Closing the Gap

My morning patrol halted two inches short of the outer curve. Someone had bumped the rails overnight, popping a joint loose and leaving a half-inch break over the bare floorboards. A less patient engine might have charged ahead and derailed straight into the rug fringe. I took my time instead. Creeping forward on minimum throttle, I aligned my front buffer against the separated curved piece, angling just right to guide the plastic tongue back toward its socket. One measured shove, and the pieces snapped together with a crisp click. The line was unbroken again. I rolled across the seam without a single rattle.