Chapter 4
The boat trip to Baltimare harbor was long and slow. That gave Dangersignal time to tell the new recruits the intricate workings of Equestria. They were traveling with five of the smallest engines, which were to be offloaded at the closest harbor to Appleloosa.
“At least we’re moving away from dead end careers,” Alistair said.
Dangersignal agreed. While the humans slept, the dark red Alicorn went up to gaze into the night skies. It helped him clear his thoughts and get prepared for the next day, which was something Celestia and Luna encouraged him to do.
“At least it’ll let my parents see what I’ve become,” he’d tell himself.
The boat pulled up to the docks, where there were free tracks to set the engines on the track. First came the LNWR Bissel Dock Tank 0-4-2T # 7862, then a LNER J50 tank engine, followed by a GWR 5700 Pannier tank in “London Transport Maroon”, a LMS Jinty in passenger maroon, and a LBSCR terrier.
Alistair checked the coal and water in the Jinty and Pannier tank.
“We’ve got enough to move these engines into the storage warehouses over there,” he said, pointing to a large metal structure with twelve lines running into it.
With Dangersignal’s help, Alistair and his human companions got the two tank engines steamed up and then they shunted the ‘dead’ engines into the warehouse as a second ship arrived.
A LNER J92 crane tank, GWR1500 pannier tank, LNER Pollitt 0-6-2 crane tank, Peckett 0-4-0 Saddle tank, and a LMS Pug 0-4-0 saddle tank were offloaded from the second ship. Alistair, Jaisson, Franklyn and Jordon shunted them into the warehouse under the hand and flag signals of Tobias and Thompson.
The ships kept coming, which was a relief and soon the engines, wagons, coaches and brake vans were off loaded and shunted into warehouse. Alistair ran over the list with his friends and Dangersignal. Once everything was checked and the doors were shut, Dangersignal turned to Alistair and Jaisson.
“Listen, I was looking over those L&YR 31 class 0-8-0s and noticed that they weren’t too stable when you were shunting them,” he said.
“I agree,” Jaisson said.
“That’s why I was thinking of maybe modifying two of them,” Dangersignal said. “One with a pony and trailing trucks and one with a pony truck, to give them some stability when they’re on passenger duties.”
“Oh, make one a 2-8-0, but leaving the main design as is,” Alistair said.
Dangersignal nodded.
“And make one a 2-8-2, but leaving the main design the same as well,” Jaisson added.
Again, the dark red Alicorn nodded.
“I think that we can do something, but right now, we need to get to bed and in the morning, explore the line with a couple of coaches, to get used to the landscapes, as well as letting everyone have a turn driving and firing our locomotives,” Tobias put in, quickly.
He had been rather sleepy on the boat trip and the lecture from Dangersignal sent the poor lad off to dreamland. He needed to sleep and quickly, but in a bed that didn’t wobble around.
Dangersignal lead them to one of the local hotels, where he had established credit with them by helping them out of some very tight holes in the past. He was always welcome to use his credit to help pay for his friends rooms or help pay for services if they were needed.
Getting rooms at 2:39 am was not the easiest thing, but he got two rooms for the five humans plus himself. Alistair, Jaisson, Tobias and Franklyn took one room, leaving Jordon and Dangersignal to the other room. All six were out like lights with five seconds of getting settled in. The morning was going to be interesting.