Ch 1 Train Wreck
The clickity clack of the iron track and swaying of the steam engine fill my ears as my train surges ahead in the darkness with a mediocre headlight lighting the way. I was the engineer this night, taking my freight train through to the next interchange where we would lay over for the night and then head back with another train tomorrow.
My firepony, Ember, was struggling to keep up with the demands of the engine tonight. To be fair, it wasn’t entirely her fault. This was a particularly challenging route and the engine was struggling with her heavier than usual load. The little 4-4-0 Equestrian engine type was one of the first designs for the railroad and ever since then the trains started getting longer and the freight heavier. It was taking every bit of steam and power the little engine had in it to keep up with the demand.
I looked over at Ember and saw how she was wearing out as she strove to feed the ever increasing appetite of the engine as I pushed it to its limits. The glow in the cab from the opening and closing of the firebox doors made it seem like we were trying to beat back the fiery breath of a dragon. The evening air had a brisk chill that tugged at my face, but the heat coming off of the engine kept me warm.
I look out the engine cab up the tracks to see the marker indicating the old station and water tower stop. It was customary to call for the old stop even if it had been written out of the newest timetable, so I prepared to look back for a signal from the conductor. I gave a long pull on the whistle cord and looked back for a hoof or lantern signal.
The answer came surprisingly quickly with a lantern swinging side to side, indicating for me to make the stop. With three short blasts on the whistle I indicate that I acknowledge the signal to stop at the abandoned station.
Knowing that the water tower was at the very end of the station platform, I decided we might as well stop there and top off the tender with water. With a practiced and steady hoof I push the throttle in, reducing the amount of steam being used and easing the fast pace that had been set for the engine since the beginning of the run. This particular engine seemed to run better with shorter bursts of steam being released into the cylinders, but ended up using more during our trip because of how fast the drive rods had been moving. This was the reason Ember had been struggling so hard to keep up with the demand for steam. The engine was using it about as fast as it was made.
The steam engine lumbers to the water tower and, like the old pro that I am, I get it spotted directly under the water spout on the first try. I set up the brakes and give a short blast on the whistle, letting the crew know the brakes are set and that the train won’t be going anywhere until we’re ready to leave.
Ember clambers down the steps of the cab and proceeds to start watering the tender. I climb down off the engine as well, and make my way back towards the caboose to talk to the conductor and rear brakepony.
It seems they had the same idea as well because they were already making their way up to the head end of the train. We met at about the middle of the train.
“What’s up?” I ask as I near the uniformed mare in charge of the train.
She cocks her head and gives me that look I’ve seen all too often before. “Why did you stop? Don’t tell me y’all have managed to suck the poor thing dry already.”
At this I scrunch up my muzzle and say, “Hey I called out for the whistle stop and you gave the stop signal. I figured you wanted to take a look at the train or something.”
Having heard that, Pacesetter sighs and places her hoof in the middle of her forehead, doing a slow facehoof. She rubs her forehead for a moment before placing it back down. ”Ah, right. It would make sense on a night like tonight.”
I chuckle a little bit, knowing the mythos and legends of this part of the now infamous line. “Oh come now, its ONLY on Nightmare night Pacesetter, and tonight is your lucky night.”
Pacesetter shivers, “Lucky Night?? Celest why did any of us agree to this trip? So far I have been lucky and haven’t had to run the “Fright Freight” on Nightmare night.”
I click my tongue. “Don’t be a wuss, we all wanted the extra pay, and Keeper here doesn’t have any seniority. Plus this is my fourth time making this run and so far it’s been the least bizarre one, certainly better than my last one...”
Keeper begins to tremble a little, drawing our gaze to her. “Is that story really true?” she says in a quiet and timid voice.
“That my dear is a super loaded question. You’ll have to ask a more specific one.” I say with a small chuckle.
“D-did that train wreck really result in no ponies ever being found?” The mare asks, her voice wavering and her body turning a little paler.
This question sent a chill down my spine and through my legs. My coat bristled as my eyes grew serious. My tone goes from light hearted to a deadpan firmness. “Yes." I pause for a brief moment before I continue. "I was the engineer on the ‘rescue’ train. The bizarre thing was that nothing appeared to have caused the wreck, no bad track or damaged wheels, it was eerie and very strange. The crew was never found or heard from again, like they just ceased to exist. They say you can still hear the ghostly wail of the engine on a clear night.”
“And…. that happened on a night like tonight?”
I nod my head, not really wanting to say it out loud and jinx us any further.
At that moment, the pop off valve begins to lift off releasing steam and making a low moaning sound. Keeper startles at the sound.
“Iron, will you quit scaring my Brakepony and get us moving? I’m sure Ember has fixed whatever mess your running has done to that poor engine”, Pacesetter says staring me down.
“Hey, it’s not my fault that the company screwed us with this little engine and a heavy ass train! Let's just get the hell out of here.” I turn and make my way back towards the steam engine, wanting to get this freight run the hell over with already.
Ember is already back in the cab and busy loading the firebox with coal, preparing for the heavy grades that will test even the best of engine crews. I don’t say a word but suddenly I have a gut feeling that tonight is going to be life altering. I just hope that I make it through it.
I push the johnson bar all the way forward to get the maximum steam pressure into the cylinders so I can get this heavy train on the move quickly. The time for being idle is over and I am planning on making up some time. I crack open the throttle and release the air brakes. As the steam fills the cylinders I open the throttle wide and then push it back in almost all the way. It’s a technique I call “taming the dragon” where you move the throttle in quick motions to get the train started.
With a loud rush of steam and smoke, the engine begins to roll forward. I repeat the process several times until we’ve got a little momentum. Once we've picked up enough speed, I then pull the throttle open and let the steam do it's work as it pushes and pulls the cylinder heads that drive the wheels. I add sand onto the rails to help ensure the wheels don’t break free and spin. After a minute more of the sluggish acceleration I pull the johnson bar to just a hair below center, which allows less steam to be let into the cylinders and use its expansive properties better. I open the throttle even wider. I can feel the engine clawing for speed as we begin a slight downgrade, the last one until we clear the mountains, and I plan on using it to gain all the speed I can.
The sounds of the engine working hard echoes off the landscape as I push even harder. The throttle is wide open and the engine is thundering down at an ever increasing speed. Something grabs my attention and it causes me to lose focus and not slow down for the curve at the bottom of the hill which is 20 degrees to the right to begin the big climb. I hear a scream from beside me.
The train is doing well above fifty miles per hour on a thirty-five mile an hour curve. The whole engine leans heavily to the left and then … a thunderous BOOOOMMMM!!!!
* * *
*KABOOOMMM*
I jerk straight up in bed and clutch my heart as it pounds furiously. I attempt to catch my breath, taking in air and letting it out slowly to calm my frazzled nerves. “Damn, that was one hell of a nightmare!!” I say out loud. It was unlike any nightmare I had ever had. It felt too real, almost as if I really experienced that crash. It was almost as if I had a near death experience...or maybe it was death..The creepiest part of the dream was how natural it felt to be a pony. It was like...I was being my true self
While I ponder over the nightmare, I reach over and pick up my phone. I took a look at the lock screen which gives me the time and weather updates.
Thurs. Oct. 31st 2019 6:55 AM.
95% chance Thunderstorms in Belen NM.
“Damn it!!” I swear under my breath. Today is going to be a miserable day at work, on my birthday of all days. I suppose this is just another sign that the world hates my guts and wants to make my life even more miserable.
I lay my head back on the pillow and just stare up at the hotel ceiling, mildly annoyed but quietly resigned to my fate of having to do track work in the rain and miserably cold weather.
At seven in the morning the alarm sounds letting me know that I have to get moving or risk being late for work. With a toss of the covers I begin my routine of throwing on winter clothing and preparing for a long and cold day!
* * *
At 07:30 I open the door to the depot as the roadmaster was starting roll call to see if anyone hadn’t made it in. It suddenly occurred to me that I should probably have called in sick.
“Ben Maybry.” I hear the roadmaster call.
“I’m here boss.” I say as I locate a place to sit down. I zone out as the rest of the people present answer to their names being called. I keep thinking back to that nightmare, honestly I was jealous of the Pony who was running steam engines. Although, I am not envious of his fate that my brain created for him. “I should really write that whole scene out, it would make for a great scene for Fimfiction.net.” I thought. Today was going to be miserable trying to maintain the mainline and doing the exact opposite of what I enjoyed. Why was it that I was born in the wrong damn era where steam was a bygone era and only low margin tourist railroads even offered steam powered trains. Hell even those were being ruthlessly targeted and hated on. It was like every fiber of my being was assaulted when I heard how those little railroads struggled.
I was pulled away from my inward contemplation by the roadmaster clearing his throat. “Gentlemen, I do hope that you don’t have any plans for the rest of this week, including the weekend. We had a major derailment caused by a washout near mountainaire at around four this morning. From the accounts of the train crew about 40 cars are on the ground and the five headend engines are in the ditch. Hulcher is already headed to the derailment site to begin clearing the cars off and getting the ones still on the track ready to be dragged off by the rear engines.”
It takes every bit of my self restraint to not bang my head on the conference room table. “FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK!!!!” is the only thing I think as the words sink in. A derailment means you’re on the clock until trains are able to run again, which means I can’t even celebrate my birthday by myself. Also forget about going home and sleeping. There is going to be a lot of sitting and waiting until there is something we can do.
The mood in the room is sour as everyone begins getting additional PPE that will allow them to work at night. Packing extra just in case we are at the work site for several days. I get up out of my chair and follow my coworkers lead. Gotta ensure I can keep working all day and night, I let out a sad chuckle. I guess it's just like the song says. We'll be working on the railroad all the livelong day and then some.