Date: 4/17/10
Time: 5:23 AM
Both Arron and Celestia lay in bed her arms wrapped around Arron as they both slept the sun just beginning to rise, Arron’s phone rang knocking them both out of sleep Arron sat up and placed his feet on the ground and picked up his flip phone and checked it.
“It’s Blake” said Arron in his deep southern voice before opening the phone and answering “what the hell do you want Blake?” said Arron somewhat angered by the rude awakening.
“Arron can you come down here to Meridian we need to talk about something meet me at the Ihop.”
“I ain’t doing it I’s just trying to get some fucking sleep” Arron’s voice began to raise.
“Arron you can go if you have to” said Celestia tiredly still laying in bed
Arron covered the speaker on his phone “you sure you’ll be okay?”
“Yeah stop worrying about me” said Celestia jokingly turned away from Arron.
Arron spoke into the phone and said “Alright i’ll be there in two hours” he closed the phone and got up.
He got dressed and grabbed his jacket off of the hook next to the bedroom door and walked over to Celestia and kissed her cheek before walking out of the room and sitting on the couch in the living room and grabbing his work boots and tying them on. He put on his jacket and walked out of the house to his red 1989 F250 truck and climbed in. Arron was 37 years old he had a short black beard and was almost bald but still had short hair similar to a high and tight haircut but shorter barely and inch long he had a scar next to his right eye that was very noticeable he had received when a soldier from the NNS (New Nazi Supremacy) attacked him when he was younger he wore a blue Conrail t shirt, bluejeans, work boots, and a black jacket. He inserted the key into the ignition and pressed his feet onto the clutch and brake in shifted the truck out of gear before starting it and easing off both pedals and turning on the defrost setting of the truck, it was cold that morning not to unusual for April in Mississippi especially early in the morning. Arron shifted the gears of his truck and started off towards Meridian Mississippi.
Twilight woke up early every morning not willingly but because the early morning passed her street every morning as well as the several early morning commuters and the occasional long distance express train the early morning freight train passed at 15 MPH lead by 3 Norfolk Southern SD40-2’s and one M&D GP38-3 there was a gated crossing at the west end of her street where trains would sound their horns every time they passed it was made up of three tracks one a mile long siding and the other two were tracks heading north and south just past the crossing and siding was a spur that split towards the west to the Claston Furnace a foundry that was visible from the top of her house. 1/2 mile away from there was where the tracks turned into one at that spot were two sidings usually on the west side and on the east side was a seldom used siding where the tracks were very rough and was often used to store empty boxcars or small switch engines (HH660’s SW10’s etc) and a dirt road crossing the train was a mix freight but had 40 loaded Norfolk Southern gravel hoppers. The train slowed to a stop Twilight used this as a chance to try and get some sleep but she was awoke by the sound of an overnight freight a 144 car long intermodal freight lead by 5 M&D SD60 wide cabs at 50 MPH 4 at the lead and 1 at the end with 48 loaded well cars 48 trailer flats and 48 autoracks. Upon hearing its horn she knew sleep would not come for her or anyone in that neighborhood unless they were deep sleepers.
Arron’s truck pulled into the parking lot of the Ihop it had been cut in half when a culvert caved in leaving a large hole in the ground whisch was fenced off until they fixed it they had since fixed the culvert pipe but didn’t expand the parking lot back where it had been he stopped his truck in front of the restaurant and got out walking into the restaurant he was greeted by a hostess.
“Good morning sir welcome to Ihop” said the young black hostess in a red shirt and black pants.
“I’m looking for a man named Blake Thattchir short black hair long black beard sounds kinda young.”
“You mean him?” Said the hostess pointing to Blake sitting at a booth reading the newspaper with a cup of coffee next to him in a brown jacket, bluejeans, John Deere boots, and a black Metallica shirt.
“Yeah that’s him thanks” said Arron a smile forming on his face.
Arron sat across from him somewhat annoyed “so” said Arron waiting for a response.
Blake looked up from the newspaper and folded it sitting it on the table and said in the voice of a 23 year old man though he was 34 years old “what?”
“You know what why the hell am I out here at 7 in the morning?’ said Arron angrily
Blake reached into a bag next to him and pulled out several papers including blueprints and pictures of an EMU that resembled the Budd Metroliners used by Amtrak in the 70’s “these they’re called D56’s they’re supposed to be set up to work alongside the D55’s they’re basically modified Budds.”
Arron looked over the prints and photos and asked “So what’s the specs?”
“100,000 pounds top speed 110 MPH modified Cannemin cycle creaks changed to air cycle PS11 pantographs full steel body HEP and AC power” said Blake confidently.
“Sounds expensive how many have ya ordered?” said Arron looking over the photos
“We’ve only ordered about thirty four car sets AR’s already putting em out.”
“Good I need some coffee that was two hour drive scuse me waitress.”
A young lady walked over and asked “what can I get you sir?” said the girl smiling.
“Cup of coffee plain black none of that creamer or sugar and a stack of pancakes that’ll be it.”
The waitress wrote down his order and said “I’ll get that to the cook and i’ll be back with your coffee” she walked off towards the kitchen.
“So what’s today’s schedule?” said Arron asking about the train schedule.
“We got a 103 car long mix departing from MUS in about 10 minutes going to Prescott aught reach Canterlot 2:30 this afternoon and an overnight should’ve already passed through the city an intermodal 144 cars long should have passed a train that departed at 4:45 AM 60 cars long 40 loaded gravel hoppers NS is taking it to New Orleans and a couple of commuters and.....the Starliner it’ll be passing at 12:39 PM through Canterlot and’ll stop for a crew change in Meridian.”
Eric Thompson walked alongside a younger black gentleman this mans name was Maddox he was only 30 years old and had been working on the M&D Railroad for 6 years while Eric had been there for 10 he was was 53 and worked with the P&S in the Lauderdale County Sub-Route a section that ran across the entirety of Lauderdale County and funded its electrification the P&S made a lot of use of the classic GG1 locomotive but also did a lot with EMD units and AR units the yard was made up of several tracks two large warehouses, and two station buildings the older one a museum and the newer one used by all the passenger services that stopped in Meridian (Amtrak M&D NY&C P&S etc). The yard was full that morning with trains that need to be disassembled and cut and trains that were set to depart, but the train that was the center of attention was the 103 car long mix freight lead by seven units, 2 M&D AR-17’s numbered 6754 and 3001, a Conrail GP9 numbered 3009, an NY&C F9 B, 2 G&P GP11’s numbered 4567 and 9988, and 1 NY&C SD60W numbered 6078 pulling a mixed train of 12 loaded wood chip hoppers 13 tankers of propane petroleum and butane, 60 boxcars of misc items including paper and recycled aluminum, 11 loaded lumber flats, 24 covered hoppers loaded with phosphate, corn and grain, 13 gondolas loaded with scrap metal, 3 flatcars loaded with construction equipment, 8 empty well cars, and a single red breakbox with Union Pacific written on the side in white paint.
“Alright Mister Thompson your schedule here says you’re gonna take S6754 into Prescott this run is going to take all day so be prepared” said Maddox looking at a clipboard
Eric just looked at him he had a short thick white beard and a wrinkled face he wore the normal uniform reflective vest orange hardhat and faded jeans with work boots underneath the vest was an orange jacket “yeah yeah i’ll get it” said Eric in his old and rough voice he began to walk across the tracks to the massive freight train clumsily climbing over the couplers on a set of freight cars sitting on a siding and over to the front platform of the lead unit the locomotive resembled an SD40 almost exactly except for a couple of things the horn was placed on top of the cab and a large smokestack that stuck up from the top about one foot which was painted black, it had three cab doors instead of two and its engine model painted on the side in large white letters saying AR-17 and 6754 was written on the cab side with MDRR written below it it was a six axle locomotive and this model dawned the A200+ air horn which sounded almost like an A200 horn but it was lower and louder so it could be heard over the AR-17’s loud engine. The units were silent sitting there switched off it had been there since 2:30 that morning as Eric climbed the step ladder a young man walked up behind him
“Howdy sir you Mister Thompson?” said the man in a cheery southern voice he was young had little facial hair and short blonde hair he was quite thin and wore a neon green jack, a Canadian National shirt, faded jeans, work boots, safety glasses, and an orange hardhat.
“Yeah who the hell’s asking” said Eric sounding pissed.
“I am sir my name’s Tommy Jackson i’m your conductor i’ll be in the cab with ya.”
“Get up here and don’t try to make conversation I ain’t in the mood” said Eric still sounding annoyed.
Tommy got in the cab and as Eric was going to follow a man spoke up in a southern accent “scuse me Mister Thompson.”
Eric turned around and saw a person he was all to familiar with it was Thomas Whitaker he was younger than him and had around 21 years experience on the M&D Railroad he had a graying beard and brown hair he knew of his son Tim as well the guitarist of a heavy metal band he didn’t bother learning the bands name but his boss was their lead singer.
“What the hell do want Thomas?” said Eric annoyed.
“Well i’m running your helpers i’m just gonna walk to the back and do an inspection you get in the cab and fire it up i’ll make my way back” said Thomas smiling he wore the same as Eric but instead his hardhat was grey.
“Get the hell outta my sight and get coupled on we’re already running behind on our schedule” said Eric with an extremely pissed off tone of voice
Eric’s smile faded into an expression of anger as he stomped off down the length of the train.
4/17/10
8:34 AM
Arron stood in the behind the open door of his truck it’s interior somehow still warm despite the near freezing temperatures however this and his jacket still did little to relieve him of the cold air, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his cellphone using the arrow keys to select Celestia’s number.
Celestia’s phone rang from its spot on her desk she picked it up and answered it with her usual “hey Arron” she almost always did this with a cheery voice and a bright smile “What’s going on?”
“I’m probably not gonna be back in Canterlot for a few hours of course that shouldn’t be to big a deal since you’re at work and i’ll probably be back before you get off anyways since i’m gonna be in Meridian for a few hours I just wanted to call and check up on ya.” Arron usually kept a serious tone of voice in his training he had been taught to stay serious this rubbed off into his daily life but however he didn’t always act this way he can barely remember several times when he would call Celestia saying he was drunk, today was no exception on his tone.
“Well I got to the school with no problems I wish you’d stop worrying so much about me.”
“Well it’s just I mean you actually love me unlike my bitch of an ex-wife Annette” Arron’s face turned to a smile before “alright I love you talk later by.”
Arron shut his phone and put it in his jeans pocket and looked up at the clouded sky the cold wind turning his fair cheeks red making his face feel cold to the touch, he got in the truck and started it the heat coming from the vents a welcome feeling to his face he turned on the radio where a weatherman was speaking.
“Today’s forecast shows that later today will be warm and sunny with light scattered showers expected at 7:30 PM tonight.”
“Sunny and warm my ass” said Arron chuckling as he grabbed the stick shift of his Ford and putting it reverse so he could back out of his parking place. Arron had a radio in his truck with which he could communicate with trains, dispatch, and his brother Blake’s black 2005 Dodge Ram 2500.
“Hey Arron you need to meet me by the station” said Blake through the radio.
Arron picked up the handheld speaker “why do you need me to?”
“To make a transfer run to Whynot.”
“Not a fucking chance on my day off” said Arron somewhat annoyed.
“Dude it’ll just be to Whynot and back you don’t even have to wear a uniform just take a cut and put it in the siding outside Whynot Yard and then take the engine back then you can go back and fuck your wife or whatever you do on your day off these days since you ain’t drinking no more.”
“Alright fine i’ll do it just let me get there first and i’ll meet by the cut anyways what we taking?”
“An M&D ALCO S2 and a cut of ten MQRR tippers drop em off at the yard entry and take the S2 back to Meridian.”
“MQRR tippers? we’re pretty far from Mattandale aren’t we?” said Arron jokingly
“Well they’re here for maintenance and painting so we gotta pull that up to Whynot like I said it’ll take maybe an hour or a little less depends.”
At CHS Fluttershy was standing in front of her locker grabbing her history book for her second period class her bag hanging from her shoulder tugging at the strap on her bright pink dress, when she shut the door she was greeted by Sunset she had a secret crush on her for a few weeks and by secret she meant secret no one knew about it she was still in the closet and didn’t feel like exposing it anytime soon.
“Hey Fluttershy after school you wanna go see that punk band that’s calling themselves Salad Snake?” said Sunset smiling Salad Snake was a local punk rock band that wasn’t well known by anyone outside of Canterlot barely anyone knew the names of the group
“N-no I have to study for a test tomorrow” said Fluttershy nervously before walking off leaving Sunset confused.
“Hey Fluttershy can you come here for a sec?” said Vice-Principal Luna.
“Oh s-sure” she walked over to Luna “What is it?”
“We need to talk about your grades they seem to be dropping please come into my office” they both walked towards the front office.
It has been an hour since S6754 departed and it was being held up at a signal waiting for a train of loaded tippers that was being pulled to Meridian Concrete Plant from Mattandale Quarry being lead by three MQRR GP9’s pulling 23 loaded tippers and a red breakbox it was another six hours away from Canterlot.
“If we keep waiting it’ll be next week before we get to Prescott.” said Eric angrily whilst stroking his beard sitting behind the controls that looked almost exactly like that of an SD40’s though the emergency brake was next to the window and had one of those pieces of metal that had to be pulled on to pull the brake and instead of a lever the horn was operated by a cord instead that was pulled down from the ceiling of the units cab it had three doors one on the front, and two on the back of the cab its engine sounded similar to a bears growl on takeoff and when doing so it belched smoke not as much as older models but still a lot this earned them the name “Smokey Bears”. The tracks were surrounded by trees on each side the tracks heading north and south the signals were older searchlight signals having been used for many years by the many railroads that operated that line.
Tommy was reading the newspaper while they waited when he said “So there’s a new locomotive coming into service on the WM&T looks like the E60’s.”
The radio on Tommy’s vest crackled saying “hey we clear up there?” it was Thomas speaking from the helpers two M&B GP38-3’s number 508 and 502.
“No we ain’t you idiot.” said Eric angrily
“What did he say?”
Tommy spoke into the radio “uh no we’re not” just then the train sped by clearing in 2 minutes allowing them to continue further down the line to Prescott.
