Snowplow Extra Chapter 21
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Read this chapter Snowplow Extra
Contents |
Location
- Between Spearfish Lake and Warsaw
- Albany River
Characters
- Ralph McPhee
- Gene Ballard
- Bud Ellsberg
- Harold Stevens
- John Penny
- Bill Lee
- Ed Sloat
- Fred Linder
- Harry Masterfield
- Walt Archer
- Fred Rumsey
- Betty
Also Mentioned
Time Period
2018 Jan 9 - 2321 Jan 9 1981
Summary
Bud's call to ensure ambulances provides McPhee sufficient warning to prevent the head-on collision. The close call rattles McPhee enough that he drops of a suspected heart attack. Both trains quickly return to Spearfish Lake with everybody rattled and not ready to talk about what almost happened.
Bud and Ed decide to park the Rock with heaters for the next six hours in hopes that would dry out the shorts and improve performance. Ed thinks between the Burlington and the 1478 left in Albany River, he might get one working again. Talking with Gene and Bill, Bud concludes he shouldn't break up the old steam engine and the little switcher. They'll check with Warsaw in case they're needed before retrieving the 1478.
Fred has been moving departments around in slow retreat and also to allow some rest. He decides he can take a break and leaves Masterfield in charge. Walt has been worried about a collision when the question from Bud comes in asking about needs. It's a relief to Walt and Fred who decides to let them have their maintenance break. Fred falls asleep on Walt's cot quickly.
The 1478 is fetched while the crews work out communication arrangements, now complicated by the shared track. Word comes from the hospital that "Ralph is doing all right. They think he was just more tired out than anything, and it got to him. They don't think he had a heart attack or anything like that."
Plow Extra Two has not gone far when the little switcher dies, the second engine to fail under Gene's hands.
Walt wakes Fred with the bad news that the fire has crossed Main Street.
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