up to this large railroad station come buses taxis and private cars carrying people who are going to travel by passenger train at the entrance to the station the car is stopped and the people get out people pass through here every day on their way to and from trains if their train is not ready they may stay in this large waiting room rocking about are sitting on big benches they must go to the ticket window and get tickets before going to the train inside each window is a ticket seller each one who rides on the train must buy a ticket to the place where he is going money from tickets helps pay the cost of running the trains near the trains or gates through which passengers must go a gate man looks at the tickets to be sure that each passenger is on his way to the right train it is almost time for this passenger train to leave the station and the passengers are hurrying along the glistening sides of its coaches the train will be pulled by this big streamlined diesel electric locomotive its engines are warming up and motors for his job is to keep them in good running order mine gases from the engines will go out through these pipes and the top each passenger can take a trunk with  is going into the baggage car in another cargo the last bags of my own carrying mail on so help pay the cost of running the train inside the mail car room or a mail clerks put together the long train gathers speed as it winds its way along the tracks leading from the gates of the big station are many tracks which gradually join each other either out of train dispatcher nose on which track a stranger to run and he switches eights to its proper track the trains run under banks of signals which show the engineers whether they should go ahead or stop there is a signal ahead now it is now the signal changes to go and again the powerful locomotive blows the train and here it is safe now to pass the  g inside one of the coaches that are on the conductor is already taking up tickets making sure that each one as paid for his ride the passengers have comfortable seats they can sit up or live back easily if they want to read overhead out of the way our racks filled with bags and parcels the corners of the train are now mr schroeder closes the throttle to slow down the drain for a sharp curve is just ahead the engineer knows exactly how fast he can go with safety the train is passing under a state highway crossing above the track and now it runs alongside a river the river valley is level so it is an easy place to build level tracks the car on this train is called the observation car plenty of windows and seats all about here there are desks where passengers may write letters and easy chairs and lounges where they may sit comfortably and chat with each other while they enjoy such sights as this beautifully winding stream these men are whiling away the time playing cards those in the observation car now see a long freight train cattle cars empty coal cars powerful seam over the potomac river from the state of maryland into the state of west virginia meal time for the passengers and this is the dining car and excellent restaurants that is part of the train and dining car is a great convenience to people travelling long distances by train the food is brought in by waiters who are clever at balancing their large trays as the train speeds alon when the diners have decided what they want the waiters go into the kitchen and repeat their orders to the chief cook who is called the chef he must keep many kinds of food on hand the cooks are clean and the kitchen of the dining car although small is kept spotless a good meal in the nine in car is up was an event for passengers during a long ri in his cabin engineers has no thought of who they must watch the track ahead the safety of all the passengers depends on his skill and watched his train approaches a small village and dashes on through the big steel rails under the weight of the rushing train bird above the sea to unlock the big curving door and inside to find more articles for making up the bird mattresses sheets and pillows some he takes out of the birth for the one below and others he will use for the birth of those who are not yet ready for bed i have tables magazines newspapers and writing materials with which to while away th  a long ride is over destination california