Rails and Railsea

I saw newsboyhat off on the Amtrak at Springfield. She got on, and I chatted briefly with the conductor as the very last few passengers embarked. Then the final call came, and the conductor got on and pulled up the stairs. Another Amtrak employee, driving something that looked like a mini street sweeper, said to him,

"So it's official, then. You're alone, eh?"

"Yeah, it's just me. Haven't heard from [name] all week. It's not like him. I mean, he had conductor training, but Holy Christmas. At l...