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Connie: No, it's definitely under power. We're not sure of the exact speed yet.
Captain Allen: I thought all these trains had some sort of dead-man brake.
Connie: There's a wand the engineer has to hit periodically or the air brakes are automatically applied. Unfortunately, this train's were disconnected. Sir, I would gladly explain the particulars of locomotive operation to you if we had time, but right now I really need your assistance posting officers at all the mainline crossings.
Captain Allen: Uh, one question. How do you all plan to stop it?
Connie: We're working on it.
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Frank: How many cars are we supposed to cut in?
Will: 20. Why?
Frank: 20 cars, okay. See the switch stand ahead of us? The switch stand, yeah?
Will: Uh-huh.
Frank: Yeah. Take a look in the rearview mirror. You see the one behind us? Way back there. You see it?
Will: Uh-huh.
Frank: There's exactly 21 cars between the two stands. Don't ask me how I know. So why is it that there's still more than four and a half cars that are yet to clear?
Sean Derry
Extended Reading