[Discussion] - Who is Walter & What is The Cure

[Luminous]

Okay, so I just went back and rewatched Traveler's and Walter's videos. And since he has footage of what happened at the Facility, I'm thinking that Walter's job while he was working there was simply to record everything and send in the footage.

When we got the library card in the Princeton Drop, Trainer jokingly called him as a librarian. I think Trainer called it. He was a librarian of sorts, he kept the reels.

In these "Government Installations" most workers have access to information only on a "need to know basis". Because Walter was the keeper of the reels, he had the big picture - a more complete understanding of what was going on. Somehow he lost his reels for a while, but when the "nice young lady" visited him, he got them back. Hopefully, he will now share them with us, filling us in on what we are doing by destroying the J19, and why he feels it's necessary.

[Ziola]

Okay, so I just went back and rewatched Traveler's and Walter's videos. And since he has footage of what happened at the Facility, I'm thinking that Walter's job while he was working there was simply to record everything and send in the footage.

When we got the library card in the Princeton Drop, Trainer jokingly called him as a librarian. I think Trainer called it. He was a librarian of sorts, he kept the reels.

In these "Government Installations" most workers have access to information only on a "need to know basis". Because Walter was the keeper of the reels, he had the big picture - a more complete understanding of what was going on. Somehow he lost his reels for a while, but when the "nice young lady" visited him, he got them back. Hopefully, he will now share them with us, filling us in on what we are doing by destroying the J19, and why he feels it's necessary.

I understand what you are saying, but just because he was the "keeper of the reels" doesn't necessarily mean he truly understands what was going on in the facility. Personally, I would pick the dumbest stump out of the bunch, the one who would never have the mental capabilities to add 1 and 1 to be the one in charge of the reels. That way I wouldn't have to worry about that person fully understanding the ramifications of my work.

But that could be because I'm pure evil

[Luminous]

Personally, I would pick the dumbest stump out of the bunch, the one who would never have the mental capabilities to add 1 and 1 to be the one in charge of the reels. That way I wouldn't have to worry about that person fully understanding the ramifications of my work.

But that could be because I'm pure evil

Good point. So maybe Walter isn't exactly the brightest candle on the block?

[ignatzmouse]

Good point. So maybe Walter isn't exactly the brightest candle on the block?

I'm not so sure about that: he's the one who's been setting us these damn puzzles!

[deagol]

From the Jpedia:
http://www.lonelygirl15.com/lgpedia/ind ... 8Walter.29

Transcript: (TravelerJ19 Speaks) It looks like you have succeeded in finding Walter. It may have been difficult, but that's the way he wanted it. He's always been a little paranoid. Something about leaving his last employer on bad terms. He's an old family friend. He's an old family friend, and we became closer when my family hit rough waters. For as long as I can remember, he's told me about his project, and how important it is. I never believed him, but I was willing to indulge the grandiose claims of an old man. That all changed when he showed me footage from the Facility. Now I know that his claims were, perhaps, not bold enough.

From Walter's myspace:

...Perhaps some background information is in order. I was in charge of production at Facility J. It took us decades and we only produced nineteen of the damned things.

And from his cragslist post:

We knew the Soviets had them. They were at least ten years ahead of us. The Kirov and Sverdlovsk facilities were producing results before we had even begun. It wasn't hard for some half-witted military drones to weaponize the standards, although I do feel for the whitecoats. Lovett wanted something more from us, the intellectual elite. We were to produce a more discrete product.

All point to him being very high up in the hierarchy, at least to me.

[ShardinsKitten]

From the Jpedia:
http://www.lonelygirl15.com/lgpedia/ind ... 8Walter.29

Transcript: (TravelerJ19 Speaks) It looks like you have succeeded in finding Walter. It may have been difficult, but that's the way he wanted it. He's always been a little paranoid. Something about leaving his last employer on bad terms. He's an old family friend. He's an old family friend, and we became closer when my family hit rough waters. For as long as I can remember, he's told me about his project, and how important it is. I never believed him, but I was willing to indulge the grandiose claims of an old man. That all changed when he showed me footage from the Facility. Now I know that his claims were, perhaps, not bold enough.

From Walter's myspace:

...Perhaps some background information is in order. I was in charge of production at Facility J. It took us decades and we only produced nineteen of the damned things.

And from his cragslist post:

We knew the Soviets had them. They were at least ten years ahead of us. The Kirov and Sverdlovsk facilities were producing results before we had even begun. It wasn't hard for some half-witted military drones to weaponize the standards, although I do feel for the whitecoats. Lovett wanted something more from us, the intellectual elite. We were to produce a more discrete product.

All point to him being very high up in the hierarchy, at least to me.

I agree, and too smart for his own damn good.

[Danielle]

sorry, I read the topic as 'The Cu'
and I instantly thought Cu Roi!

But alas.

[Luminous]

So, I was out (Daniel laughs.) in an open box car, riding with this, uhh, old dude named Walter. Really interesting. He told me two months out of every year, he just sits there and rides the rails. Sees the country. The other ten months? He works for a mortgage company

Might this be our Walter? Perhaps he went to work for a mortgage company upon his retirement from Facility J? Perhaps he's riding the rails at this very moment? Coincidence?

[janesalteredstates]

So, I was out (Daniel laughs.) in an open box car, riding with this, uhh, old dude named Walter. Really interesting. He told me two months out of every year, he just sits there and rides the rails. Sees the country. The other ten months? He works for a mortgage company

Might this be our Walter? Perhaps he went to work for a mortgage company upon his retirement from Facility J? Perhaps he's riding the rails at this very moment? Coincidence?

Walter's a hobo!

Speaking of which, are we still waiting for a drop? Or did I miss something?

[TOSG]

So, I was out (Daniel laughs.) in an open box car, riding with this, uhh, old dude named Walter. Really interesting. He told me two months out of every year, he just sits there and rides the rails. Sees the country. The other ten months? He works for a mortgage company

Might this be our Walter? Perhaps he went to work for a mortgage company upon his retirement from Facility J? Perhaps he's riding the rails at this very moment? Coincidence?

Haha, I had the same thought recently, actually. I bet that it's just a coincidence, but that'd be pretty funny.

[Luminous]

So, I was out (Daniel laughs.) in an open box car, riding with this, uhh, old dude named Walter. Really interesting. He told me two months out of every year, he just sits there and rides the rails. Sees the country. The other ten months? He works for a mortgage company

Might this be our Walter? Perhaps he went to work for a mortgage company upon his retirement from Facility J? Perhaps he's riding the rails at this very moment? Coincidence?

Haha, I had the same thought recently, actually. I bet that it's just a coincidence, but that'd be pretty funny.

The reason I brought it up actually is that I once met a CEO of a Fortune 500 company who spent 6 weeks every summer riding the rails with a "club" of 12 elite business executives who dumped their suits for the freedom of car hopping. He told me there were many such "hobo clubs" made up of people from various professional disciplines, including "research scientists".

So when I saw DB's reference to running into a man named Walter who works for a mortgage company and rides the rails 2 months out of the year it definitely captured my attention.

It's not such a stretch for me to imagine this.

[Musique]

Might this be our Walter? Perhaps he went to work for a mortgage company upon his retirement from Facility J? Perhaps he's riding the rails at this very moment? Coincidence?

Haha, I had the same thought recently, actually. I bet that it's just a coincidence, but that'd be pretty funny.

The reason I brought it up actually is that I once met a CEO of a Fortune 500 company who spent 6 weeks every summer riding the rails with a "club" of 12 elite business executives who dumped their suits for the freedom of car hopping. He told me there were many such "hobo clubs" made up of people from various professional disciplines, including "research scientists".

So when I saw DB's reference to running into a man named Walter who works for a mortgage company and rides the rails 2 months out of the year it definitely captured my attention.

It's not such a stretch for me to imagine this.

I agree.

This is a long shot... Walter's a smart old fella. I wouldn't think someone like him would just reveal his location to us on a whim. Could it be it was just one of his "stops" along this little rail hopping excursion of his... leaving us to think he's from Princeton?



There's a method to my madness...




The Northeast Corridor branch of the New Jersey transit railroad runs parallel to Rt. 1... very close to where the return address from one of the packages is located. Furthermore, there is a branch that separates from this, and runs directly from Princeton Junction into the University itself.

I visited the station in the Princeton Junction area many times when I was little. Amtrak trains used to fly past the station at alarming speeds. Conrail freight also shares some track space in that area.

[Luminous]

The Northeast Corridor branch of the New Jersey transit railroad runs parallel to Rt. 1... very close to where the return address from one of the packages is located. Furthermore, there is a branch that separates from this, and runs directly from Princeton Junction into the University itself.

I went and looked this up. Here's a map of what Musique is describing. Interesting.

[chershaytoute]

Be interesting to see what other return addresses turn up...if we get else from Walter, that is...

[Musique]

That's exactly it, Luminous!


Eh, I don't think Walter will stay quiet for very long. A guy like that always seems to have something to say, especially at this point in his life. All he wants... is someone to listen.


Conrail is a well known freight line, owned by CSX, which operates throughought northern and central New Jersey. These trains not only move freight around NJ, but throughout the United States. It's possible for anyone to hop a CSX train and relocate themselves to anywhere in the US. Provided they're not caught.

From the Conrail website:

Conrail also provides local freight service along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor between Newark and Trenton and operates an automobile distribution facility in Northern New Jersey for NS and CSX.

Amtrak's service is just as widespread, considering this is a federally run company. I'd say hopping Amtrak trains could be a little more difficult to do than freight. Unless Walter wants to shell out the extra cash for a seat.





These are some of the Amtrak rail routes. Passengers who want to go beyond where these routes end can board other trains heading elsewhere. The possibilities are endless.


I may not know much about codes and ciphers, but I know my trains.