The Burns Station on the West Atoll Rail Road (WARR)

I am not a reporter, I am a poet. That said let me say that no… my title has no typos, and the gathering of more than 30 people on Tuesday night March 1, was to celebrate the peaceful extension of the SLRR on a brand new private Rail Road Line called West Atoll Rail Road (WARR) on Heterocera Atoll, between Neumoegen and Achlya. The proud owners and creators, Hilto Meridoc and Myuki Mills greeted everyone, warmly and translators buzzed and gestured in both English and Japanese. We all gathered at the brand new Burns Station situated at the beginning of the line… or the end of the line, depending if you take a glass is half full or half empty point of seeing things, and before very long, we were a happy crowd all waiting to get on the inaugural  ride on this virgin rail road track. My train riding buddy of the railsMenubar Memorial and I felt very pleased to be invited by Jer Straaf to come and share this happy moment with his friends. I also am a card carrying SLRR member and wanted to show my support for any project that extends this wonderful Mainland railway system.

Menubar Memorial, myself and many well-wishers celebrating WARR

The illustrious list of well-wishers included many gifted builders, scripters, and riders of the rails, all with one thing most certainly in common, the love of trains. After everyone yelled out their sincere congratulations to the creators, Hilto and Myuki,  Myuki rezzed the first train and called out to the platform full of perspective passengers “All Aboard” Everyone started sitting as they could, some landing on the roof and it was not possible to seat everyone in the one small brightly painted car… but we sure tried.

I was lucky to grab a seat on the first run and saw that Menubar had jumped on the next train behind us. We were off.. and the freedom of  being on the rails again, after an extended time away, hit me right in my satisfaction and it felt like pure joy to be bouncing and swaying, that familiar clickety-clack calming me, like only riding the rails can do. I admit it… I am an addict and search for no cure, just let me feed my train-loving fantasies by riding the SLRR wherever it may lead me!

Comfortably cozy with many other illustrious and lucky passengers on the first run

The excitement began at the first region crossing and it seemed to catch everyone by surprise as without even a warning, no bells clanging, no deep whistles alerting, most of us inside the coach car found ourselves suspended in the air..and there was nothing else we could do but “stand-up” and fall to earth.

We had an awesome view but lost sight of the train

I closed my eyes tight and let myself drop back to land, and hit the tracks just barely missing being run over by the train that Menubar was riding in, the one that had been traveling behind us. It was pretty obvious sim crossings are not fond of more than 10 people riding in a train car and as Menubar remarked later, SL was being in general particularly cranky and petulant that Tuesday night. After brushing off the dust I saw the familiar red mop of long hair blowing out the open window and ran as fast as I could to jump on and ride in the same train Menubar was in.

I saw the familiar red mop blowing out the open window

Just the passenger list had changed this time... riding on the WARR

No sooner did I manage to catch the speeding train and sit down, we hit another sim crossing, and just the passenger list differed from the first time, but once again we all were suspended high over the tracks feeling confused and filling up quickly with acrophobia, because as anyone knows many who love to ride the rails do not love to fly.

Sim crashes can make you grumpy, Menubar and I barely spoke after it

When I hit the ground I was immediately thrown down the side embankment by an oncoming locomotive that nearly took my leg off. I crawled back up and was immobile and sort of train-shocked, still as a statue on the tracks. I saw a sleek and modern “dance train” as the owner called it pull up and the driver Jer Straaf and his lovely partner Rainey Straaf invited me to climb on board. Well there wouldn’t be any dancing as it turned out, or even any traveling, because we were in a no-script area and so after chuckling over that irony I jumped off and ran down the tracks back to Burns Station.

no dancing, no traveling, no scripts~ Jer and Rainey Straaf and myself

So, the celebration turned into more of an adventure than anyone might have imagined and just as I was nearing the spot where we began our journey, I saw a modern and very futuristic police car come down the tracks and skid off the rails altogether. I didn’t stop running until I got back to the station, and composing myself  as well I could,  I did wish all involved in the new railway great success and congratulations on a job well done.. Get a train..ride the SLRR... take a ride on the WARR and discover the thrill of this deliciously addictive virtual lifestyle.

When the cop cars began to crash... I knew it was time to leave

Here is a great YouTube of the event thanks to Yumix Writer

“Discover the Mainland” Ride your own train!