Purpose for existence
- To support the operating coal mine that is half way up the
mountain, just outside of the town of Short Change . The railroad also brings in supplies from other areas,
because there is only one road in and that is the same road out. Most of the time it is impassable. In the winter it has too
much snow. In the spring and fall there is too much mud. So it is only passable in the summer when it is to hot and the winds
kick up a dust storm so bad nobody wants to leave anyhow. So, the only reasonable way in and out, is by rail. Finances were
not looking all that great for a small town with only one mine, but things are looking up. There is talk of two more mines
opening up across the valley. One will be gold and the other will be a silver mine. Actually the real purpose is to just make
money.
Future of the railroad and the town of Short Change
- The town itself is not doing
too well financially. So in order to keep his railroad solvent and making money, the owner of the rail line, Rob Baron,
has had to take over some of the responsibilities of the town, and by using his expertise in thievery is keeping the town
solvent and the people in pocket money. Rob runs most of the light industry and owns outright the town saloon and gambling
establishment and of course the brothel on Main street
that used to be the police station. Therefore relieving the towns people of their pocket money. Oh by the way, since there
is no longer any police, Rob hired his brother-in-law as sheriff and gave him a shack on Cutpurse Avenue to operate from.
Equipment acquisition
- With expansion expected
from the increase in mining and subsequent increase in his other assets more rolling stock will be needed. Of course Rob is
not going to spend his own questionably acquired wealth to get it. He will get it the way he got all the other rolling stock
that he has. He will look around until he finds just what he needs then it will disappear in the night get cleaned, painted
and renumbered. Low and behold he has a brand new piece of stock. Distance means nothing, one piece, a steam engine, came
all the way from Germany.
Reality
For those of you that
haven't figured it out yet, everything above came from my fertile and sometimes quite weird mind. It is a fantasy railroad,
and does exist in the physical world as a model railroad that is partially built and resides in my family room.
There will be more stories added to this web sight as the rail line grows. The six locomotives on this page exist at this
time on that railroad. Pictures of this railroad will be added as each scene is completed, and the story behind it is written.
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