I found it interesting that "Tarp Nation" followed so closely on the heels of your article about Amtrak (HCN, 3/16 & 3/30/09). I often ride the Denver-Sacramento and Bakersfield-Sacramento routes when visiting family. Whenever the train enters the outskirts of any sizeable town, observant riders can see slum settlements at regular intervals along the tracks, especially on the Bakersfield-Sacramento route. Riders can also verify that these towns were there well before the current economic downturn began. With Amtrak ridership up, maybe more people will become aware of these forgotten people, and more sympathetic to their plight due to their own precarious financial position. Perhaps awareness and sympathy will lead to a better situation for slum residents when the good times return.

John Davis
Colorado Springs, Colorado