Chapter 9

Carl's group fortifies their train car against monsters using improvised door blocks and gangway chocks, then encounters Pollyslogs at Station 84. They explore the employee break room and interview Vernon, the Yellow Line conductor, who reveals the train loops mysteriously between stations 10 and 435, with strange properties where items duplicate but memories blur. After gathering intel on upcoming stations, they discover the Porter reward room but opening Donut's prize suitcase triggers a trap releasing thousands of fire ants that consume the car, kill Vernon, and force the group to evacuate at Station 116.

Carl's group defeats remaining monsters in cars three and four and sets up fortifications using engineered door blocks and a gangway chock before reaching Phantom Kangaroo Station 84. Two Pollyslogs attempt to board; one loses its arms to the closing door, the other is bisected, both dying from the train's automatic doors. The group then explores car five, the employee break room, where they meet Vernon, a dwarven conductor. Vernon reveals the train operates in a loop: passengers and crew reset at station 10, but Vernon retains memories and possessions, experiencing missing time at station 435. He demonstrates this by showing dozens of duplicate drawings of his wife and hundreds of gold coins accumulated through multiple loops. He explains the engineer never communicates and is locked in the engine car, accessible only with an engineer's key, and would only emerge during a derailment. After gathering information about upcoming stations and monster patterns, the group travels to car ten and discovers the Porter reward room. Pierre, a Grapple porter, offers them reward suitcases numbered 1-200. Carl chooses suitcase number one (containing women's clothing and three potions including an Invisibility Potion), while Donut chooses number eight. When Carl begins opening Donut's yellow suitcase at station 116, his Find Traps skill triggers a warning. Literal Fire Ants pour from the case, multiplying rapidly and setting the car ablaze. The moonshine bottle behind the bar explodes, intensifying the flames. Vernon is overwhelmed by the ants and killed. Carl, Donut, Katia, and Mongo escape onto the platform just as the doors close, leaving three Cornet monsters in car four to be consumed by the advancing fire. The group watches the burning train disappear into the tunnel, hearing Vernon's final screams.