing:
I wish I could take the train from Phoenix to Los Angeles—and then ride the Pacific Surfliner.
The Arizona Reality: Close, But Not Quite
Here’s the catch that every Arizona rail fan knows too well: Phoenix doesn’t have direct Amtrak service. https://stories-this-moment.castos.com/episodes/why-i-want-to-take-the-train-from-phoenix-to-los-angeles
The Sunset Limited does cross southern Arizona, stopping in places like Yuma, Tucson, Benson, and Maricopa. Maricopa is technically the closest Amtrak station serving the Phoenix metro area—but it’s about 30 miles south of downtown, meaning a car ride or bus connection is still required.
It’s a small detail, but it matters. Phoenix is the fifth-largest city in the United States, yet if I want to ride Amtrak west to Los Angeles, I first have to leave the city by road just to board the train.
Still, even with that inconvenience, the idea is hard to shake.
Boarding the Sunset Limited
The Sunset Limited is one of Amtrak’s most historic long-distance routes, running from Los Angeles to New Orleans. In Arizona, it cuts through desert landscapes that feel timeless—wide skies, distant mountains, and towns that grew up alongside the railroad itself.
This isn’t high-speed rail. It’s not flashy. It’s slow, deliberate travel, the kind that lets you sit back, watch the desert roll by, and remember that the Southwest was built on rail long before interstates and budget airlines.
From Maricopa or Tucson, the train heads west toward California, crossing into the Imperial Valley before arriving in Los Angeles.
The Real Dream: Connecting to the Surfliner
For me, Los Angeles isn’t the end of the line—it’s the gateway.
Once in LA, I’d love to step off the Sunset Limited and transfer to the Pacific Surfliner, one of the most scenic passenger rail routes in the country. From there, the journey hugs the coastline through Santa Barbara, Ventura, Orange County, and San Diego, offering ocean views that feel almost unreal from a train window.
That connection—from Arizona desert to California coastline—feels like the perfect expression of what passenger rail does best. You don’t just arrive somewhere. You experience the transition.
Why This Matters
This isn’t just about nostalgia or being a train enthusiast.
It’s about options.
Rail travel offers something planes and highways don’t: accessibility, comfort, and a sense of continuity between communities. The fact that Phoenix still lacks direct passenger rail service feels like a missed opportunity—not just for travelers like me, but for the region as a whole.
Every time stories circulate about the Sunset Limited or long-distance Amtrak routes, they remind me that the bones of a better rail network already exist. What’s missing is the will to connect major cities like Phoenix directly into that system.
Someday Soon?
I still hope that one day, taking the train from Phoenix to Los Angeles won’t require a workaround. Until then, the Sunset Limited remains both a real option—and a symbol of what could be.
Because if there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s this:
If I ever get the chance to roll out of Arizona by rail, connect in LA, and ride the Surfliner along the Pacific, I’ll be on that train—camera ready, coffee in hand, watching the country unfold exactly the way it’s meant to be seen.
Coming Soon: Travel Stories from STM Daily News
Travel is more than getting from one place to another—it’s about how we experience the journey. In the weeks ahead, STM Daily News will be sharing new travel stories that explore rail routes, regional history, overlooked connections, and the human side of movement across the Southwest and beyond.
From passenger rail reflections and historic routes to modern transit challenges and scenic journeys worth slowing down for, our upcoming coverage looks at travel as culture, infrastructure, and lived experience.
Coming Soon: Travel Stories from STM Daily News
Travel is more than getting from one place to another—it’s about how we experience the journey. In the weeks ahead, STM Daily News will be sharing new travel stories that explore rail routes, regional history, overlooked connections, and the human side of movement across the Southwest and beyond.
From passenger rail reflections and historic routes to modern transit challenges and scenic journeys worth slowing down for, our upcoming coverage looks at travel as culture, infrastructure, and lived experience.
Follow along at STM Travels as we continue to explore the roads—and rails—that shape how we move.
Blog
Terminal Island: The Untold Story of Los Angeles Harbor’s Forgotten Community and Industrial Giant
Discover the remarkable history of Terminal Island in Los Angeles Harbor—from its thriving Japanese American fishing village to World War II shipbuilding and today’s global shipping hub.
Whenever I think about Terminal Island, my mind immediately goes back to childhood trips with my parents to San Pedro’s Fisherman’s Wharf. Those visits were some of my favorite family outings. We’d walk along the waterfront while my parents picked up fresh crab, shrimp, fish, and occasionally shellfish. The smells of the ocean, the sound of fishing boats, and the towering presence of the Vincent Thomas Bridge left a lasting impression on me long before I understood the incredible history hidden just beyond the docks.
As a child, I simply saw ships, cranes, and bridges. It wasn’t until years later that I learned Terminal Island had once been home to one of Southern California’s most vibrant immigrant communities—and that much of it disappeared almost overnight during World War II.
Today, Terminal Island stands at the crossroads of history, commerce, and remembrance.
From Sandbar to Strategic Harbor
Terminal Island wasn’t always an island as we know it today. Originally a marshy stretch of land in San Pedro Bay, it was reshaped through decades of dredging and engineering projects that transformed Los Angeles Harbor into one of the world’s busiest ports.
As railroads arrived in the late 1800s, the island became a gateway for commerce. Warehouses, rail terminals, and docks expanded rapidly, laying the foundation for the economic powerhouse that would eventually emerge.
The Village That Built an Industry
In the early 1900s, Japanese immigrants established a thriving fishing village along Fish Harbor.
Families built homes, schools, churches, markets, and businesses while creating a close-knit community unlike any other in Southern California. Many residents came from Japan’s Wakayama Prefecture, bringing generations of fishing knowledge with them.
Their expertise helped build California’s tuna fishing industry into one of the largest in the nation. Long before canned tuna became a pantry staple across America, many of the fishermen of Terminal Island were helping shape the industry that made it possible.
The community even developed its own distinctive blend of Japanese and English known as “Terminal Island lingo,” reflecting the unique culture that flourished there.
A Community Lost
Everything changed after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
Within weeks, Terminal Island became the first Japanese American community in the United States to be forcibly removed.
Residents were given little time to leave their homes.
Many men were arrested first under suspicion simply because of their ancestry. Families were separated. Businesses were abandoned. Eventually, nearly every house in the village was demolished.
For many residents, there was nothing to return to after the war.
Today, the story of Terminal Island serves as a powerful reminder of how fear and prejudice can overwhelm constitutional rights during times of national crisis.
Building Victory
As one community disappeared, another chapter began.
Terminal Island became one of America’s great wartime industrial centers.
Shipyards worked around the clock constructing destroyers, cargo ships, and support vessels for the Allied war effort. Thousands of workers—including many African Americans who had migrated west seeking defense jobs—helped build and repair ships that crossed the Pacific.
The island became a symbol of American industrial strength, contributing directly to victory during World War II.
The Bridge That Became an Icon
In 1963, the opening of the Vincent Thomas Bridge forever changed the harbor skyline.
The graceful green suspension bridge connected San Pedro with Terminal Island, replacing ferry service and improving access to the growing port.
For many Southern Californians—including myself—the bridge became more than just a transportation link. It was a landmark that signaled you were entering one of the hardest-working waterfronts in America.
Every crossing offered sweeping views of ships arriving from around the world, reminding visitors that Los Angeles Harbor is one of the nation’s most important economic engines.
Terminal Island Today
Modern Terminal Island bears little resemblance to the fishing village that once stood there.
Today it is home to massive container terminals, rail yards, ship repair facilities, Coast Guard operations, federal facilities, and the Federal Correctional Institution. Together with the neighboring Port of Long Beach, the Port of Los Angeles moves millions of cargo containers every year, supporting jobs and businesses across the United States.
The island remains essential to global trade while quietly preserving memories of the people who first called it home.
Remembering the Whole Story
Terminal Island is more than an industrial center.
It represents the American dream of immigrants who built thriving businesses through hard work.
It reminds us of the injustice experienced by Japanese American families during World War II.
It showcases the extraordinary industrial effort that helped win a global conflict.
And it demonstrates how one small piece of land helped shape the economy of Southern California and the nation.
The next time you cross the Vincent Thomas Bridge or see the towering cranes along the harbor, remember that beneath today’s shipping terminals lies a story of resilience, sacrifice, innovation, and hope.
Sometimes the most important history isn’t found in famous landmarks—it lives in the places we pass every day without realizing what came before.
Further Reading & Related Links
- Port of Los Angeles – Harbor Communities: Terminal Island History
- Port of Los Angeles – *Terminal Island: Lost Communities of Los Angeles Harbor*
- Japanese American National Museum (JANM)
- National Park Service – Japanese American Confinement Sites
- LA Waterfront – Japanese American Fishing Village Memorial
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STM Blog
From Hand Signals to Smart Crosswalks: The Evolution of the Modern Pedestrian Signal
Discover the history of the modern pedestrian signal, from Garrett A. Morgan’s groundbreaking traffic signal to today’s smart, accessible crosswalks.
Every day, millions of people rely on pedestrian signals to cross busy street safely. A glowing white walking figure, an orange-red hand, and a countdown timer have become familiar sights around the world. While these signals may seem like simple pieces of infrastructure, they are the result of more than a century of innovation, engineering, and public safety improvements.
The modern pedestrian signal did not appear overnight. Instead, it evolved through the contributions of inventors, engineers, city planners, and transportation officials who continually refined traffic control systems as cities grew and automobiles became more common.
The Early Days of Traffic Control
Before electric traffic signals, intersections were controlled by police officers, railway-style semaphores, or even hand signals. As horse-drawn wagons gave way to automobiles in the early 1900s, traffic congestion and accidents increased dramatically, creating an urgent need for better traffic management.
One of the earliest electric traffic lights was installed in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1914. It used red and green lights and was manually operated. While it improved vehicle movement, pedestrians still had to judge for themselves when it was safe to cross.
Garrett A. Morgan’s Breakthrough
One of the most important milestones came in 1923 when inventor and entrepreneur Garrett Augustus Morgan received U.S. Patent No. 1,475,024 for an improved traffic signal.
Morgan’s design introduced a third position in addition to “Stop” and “Go.” This intermediate phase temporarily stopped traffic in every direction before allowing vehicles to proceed. The brief pause reduced confusion at intersections and provided additional time for pedestrians to cross safely.
Morgan reportedly developed his design after witnessing a serious traffic accident. His invention demonstrated how thoughtful engineering could improve public safety while making increasingly busy streets more efficient.
Although Morgan did not invent the illuminated “WALK” and “DON’T WALK” pedestrian signal used today, his three-position signal became a foundational step in the evolution of modern traffic control.
The Birth of Dedicated Pedestrian Signals
As cities expanded after World War II, pedestrian safety became an even greater concern. More people were walking in increasingly crowded downtown districts, and separating pedestrian movements from vehicle traffic became a priority.
During the early 1950s, several American cities began experimenting with dedicated pedestrian signals. New York City became one of the first major municipalities to install illuminated “WALK” and “DON’T WALK” signs at busy intersections.
These early systems gave pedestrians their own designated crossing phase, reducing conflicts with turning vehicles and improving safety at some of the nation’s busiest intersections.
Standardization Across America
By the 1960s and 1970s, traffic engineers recognized the importance of creating consistent traffic control devices nationwide.
The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) established national standards for traffic signs, pavement markings, and pedestrian signals. Standardized designs helped ensure that pedestrians could understand crossing signals regardless of where they traveled in the United States.
Eventually, words gave way to internationally recognized symbols—a walking person to indicate it was safe to cross and an upraised hand to indicate pedestrians should wait. These symbols transcended language barriers and improved accessibility for visitors and non-English speakers.
The Countdown Era
One of the most significant modern improvements arrived with pedestrian countdown timers.
Rather than simply flashing a warning, countdown displays show exactly how many seconds remain before the crossing phase ends. Research has shown that countdown timers help pedestrians make better crossing decisions and improve compliance with traffic signals.
Today, countdown timers have become standard equipment at intersections across much of the United States.
Accessibility Takes Center Stage
Modern pedestrian signals are designed to serve everyone.
Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) now provide audible tones, spoken messages, vibrating push buttons, and locator sounds that assist pedestrians who are blind or have low vision. These features allow more people to navigate intersections independently and safely.
The continued development of accessible technology reflects a broader commitment to making transportation systems inclusive for all users.
The Future of Pedestrian Safety
Pedestrian signals continue to evolve.
Many cities now use smart traffic systems that detect pedestrians waiting to cross, automatically adjust signal timing based on traffic conditions, and prioritize people walking during busy periods.
Researchers are exploring artificial intelligence, connected vehicle technology, and sensor-based systems capable of communicating directly with autonomous vehicles. Future pedestrian crossings may adapt in real time to weather conditions, crowd sizes, emergency vehicles, and even the needs of older adults or individuals with disabilities.
A Legacy Built by Many Innovators
The pedestrian signal we know today is the product of more than a century of collaboration and innovation.
Early traffic engineers created the first electric traffic lights. Garrett A. Morgan improved intersection safety with his groundbreaking three-position traffic signal. Transportation agencies standardized traffic control devices, while engineers continued refining pedestrian technology through countdown timers, accessible features, and intelligent traffic systems.
Every safe crossing today reflects the work of countless inventors, planners, researchers, and public officials dedicated to protecting lives.
As cities continue to grow and transportation technology advances, the humble pedestrian signal remains one of the most effective—and often overlooked—public safety innovations ever developed.
At STM Daily News, we celebrate the inventors, engineers, and visionaries whose everyday innovations quietly improve life for millions of people. Sometimes the most important inventions aren’t the ones that grab headlines—they’re the ones we depend on every single day without giving them a second thought.
Related Reading
- Federal Highway Administration – Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)
- National Museum of African American History and Culture – Garrett Augustus Morgan
- United States Patent and Trademark Office
- Federal Highway Administration – Accessible Pedestrian Signals
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
🧠 Discover the remarkable innovators, inventors, and trailblazers who helped shape our world but rarely receive the recognition they deserve. Share your thoughts in the comments and subscribe to the STM Daily News newsletter to catch every new Forgotten Genius Friday feature and more inspiring stories delivered to your inbox.
STM Blog
What is Nude Recreation Week?
Nude Recreation Week is a real event that promotes the idea of enjoying the outdoors without clothing.
Nude Recreation Week is a real event that promotes the idea of enjoying the outdoors without clothing. It is a week-long celebration of the human body and its natural state. The history of Nude Recreation Week is a fascinating one, with its origins dating back to the early 1970s.
The idea of Nude Recreation Week came from a group of naturists who wanted to promote the benefits of nudity in the outdoors. They believed that nudity was a natural and healthy way to enjoy the outdoors, and that it allowed people to connect with nature in a more meaningful way. The first Nude Recreation Week was held in 1976, and it has been celebrated every year since then.
There are many ways to celebrate Nude Recreation Week legally. Many naturist organizations offer events and activities that are open to the public, such as nude hikes, beach cleanups, and other outdoor activities. There are also many private resorts and campsites that cater to naturists, and they offer a variety of activities and amenities for those who want to enjoy the outdoors in the nude.
Nude Recreation Week – July 6–12
Nude Recreation Week celebrates naturism, body positivity, and the freedom to enjoy outdoor activities in a clothing-free environment. Observed at nudist resorts, beaches, and private spaces, it encourages self-acceptance and connection with nature. The week culminates in International Skinny Dip Day. Learn more about the history and celebration: National Today, National Day Calendar, American Association for Nude Recreation.
The opinions about Nude Recreation Week are divided. Some people believe that it is a healthy and natural way to enjoy the outdoors, and that it promotes body positivity and self-confidence. Others believe that it is inappropriate and offensive, and that it should not be allowed in public spaces.
On one hand, some people argue that nudity is a natural state for humans and that it should be celebrated. They believe that nudity is not inherently sexual or offensive, and that it is a healthy way to connect with nature and with other people. They also argue that nudity promotes body positivity and self-confidence, and that it can help people overcome body shame and negative self-image.
On the other hand, some people argue that nudity is inappropriate and offensive, especially in public spaces. They believe that nudity is a private matter and that it should not be displayed in public. They also argue that nudity can be sexualized and that it can lead to inappropriate behavior and harassment.
In conclusion, Nude Recreation Week is a real event that promotes the idea of enjoying the outdoors without clothing. It has a fascinating history, and it is celebrated by many people around the world. While opinions about nudity are divided, it is clear that there are many ways to celebrate Nude Recreation Week legally, and that it is a healthy and natural way to enjoy the outdoors.
https://nationaltoday.com/nude-recreation-week/
National Nude Day – July
National Nude Day celebrates body positivity, personal freedom, and self-acceptance—not sex. Observed by nudist and naturist communities, the day encourages people to embrace their natural form and challenge societal body shaming. Participants may visit naturist beaches or resorts or enjoy private time at home to connect with their body and nature. Learn more about the celebration and its history here: National Day Calendar, National Today, The Guardian on Naturism.
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