THE CONSTRUCTION TRAIN.
I have been so busy with the history of our family affairs, and the incidents which sent me over to Middleport, that I have not had much to say about the Lake Shore Railroad; but before I have done with the subject, I shall fully describe the road, and explain the operations of the company. Only a small portion of the line had yet been built, and the dummy was but a temporary substitute for more complete rolling stock. Major Toppleton intended to have a charter for the road, to be obtained at the next session of the legislature, and to continue it to Ucayga. Although it was at the present time a mere plaything for the students, it was designed to be a useful institution, and to build up Middleport immensely in the end.
Just as I was about to start on the one o’clock trip, Major Toppleton presented himself. The car was filled with students, though a number of ladies and gentlemen had come down to the station to have a ride in the dummy. The major immediately ordered the boys to evacuate the premises, which they did with some grumblings, amounting almost to rebellion. The persons waiting were invited to get in, and I started for Spangleport with a less noisy crowd than I had anticipated. As we went off, I heard the major call the students together, and I concluded that he had some definite plan to carry out.
On my return, I found the boys had loaded up the two platform cars with rails and sleepers, and they were attached to the dummy as soon as she arrived. Several mechanics were standing by, and it was evident that a piece of work was to be done that day, instead of play.
“Now, Wolf, we will run a construction train on this trip,” said Major Toppleton, as he took his place at my side on the dummy, and directed the students and the mechanics to load themselves into the passenger apartment and on the cars.
“I think we need a little more construction at Spangleport, sir,” I suggested.
“Why, what’s the matter?”
“I don’t like to run backwards, sir, on the down trips.”
“But a turn-table will cost too much for the short time we shall make Spangleport a terminus. We will build one at Grass Springs, for that will be as far as we shall run the road this season.”
“We need not build a turn-table, sir,” I added. “We can turn the dummy on switches.”