Synopsis
Train 347 pushes it's way through the bright New England foliage. Like natures inevitable transition, Mickey, late forties, walks through this duplicitous world of autumn colors. She stops to confront the statue of a historical war hero – a man
Mickey gets clearance to return to her job as a train conductor, after six months of medical leave due to a miscarriage and inappropriate behavior. Before she even boards the train for her first run back Mickey envisions a little girl on the station platform. On board Mickey takes tickets. She is mesmerized by a beautiful woman who asks her to take a picture of her. Mickey does, looks at the photo and sees an older and not as pretty version of her subject. Disturbed, Mickey searches for respite in between the train cars. This begins her battle with perception and reality.
Assistant Conductor, Walt, an unsavory womanizer, bemoans how Mickey's “back to work” status screws up his life by getting him bumped down the seniority ladder. Mickey has a subdued altercation with the mysterious goatee Mr. Devlin, an author and motivational speaker. She goes
into the deadhead; a car where no passengers are allowed in. There, Mickey hears a raspy female voice but as she fearfully searches for its source – finds no one.
Mickey meets up with Dr. Rachel, a therapist who rides the train and often gives Mickey advice. Dr. Rachel explains to Mickey that fifteen percent of normal folk have heard voices when no one was there. This gives Mickey comfort. Out on the platform of the next stop, Mickey's perception continues to play tricks. She dismisses it and gets to the cafe car where she meets the charming one-handed bartender Charlie. When Walt tells Mickey about a supposed mass suicide committed in the dead head car by twelve members of a cult, suppressed memories begin to take control of Mickey.
Mickey seeks out Dr. Rachel but can't find her. The idea Dr. Rachel was imaginary begins to unravel her. Mickey's grasp on sanity slowly erodes – a seemingly dead man turns out to be a passed out drunk priest, the voices in her head, and her unexplained visions of the little girl. She tries her best to hang on. Conversations with Charlie give her momentary solace but Mickey's hope begins to spiral into a tense allegory of psychosis, misconception, and denial.
When Mickey believes she sees the word “why” written in the condensation of the window by the little girl it intensifies her memories. This propels Mickey into a psychotic vision where an older and unattractive version of herself walks through a train full of smirking caricatured passengers. This exposes the suppressed guilt she feels and causes a cathartic realization – she was the one that carried the little girl back onto the train to her parents - to the cult and her horrifying death. Mickey's realization allows her to reconstruct her resilience. She finds forgiveness, acceptance.
Train 347, final destination. Mickey walks through it, alone. She exits, ascends up the escalator and disappears into the brightness of the light – she is gone.