After last weeks, well written bit on railfans from Alexander Mitchell, I thought I would try my own hand at a little humor, albeit, not as well written.

While the following is written to generate a smile ot two, the method to my madness is simply to create a tribute to the men and women who work so hard running the Wilmington and Western Railroad. This railroad has gone BEYOND defying the odds, so that today, they offer rides pulled by one of two steam locomotives or a vintage diesel. All of this is done despite everything that mother nature has thrown at them……Great job guys!

THE BIONIC RAILROAD

In the year, 4000 A. D., archeologists from a university based on Juliet, (that’s a moon around Uranus), travel back to Earth to open a newly discovered time capsule, that had been sealed during the year 2000. The time capsule has been found in an area known as North America, in a region once known as Pennsylvania.

The contents of the time capsule are very interesting, but odd. There are several folded pieces of paper with photographs from places called STEAMTOWN, PIONEER TUNNEL, STRASBURG and NEW HOPE. There are broken down pieces of carbon and a interesting other odds and ends. There is a faded letter, which, when analyzed, appears to be addressed to a "Linn Moedinger". The author appears to pose an odd question, which makes little sense to those looking at it today. It reads, "When do you think 972 will be up and running". Perhaps the future of mankind hung in the balance for the answer!

The archeologists are very excited, but confused. "What are these places….these TOURIST RAILROADS?", one of them asks. "These are both words that I don’t recall ever hearing before."

The chief archeologist spoke up. "These tourist railroad were nostalgic things that people rode on for pleasure. They gave people the chance to see a more pleasant, albeit slower, form of transportation, from a simpler time, before their own."

"Like those Earth to moon flights people take all the time", one of the others deduced.

"Yes", the chief said. Some of these places existed for a long time. New Hope was open through the end of 2943. They were finally brought down by their failed efforts to restore something known as a Mexican Steam locomotive. Strasburg was in operation for another 400 years after that."

Suddenly, a light bulb went on in one of the archeologist’s head. "Oh, I’ve got it. They mean these places were like the Wilmington and Western. I wish they would have just said that, then I would have known what they were talking about. My wife and kids rode on that just last summer, right after that heavy meteor shower wiped out the old Mars shuttle. I guess it’s the only one of these "Tourist Railroads" that’s still around."

The chief laughed. "Yes, I suppose so. They sure have survived a lot. What with Wars, comet collisions, the rebirth and re-extinction of the dinosaurs, even the Michael Jackson trial trilogy! Just like Energizer Cold Water fusion reactors.........They just keep going, and going and going........

Paul

This is great!

Very funny!

Thanks.

I hope others got a kick out of it!

Paul