The Third Street railroad underpass will unclog a vital artery into Downtown, eliminating a bottleneck that has frustrated thousands of drivers for decades. When complete, traffic will flow seamlessly beneath the tracks near the 91 freeway, and most people will only remember that they used to have to wait for trains there.
What most won’t remember is John Dingler used to live there.
For 25 years, Dingler has lived and worked in an arched-roof building tucked into a dusty lot beside those same tracks. His 1968 Chevy van sits out front, needing a little work before it could be considered roadworthy. The space doesn’t look like much from the street, just another industrial remnant in a collection of hodgepodge storage units and work spaces. But inside is where Dingler becomes someone else entirely…