For Want of a Rail

Hi, I've just stumbled across this TL, and spent the last 3 or 4 days getting up to date. Very good stuff, I'm really enjoying it. You've got another subscription here. Keep up the good work! :)
 
Thanks for the comment!:D Is the name confusing? I think that some people might think it's not a timeline because the name's so neutral. Anyway, if anyone has questions about the timeline, ask away. It's what I come up with backstory for. ( well, that and future updates)
 
Sorry for not posting on the thread so long, it has just been a bad combination of writer's block and personal commitments for the past two months I think I'm probably just going to post an epilogue explaining what would have happened, rather than try to keep this overly ambitious thing going.
 
Am again going to have gaps in writing time, so I am going to post a finished part of it now so people don't have to wait too long.

-The Train is Lost(Part 1)
A Conclusion

There has been a debate between historians over the period between 1859 and 1904 in which the deterministic school of thought argues that with the assassination of Prince Frederick and the creation of the Fascist Party in the U.S. the events of the latter part of the century were almost inevitable. Certainly events from then on followed in hindsight, a predictable progression.
In the U.S. the Battle of Chattanooga put another nail in the Confederate coffin. And although Jackson’s Kentucky offensive was at first successful, it too was halted at the battle of Antioch by Thomas [1]. Kane also captured Richmond from the Confederates without a fight, although sadly at this point the general’s body gave out on him and he died [2]. 1860 was more of a muddle for the Fascists as Prentiss marched through Mississippi being harried by Jackson all the way and the split up eastern armies were held back temporarily in North Carolina. Nonetheless, the opportune captures of Raleigh and Vicksburg meant that Lyon handily won his second term against Democrat Thomas Seymour. Throughout 1861 though, Hitchcock, Grant [3], and C.F. Smith marched inexorably south until at last Montgomery was captured and Longstreet [4] surrendered to Hitchcock in his march on Selma. The war was over.
The war was finished, but Lyon was still very active. For the next 3 years he worked on extending Fremont’s proclamation over the south, with the governmental and racial changes that entailed. The 13th and 14th [5] amendments further solidified Fascist dominance. In Lyon’s third term [6] was the creation of the transcontinental railroad along the roughly central Judah route. Lyon and the Fascist party also managed to partition the states of Virginia and Tennessee, creating the states of Franklin and Kanawha. Lyon gladly stepped down at the end of his twelve years. His mantle was taken by General C.F. Smith, war hero, who was only president for four years, that including the depression of 1872. That depression, caused partially by overinvestment, and partially by events in Europe, hit the U.S. hard, and as a result Smith was defeated by fellow war hero Rosecrans.
Rosecrans was the first catholic president of the United States, a fact which, although it had not prevented his election, became increasingly exploited over his term. Rosecrans attempted to fix the depression and to end the legacy of Fascism in the south. In both he was only partially successful. However, Rosecrans did succeed in Hawaiian intervention upon the death of King Albert at 14, gaining influence in that foreign kingdom. In 1877 however, a new Fascist president was to shake up America all over again.
1857-1869: Lyon
1869-1873: Smith
1873-1877: Rosecrans
[1] George Thomas has been fighting in the west for most of the war
[2] Same thing happened to Kane even earlier in real life.
[3] Who has been a corps commander in the east for most of this time.
[4] One of the few confederates to not fail at Chattanooga, so commanded remainder of army.
[5] Instead of OTL, instead gives former confederate states 3/5 of vote that they would have had(or so). Irony!
[6] Technically his second election though which is part of the reason he gets a third term.
 
Hi guys! To quote Mark twain, the reports of this timeline's death have been greatly exaggerated.:D Basically, after four weeks of hectic activity or so in which I was doubtful I would be able to continue the timeline, my position has stabilized to the point where I could actually resume it. However, I also found other avenues of research thought that before I do so I should offer people a choice. So I could:


A:pretend lousy epilogue never happened( it was so bad partly cause I was trying to get out unfinished notes) and continue timeline( i might consider different alternative rotues from what happened in epilogue)

B: End it as people don't seem to find anything to discuss about it and

B1:Start on a timeline idea I've had that would be in a different style called "Be Right and be President";)

B2: Work on an idea I've had where I right mini timelines for common cliches(Lee wins the battle of gettysburg for instance) to show what would have actually happened

B3:Work on other idea which isn't timeline but story of person taking class in alternative history( in world where alternate worlds can be traveled to)

D:Some combination of the above
 
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