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Abandoned - Railway - part 2 - Holiday Hometown - Story 51

Started by Abandoned, November 20, 2019, 08:40:34 AM

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Abandoned

Intro


  This is the 51th story in the Smallville Series and the second part of a two-part mini-series featuring the newly released Railway mod by @kid1293.  Also featured is Kid's soon to be released Christmas Mod 2019 updated. 


  This story takes place west of Iron Ridge Railway part 1.  A homestead existed here before Smallville  when the loggers jammed the river, and the base camp and railroad tunnel were abandoned.  One of the tunnel builders came west and made the homestead town his home. Years later, two of his grandsons went to that abandoned tunnel, founded the town of Iron Ridge, and built the railway.  They are now returning to their hometown for the holidays by train in year 67 SVT.  The train arrives in Holiday Hometown in year 7, the year they left Iron Ridge.  The storyteller is the same, but she and other main characters are not physically on this map.


Map # 960419145   One River,  Small,  Fair,  disasters Off,  Small Exodus Easy (15 Families)


Mods enabled in load order:


Starting and Map Changing Mods:  Call of Nature Soundtrack, Banished UI Maps, Banished UI Town Names, Labor Window, RK Minimized Status,  CC Light Rain, override Map (kid), New Flora Edit, Multiple Starts (Tikaszar)

Tweak Mods:   Better Fields, Better Stockpiles, Bigger Wheelbarrows, Fishing Dock 25%, Hunting, Hunting Season, Increased CC, Leap of Faith, Longer Living Orchards,  1:1 Alternative, Rocks Respawn, Stop Burning Coal, Woodcutter +3

Major or Must Have Mods:   An Empty Square, Fenceless Pasture, Map Scroll, Nomad Sign Complete, Storage Crates, Jinxie Bitty Chicken Coop, Kid Abandoned Places, Kid Alotofseed Trader, Kid More Houses,  Kid Old Town, Kid Tiny, Kid Workplace Village, Kid Black/White Cattle

Supporting Mods:    Brussels Sprouts, Carrots, Christmas Mod 2019 (new update, testing), Colorful Little Houses, Greenhouse, Jinxie Festival Park, Jinxie Bitty Walls & Fences, Kid Bakery & Garden, Kid Market Carts (new, testing), Kid Railway (released but still testing), Nativity Chapel (new update, testing), Old Hunting Hut 



  We're finally on our way to my old hometown, weary traveler.  It will take a while to get there.  I'll tell you about Grandma and Grandpa and Holiday Hometown on the way. 

Abandoned

Chapter 1


  As you know, weary traveler, railroad loggers jammed the river and caused death and devastation all along the world's main river.  My husband's grandfather never quite got over his part in the tragedy.  He was one of those loggers but at the time was working on a railway tunnel some distance away. Yes, the Iron Ridge tunnel.  The logging camp and tunnel project were abandoned and grandfather came west along the river until he came to a smaller river heading south.  There was a settlement across that river, he built a small house for himself and then a bridge. 

  The settlement was made up of several family homesteads.  One family lived in a large hunting cabin.  Grandma's family were fishermen.  A family was growing potatoes and another chestnuts in an orchard across the river.  There were small homesteads with cows and chickens and a plot of oats.  They gathered apples, chestnuts, berries, and branches from the hedgerow.  There were even homesteads that had a few turkeys.  Herdsmen tended flocks of sheep and a tailor made warm coats from leather and wool.  There was a large storage barn, a stockpile, and a blacksmith to make needed iron tools.

  The homesteaders did not consider themselves to be a town, just families living their lives like their parents and grandparents before them.  But that was about to change.

Abandoned

Chapter 2


  Grandfather was not only a logger, but a forester and a builder as well.  He built a forester station and a greenhouse for seedling.  He wanted to make up in some way for the damage he had done.  He would build a trading post and hopefully his seedlings would get to where they were needed most.

  Grandma lived with her parents just across the river by the fishing pier.  They met and married and he built her a house and a chicken coop.  They had turkeys and a small plot of oats.  They soon had a son.  Grandpa built a school and then a tiny town hall where the teacher could keep records.  The people starting thinking of their homesteads as a town, their Hometown.  Children were born, children grew up, some stayed around, and others moved a short distance away. 

  Grandma and Grandpa's son was now married and had 3 sons of his own, they lived close by. Those families that moved farther away returned to town after the crops were in to pick up supplies at the main storage barn before winter.  More often than not an early snowstorm had them stranded in town for the holidays.  Grandpa built a large boarding house to house stranded or visiting family members.  The town was often referred to as their Holiday Hometown.

  What Grandpa really wanted to build was a railway.  He could not let go of the thought of what a railway train could do, bringing goods and families from one place to another.  He told train stories to his son and grandsons and to anyone else who would listen.

tuggistar

Hello Abandoned. As usual a good story. I read all your stories and they are always wonderful. Can I ask? From where in the picture - 8 Forester and Grandpa's Greenhouse, Greenhouse building. I couldn't find him. What kind of mods he's in.

Abandoned

 :) Thank you @tuggistar.   The greenhouse that I refer to as Grandpa's Greenhouse was in an old 106 mod by RedKetcup in Nov 0f 2014 - Decorative Items Pack v1.3 Beta.  There was a request in July of 2015 for the Greenhouse to be released separate.  The separate greenhouse produces seedling that can only be used for trade at the trading post.  The separate greenhouse can be found thread under Suggestions & Mod Idea - Greenhouse by Red Ketchup here:

http://worldofbanished.com/index.php?topic=962.0

It is one of the first mods I downloaded from this site and one of my favorites.  I used it in my first Smallville story  :)

Abandoned

Chapter 3


  The trading post and a seed trader were built and one of the riverboat merchants left a small assortment of seeds, not enough for field planting but enough for small plots.  Grandpa built a greenhouse for the cold sensitive pumpkin seeds.  He'd already built a mill and a market cart that was storing grain brought from storage units farther away.

  By winter a sunflower greenhouse was built along with a seed press to make oil, and a spice garden.  Grandma was thrilled to have a bakery where she could make pumpkin pies for the holidays.  It would be many years however before a pie would be baked.  It was then that tragedy struck our Holiday Hometown.

tuggistar


Abandoned

 :)


Chapter 4


  There was an outbreak of diphtheria striking those living near the trading posts first.  My husband Cleonellin's parents were the first to succumb to the disease.  My parents, and the parents and little sister of his 2 best friends were next to parish.  There was not a family in town that did not suffer a tragic loss.  Despite losing their only son, Grandma and Grandpa did not hesitate to take us in.  They packed up and moved into the old boarding house where there was room for all 6 of us children: their 3 grandsons, their 2 friends, and me.  That's why we all called them Grandma and Grandpa.  They were getting on in years but they took us in and raised us all as if we were their own.  We were all so young.

  A hospital and herbalist were build and the diseased claimed no more victims but the 6 of us and the other town children who lost a parent or sibling were hardest hit by the aftermath.   The graveyard where parents and classmates were buried was next to our school.  As we got older it was comforting to know they were close but at the time it was a devastating reminder.

  To ease his own sorrow and ours, Grandpa did what he did best - he worked with wood.  He built a workshop out behind the boarding house and began carving wooden toys.  The first thing he made of course was a toy train.  Every child in town got a train, a rocking horse, or a squirrel.  I loved my squirrel.   I remember Cleon holding his toy train and telling his brothers and friends that one day they would built Grandpa a real train. 


Abandoned

Chapter 5


  The year of the tragedy was a difficult one of adjustments.  The toys helped the summer to pass and soon it was autumn.  A small park where we could play was built not far from the school and the old boarding house.  The park was decorated for Halloween and a warm snack stand made delicious baked apples for us to eat, and then it was back to school for all of us children.  When winter came we built snowmen and had a rocking horse and sled in the park where we played. The boys treated me like a little sister, except for Cleon, he treated me a little different somehow.  It was like having 4 brothers and Cleon.  I liked Cleon best.

  When not in school or playing, we helped Grandma and Grandpa.  We had our chores and I learned to cook and bake from Grandma and the boys learned everything they could about building a railway.  And as children always do, we all grew up.  Cleon's older brother, Hilarion, was the first to marry.  Like Grandpa he worked with wood, he was one of our town's woodcutters.  His wife was a farmer living next to her parents. Cleon's younger brother and his 2 friends also married and moved out of the boarding house one by one.  That just left Cleon and me but the others all visited often and came home for the holidays. We were all very thankful for all  Grandma and Grandpa had done for us.

  The young men decided it was time to repay them and time to fulfill Grandpa's dream of a railway.  Cleon, his younger brother, their 2 friends and their families would retrace Grandpa's route and find that abandoned tunnel. Another couple would come along to help.  They would settle there and build a train and railway back to here.  Cleon's oldest brother who had 3 children would stay in Holiday Hometown near Grandma and Grandpa who were getting on in years and needed some help.  He would also start work on the railway here.  The men spend many hours going over railway plans and they decided to leave  before the snow would fall.  Grandpa said there were caves to shelter in along the way.  The group should be able to make it around the mountains and find the abandoned tunnel by early spring.

  Cleon asked me to go with him.  We were married in the park in late autumn of year 60 SVT.

Abandoned

Chapter 6


  As planned, we made it around the mountain in early spring and found that abandoned tunnel.  We picked a good spot to settle and built up a small town we called Iron Ridge.  We began laying tracks and digging tunnels through the 2 mountains that lay between Iron Ridge and our hometown.  In the summer of our 4th year in Iron Ridge, Cleon's brother, Chann, and friend, Kareeman, finished digging the 2nd tunnel and came out  on the Holiday Hometown side of the mountain.  They had a wonderful holiday with Grandma and Grandpa, and returned to report on the progress made there on the railway.

  Hometown's railway tracks lined up perfectly where the tunnel came through but those tracks were far from finished.  A trestle bridge was built across the river and the tracks extended a good distance along the edge of town.  The tracks were not finished and no turnaround was built, there was a lot of trees, rocks, and iron to be cleared.  Work had begun on the passenger station which was finished in winter.  The freight station, consisting of storage/market and a coal bin, was finished by early spring but the tiny coal mine that was built was a long way away and had no workers.  There was a lot of work yet to be done in Holiday Hometown.

  Meanwhile back in Iron Ridge, the tracks were finished, the engine was built and tested, as well as several freight cars and this passenger car we are now riding in, and then we were on our way ...



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5C3rlA5bZk



We're almost there, weary traveler.  We'll be staying in the old boarding house with Grandma and Grandpa.  I can't wait to see them, and I can't wait to get out of this dark tunnel.   

Abandoned

Chapter 7


  It was snowing heavily when the train emerged from the tunnel in autumn of year 7, small snowdrifts covered some parts of the track.  There ahead was the trestle bridge that crossed the river to our hometown.  When the train slowed, the men disconnected our passenger car which rolled a bit before coming to a halt in front of the rooming house where family and friends waited to greet us.  The rest of the train continued on the short distance to the freight station. 

   There are no words to describe Grandpa's reaction to seeing his dream train brought to life.  He had tears in his eyes as he hugged each of his grandson's and patted them heartily on their backs.  Grandma and Grandpa were both overjoyed and a little overwhelmed meeting so many great grandchildren at the same time. Grandma had a big hug for each of them and milk and oat cookies waited back at the old boarding house.  Grandpa gave them each their choice of toy like he did for all of us when we were young. The family reunion was a joyous event.  We only wished our 2 dear friends with their families could have come along on this trip too, they were family too.

  While we women saw to getting the children settled and began preparing a hot meal at the old boarding  house, the men of course, caught up on the railway progress.  They did not expect this much snow and cold so early in the season.  The turnaround tracks were not laid yet and there was no supply of coal to get us back to Iron Ridge.  Even if that were not the case, they debated the wisdom of returning while there was snow and ice on the tracks, especially with children on board.  The children were exited at the thought of a long visit with Grandma and Grandpa.  After lunch Grandpa and the children took a nice long nap.

Abandoned

Chapter 8


  Thanksgiving Day dawned cold but sunny.  There was a lot of cooking to be done for the Thanksgiving feast.  The men had made wooden tables and set some up in the park itself and others in 2 rows nearby.  Anyone who wanted to brave the cold could stop by for a meal anytime during the day.  The townspeople were all family as far as Grandma and Grandpa were concerned.

  The dinner was fantastic.  There was roast turkey and chicken, oat bread stuffing, and home grown potatoes were mashed.  There were Brussels sprouts and a sauce made from tart berries.  For dessert  there was a real treat, a surprise for Grandma.  The womenfolk took turns working first at the pumpkin and sunflower  greenhouses, and then at the seed press, the spice garden, and Grandma's bakery.  Grandma had tears in her eyes when the pumpkin pies they baked were brought to the park.

  We were all very thankful for all that we had and to be able to share this day with Grandma and Grandpa and friends and family.  I must have said "Happy Thanksgiving" a million times that day.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WqdBtEXoWo

kid1293


Abandoned


Abandoned

Chapter 9


  It did not take us long to realize the toll raising all of us and the passing years have had on Grandma and Grandpa, or the amount of responsibility we had placed on Cleon's oldest brother and his family.  It was surprising how much of the railway he had completed.  Cleon and I decided we would make hometown our home, his brother Chann and his family decided to do the same.  As soon as the turnaround was completed the 2 brothers would return to Iron Ridge to pack up our belongings.  They would try to convince our 2 dear friends and their families in Iron Ridge to do the same.  Completing the turnaround and mining for coal were year 8's first priorities.

  One worker was assigned to the mine.  Railway tracks were laid from there to the turnaround and then to the station's coal bin.  A mine cart of coal would be easy to pull along the tracks and back. The coal bin worker would not have so far to go to fetch the coal.  Sometime in the future the tracks could be extended from the turnaround to the west where a tunnel could be dug through the mountain.

  Our oldest boy, Sharald, thought he would get out of starting school but no such luck.  There was still room for a few more students.  A new school was being built near the trading posts.  A trade had just been made for apple seeds and the orchard was being planted.  The school teacher planned to take the children on field trips next year.  Our children from Iron Ridge had never seen farm animals or fruits and vegetables being grown.   In spring of year 9, they were delighted to see the crops being planted and to be taken to the pastures and animal sheds to see the cows and chickens and sheep.  Sharald really liked school. 

  Since it would take a few years for our new orchard to produce apple, we accepted apples from the food car in exchange for the coal needed to run the engine.  We still only had one miner.  We also discovered there were newly sprouted trees and many downed branches on the tracks that had to be cleared.  It was summer before Cleon and his brother skillfully reconnected the passenger car to the rest of the train, navigated the turnaround, and headed back to Iron Ridge for our belongs.