HOME | DD

Description
Credit: , , , and !
---------------------------------------------------------------
  Allison was one of the 425 K4 class Pacifics born for the Pennsylvania Railroad. She was constructed in the Pennsy's Juniata Shops in 1917, and pulled passenger trains, like the Broadway Limited, the Federal Express, and The Keystone. Then, more powerful engines came along, like the M1s and the T1s, and some of Allisons brothers and sisters were put into second class service, like commuter trains and given to the Long Island, New York and Long Branch, and the PRSL. In her case, Allison was sent on the LIRR, but it wasn't the best time. I'll post a literature of what happened later.

  In October, 1957, Allison was retired by the PRR's roster and was stored on a deadline. She was fortunately bought by the city of Harrisburg to be put on display near the station as a reminder of days gone by... but she didn't see it that way.

  Sometimes she'd cry and some passerbys would look at her strangely. A few times, some would stop by and ask what was wrong, but she'd barley talk. Decades went by of being insulated on that tiny piece of track, and she began to rust away like her sister at Strasburg. The station owners decided to build a roof to protect Allison from the harm of weather as much as possible, and it did help a bunch.

  One day, in 2018, a man was exiting the Harrisburg Station, talking to a colleague on his phone. As he two slowly walked, the man happened to look to his left.

"Holy..." he whispered.

"What is it, sir?" said the colleague over the phone. The man saw Allison, crying again, about 20 yards away.

"Thompson, I'll call you back." said the man. He hung up without letting the colleague respond back. He walked up to the engine, careful not to startle her. She was sobbing already. He cleared his throat and spoke. "Um... hello..." he said cautiously. The Pacific gasped opened her eyes. "Oops! Didn't mean to scare you!" he laughed.

"Oh... " said Allison, meekly. "I'm guessing you're wondering... *sniff* why I'm crying?" The man sighed.

"You know, seeing a steam locomotive stuck like this makes me want to cry to. What's your name?"

"A-A-Allison..." she said shyly.

"Nice to meet you, Allison." said the man. "I'm assuming you're a PRR K4." Allison was surprised someone finally knew what she was.

"Um, yes sir. I was built in 1917-"

"-by the Juniata Shops." the man interrupted. "My father grew up in Altoona, actually, and worked in the yard. But that was in the late 50's, so you wouldn't have met him. In fact, because of him, I'm a railroad man myself!"

"You work on the Pennsville Scenic or something?"

"I own a railroad! In fact... hang on a second..." Mr. Sullen walked around Allison for a while.

"Um... sir, what're you doing?" she asked. Mr. Sullen walked back.

"You look in good nick for being outside for 60 years!" he said boldly. "I'll be back in a few minutes!" Then he ran off into the station again. The rest, I'm gonna have to tell on another page!

Description
Credit: , , , and !
---------------------------------------------------------------
  Allison was one of the 425 K4 class Pacifics born for the Pennsylvania Railroad. She was constructed in the Pennsy's Juniata Shops in 1917, and pulled passenger trains, like the Broadway Limited, the Federal Express, and The Keystone. Then, more powerful engines came along, like the M1s and the T1s, and some of Allisons brothers and sisters were put into second class service, like commuter trains and given to the Long Island, New York and Long Branch, and the PRSL. In her case, Allison was sent on the LIRR, but it wasn't the best time. I'll post a literature of what happened later.

  In October, 1957, Allison was retired by the PRR's roster and was stored on a deadline. She was fortunately bought by the city of Harrisburg to be put on display near the station as a reminder of days gone by... but she didn't see it that way.

  Sometimes she'd cry and some passerbys would look at her strangely. A few times, some would stop by and ask what was wrong, but she'd barley talk. Decades went by of being insulated on that tiny piece of track, and she began to rust away like her sister at Strasburg. The station owners decided to build a roof to protect Allison from the harm of weather as much as possible, and it did help a bunch.

  One day, in 2018, a man was exiting the Harrisburg Station, talking to a colleague on his phone. As he two slowly walked, the man happened to look to his left.

"Holy..." he whispered.

"What is it, sir?" said the colleague over the phone. The man saw Allison, crying again, about 20 yards away.

"Thompson, I'll call you back." said the man. He hung up without letting the colleague respond back. He walked up to the engine, careful not to startle her. She was sobbing already. He cleared his throat and spoke. "Um... hello..." he said cautiously. The Pacific gasped opened her eyes. "Oops! Didn't mean to scare you!" he laughed.

"Oh... " said Allison, meekly. "I'm guessing you're wondering... *sniff* why I'm crying?" The man sighed.

"You know, seeing a steam locomotive stuck like this makes me want to cry to. What's your name?"

"A-A-Allison..." she said shyly.

"Nice to meet you, Allison." said the man. "I'm assuming you're a PRR K4." Allison was surprised someone finally knew what she was.

"Um, yes sir. I was built in 1917-"

"-by the Juniata Shops." the man interrupted. "My father grew up in Altoona, actually, and worked in the yard. But that was in the late 50's, so you wouldn't have met him. In fact, because of him, I'm a railroad man myself!"

"You work on the Pennsville Scenic or something?"

"I own a railroad! In fact... hang on a second..." Mr. Sullen walked around Allison for a while.

"Um... sir, what're you doing?" she asked. Mr. Sullen walked back.

"You look in good nick for being outside for 60 years!" he said boldly. "I'll be back in a few minutes!" Then he ran off into the station again. The rest, I'm gonna have to tell on another page!