Re: A Railroad Saga... (add to it)...

Billy kept a sharp watch out his side, ready to stop the Hog if they went on the ground or in response to a stop signal from Lake on the tank. He was glad it was daylight now and not dark because the Hog didn't have a light on the back of the tank. "Lessee....he thought to himself...
"ten miles back to Horse Creek wye, that'll take us about an hour at the best speed we can make if we don't derail..." He fished out his watch and checked the time. The operator back at the water stop hadn't given them any exact location where No. 29 was stopped...apparently, their conductor had hiked some distance to a telegraphone booth to let the Dispatcher know they were in trouble, and it was hard to understand him over the primitive circuit with all the line hum.
Billy figured they'd get turned, take on all the water they could, get some coal at the mine tipple, and then proceed northward cautiously until they popped No. 29's guns (track torpedoes)and came on their rear flagman...He hoped the cold wind and blowing snow hadn't induced 29's rear brakie to do any "drawbar flagging"....