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Ok, I wrote this novel a long time ago, so here is a little part of it. This school band in SC, owns a private train (far fetched) and is going across the country on the train. The conductor is a character named Jonathan. I hope you guys enjoy this. The engines would not work when I was assembling the train. I had to lease three units from Amtrak. The units set in my yard for one day. It was an honer for these units to be in my yard. I packed my bags that day and then at 3:30am I radioed the engineer all clear from the balcony. The trip has begun for me. We backed across thru Elgin so we would be facing the right direction to leave. Then the last car's vestibule was in the crossing to the band room so I opened the door on both sides 11
I sat on the steps just waiting for something. I had my time to think. At 4:45am the band director came with five bags. I loaded them on to the baggage cart. The rest of his party came and crashed in his their room Our consist for our train is, New York Central Sandy Creek, Burlington 10-6 sleeper,UnionPacific dome diner, New York Central lounge, 3 Pennsylvania Duplex cars, Southern Pacific Cascade Club, Northern Pacific dome sleeper, Milwaukee Road sleeper, Seaboard Sun Lounge Miami Beach, 3 California Zephyr 21 roomette cars, 1 Great Northern Great Dome, 1 New York Central twin unit diner, 2 New York Central all double room sleepers, 2 Pennsylvania Sleepers, Northern Pacific Travelers Rest lounge, 1 New Haven parlor, 3 Pullmans in 2 tone gray, 1 Chicago Northwestern diner, B&O strata dome,2 Santa Fe sleepers, 1 Santa Fe pleasure dome, Erie Lackawanna parlor, Atlantic Coast Line lounge, C&O chesie dome, 3 New York Central sleepercoaches, 3 Union Pacific coaches, 1 Southern coach, 1 Grand Trunk coach, Atlantic Coast Line railway post office, Burlington slumbercoach (crew 1 dorm) Seaboard dorm baggage, 2 Burlington baggage cars, 1 Northern Pacific office car with balcony, 4 New York Central E-7 locomotives should have been in the lead but Amtrak p-42's #9, 6, and 156 were in the lead. After a few minutes people started showing up for the trip. I then walked up to our engineer for my pre-run meeting. When I left the Pullman porters were at attention by there cars. After the band director gave me an ok to start boarding, I went outside again. “All roomette passenger may board now,” I said. About 15 people came out. “That is up the stairs, three doors to your left,” I said. The next group I let out were doubles rooms, master rooms, and duplex roomettes. Then the band director was last to board. “All aboard,” I yelled. I climbed on and shut the trap door, and then the lower half of the Dutch door. The principles were outside waving and videoing the train departing, as I passed I shut the top half of the door, and 2 radioed the engineer the highball. Railfans were out in great number for our streamliner. I started collecting tickets. We had Matt Brown helping us with our morning show, as long as he could do a episode of Extreme Trains(great tv show) about our train. My sister was chasing the train with a video camera. We flew past Sandhills, and Petsmart. One of the managers even came out to wave, seeing they know me so well. I finished all of the tickets as we crossed the Congaree river. I then made the announcement the dining car is now open. I went and got a table in the Cascade Club, I ordered Pancakes. While I was waiting on my food, Kayley, Kelsey, and Samantha were seated with me, as custom in dining cars. We talked the miles away. They wanted to know if they could step off the train in Augusta. “Yes you can,” I said. I had to 3
have an assistant conductor so I picked the band director, he was the only person responsible too do it.. I then had to get off the train in a siding because an office car train was coming by so I had to do an inspection. It went by, and then we left as soon as the block cleared. The dining cars were starting to fill up, once the people who slept woke up.
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Georgia We slowly crossed over the Savannah river into Augusta. We came to our ten minute stop, so we could load some food from local bakeries on the train. Passengers were allowed off, if they stayed near the train. Some people took photos, and some walked all the way to the locomotive. Once the people got back on we departed. We want to stop in Stone Mountain but that depends on if the train stays on time. We were moving thru the countryside at a high rate of speed. I made the announcement that, we would stop in Stone Mountain at 9 to 11. We rolled into the main station. We could only get off in certain places due to the length of our train. After we detrained, the train moved to the stone mountain yard. I went to the Great Barn. I
5 collected a huge amount of the balls, to get points. I got into a small war with someone else from our group, where you can shoot at others. Mine fell short, so I threw them over. I then retreated to the slide. When I reached the end of it, 5 balls shot out after me. I then went to the Cable cars. I walked around at the top. I hiked down the mountain. Then I caught a train to the main station. Then I played the band director in Mini Golf. I stumbled with the FP7 locomotive next to the course. I still beat him witch made him mad. Then I caught a train to the yard. I then got on our train. I rode as it went around the park. When I got back to the station, our group was waiting it. We opened the vestibules, for parts of the train. The front 6 cars got on 4 crossings down, the next six cars got on 3 crossings down, the next 6 got on 2 crossings down, the next 8 at 6 the one next to the station, the rest boarded at the station platform. After I was told everyone was on we departed. We made our slow loop around the mountain before joining the main line. We stopped in Peachtree station to take on water. As we were walking on the platform, the southbound Crescent arrived on the other track. Then we departed. We were meandering thru suburban towns, when a call came out that the southbound stalled by Atlantic Station. I radioed back to them and told them we would take them far as Meridian. The other conductor on my train said, “Are you out of your mind.” “No, this is what railroaders do,” I said. We then backed up to the other train. I took a few pictures of the skyline, as people were asking me why we were backing up. Matt and I got off to couple up to the other train. “Did I do a good job,” I asked him after I finished the job. 7
“Perfect,” he said. We pulled into Birmingham 3 hours later. We kept going after that with a few stations, and 4 freight trains. We had to run at 89 mph on long straight stretches to make up time. The railfans out had surprise when they saw an Amtrak train in the back. We made it to Meridian around 4. I ate a hamburger, while crews changed. . I made my dinner reservation in the domeliner for 10:30. I went to the lounge and played Scrabble with some friends. These friends were beating me bad. Matt did the evening train news. I enjoyed the rare mileage on the Meridian speedway. By 5:45 we arrived in Vicksburg. We detrained and got on tour busses. We toured historic Vicksburg. Kansas City Southern would not let us leave until morning. I ate in the domeliner. Then I went back to my room. I went to eat in the diner, as we crossed the mighty Mississippi 8 So what did you guys think of part one, any idea on what is happening. Anyway I can improve it.
Moderator Member # 2933
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Enjoyed part one of your story amtrak92, lots of energy in your writing style. I loved your idea of loading food from local bakeries, m-m-m-m I can smell those warm pastries. I'm sure fellow posters will have some thoughts.
amtrak92 Member # 14343
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Thanks. This is just a small part of a huge novel. Thank you so much. I'll have part two up tonight
amtrak92 Member # 14343
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Those pastries are actually real, if you ever get the chance to go to Augusta, you so need to get those, they are the best.
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