//------------------------------//
// 1. Buffalo Bullet (October 1907) 
// Story: Friendship's Magic Railroad. Volume 1. 
// by Rednbluescooter 
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Silver Puff walked into the cold engine roundhouse early one morning to start the day. It was her turn to take the Buffalo Bullet, so she needed to get her engine, Number 2, cleaned and started earlier than usual. She was looking forward to warming herself while lighting her engine's fire, and was eager to get started.

5 engines, all of the same build, stood proud and still as she entered. The residents of Appleoosa were proud to be part of a community that built the first working steam locomotive that didn’t just explode upon testing. However, that’s not to say these engines didn’t have their own problems. They were over 20 years old, and better engines were being made in Midland Equestria up in Ponyville. Manufacturing locomotives had gradually changed over the 2 decades, and Appleoosa’s roster was immensely outdated.

Due to their aluminum boilers throwing off weight distribution, these engines were victims of wheelslip and brake failure, especially considering their lack of sanding gear. Sometimes they’d even overheat, and drivers would have to drop the fire onto the rails to prevent their boilers from exploding. This was because the firebox and the aluminum boiler were roughly the same size. 

If the boiler isn’t significantly larger than the firebox, a roaring fire could cause a boiler explosion. Maintaining these engines was an awkward balancing act, teetering between not having enough steam to pull a train, and having too much steam to stay in one piece. 

Silver could usually avoid this though, she could never explain why, but maintaining the perfect fire was one of her strengths. However, the awkward weight distribution proved to be her kryptonite. She’d struggle leaving one station, then overrun the platform at the next. Despite her talent working the fire, the other drivers would still tease her for this.

By the time she had her engine cleaned and making good steam, the other drivers were finally entering the roundhouse. Silver Puff was in her cab, keeping warm from the brisk autumn breeze with a nice fire in her engine’s firebox.

“Taking the Buffalo Bullet again, huh?” one of her friends chuckled as she started work on her own engine, number 4. “Ya sure you won’t get a wheel flat sliding through Ponyville?”

This was Coal Shoot, a young mare whose coat was never clean, most called her “Coal Dust”, as it fit her appearance better. 

“Well, they need an engine that isn’t at risk of blowing up 24/7” Silver retorted. “I might slip here and there, but I know how to make enough steam for the climb up to Canterlot”

Silver Streak, a middle aged Stallion, slowly climbed up into engine number 5. “That reminds me, Silver Puff. Be careful as you make your stop at Ponyville, they’ve been behind on their rain lately, so they scheduled a downpour last night to last up until later this evening. Rails are going to be very slippery.”

Silver Puff nodded appreciatively as Silver Streak continued.

“I know you’ll be careful, but still, some extra care wouldn’t go amiss.” 

“Thanks, Streak” Silver Puff replied. “Noted”



Soon, Silver Puff’s engine was in the station platform being coupled to the train. The conductor was ensuring everypony was safely on board the right carriages, and the porter was dropping off the luggage in the luggage car 

At last, the conductor blew his whistle, and the signal turned green. It was time for Silver to leave. She released the brakes, blew the whistle, and opened the regulator. The engine slowly started to move.

Almost immediately, the driving wheels of the locomotive started slipping out of control, too much steam was let into the pistons. Silver quickly closed the regulator, and the spinning slowly stopped.

Easing the regulator more and more, the train slowly picked up speed, and trundled along down the railroad, headed for Ponyville, it’s first stop. 

At first, Silver was enjoying herself. It was a nice run down the Appleoosan desert. She whistled as she passed a stampede of buffalo doing their usual run. But as the landscape slowly turned from desert to green hillsides, the weather got progressively more downcast. Grey skies turned to drizzling rain, and by the time the Buffalo Bullet crossed the viaduct over Ghastly Gorge, the rain was pelting against the train like attacking bullets. 



Shortly before Ponyville, there’s a small cutting that leads down to a little railroad bridge built over the river. Ponies love to fish in that area, the shady trees and the calm stream by the railroad tracks make it a great getaway from the stress of day to day life. But it certainly wasn’t calm today..

The river had overflown from the heavy rain and the tracks were flooded, by the time Silver rounded the corner, it was too late. She slammed on the brakes, but the wheels only locked up and slid along on the wet rails. 

With a splash, the train came to a halt in the flood. A bunch of water had splashed into the cab upon impact and into the firebox. Fortunately, the cab didn’t flood, but the damage had already been done. The firebox was soaked and the fire was quickly dying. If the fire wasn’t salvaged, the train would be stranded, just a few kilometers from Ponyville.

“I need something that’ll burn easy, coal isn’t gonna be enough..” Suddenly, light bulb.

“..I know what I must do.”



Meanwhile, in the caboose, Mr Conductor was looking out the window, sipping his tea by the little fireplace.

“That’s not good,” he sighed. “Looks like we’ll be stuck here for awhile.” He went to grab another log to put in the fireplace, when Silver burst through the door, panting. 

“CONDUCTORINEEDHELP!” she blurted out in one breath. Mr Conductor dropped the log in surprise, it landed on the floor next to the log rack with a heavy bang. 

“Help?” He asked, then motioned to the flood they were stuck in outside. “With this? How?”

Silver bluntly pointed to the logs of firewood. “Water splashed into my cab and nearly put out the fire. Coal isn’t gonna cut it this time around, I need something that’ll burn easier. Please can I use your firewood? Otherwise we’ll be stuck here for Celestia only knows how long.”

Mr Conductor sighed, this wasn’t how he envisioned his day to go. “Of course, Silver. If that fire goes out, not only are we stuck, but the passengers will freeze if we just sit and wait for help.”

Passenger trains have a heating pump that travels throughout the train keeping the passengers warm during the colder seasons. The heating pump is connected to the steam engine, and the engine’s fire creates the heat. If the fire has gone out, then there isn’t any heat to keep the passengers warm. 

Together, Driver and Conductor. They moved the log rack up the train and into the engine cab. The fire wasn’t doing so well, and would soon be dead. Silver quickly set to work, throwing logs in the fire and moving them around with the shovel to proper positions. The logs needed to feed the fire, but not bury it. Making sure not to create too much steam to blow the boiler, Silver slowly but surely built up enough steam to attempt moving again.

Slowly, the train started moving, pushing through the water and creating small waves as it picked up speed. Then came the small hill leading out of the cutting. This would get them out of the water, and back onto dryish rails. If Silver succeeded to climb the small incline, they’d be homefree, if she slipped, then the train would likely slide right back into the water. 

Silver had been dreading and trying her best to mentally prepare herself for this part. She had tried to get as much speed as possible so she could coast out, and at the moment, the train was moving at about 40 kilometers an hour.
Once she felt the incline start to begin, she shut off steam and let the engine roll at the speed it was currently moving at.

As the engine rolled up the incline, it was decreasing speed. Both Silver Puff & Mr Conductor held their breath.

First the locomotive reached the top, then the first two carriages, then two more, then three more. Eventually, half the train had reached normal land again. Silver opened up the regulator slowly, and to her surprise; no wheelslip.

Finally, The Buffalo Bullet was back in action. And with a victorious blast of the whistle, Silver Puff continued the run on to Ponyville.



At Ponyville, Silver Puff backed her engine into the workshop, a pink Ponyville locomotive was taking The Buffalo Bullet the rest of the way to Canterlot just in case Silver’s locomotive suffered any damages.

As she climbed down from her engine, she got an umbrella from inside the workshop, and headed over to the station, going inside for hot cocoa. As she walked, she noticed an old platform next to the ponyville station. Old rails went from the old platform and headed towards a forest just outside Ponyville. The Everfree Forest. It was an abandoned line no one really knew much about. But that’s a story for another time.

Silver Puff sighed, shook her head sadly, and entered the station to put the kettle on.