A Frigid Night on the Valley Railroad - South Yard. Valley Railroad Consolidation #97's Engineer holds short of the Rte 153 crossing as his Fireman manually triggers the gates to protect their next move. After taking two trainloads of parents and kids to the "North Pole" this night, Old #97 is going to spend the night in the Essex Engine House. Normally, the hot locomotive at The Valley sits outside on the servicing pit in the yard. Tonight however, the weather conditions aren't fit for man or machine. The temperatures are headed for the single digits and the northwest wind is gusting to over 25 mph. There are definite concerns about freeze-ups. The crew will shortly back into the South Yard and switch onto the engine house track. There, they'll drop the fire, cap the stack and bring 97 inside where she'll stay nice and warm, ready to do it all over again the following day.
