Breaking the Ice (Snowpiercer-based RP/Brainstorming Thread)

[Rudaslavia]

BREAKING THE ICE
CLASS. WARFARE.

---

Hey, everybody! Rud here. It has been some time since I posted anything of substance in P2TM. But with this thread, I hope to lay the foundations for a grand return to the NS roleplay community!

Welcome to the brainstorming thread for Breaking the Ice - a post-apocalyptic dystopian drama roleplay based on the 2013 film Snowpiercer and the film's ongoing TNT adaptation/reboot of the same name. I've had this idea brewing for quite some time, and have already done quite a bit of worldbuilding. But I still need help deciding exactly where the focus of the RP should be. I've narrowed it down to two distinct storyline options, and I am hoping you will help me decide which route to pursue. Each of these options will incorporate broad themes like class warfare, politico-economic corruption, and the bonds of family/friendship/camaraderie.

Setting & Background Info

The RP will be set in 2046, eleven years after a stratospheric aerosol injection (CW-7) triggered an unprecedented period of global cooling and glaciation. Launched as part of a last-ditch effort to reverse the effects of climate change, the CW-7 solution backfires. Within a single year, the planet's average temperatures drop by almost 40°F, resulting in a mass extinction event. With temperatures continuing to fall, a privileged few 12,000 survivors retreat to Snowpiercer -- a luxury train owned by enigmatic billionaire and railroad magnate Edwin "Teflon" Turnbull. Several thousand stowaways are also able to force themselves aboard. Powered by the revolutionary "perpetual motion technology" of Turnbull's Eternal Engine, Snowpiercer consists of 5,001 cars and stretches over 300 miles long. The train, rigidly stratified based on passenger class and skillsets, represents a closed ecological system that can (theoretically) endure for millennia.

As in the TNT series, the self-contained society of Snowpiercer is divided into 4 distinct classes:

• First Class, representing less than 1% of the total population and mainly consisting of ultra-wealthy investors/associates of Edwin Turnbull before the Freeze. These mighty elites live at the very front of the train, with each family unit being entitled to their own private double-decker carriage to live out their years in grotesque opulence.
  
  
• Second Class, consisting of skilled and well-educated workers that represent an affluent management class or petty bourgeoisie. These are the scientists, doctors, lawyers, and white-collar highbrows who continue their labors in considerable comfort on the train. A number of celebrities and media figures were also able to pay their way into Second. About 2,000 passengers (around 13% of the train's total population) belong to this coveted class.
  
  
• Third Class, the largest and arguably most vital caste of passengers aboard Snowpiercer. Numbering around 10,000 citizens (roughly 66% of the population), the so-called "Thirdies" are the unskilled masses that keep the train functioning. Despite the vital nature of their work, they suffer far worse living conditions than their superiors in the upper classes. Third Class is heavily policed by the train's security forces, and Turnbull uses a number of underhanded methods to ensure none of them step out of line.
  
  
• "The Tail", an unofficial fourth class of about 3,000 stowaways who forced themselves onto the tail end of the train during Snowpiercer's departure from Chicago in 2036. These poor souls suffer the worst existence that Turnbull Industries has to offer. Crammed into just 20 cargo cars at the back, the "Tailies" are fed measly portions of composted protein to keep them alive so that they can be exploited for slave labor.

Edwin Turnbull, CEO of the eponymous Turnbull Industries before the Freeze, has ruled over the train with an iron fist for an entire decade. Key to the preservation of Turnbull's regime on Snowpiercer is the Security Department, which consists of two major subdivisions: the Train Guard and the Train Police.

The Train Guard is Snowpiercer's official military force. Led by Commander John Shaw, a retired Navy SEAL and PMC executive before the Freeze, the Guard consists of roughly 1,500 soldiers (often called "Jackboots" or "Jacks") tasked with maintaining order and eliminating security threats. Stationed at strategic locations throughout the train, the Jacks are called upon to deal with any riots or civil disturbances that spin out of the Train Police's control.

The Train Police is, obviously, the train's police service. Led by Chief Douglas Hessler, former Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department, the Train Police consists of about 500 sworn officers (nicknamed "Bulls" by the populace) who operate independently from the Train Guard as civil policemen/policewomen. The majority of Train Police officers are uniformed beat cops, but an elite few work under Captain Naomi Langford as part of the Train Police Detective Bureau (TPDB, or DB for short). The DB is made up of three subunits, each led by a Detective Lieutenant:

• Detection Unit A, Larceny and Financial Crime: Led by Lieutenant Maxwell "Max" Urquhart, Unit A generally focusses on robbery and white collar crime aboard the train.
  
  
• Detection Unit B, Homicide and Violent Crime: Led by Lieutenant Ilona Sarkozy, Unit B handles violent offenses ranging from homicides to sexual assaults.
  
  
• Detection Unit C, Special Operations: Led by Lieutenant Gabriel "Gabe" Hanna, Unit C is the vaguely defined wild card of the Train Police force. Officially, Special Operations handles cases involving vice, organized crime, and "political offenses." Unsurprisingly, that lattermost specialty quickly led the unit to become an unofficial hit squad for the Turnbull regime. Over the years, Hanna and his close-knit crew have embedded themselves within the socio-political hierarchy of Snowpiercer. When they're not taking care of the ruling class's dirty work, they're cutting deals with the gangsters and corrupt officials they had originally sworn to put behind bars.

I have already created a rough summary of the train's physical layout, which is posted below. Detailed descriptions of each bullet point will be included once the actual OOC thread has launched.

Storyline Options

As mentioned above, I have two general ideas for this RP's storyline. Each will have players taking on completely different roles aboard the train, and will drastically impact the nature of the plot.

• Option 1 - The Turnbull Family: This option will primarily focus on the power dynamics of the Turnbull family and First Class in general. Players will assume the roles of Edwin Turnbull's children/grandchildren that accompanied him at Departure. The storyline will draw on many themes from shows like Succession, Game of Thrones, and House of Cards, combining family drama with a truly merciless political environment. Edwin is getting old, and his cult of personality is beginning falter. Dark times are on the horizon. The people of Snowpiercer want change, and their patience is running perilously thin. But the old man will not give up power easily. You, a member of the train's first family, will have to navigate through the coming power struggle whilst simultaneously advancing your own interests. Perhaps you are one of Edwin's loyalists who will fight to maintain the status quo. Or, maybe you want to replace the current regime with a dictatorship of your own. Of course, every family has its black sheep. You may reject the decadent corruption into which you were born, seeking genuine change aboard Snowpiercer for the betterment of the lower classes. And hey, you might just be a playboy who gives 0 shits about any of this. You're just looking to exploit your position for hedonistic pleasure.
  
  I have already written a ton of lore regarding the history of Turnbull Industries, starting with the company's establishment in the early 19th century and continuing up until Departure in 2036. Players will be able to expand on that lore by developing their characters' roles within the Turnbull family and its corporate empire prior to the Freeze. This will entail a great deal of cooperative worldbuilding during the application process as the familial bonds between characters are fleshed out.
  
  
• Option 2 - Special Operations: This option will focus on the activities of the train's police forces amidst the social unrest mentioned in Option 1. Players will take on the roles of officers with Detection Unit C (Special Operations). Whether out of social pressure, cynical disillusionment, or genuine malice, these individuals have become part of the corruption that festers throughout the Turnbull regime. But when a tumultuous series of events disturbs the established order, players will be forced to pick sides -- sides that will determine the future for the last of humankind. This represents the thriller/action-oriented option. As a result, players will be more distanced from the power dynamics of the train's upper echelon. But said dynamics will still exist in the background, and will have a substantial impact on the progression of the plot.

If any of you have other questions or ideas, please share! This is a general brainstorming thread, so I encourage the sharing of thoughts on how we can further develop the setting, plot, and themes of the roleplay. I have invited a bunch of people I've seen post kick ass stuff on P2TM to partake in this little project. But I'm sure there are many other great writers in this community who would contribute really cool ideas. So, if you've been invited, please feel free to invite others to participate as well! I trust y'all's judgment!

And cheers! It's good to be back!

[Rudaslavia]

As promised, here is a rough outline of the train's layout. I only have 2,500 cars listed here, so I'm looking for other ideas as to what types of train cars we can incorporate into the total 5,001. This model was based on an earlier iteration of the RP where I had only planned on there being 2,500 cars, but I decided to expand the train to accommodate for a larger population of passengers.

TRAIN LAYOUT

Engine Section

• 0001: The Eternal Engine
  
  
• 0002 - 0012: Engine Control Cars
  
  
• 0013 - 0018: Engineers' Quarters

First Class

• 0019: Executive Carriage
  
  
• 0020 - 0030: Turnbull Family Carriages
  
  
• 0031 - 0050: 1st Class Carriages
  
  
• 0051: Committee/Board Room Car
  
  
• 0052: Hospitality Car
  
  
• 0053: 1st Class Library
  
  
• 0054 - 0056: 1st Class Lounge Cars
  
  
• 0057: 1st Class Dining Car
  
  
• 0058: 1st Class Kitchen Car
  
  
• 0059: Sky Bar & Lounge
  
  
• 0060 - 0061: Casino Cars
  
  
• 0062: 1st Class Salon & Barbershop
  
  
• 0063 - 0064: 1st Class Spa Cars
  
  
• 0065: Thermae & Sauna Car
  
  
• 0066: Pool Car
  
  
• 0067 - 0072: 1st Class Gymnasium Cars
  
  
• 0073 - 0083: 1st Class Sports & Athletics Cars
  
  
• 0084 - 0085: Media Cars
  
  
• 0086 - 0087: Theater Cars
  
  
• 0089 - 0095: Botanical Gardens
  
  
• 0096 - 0100: Aviary Cars
  
  
• 0101 - 0104: Aquarium Cars
  
  
• 0105: Sushi Bar & Aquarium
  
  
• 0106: Auditorium Car
  
  
• 0107: Ballroom Car
  
  
• 0108 - 0109: Banquet Cars
  
  
• 0110 - 0149: 1st Class Recreational Cars, aka "The Uptrain Strip"

Second Class

• 0150: 1st Class Checkpoint Car
  
  
• 0151 - 0165: 2nd Class Offices
  
  
• 0166 - 0180: Medical Offices
  
  
• 0181 - 0220: Medical Cars
  
  
• 0221 - 0230: Laboratory Cars
  
  
• 0231: 2nd Class Botanical Car, aka "The Fountain Car"
  
  
• 0232 - 0239: 2nd Class Dining Cars
  
  
• 0240 - 0249: 2nd Class Lounge Cars
  
  
• 0250 - 0749: 2nd Class Residential Cars
  
  
• 0750: Classroom Car
  
  
• 0751 - 0760: Express Studio Offices
  
  
• 0761 - 0765: Express Studio Cars
  
  
• 0766 - 0785: 2nd Class Gymnasium
  
  
• 0766 - 1000: 2nd Class Recreational Cars, aka "The Midtrain Strip"

Third Class

• 1001 - 1002: 2nd Class Checkpoint Cars
  
  
• 1003 - 1052: Train Guard Barracks
  
  
• 1053 - 1057: Train Police Offices
  
  
• 1058 - 1069: 3rd Class Market
  
  
• 1070: The Nightcar
  
  
• 1071 - 1076: The Chains
  
  
• 1077: The Chapel Car
  
  
• 1078 - 1092: 3rd Class Mess Halls
  
  
• 1093 - 1592: 3rd Class Residential Cars
  
  
• 1468 - 1477: Cattle Cars
  
  
• 1478 - 1499: Poultry Cars
  
  
• 1500 - 2099: AGSEC Cars
  
  
• 2100 - 2449: Industrial Cars
  
  
• 2450 - 2464: Compost & Sanitation Cars
  
  
• 2465 - 2470: Cargo & Storage Cars
  
  
• 2471 - 2480: 3rd Class Garrison
  
  
• 2481 - 2500: The Tail

[Khasinkonia]

Personally, I like the family option. The Special Operations choice does give a bit more freedom in terms of character backstory, but I think the family option sounds more fun.

[The Knockout Gun Gals]

Personally speaking, I too prefer the Family option. It can definitely generates a stronger player activity, for one, with players constantly at throats with each other, make alliances, maybe even dominating the scene as Turnbull's condition worsened.

[The Knockout Gun Gals]

Do things like ideologies and positions still matters in Snowpiercer's lore? Considering the situation, people whose backgrounds are either celebrity and media figures, while important and can potentially sway people, matters less to the likes of mechanics and doctors, for example. As for ideologies, like socialism or anarchism? I am sure the more normal stuffs like reformism or conservatism exists, but the radical ones?

[Catalaonia]

Would love a family option. Gives me succession vibes.

[Rudaslavia]

Personally, I like the family option. The Special Operations choice does give a bit more freedom in terms of character backstory, but I think the family option sounds more fun.

I'm glad to see interest in that option! I personally prefer it too. I think intrafamilial drama is a theme that should be explored more often in RPs.

Do things like ideologies and positions still matters in Snowpiercer's lore? Considering the situation, people whose backgrounds are either celebrity and media figures, while important and can potentially sway people, matters less to the likes of mechanics and doctors, for example. As for ideologies, like socialism or anarchism? I am sure the more normal stuffs like reformism or conservatism exists, but the radical ones?

Absolutely! The train is essentially a microstate on wheels. But it is also a private enterprise; the passengers of First Class bankrolled Snowpiercer's construction prior to Departure, and are therefore regarded as the train's shareholders. The First Class Committee (FCC), consisting of representatives elected by First Class to defend their socio-political interests, constitutes the only real check on Edwin Turnbull's executive power. The FCC is equivalent to a corporate board of directors, but its members are drawn exclusively from First Class passengers. For the most part, the Committee has been more than happy to sit on the sidelines while the old man keeps the train in line. But Turnbull's recent decline has the FCC (and First Class in general) becoming jumpy.

In academic terms, one might call the current system an "oligarchic corporatocracy" or some such label. But when push comes to shove, it's just thinly veiled fascism. The train's Hospitality Department is little more than a glorified propaganda outlet for the Turnbull regime. Turnbull himself is worshipped as a messianic savior, while dissenters are demonized as thankless incendiaries. The Janitorial Department, whose members have access to the entirety of the train, act as a de facto secret police force for the authorities. They keep tabs on rebellious activity in exchange for increased rations and better living standards.

The widespread corruption of the regime is not a bug - it is a feature. Turnbull and his cronies anticipated the emergence of criminal activity aboard the train long before Departure. What with 12,000 people jammed into a giant metal tube, it was practically an inevitability. Turnbull's solution? Make the gangs an arm of the regime. Most of Snowpiercer's major gangs and criminal syndicates operate at the discretion of the Train Police. The Special Operations Unit was formed to manage these organizations and keep them under Turnbull's thumb. To make matters worse, intra-class inequality was deliberately encouraged by the regime as a means of sewing division among Third Class passengers. The further down train you go, the worse the jobs and living conditions become. This has led to the development of sub-classes within Third Class, further inhibiting disenfranchised laborers from uniting against the wealthy.

All of these factors have contributed to an environment ripe for ideological extremism. The passengers have been pitted against each other for the benefit of First Class and the Turnbull family. But if their animosity can be redirected at the regime, shit will hit the fan very hard.

[Rudaslavia]

A couple titbits of lore I had prepared for Edwin Turnbull and his wife, if y'all are interested!

• Edwin Turnbull: The billionaire CEO of Turnbull Industries and the iron-fisted patriarch of the Turnbull family. As President of Snowpiercer, Edwin has reigned over the train as an authoritarian despot for ten years. Born into poverty in the East End of London, Edwin suffered untold abuse at the hands of his alcoholic father. At the age of 15, he was sent to live with relatives in the United States, where he eventually studied engineering at a prestigious university. Enamored by locomotives since childhood, Edwin gradually established himself as a preeminent titan of the modern railroad industry. In the wake of the disastrous CW-7 launch, the Turnbull patriarch had his Eternal Express Worldwide train refitted into an ark capable of sustaining human life beyond the Freeze. Rechristened Snowpiercer, Turnbull's ark on rails is powered by the so-called "perpetual motion technology" of the Eternal Engine. After Departure, Edwin fostered a quasi-religious cult of personality that upheld him as a messianic prophet and savior. His seemingly bewitching charm and magnetism has garnered a great deal of love, affection, and loyalty from his followers. But his charisma masks a cruel and malignant narcissism that has left him incapable of feeling empathy or remorse. Aged 89. Citizenship before Departure: British/American (dual).
  
  
• Margaret Turnbull, née Timmerman: The acerbic wife of Edwin Turnbull and matriarch of the Turnbull family. As the only child of Nelson Timmerman, Margaret was raised amidst the affluence of the centuries-old Timmerman family. The Timmermans were descended from the Dutch colonists of New Netherland, earning their fortune through the fur trade before investing in the emergent railroad industry during the 19th century. Nelson's position of power as head of Timmerman Incorporated left his daughter with a chip on her shoulder that remains ever-present to this day. Prior to her marriage, Margaret was a socialite in New York City. Despite her haughty disposition, her status and physical attractiveness drew many suitors. She eventually fell for the alluring wiles of Edwin Turnbull, who worked as one of her father's engineers. Upon Nelson's death in 1999, Edwin assumed full control of Timmerman Incorporated as CEO, subsequently transforming the firm into Turnbull Industries. The union between Margaret and Edwin rapidly declined as the latter conducted his campaign of corporate conquest. She began showing signs of borderline personality disorder, subjecting friends and family alike to alternating bouts of affection and abuse. As First Lady of Snowpiercer, Margaret is often at the center of petty disputes between First Class passengers. She knows many of the passengers' darkest secrets, and she often exploits them for personal gain. The train's queen consort will be a key player in the impending power struggle, and it would be unwise to underestimate her conniving nature. Aged 87. Citizenship before Departure: American.

[Rudaslavia]

And, screw it, I'll throw up Part 1 of the history of Turnbull Industries as well. Part 1 focusses on the company's initial establishment and its history under the control of the Timmerman family. Part 2 will focus on Edwin Turnbull's rise to power (including the gradual transformation of Timmerman Incorporated into Turnbull Industries), ending with the final Departure of Snowpiercer from Chicago in 2036. I haven't completed the last bits of Part 2 yet, as I'm not sure which story option we'll be going with.

HISTORY OF TURNBULL INDUSTRIES
PART I: THE TIMMERMAN DYNASTY

Prior to the Freeze, Turnbull Industries Inc. was an American multinational conglomerate holding company and one of the most powerful business entities in the world. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, the company was administered by famed British-American engineer and centibillionaire Edwin Turnbull. Turnbull assumed control over the enterprise (then called Timmerman Incorporated) as CEO in 1999. Under his leadership, the company's market cap experienced a tenfold increase, peaking at $7.4 trillion in 2033. As the parent company of the Turnbull Intercontinental Railroad, Turnbull Industries is technically the last known corporation on Earth to have remained continuously active since the CW-7 launch.

The origins of Turnbull Industries can be traced back to 1802, when pioneering industrialist Gustaaf Timmerman established the Dutch Valley Company (DVC) in Albany, New York. The progeny of 17th century Dutch colonists to New Netherland, Timmerman inherited a small fortune from his family's involvement with the fur trade. The Dutch Valley Company began as a textile manufacturing company with additional stakes in local timber mills and logging firms. By the mid-1820s, the Timmermans had expanded into the shipping industry, and their associates exercised considerable influence over the Hudson River Steamboat Association.

Gustaaf Timmerman died of natural causes in 1839, willing his business empire to his only son, Lewis (later nicknamed "Papa Lewis"). Born Lodewijk Marinus Timmerman in 1796, Lewis came of age during the dawn of American mechanization. He developed a particular interest in steam power after having witnessed the North River Steamboat passing through Albany on its maiden voyage in 1807. As President of the Dutch Valley Company, Lewis augmented the firm's shipping stocks and invested huge amounts of capital into emergent railroad companies around the Tri-State area. Cutthroat and relentlessly ambitious, he exploited his political connections to outmaneuver his rivals and corner the market. Within a decade, the Timmerman family controlled a majority stake in ten separate railroads across the American Northeast. In 1858, the Lewis established a new parent company, Timmerman Incorporated, which absorbed the DVC and its sister companies to form one of America's first official conglomerates.

Lewis "Papa Lewis" Timmerman,
c. 1870.

As head of his family's colossal enterprise, Lewis was often termed a robber baron by the press. The Timmerman patriarch attempted to rebut this characterization by presenting himself to the public as an openhanded philanthropist. He instituted a number of charities and nonprofit foundations during the Civil War, earning him the semi-derisive nickname "Papa Lewis" from the downtrodden workers under his employ. Lewis unironically embraced the title, leading to a slew of political cartoons depicting him as a rapacious "father" to dirtied and malnourished workers.

In 1863, Lewis consolidated five of his largest railroads -- the Manhattan Metropolitan Railway, the Algonquin Central Railroad, the Catskill-Adirondack Railway, the Great Lakes Extension Railroad, and the Chicago Gateway Railroad -- into one: the Empire State Central Railroad (ESCR). Headquartered in New York City, the ESCR spanned from the plains of Kansas to the heart of Boston, with several lines traversing the Canadian-American border into Ontario. It came to be regarded as the crown jewel of the Timmerman empire, becoming the second-largest railroad in the United States. Only the ESCR's chief competitor, the Keystone Railroad, stood in the way of total domination over the industry.

Established in 1845 by Philadelphian civil engineer and industrialist Irvin Farrington, the Keystone Railroad was a merger of the Crawford & Lancaster Railroad, the Pennsylvania Union Railway, and the Appalachian Valley Railroad. But the Keystone rapidly grew beyond its original charter. In 1852, Farrington orchestrated a successful bear hug against the Potomac & Ohio Railroad, which linked the states of Maryland and Virginia across the famed bridge at Harper's Ferry. The Keystone was subsequently granted tracking rights over the Roanoke Southern Railroad in 1858, facilitating its westward expansion toward the frontier.

The rivalry between Irvin Farrington and Lewis Timmerman began in the 1840s, when the two men clashed for control of the Atlantic steamship industry. However, their blood feud did not reach its peak until the so-called "Keystone Crisis" of 1867. The destruction wrought by the Civil War left most of the Keystone Railroad's southern lines in shambles. This, combined with a number of bad investments during the late antebellum period, hindered Farrington's ability to defend his company against hostile investors. By contrast, the ESCR saw its profit margins nearly double between 1861 and 1865, allowing Lewis to build up a substantial war chest. He made his move against Farrington in 1867, purchasing roughly $13 million in Keystone stock for a controlling interest in the company. But old Papa Lewis had been deceived. Having predicted Timmerman's offensive, Farrington assembled a coalition of financiers and politicians to aid him in a stock-watering stratagem that would shield the Keystone from acquisition. In purchasing the watered stock, Lewis had effectively been defrauded of his $13 million investment. A war of litigation ensued between the Farrington and Timmerman families. Lewis ultimately recouped the majority of his losses, but had failed to obtain control of the rival company.

The Keystone Crisis was a critical juncture for Timmerman Incorporated. It shattered Lewis's self-perception as an unassailable titan of industry, and he began to favor more risk-averse business strategies aimed at defending his empire rather than expanding it further. Ironically, these strategies saved Timmerman Incorporated and the ESCR from bankruptcy during the Panic of 1873. Indeed, the ESCR was among the few railroads to net a profit amidst the economic collapse. It was during this time that Lewis initiated the construction of the Timmerman Central Station in Manhattan, providing employment to several thousand workers in New York City. Completed in 1881, the Timmerman Central was the palatial terminus of the Empire State Central Railway's northeastern lines. Lewis often referred to the station as his crowning achievement "for which [his] name would be remembered forevermore."

Newspaper illustration of the skirmish between rioters
and Lewis Timmerman's security forces at the
Metropolitan Yard of Manhattan, c. 1877.

Lewis's name would be remembered forevermore, but not for the Timmerman Central Station. During the Great Railroad Strike of 1877, protests ensued in Manhattan against the ESCR's cut wages. Local police struggled to maintain order, and riots erupted across the city. On July 20, strikers converged on the Empire State Central's Metropolitan Yard. Alarmed by reports of fires being set to his coaling towers, Lewis hired Pinkerton security agents to reassert control over the yard. At approximately 12:00PM in the afternoon of July 21, the agents opened fire on the crowd. Twenty were killed on the spot, and fourteen of the additional ninety injured later succumbed to their wounds. The incident sparked nationwide outrage against Lewis and the ESCR. Although the Timmermans were able to shift most of the blame upon the "anarchist" leaders of the strike, the company's profits were fractured by the negative press -- so much so that the completion of the Timmerman Central Station was delayed by almost four years.

Lewis Timmerman's culpability for the Metropolitan Yard Massacre was the death knell of his public reputation. He died in 1890 at the age of 92, mourned by few and missed by fewer. At the time of his death, the sum total value of Timmerman Incorporated and its subsidiaries was approximately $110 million. Lewis's final wish was for his empire to remain under the control of the Timmerman family for as long as fate permitted.

Fate, as it turned out, was quite generous toward the Timmermans. The progeny of Papa Lewis zealously defended their lordship over the Timmerman enterprise for generations. Despite several instances of near-bankruptcy during the early 20th century (culminating in the dissolution of three Timmerman subsidiaries after 1929 stock market crash), the company survived its darkest days and gradually reclaimed its prestige as an industrial giant. Key to the organization's perseverance was the Empire State Central Railway, which remained vital to interstate commerce throughout the Depression. The ESCR was by no means immune to the turmoil wrought by the Great Crash, but it had the advantage of superlative leadership.

Among the rising stars of the Empire State Central during the 1930s was Nelson Timmerman, a young and precocious manager of logistics in New York City. A great-great-grandson of Lewis Timmerman, Nelson entered the family business at the age of 18. His competence as an administrator and business strategist was almost immediately evident; within a year after his hiring, he'd nearly halved the cost of business in his department and turned a profit for the railroad's Manhattan division for the first time since 1930. So impressed were his superiors that they took to calling him "Crackerjack Nelson" -- a sobriquet that stuck for the duration of his long life. He rapidly ascended the managerial ranks of the Empire State Central, devising the introduction of groundbreaking innovations like the streamlined locomotive and diesel-powered engine system.

In 1948, Nelson was appointed President of the ESCR at the age of 32. He was subsequently given a seat on the board of Timmerman Incorporated in 1950, providing him access to the highest echelons of power in the conglomerate. The Crackerjack refused to let his newly-acquired influence go to waste. A student of history and longtime admirer of Lewis Timmerman, Nelson had inherited his great-great-grandfather's capacity to foresee market trajectories and socio-economic trends. He spearheaded several investments by Timmerman Incorporated into the real estate and construction industries, each netting gargantuan profits for the family's enterprise. In 1955, he co-founded Timmerman Estate Services for the acquisition, development, and marketing of commercial and residential property. A sister company, Empire Alliance Mortgage & Finance, was established in 1956 as an inlet into the financial services sector.

Nelson "Crackerjack" Timmerman,
c. 1960.

Around the same time, Timmerman Incorporated began to expand into the revitalized market of postwar Europe. Major exporters in the UK, France, and West Germany signed exclusive contracts with the Timmerman shipping consortium throughout the 1950s. Nelson was largely responsible for brokering said contracts, and his efforts led to an influx of capital that bolstered the company's domestic startups. In 1959, he was made a chief operating officer of Timmerman Incorporated, thereby allotting him even greater leeway to make decisions on the company's budget and business strategies. As COO, he masterminded the successful 1965 bear hug against the Hallman Hotels & Resorts Corporation, a multinational hospitality company with operating franchises in five countries. The profits of the renamed Timmer Hall Corporation (a play on the combination of "Timmerman" and "Hallman") swiftly recouped Nelson's initial outlay on the Hallman brand. Timmer Hall facilities became somewhat of a gold standard for hotel and resort services around the globe. It developed a reputation as a luxury trademark catering exclusively to the upper classes.

In 1970, Nelson was finally appointed CEO and Chairman of Timmerman Incorporated. His personal shares in the company amounted to roughly $2.5 billion in net assets, making him the wealthiest man in America at that time. Nelson wasted no time in consolidating his absolute authority as CEO. From 1970 to 1971, he systematically expelled any and all opposition to his vision for the future of the company. Several board members were canned outright, followed by scores of perceived dissenters in both upper and middle management. Most quietly took their severance packages and left. Those foolhardy enough to take the matter to court found themselves buried beneath an avalanche of attorneys and negative press. Some referred to the proceedings of 1970-71 as the "Great Purge," comparing Nelson's brutality to that of Stalin or Chairman Mao. Nevertheless, his unquestioned rule had been secured, and he was free to steer the firm in any which direction he pleased.

One of the first items on Nelson's administrative agenda was the revitalization of the old Dutch Valley Company, which had long since fallen to the wayside of the Timmerman portfolio. During its heyday as a textile manufacturing enterprise in the mid-19th century, the DVC was one of the largest employers in the State of New York. But the company had since devolved into something of a nostalgic keepsake for the Timmerman family. Nelson resuscitated the husk of the Dutch Valley Company by transforming it into a fashion house. The project was hugely influenced by Nelson's own wife, famed actress and fashion designer Noelle Hemingway, whom he had married in 1955. Noelle, who served as a primary consultant for the restructured DVC, became an icon of second-wave feminism in American pop culture. She aided in marketing the DVC brand as a symbol of both feminine elegance and defiant strength, allowing Timmerman Incorporated to profit from its association with a progressive trademark.

From 1970 to 1974, Nelson gradually outsourced the DVC's manufacturing pursuits overseas, replacing the company's executives with fashion-oriented directors. DVC headquarters were relocated from Albany to the bustling center of Manhattan, and the first Dutch Valley store opened to elaborate fanfare and publicity in 1975. Said publicity was fueled by Nelson's Dutch Valley Gala on Fifth Avenue -- a lavish gathering and jamboree of America's fashionable elite. The Dutch Valley Gala became an annual event, each surpassing the previous year's unbridled opulence in an ever-expanding display of wealth and power. By the turn of the 21st century, DVC stores were commonplace in plazas, malls, and shopping centers across North America.

Two years after the DVC opened its flagship store, Timmerman Incorporated financed the creation of a new hypermarket retail subsidiary. Under the corporate name of Nelson's Market Stores Inc., twenty-five Nelson's Supercenters were opened throughout New York State between 1977 and 1982. The chain exploded in popularity during the mid-1980s, when Nelson's Market Stores signed a number of lucrative contracts with Chinese-based producers, dramatically reducing manufacturing costs for the benefit of the company's American customer base. From 1985 to 2000, Nelson's Supercenters became a staple of the US economy, opening almost 2,500 stores nationwide.

In addition to his expansion into retail, Nelson oversaw the establishment of the Timmermans' first commercial airline in 1979. New Amsterdam Airlines, later rebranded NewAm Airlines, first offered short domestic flights between major cities along the Atlantic Seaboard. Its services expanded in the late 1980s to include transatlantic travel, eventually going global after the dissolution of the Soviet Bloc.

However, despite his many successes at the helm of Timmerman Incorporated, Nelson always remained a railroad man at heart. Even after becoming CEO of the holding company, he retained his title and position as President of the Empire State Central Railroad. Most American railroads struggled to stay afloat in the decades following the Second World War. The construction of the Interstate Highway System and concurrent suburbanization of American cities made the nation less reliant upon trains for public transport. This, combined with increasingly stringent regulation from the federal government, drove many privately-owned railroads into bankruptcy. While some lines were nationalized, others were decommissioned altogether. The Empire State Central was among the few private railroads large enough to persevere through the 1950s and 60s, but its profit margins continued to dwindle with each passing year. Despite countless petitions from his advisors to sell the company's shares of the ESCR, Nelson stubbornly refused. In his 1970 inaugural address to the shareholders of Timmerman Incorporated, he vowed to restore the railroad to its former glory, stating: "They don't call me 'Crackerjack' for nothing."

As part of his plan to salvage the Empire State Central from financial ruin, Nelson sought to achieve what even the great Papa Lewis Timmerman could not: a merger with the ESCR's chief competitor, the Keystone Railroad. Although many of his underlings initially balked at the idea, Nelson recognized the equally precarious state of the Keystone's finances and prospects. In a manner similar to the ESCR, the Keystone had remained under the control of its founding family since the 19th century. By the time Nelson became CEO of Timmerman Incorporated, the Keystone was headed by one Ray Farrington -- a descendant of old Papa Lewis Timmerman's archrival, Irvin Farrington. The Keystone Railroad operated as a subsidiary of Farrington Philadelphia Inc., the Farrington family's parent company of which Ray Farrington was chairman and chief executive. Unlike Nelson, Ray was fundamentally disinterested in the future of American railroading. He viewed the railroad industry as a dinosaur doomed to extinction, and was eager to divest Farrington Philadelphia of its "antiquated" holdings.

Ray Farrington (left) and Nelson Timmerman (right) in a television news
interview regarding the Keystone-Empire merger, c. 1980.

Talks between the Empire State Central and Keystone railroads regarding a potential merger began as early as 1972. Despite both organizations' best attempts at keeping the negotiations undisclosed to the public, information about the merger was eventually leaked to the press in 1974. The news was quite controversial; were the two railroads able to consolidate into one, that single entity would effectively own the entire Northeast Corridor and beyond. Critics denounced Nelson as a monopolist, labelling him with nicknames like "Tycoon Timmerman" and "Papa Nelson" (the latter of which Nelson secretly relished, being a keen admirer of his great-great-grandfather Lewis).

Despite the press leaking, negotiations between the Timmerman and Farrington families continued undisturbed. The process of integrating the unions, workflows, and administrative subdivisions of the two railroads proved incredibly laborious. Years passed, and a number of officials from both parties began to doubt whether the merger would ever be fully accomplished. But the efforts of those involved would not be in vain. In the summer of 1980, the Empire State Central and Keystone railroads were officially consolidated to form the Keystone Empire Central Railroad (KECR). Although the Farringtons retained a sizeable minority interest in the venture, Timmerman Incorporated was ceded full administrative and operational control. The Keystone Empire Central became the largest railroad in North America, owning a complex network of track that stretched from the lowlands of Quebec to the slopes of Coahuila and Nuevo León. Crackerjack Nelson had achieved the unachievable.

But the Keystone-Empire merger would not be the Crackerjack's only accomplishment in that fateful year of 1980. Nelson had always fostered a deep antipathy toward what he perceived as over-regulation of American railroads. Throughout the 1970s -- in tandem with the negotiations between Timmerman Incorporated and Farrington Philadelphia -- Nelson assembled a cabal of political and financial allies to aid him in dismantling governmental influence over the industry. Chief amongst those allies was Congressman Henry Silverton of West Virginia, who had chaired the House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce since 1968. An old-time friend and colleague of Jimmy Carter, Silverton sponsored the so-called Silverton Rail Act of 1980, which President Carter signed into law on October 14th of that year. The Silverton Rail Act drastically reduced federal supervision of the railroad industry, and included terms that would grant certain exemptions from tariffs and customs duties to shippers transporting goods by train.

Not since the Gilded Age had rail companies wielded such economic power. Railroad profits soared, and Nelson took every opportunity to continue expanding his rail lines into the hinterlands of Canada and Mexico. But the Crackerjack had a final trick up his sleeve. In 1978, just two years prior to the Keystone-Empire merger, a young and ambitious student of engineering joined the Empire State Central Railroad as an apprentice. Charming, resourceful, and brilliant beyond comprehension, the man would one day become the Crackerjack's right hand.

His name was Edwin Turnbull.

[Catalaonia]

How many character do you think could be directly related to the Turnbull family?

[Rudaslavia]

How many character do you think could be directly related to the Turnbull family?

Doesn't matter. Edwin and Margaret were both only children, so the only rule is that player characters cannot be their siblings. But they're both pushing 90, so player characters can be pretty much anything else. Children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, cousins, sons/daughters-in-law, etc. It'll be fun to flesh out the family trees.

If we go with Option 1, that is. Polling still favors Special Operations, which would also be pretty sweet.

[Saigan]

I love this idea, I also love the overall RP in general, I vote for family

[Rudaslavia]

Anyone have any ideas for trains cars we can add?

[Constaniana]

I appreciate the invite to this thread. I'm not sure how much time I would have to join an actual IC of this, but I can certainly help with some brainstorming.

Anyone have any ideas for trains cars we can add?

The only things I can think of for the moment:

• More classroom cars for 2nd class: if there's about 2,000 white-collar workers in this caste then they'd probably need a few more carriages to handle all their schooling. It's not just the number of students, but the nature of their future jobs requiring a fair amount of space to conduct their training. The science and medical classrooms at least would probably need a great deal of space to store all their equipment. There's also administrative space to consider
• Aquaculture cars: I see that 1st class has 5 aquarium cars, and I presume the sushi bar sources their ingredients from them. Would it be conceivable that the 2nd and 3rd classes have fish tank cars of their own? They might not be as fancy as caviar/sea urchin ceviche/whatever the 1st class people eat, but I would think the petty bourgeoisie would like the occasional grilled salmon and that sort of thing. Thirdies could be stuck raising goldfish or some other less desirable yet hardy fish for their own consumption
• Weather station: I don't know if this would fall under the laboratory cars, but a car dedicated to tracking the weather that could affect or even derail the train would be useful I would think.

What are the Chains, by the way?

[Rudaslavia]

• More classroom cars for 2nd class: if there's about 2,000 white-collar workers in this caste then they'd probably need a few more carriages to handle all their schooling. It's not just the number of students, but the nature of their future jobs requiring a fair amount of space to conduct their training. The science and medical classrooms at least would probably need a great deal of space to store all their equipment. There's also administrative space to consider

That's good thinking. And maybe some additional cars devoted to tertiary education. Most of the train's engineers are not only locomotive drivers, but accredited engineers of mechanical, industrial, civil, and electrical disciplines. Snowpiercer's Engineering Department will eventually need new members, and a great deal of schooling will be required to prepare them. Glad you brought this up.

• Aquaculture cars: I see that 1st class has 5 aquarium cars, and I presume the sushi bar sources their ingredients from them. Would it be conceivable that the 2nd and 3rd classes have fish tank cars of their own? They might not be as fancy as caviar/sea urchin ceviche/whatever the 1st class people eat, but I would think the petty bourgeoisie would like the occasional grilled salmon and that sort of thing. Thirdies could be stuck raising goldfish or some other less desirable yet hardy fish for their own consumption

A Second Class aquarium car for sure! And maybe a smaller aquarium unit for wealthier members of Third Class.

• Weather station: I don't know if this would fall under the laboratory cars, but a car dedicated to tracking the weather that could affect or even derail the train would be useful I would think.

Weather car is absolutely brilliant, and I'm disappointed in myself for not thinking of it.

These are all awesome ideas. Thank you for sharing them!

What are the Chains, by the way?

The Chains are an idea from the TNT show, but their role in the RP will be greatly expanded. They are Third Class residential cars that are mainly inhabited by passengers in their early-twenties to mid-thirties. The Chains are trendy and somewhat expensive to live in, at least by "Thirdie" standards. As a result, they're a highly coveted area of the train to live in.

The Turnbull regime created the Chains as a means of establishing a counter-culture that they could monitor and control. Residents of the Chains (who are often called "chainlinks") are widely regarded as young and overeducated hipsters by poorer Third Class passengers. Indeed, the so-called "chainlinks" are often drawn from more well-off families in Third Class, and many of them do embody the privileged contrarian stereotype. But Departure was 10 years ago; the first generation of chainlinks has grown older, and they are slowly being pushed out by younger passengers who spent a majority of their adolescent and early adult years on Snowpiercer. This has caused the emergence of a cultural and ideological rift within the chainlink community, and that rift is making things harder for the authorities to control.

[Rudaslavia]

Folks, here's another idea: what about blending the two options into one? A handful of players taking on roles of Special Operations detectives, while another handful play as members of the Turnbull family. It would require more participants, but we could also have each player create more than one character if need be. What do y'all think?

[Catalaonia]

Folks, here's another idea: what about blending the two options into one? A handful of players taking on roles of Special Operations detectives, while another handful play as members of the Turnbull family. It would require more participants, but we could also have each player create more than one character if need be. What do y'all think?

Sounds cool tbh. I would happily join.

[Ovstylap]

Folks, here's another idea: what about blending the two options into one? A handful of players taking on roles of Special Operations detectives, while another handful play as members of the Turnbull family. It would require more participants, but we could also have each player create more than one character if need be. What do y'all think?

I think that would be a good idea in order to get the most players and can add to the layers of intrigue, otherwise I had been hoping to have some sort of connection with the detectives despite being a family member!

[The Knockout Gun Gals]

Folks, here's another idea: what about blending the two options into one? A handful of players taking on roles of Special Operations detectives, while another handful play as members of the Turnbull family. It would require more participants, but we could also have each player create more than one character if need be. What do y'all think?

Sounds good to me. It would definitiely attract players who want one or both sides more.

[Rudaslavia]

Hell yeah. We're getting places, guys. I'm currently updating the layout of the cars, and I've decided to rename the train from Snowpiercer to Winterstar. The Eternal Engine itself will be called Dagny -- a name chosen by Edwin Turnbull as an homage to the protagonist of Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged.

I'm definitely gonna be going with the lattermost option, following both the Family and Special Operations storylines in tandem with one another. We'll need around 8-10 participants in total.

[Ovstylap]

I would be up for it- but wouldn't be able to be the most active realistically until part way into January

[Rudaslavia]

I would be up for it- but wouldn't be able to be the most active realistically until part way into January

Oh yeah, it probably won't be ready until then. I have surgery in a couple weeks, so I'll be pounding away on lore stuff during my time off recovering.

[The Knockout Gun Gals]

I will excitedly waiting for the RP.

[Sao Nova Europa]

This looks interesting. Will be joining when OOC is launched.

[Rudaslavia]

Glad to see interest! Writing a semi-believable backstory for the creation of an intercontinental/global railroad has been tough, but I've also had a lot of fun doing it! Edwin Turnbull's character is particularly interesting. I'm using the great Charles Dance as a face claim for Turnbull. The character will combine the eccentric and technocratic hubris of a Silicon Valley elite with the narcissistic infirmity of a run-of-the-mill dictator. He's a genius, no doubt. But he built his corporate empire atop a foundation of cruelty, exploitation, corruption, and betrayal.

Part 2 of the History of Turnbull Industries will show how Turnbull manipulated his way to the top of the hierarchy at Timmerman Incorporated, even going as far as to marry Nelson Timmerman's daughter. Using his influence as both a high-ranking business executive and Nelson's only son-in-law, Turnbull assumes control over the entire conglomerate after Nelson's death. He then purges the corporate ranks of perceived naysayers and dissenters (a tactic he learned from studying Nelson's own takeover of the company in the early 1970s), effectively ripping the organization out of the extant Timmerman family's hands. Timmerman Incorporated becomes Turnbull Industries, and the firm's ruthlessly ambitious CEO expands the Keystone Empire Central Railroad into the Turnbull Intercontinental Railroad.

Just a little background info for those thinking of applying as Turnbull family members!