314 replies to this topic

[TheBrickster]

Murder on the Emerald Express: Chapter 15

Runaway Train

- The exciting conclusion of Murder on the Emerald Express

It has been days within the sleepy little town of Willoughby.  While some might say that Willoughby is a place in which time has passed, a place with no worries or the stresses of work and of people hurried by their jobs and tasks, others know the town as something else.  A special group of passengers who decided to ride upon a mystery train into the Sierra Nevada mountains know Willoughby as a trap, surrounded by those that would stop at nothing to keep the place a sullen town in which outsiders are not welcomed, for they bring dreams and hopes of a better place.

Jeb's tractor has pulled the fuel tanker to the train engine shed where Steve Thomas has made all of the repairs he could to the one single hope of escaping Willoughby, the Crocodile locomotive.  The Emerald crew, assisted by a few of the passengers and townies run an a hose from the tanker to the Crocodile filling up its twin tanks with diesel fuel.  The only "minor" detail remaining is how to move the tanker out of the way so that the Crocodile can pass along the tracks.

[Shadows]

TheBrickster, on Aug 29 2009, 09:28 PM, said:

The only "minor" detail remaining is how to move the tanker out of the way so that the Crocodile can pass along the tracks.

We'll just push it. Then, if we run out of fuel again, we'll have some with us!

Let's get the flock out of this town!

[Ricecracker]

Let's just pull it back out with the tractor. There, problem solved. If it's out of fuel (), then let's siphon some out of the croc.

[Captain Zuloo]

Moving the tanker isn't a problem - we'll get it out the same way that we got it in. Tractor ready boys?
Now, are all the points in position? Because we'll need the loco to come onto the mainline behind the Emerald Express at a low speed so I can couple it to the train so it can push it to LA. We MUST take the Emerald Express with us, else I'm in the poo with LRTS! Would the passengers like to get back into the luxury comfort that you paid for for the remainder of the trip? There won't be room for everyone in the loco, so I would say only the train engineers who are actually employees of LRTS should drive. Willoughby reidents, you may travel in the dining car ONLY.

[Ricecracker]

Captain Zuloo, on Aug 29 2009, 10:52 PM, said:

Willoughby reidents, you may travel in the dining car ONLY.

No, we'll stay where we want. I for one am tired of you snobs treating us like lower class people. I demand you let us stay in whichever car we like, or we'll prevent you from leaving. I don't want it to come to that, but it will. Without us, you'd have gotten now where, and you'd be staying here forever. You'd better let us go wherever we like on the train.....

[Dragonator]

Ricecracker, on Aug 30 2009, 03:01 PM, said:

No, we'll stay where we want. I for one am tired of you snobs treating us like lower class people. I demand you let us stay in whichever car we like, or we'll prevent you from leaving. I don't want it to come to that, but it will. Without us, you'd have gotten now where, and you'd be staying here forever. You'd better let us go wherever we like on the train.....

Well you're not staying in my room.

I can almost see LA already! I'm glad we're finally going to be leaving this horrid place. Herman, you and I have a D&D match to play once we get going again.

I hope the points are all set in the right direction. Ah well, let's get this train going?

On another note, we still haven't found the killer amoungst us. I certainly don't want a killer on the train...

[TheBrickster]

It's not that simple...

We will need to move the tanker out of the way.  There's still a lot of fuel left inside, and pushing this rusty tanker with the Crocodile is a real risk - if the Crocodile can even do so with minimal power.  If we decide to merely move the tanker forward along the track, eventually, the Croc will hit it.  Remember that we can't move the switch track manually, which prevents us from moving the tanker to a point past the Croc's rail line.

Understand?

[Adam]

TheBrickster, on Aug 29 2009, 07:31 PM, said:

It's not that simple...

We will need to move the tanker out of the way.  There's still a lot of fuel left inside, and pushing this rusty tanker with the Crocodile is a real risk - if the Crocodile can even do so with minimal power.  If we decide to merely move the tanker forward along the track, eventually, the Croc will hit it.  Remember that we can't move the switch track manually, which prevents us from moving the tanker to a point past the Croc's rail line.

Understand?

It's simple. We go to the Town Hall and move the next switch. We push the tractor off and then turn the switch back. Voila, the Croc has a free path*!
And just so you all know, I'm not staying in this god forsaken town any longer. I'm staying in the dining car or I'm staying in the Croc, but I'm definitely not staying here.
*We must make sure that all the switches are in the correct position to move the train outta here!
First thing I do in LA, I'm spending my piggy-bank savings to start a construction company, build this place I've got in mind (I'll call it Pete Smith Land, or Smith Land for short) and call it quits in Florida with a healthy retirement fund.

[Ricecracker]

Can't we pull it with the tractor, like we already suggested?

[TheBrickster]

Adam, on Aug 29 2009, 08:13 PM, said:

It's simple. We go to the Town Hall and move the next switch. We push the tractor off and then turn the switch back.

How are you going to move the switch?  Remember, the switches can not be manually "switched".

Ricecracker, on Aug 29 2009, 08:14 PM, said:

Can't we pull it with the tractor, like we already suggested?

To where?  Eventually, the Croc will hit it.

[Ricecracker]

Let's have the tractor perpendicular to the tanker, and pull it off the tracks. Who cares if it spills, we're leaving this place anyway.


Petey: Mind if help you with your business? I am a construction worker by trade. I'm sure we'd be a great duo.

[Adam]

Ricecracker, on Aug 29 2009, 08:32 PM, said:

Let's have the tractor perpendicular to the tanker, and pull it off the tracks. Who cares if it spills, we're leaving this place anyway.


Petey: Mind if help you with your business? I am a construction worker by trade. I'm sure we'd be a great duo.

"Smith and Williams!" It has a ring!

[Ricecracker]

Adam, on Aug 30 2009, 12:34 AM, said:

"Smith and Williams!" It has a ring!

Then it's settled! Once we get to L.A., Smith and William's will officially be in business!

[Adam]

Ricecracker, on Aug 29 2009, 09:40 PM, said:

Then it's settled! Once we get to L.A., Smith and William's will officially be in business!

When you have two names in your company's title instead of one, it's bound to get you more ladies.

[TheBrickster]

Ricecracker, on Aug 29 2009, 08:32 PM, said:

Let's have the tractor perpendicular to the tanker, and pull it off the tracks. Who cares if it spills, we're leaving this place anyway.

Jeb jumps in the tractor after a few tie some ropes to the side of the tanker.

Chhh...  Chhh...   Chhh...  Grrrrrr...

The tractor starts up, (Grrrrr...), then sputters (Chhh... Chhh... Grrrr...), then stops.  


Don't think this here tractor has got what it takes to pull the tanker off the tracks.  It's just too heavy.

[Sir Dillon]

Blowing up the tanker would probably blow up the tracks too, right?

[Dragonator]

Can we roll the tanker onto Cassandra Crossing? That would both solve the problem and be a lot of fun.

[Shadows]

Ricecracker, on Aug 29 2009, 11:40 PM, said:

Then it's settled! Once we get to L.A., Smith and William's will officially be in business!

IF you get to LA. My good friends Smith and Wesson aren't absolutely convinced that's going to happen if you start becoming difficult.

Now, as we said, you will stay in the dining car. Clear?

Dragonator, on Aug 30 2009, 12:41 AM, said:

Can we roll the tanker onto Cassandra Crossing? That would both solve the problem and be a lot of fun.

I like the way you're thinking, but alas, we're not going to be allowed to have any fun, that's already obvious.

Can't we just reverse the train and go back home? I'm not really all that fired up on getting to LA anymore. This whole thing has been a disaster as it is and we're just going to end up answering a lot of questions about dead bodies we don't really know anything about.

You know what, forget that, I know exactly what to do.

JEB! Use the tractor to pull the tanker back where it started or at least farther away from the train and I'll ride along on the tractor with you. When we get there, we'll disconnect and assume a safe distance. I'll use this handy dynamite I've been carrying since the mill to make short work of our minor obstacle which should make a nice little fireworks show. I'll place it high on the tanker to avoid track damage, and yes, I know the physics of the situation, I've done it before.

I have a gun, dynamite, and a tanker of gas/fumes, if anyone tries to tell me I can't blow the crap out of it, I'll put a bullet through their fool head and call an end to this whole extravaganza. Are we clear?

If any small bits are left on the track when we're done, we can just pull them off with the tractor. Or I'll blow them up again. I don't much care at this point.

Let's get this done.

[AwesomeStar]

We're leavin' we're leavin' da-da-da-dada-daa!

Oh, phooey. I hate this town, we can't even have an enjoyable conclusion...

We can't use the tractor, Grease you froob, Jeb already tried and the poor thing is past it's sell-by-date

I agree with Pete, we've helped you, kindly, to get out of this god-damn town, and how do you repay us? By confining us to the dining car. Well thats just crap. If you want food, you ain't gettin' none!

[Captain Zuloo]

Greaseman, you're a genius! Let's do it!
And town folk, what other parts of the train did you want to travel in? The rest of the train is just the passengers rooms. There is no reason to visit any other part of the train, the dining room is the most luxurious anyway!

[AwesomeStar]

Captain Zuloo, on Aug 30 2009, 09:40 AM, said:

Greaseman, you're a genius! Let's do it!
And town folk, what other parts of the train did you want to travel in? The rest of the train is just the passengers rooms. There is no reason to visit any other part of the train, the dining room is the most luxurious anyway!

We just want to be able to go where we please on the train. We've helped you, now you help us, please. It's the least you can do for us. Us who have tried, us who have died, all trying to get you out of this town.

[Captain Zuloo]

AwesomeStar, on Aug 30 2009, 07:24 PM, said:

We just want to be able to go where we please on the train. We've helped you, now you help us, please. It's the least you can do for us. Us who have tried, us who have died, all trying to get you out of this town.

Look, I have an obligation to respect the paying passengers privacy. Heck, even passengers are only allowed in the cars necessary to reach their cabins. It's not that we don't want to help you guys, it's just that I don't see any reason why you would even want to venture into other parts of the train.

[AwesomeStar]

Alright, alright.

Just give us a break, huh? We're not bad at all... though someone might very well be...

*Shoves my nose up against Kill'n George's nose*

Mhm?

[Wouwie]

I've got no problems riding in the dining car, I'm not used to much luxury anyway

[Dragonator]

ImperialShadows, on Aug 30 2009, 07:31 PM, said:

JEB! Use the tractor to pull the tanker back where it started or at least farther away from the train and I'll ride along on the tractor with you. When we get there, we'll disconnect and assume a safe distance. I'll use this handy dynamite I've been carrying since the mill to make short work of our minor obstacle which should make a nice little fireworks show. I'll place it high on the tanker to avoid track damage, and yes, I know the physics of the situation, I've done it before.

That will work too, and will be just as fun. Let's do it.

*Mark pulls out a camera*

Better take something for the scrapbook.