//------------------------------//
// Chapter 6 
// Story: Upgrading the Railway Network 
// by The Stainmore Phoenix 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 6

The next day, Keyth and Dylan were out with an engineering train. Dangersignal and Jordon were working with them. The crew were putting up signals and phone lines. The others were on other engineering trains-constructing signal boxes, laying more tracks (including two banker sidings at the main hub station), strengthening embankments and tunnels. It was tedious, but going to be worth it.

“One thing I have to ask,” Dangersignal asked. “Is are we going to have any services today?”

“If we can get some ponies or if any of our old friends call up wanting to help, then we’ll run trains,” Jordon said. “If not, then we won’t.”

Dangersignal thought about it for a few minutes, then an idea came to him.

“My brother!” he exclaimed.

“Your brother?” Jordon asked.

“Yes,” Dangersignal said. “Dragonstorm. He’s my younger brother. He’s always wanted to find a new meaning of life. He currently is working as Princess Celestia’s guard.”

“Ah,” Jordon said. “That’ll do.”

The group worked quickly and efficiently. The signal box crew-Jaisson, Franklyn, Darryn and Jeffery ran signal wires to the signal arms, then tested them. The signal box outside of Equestria Canterlot Railway Station was being built as a Gantry box, straddling the complex web of points and cross tracks, so the signalman had a good view of the in coming and out going trains.

As they worked, they didn’t notice a dark brown earth pony, wearing glasses staring intently at them. He didn’t look pleased.

“That fool,” he spat. “He’s betraying his mother, father and sister’s wish!”

He continued to watch with ever growing anger. Dangersignal turned to tell Keyth and Dylan to shunt the engineering train away, so they could do a station check. He caught the eye of the glaring pony and returned the glare, with intense rage.

“You,” was all Dangersignal said.

The humans were confused, but were more startled when the strange pony charged at Dangersignal and tackled him. The two were fighting. The stranger was not holding back, throwing punches and kicks. Dangersignal was dodging and also throwing return punches and kicks.

The fight was only broken up by the appearance of a bright red Alicorn, half the size of Dangersignal with a dark orange mane and tail. On his flank was a dragon with a flame aura surrounding it. It was using his magic to pull the offending pony off.

“Dr. EconoAxe,” the strange Alicorn said. “I thought you’d given up on trying your low stunts.”

“I’ll never give up, until that dumb cluck shuts this trash heap down!” Dr. EconoAxe bellowed.

The strange Alicorn used his magic to send Dr. EconoAxe flying. He then turned and bowed.

“Dragonstorm at your service,” he said.’

“Pleasure,” Jordon said. “Now do one of you care to explain what is going on?”

“It’s not a happy story,” Dragonstorm said. “But if you insist, I’ll tell it.”

The humans sat down and after Dragonstorm gathered his breath, he began.

“This story starts back when me and my brother were younger,” he said. “We had a sister, who had some rare disease, which no one knew existed. At the time, we lived in the Crystal Empire and were being inspected by Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, to see if we were worthy of being royal guards, or even members of the elite guard; a very prestigious team of fifteen, who work in direct relation with Celestia and Luna.”

“Anyway,” Dangersignal said, nodding to Dragonstorm that he’d take over. “Our parents were going to Canterlot to see if the hospitals there could identify the disease. Since the train was quicker, they agreed on that. However, there was a storm scheduled for that evening, when their train was due to pass through a valley, which was prone to landslides. It was poor chance that the rainstorm was at that particular valley. Work ponies had walked by and said that everything was okay. Five minutes later, a large part of the valley came across the line and the driver, unaware drove the train straight into the landslide.”

“Nobody made it out alive,” Dragonstorm continued, after Dangersignal stopped to take a breath. “Our parents were in the front coach, which was completely crushed and it took the medics several hours to identify them.”

The humans hung their heads, solemnly. After they raised them, Dragonstorm continued.

“Anyway, this Dr. EconoAxe has been trying to shut down the railway network. The only thing that keeps passengers coming to Equestria. In fact, he sunk to a new low.”

“And that is?” Jordon asked.

“He’s been using the death of our family to attempt to manipulate my brother into closing down the railways, so that way he can push less effective means of transport. he’s also been bribing station staff to disobey regulations and hurt as many passengers as they can or tick off as many passengers as they can.”

“That tears it!” Jordon snarled. “We’ll stick it to that Beeching Rip off!”

Dragonstorm was confused, but Dangersignal told him to not worry. When they went back to work, they couldn’t help but raise to the challenge. Signals were raised quickly, checked and signal boxes were built like there was no tomorrow. They would at least have a working permanent block working on the line from Canterlot to the Crystal Empire.

The next day, while Dangersignal was helping with engineering trains, Dragonstorm and Jordon were taking the “Crystal Cannonball”, the nickname for the 12 coach express service from Baltimare to the Crystal Empire. The engine of choice for the express was the Raven A2 4-6-2 tender engine.

“Record breaking?” Dragonstorm asked.

“No record breaking,” Jordon said. “We want to get our passengers to the Crystal Empire on time.”

Jordon waited for the “right of way”, so he could get his passengers to their destination on time. When it came, he was relieved. After telling Dragonstorm to throw coal on the fire, he advanced the regulator and the train started away. The run through the countryside was brilliant, and the train was flying along.

Jordon looked at a strange compass looking thing and gave a cheer.

“We’ve gone and struck 85 miles per hour!” he called to Dragonstorm, who gave a cheer as well.

Jordon watched as the train approached Equestria Canterlot Railway Station, where the engineering train was still working. He slowed the train and watched as the flagman, Jaisson, guided his train to the appropriate track, where he was able to accelerate away.

The line to the Crystal Empire is on a 1-in-38.8% gradient for a continuous 25 miles with the last fifteen miles into the station being on the “flat”, which gave the crew time to build a fire. With the grades being steep, it was decided that engines that would push from behind or “Bankers” would be positioned at the exit of Equestria Canterlot, on the flat section before the climb and that skilled crews could do a rolling buffer, allowing for the baker to be dropped when the train got to the flat at the top.

In the banker sidings, in steam were two pairs of engines. One pair was a GWR 7200 2-8-0T and a GWR 4200 2-8-0T. In the other siding was a Worsdell T1 4-8-0T and a Ivatt 0-8-2T. As the express rumbled passed the siding, Jordon looked at the two engines, which had been shunted there. Not in steam.

“Blast!” was all Jordon could say.

“What’s wrong?” Dragonstorm asked.

“We’re approaching the gradient to the Crystal Empire and without a Banker, we’re going to be struggling to get this train to the Crystal Empire,” Jordon told Dragonstorm.

“Why don’t you give the engine more speed?” Dragonstorm suggested. “I can throw more coal on the fire and put more water in the boiler. We can top up at the Crystal Empire.”

Jordon agreed and acted on Dragonstorm’s advice, which was the best he could do. Dragonstorm shoveled for dear life and by the time the train had reached the flat, the tender was nearly empty. The train coasted into Crystal Empire Terminus station, where the engine was uncoupled and panted over to the water and coaling facilities, where it was coaled and watered.

When that was done, the engine was moved to the turntable in the small yards, which was long enough to accommodate a large tender engine and two coaches. Jordon turned the engine on the turntable and then shunted it onto the train for the return journey.

“Your turn to drive,” Jordon said, placing a hand on Dragonstorm’s neck.

“If you say so,” the bright Alicorn gulped.

“I’ll train you as well,” Jordon said. “You’ll be fine.”

Dragonstorm looked back to see the guard blow his whistle and raised his right arm, yelling “RIGHT AWAY!” then boarding the coach.

Dragonstorm gave one toot on the whistle and advanced the regulator. The train was brought up to speed and the gradient helped the train go fast. With some skill, not a lot of speed was lost as the train coasted through the engineering works. Once clear, Dragonstorm advanced the regulator and the train drew back up to it’s original speed with no rough treatment.

When they arrived at Baltimare station, the two looked at the clock.

“We’re forty minutes early!” Jordon cheered.

“Thanks,” Dragonstorm sighed. “That was rather tricky, but we did well.”

Jordon smiled and waited. Soon, the engineering train returned and the group that had been working looked like they had gone and jumped in the ocean.

“I thought you were laying new rails, setting up signals and getting signal boxes put up for action, not swimming in a puddle that’s about as deep as the shallow end of the pool,” Jordon chuckled.

“We’ve been working up at Equestria Canterlot,” Jaisson retorted sarcastically.

The group went off to the hotel, where they changed, ate dinner and went to bed.

The next morning, the engineering train was gone before Jordon and Dragonstorm had awoken. Thankfully, it was a slow day for passengers, as not many traveled, but the express was run to time, and the engineering works at Canterlot was reaching the halfway mark, meaning that in another few days, they’d be done and moving on to other parts of the main line that ran from Canterlot to the Crystal Empire.

Dragonstorm was still on the look out for Dr. EconoAxe, who was aiming to use every underhanded trick in the book. He was starting to become concerned for his brother, who was letting his anger pent up inside. He also became more distant and looked to be shouldering the world on his own. It was starting to worry the others so much, that Jordon finally told Dangersignal that he was relieved of duties until they sorted Dr. EconoAxe out and finally got him some help.

Dangersignal protested that they needed all the help they could get and if he was being relieved of duties, then Dr. EconoAxe would use that to his advantage.

“Not if we have anything to say about it,” Jordon said. “We’ve used that before, but we need you to take a break before you hurt yourself or do something you regret.”

“Okay,” Dangersignal sighed.

Once Jordon left Dangersignal alone to sleep, the human made to find Dragonstorm. Hopefully, the younger Alicorn male had some suggestions of how to fix this.

He found the younger Alicorn having a glass of water to cool down.

“You look like you need help,” Dragonstorm observed.

“I’m worried about Dangersignal,” Jordon said. “This Dr. EconoAxe is getting to him in ways that people consider absolutely repulsive and is taking great delight in it.”

“I know,” Dragonstorm said. “I want to help him, but I don’t know if it’s a good idea. If we let him stew in the juices of his own anger, sorrow, pain and misery, then he’d be worse off and possibly end up dead. If we help him, then he’ll become intolerably angry with us all.”

“Well, can’t you find a princess who can help us?” Jordon asked.

“They’re too busy running their kingdoms and overlooking all of Equestria,” Dragonstorm replied.

“Well, that’s just great!“ Jordon groaned. “Blocked at the start line!”

Just then, Dragonstorm gave a smile of triumph.

“That’s it!” he cheered. “I’ve got an idea!”

“Care to enlighten me?” Jordon asked.

“Listen, I know of a close friend, who he used to spend time with when he was not on duty,’ Dragonstorm said. “Her name is Rainbow Dash, and she currently resides in Ponyville. If you come with me and we take our resident mixed traffic engine out, we can probably get there quicker.”

“Sounds good,” Jordon said. “Also, we can take a demonstration goods, which will allow you to try your skill with trucks.”

“Trucks?” Dragonstorm quizzed.

“What my friends in America call ‘freight cars’,” Jordon explained. “If we’re going to be an efficient railway, then crews need to be trained in all sorts of duties-Banking, goods, shunting, passengers, etc. It’ll be an experience.”

“Ah,” Dragonstorm said. “You want to test our “versatility”, as you humans call it.”

“Precisely,” Jordon said. “Also, being versatile is a greater strength than most people think. Being able to do any job that comes your way is important, as you can ‘rescue’ or take any train for a failed engine.”

“Excellent!” Dragonstorm grinned. “Bring on the trucks!”

The two went down to the sheds and inspected the Black 5, which was the resident mixed traffic engine for the time being. It had plenty of coal and water. The two worked on firing the engine up.

Alistair and Jaisson were shunting around the docks with the Bissel 0-4-2 saddle tank engine. The two were getting used to the pointwork at Baltimare Harbor. Soon, they heard a deep toned whistle and saw the Black 5 steaming out.

“Hey up!” Jaisson called to Alistair. “It seems that Jordon and Dragonstorm are going to do a test run with the Black 5.”

“Yes, but the headcode is all wrong,” Alistair replied, pointing to the arrangement of the lamps on the locomotive’s front. “That isn’t a ‘light engine’ head code, but an ‘Express Freight, All unfitted Stock’ code, with the lamp on the top of the smoke box and another lamp on the engine’s left side. That would be our right side.”

“Hmm,” Jaisson said. “So they’re taking a goods?”

Before Alistair could answer, Dragonstorm came trotting up.

“Mind arranging a test goods for us?” he as the two in the shunting engine.

“Sure,” Alistair said. “Mind me asking why?”

“Jordon says that I need to learn how to handle trucks,” Dragonstorm replied.

“Ah,” Jaisson said, then looked at Alistair. “Arrangement B?”

“Nah, Arrangement H,” Alistair said.

Dragonstorm was confused, and when he said that Alistair and Jaisson were arranging the train in something called “Arrangement H”, Jordon chuckled.

“Arrangement H,” Jordon explained. “Is the arrangement of our test train. It consists of a: China Clay slurry tank wagon, well wagon, lowmac wagon, Salt wagon, cattle wagon, bogie bolster flatbed, pipefit wagon, dogfish hopper, single vent van, six wheel milk tanker, banana van, container flatbed wagon and a brake van.”

“Why twelve wagons and brake van?” Dragonstorm asked.

‘Well, the wagons are different lengths, and the train is based on the principle that the test train should be a ‘mixed goods’-meaning that the train has different trucks on it. It also presents a challenge to the trainee driver, as well as older crews.”

“Challenge, eh?” Dragonstorm said.

“Yes indeed,” Jordon said, as he glanced over to the goods platform, where the trucks were being marshaled.

When the train was shunted, and the tank engine moved to a siding, Jordon shunted the Black 5 over while Dragonstorm waited on the platform to couple the engine to the train. After the usual buffer connection and couplings being joined, Dragonstorm clambered onto the footplate and handed over driver duties to the bright red Alicorn.

“One thing to note, our train hasn’t got any air brakes. The wagons are known as “loose coupled” and you need to start slow, to prevent chain snatching and to prevent the wagons banging and surging into us,” Jordon told Dragonstorm.

“Okay,” Dragonstorm gulped.

Carefully, he advanced the regulator and the train crept out of the siding and soon, they brought the train up to the safe speed of forty-five miles per hour. To Dragonstorm, this seemed to be slower than the express runs he worked, but if it was the safest speed, then it was a rule for a reason and rules are rules. The slowness of the journey allowed for Dragonstorm to collect his thoughts.

Soon, though, they reached a junction just before Equestria Canterlot station and was turned down a different route to get to Ponyville.

“I thought we were to go through the main station?” he called over to Jordon.

“No, a goods line was created, to allow us to get there without crowding the passenger lines,” Jordon replied.

“Good idea,” Dragonstorm returned, then turned his attention to the lines, to see a caution signal “on”.

“Next signal at ‘danger’,” Dragonstorm said and slowed the train down, carefully.

They drew up to the signal at Danger and stopped, with the engine standing behind it. Jordon looked at the signal box, where Jaisson was working hard. Soon, Jaisson called over to Dragonstorm and Jordon.

“Sorry, but there’s been some chaos at Ponyville station. One of the drivers forgot his train ‘Accidentally on Purpose’, which prompted me to send to the yards for a Raven A2 to come and rescue the stranded passengers, I’m waiting for the passenger train to clear section before I let you in. Once again, sorry for the delays to your test run,” Jaisson called.

“No problem,” Jordon called. “I’ll be over to sign the book and make sure that we’re protected.”

After explaining the rules about signing the book and making sure that the train was protected to Dragonstorm, Jordon hot footed over to the box. Dragonstorm was getting ready to throw another shovel on the fire when Jordon returned.

“What kept you?” the Alicorn teased, as he tossed coal on the fire.

“It didn’t take long,” Jordon said.

Just then, there was a clunk and the signal dropped to proceed. Dragonstorm gave one toot on the whistle, as he had been trained, then slowly advanced the regulator and the train responded. Jordon checked the gauges and signals as the train came into the goods platform at Ponyville station.

Ponyville was a rather smallish town, with a large crystal style building in the center. The residents were curious as the what the deep toned bellow was and were most surprised to see a strange looking machine pulling into the station.

“What is LMS?” one asked.

“I don’t know,” another said.

Dragonstorm was scouting the platforms for any sign of his friend. 

“Blast it all!” he grumbled as he jumped to the platform to uncouple the trucks. “She’s away!” 

His thoughts were soon to be rudely interrupted. As the engine drew clear of the wagons and was switched through the passenger platform, to move the brake van to the other end, for the return journey, Dragonstorm felt something land on his back. He managed a glance back to see a cyan colored Pegasus, with rainbow mane and tail. He gave a small buck and shake, which caused the other to take to the air.

“I see you still have your old tricks,” she giggled.

“Come on, Dash,” Dragonstorm said. “You know me.”

“I do,” she replied, then watched as the strange machine moved a boxy looking thing into the passenger platform. “What’s going on here?”

“Shunting maneuvers,” Dragonstorm explained. “This engine, an LMS Black 5 is putting that thing, called a brake van on the other end of the train, so that way we don’t go running away. Once the trucks have been shunted onto the brake-van, then the engine will move them back here to the goods platform, turn around and we’ll be off.”

“Ah, that’s what’s going on,” she replied, then she looked around. “Where’s your brother?”

“Shouldering the world in his room at the Baltimare Hotel,” Dragonstorm replied. “A pony by the name Dr. EconoAxe has crawled under his skin by stating that he was using our family’s death to attempt to manipulate him.”

That got Rainbow Dash’s attention. She stared at Dragonstorm, who was giving hoof signals to the Black 5 as it shunted the wagons onto the brake van. It took her some time before she began spluttering about how wrong it was.

“I know, but he’s doing it to hurt him and to make him do what our parents would have hated,” Dragonstorm said.

“So, let’s stop him!” Rainbow Dash said.

“Right now, we need you to cheer my brother up,” Dragonstorm said.

Rainbow Dash agreed and watched the shunting maneuvers. Other ponies watched and were talking in awe of the way the engine moved the wagons around. The buffers clashed and after a deep bellow on the strange brass item next to the cab, Dragonstorm coupled the wagons to the brake van and gave a hoof motion.

Again, the deep bellow came and the train clanked backwards. Once clear of the points, they clicked over and the train moved forwards. The wagons sounded as if they were complaining as they clattered over the points, but the engine sounded as though it wasn’t having any of it, hissing like it was cross with the complaints.

“I take it that our Crystal Climber isn’t too happy with the trucks,” Dragonsignal called to the human in the cab.

“She’s definitely not taking any guff,” the human replied.

“Right away, Jordon,” Dragonstorm called. “Move the engine to the turntable, and I’ll turn it for the return journey. But before you head off, mind taking someone in the cab?”

“Sure,” came the reply.

Dragonstorm turned to Rainbow Dash, who’s eyes were wide with both horror and awe. This was something she never thought she’d do before she put in her retirement from life papers. Dragonstorm had to push her to the cab, where Jordon pulled her into the cab. Dragonstorm flew to the turntable, while Jordon shuffled the large engine over there.

He parked the engine in the sweet spot, allowing the table to be turned easily. Dragonstorm kept his eye on the handle as he used his magic to turn it to turn the engine. When he finished, Jordon and Rainbow Dash had to help him into the cab, then Jordon moved over to the trucks and was soon coupled up.

Once that was done, and the guard had given the “right away”, Jordon gave a pull on a strange lever, which produced the deep bellow, then moved another strange lever and the large engine moved. Rainbow Dash watched the two work in unison. Dragonstorm grabbed a shovel and began to throw coal on the fire.

“Alright, it seems that we’re making good time,” Dragonstorm said.

“Uh, well, you just shot that dead,” Jordon retorted. “We’ve come upon a caution signal.”

The train drew up to the danger signal at the juncture where the goods line joined the passenger line. As the goods train stopped, a passenger train belted by. An hour passed and soon the signal changed and the points clicked over.

Dragonstorm gave one on the whistle and Jordon advanced the regulator. The engine responded in kind and was soon making up for lost time. Rainbow Dash was wide eyed with awe, and her horror of the thing being an evil being was replaced with respect for the two who could handle this engine.

Soon, the train reached the harbor, where the wagons were shunted into the goods siding, then the engine was moved to the large storage warehouse, where the fire was dumped and the trio made their way to the hotel, where Dangersignal was in for a surprise.