Equestrian Railways

by shadowspark101

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The sun had just begun to set over Baltimare as Mr. Hoover stood on the platform waiting on the Fillydelphia Flyer to return. He had only just gotten to the platform after running through the drawings of the supposed new engine design with Blueprint. The project had been approved, but hoover wanted John to go and assist with the naming of the locomotives, and to explain some concepts to the Unicorn mare.

Another engine pulled into the second bay platform behind Hoover, and an Earth Pony looked out. “Been waiting here long sir?” He asked, as he as his firepony examined their locomotive.

Mr. Hoover looked back. “Not at all, young Al,” He smiled. “In fact, I just got out from the workshops after going over that new engine design. It seems that these two boys might be our saving graces,”

Al nodded. “I see what you mean sir, and I’m inclined to agree.” Both ponies then looked up as the B17’s whistle cut through the air.

‘Champions Lodge’ pulled into the station. Benn hopped down from the cab and uncoupled the train, as John moved the B17 to a crossover switch, so Al’s loco could take over.

When the two engines had swapped places, John called over to Al. “I know, I know. We’re about a half hour early, but can you blame us. I mean. We did hit eighty coming down the mainline.” He said.

Benn cut in. “All you have to do, is try to get the train to Fillydelphia on time, no need for record breaking. Because, I think we’ve already done that.” He laughed, as did John.

Some passengers looked out the windows of the coaches to see the two humans talking to Al. One with a press hat and a camera even took a picture of the sight. Now THIS will make headline news! She thought happily. Two monkeys in Equestria, and with that record breaking run in that strange locomotive. She quickly ducked back into the coach, and then grabbed her bags, before leaving the train with any other passengers that were disembarking the train. She then turned towards John and Benn. “Excuse me!” She called, running towards the humans. “My name is Telegram, and I’m with the Equestrian Daily Newspaper. Could I ask you two umm, whatever you are, some questions?”

John and Benn looked at each other, both with different grades of worry. After all, they had never been in the spotlight before. And to top it off, they had only been lucky so far. They both knew that they could only get so far on luck alone. “One minute please.” John said, and the two humans huddled together in a pep-talk fashion.

“What do we do man?” Benn asked. “If word gets out that we have no clue what we’re doing, it’ll be the end of us AND the BNFR.”

John nodded. “I know, and we don’t want this to wind-up like that movie Shark Tale, where the fish lied himself into a web of shit.”

Benn gulped. “Yeah, but I think that it has already gotten into that. Any ideas on what we should do?”

John thought for a moment. “Yeah, we explain to them about a standardization plan we have, to modernize and standardize the BNFR. We don’t explain much, but we tell them what we have planned.”

Benn nodded, the two then fist bumped before turning back to Telegram. “Alright. What’s your first question?” He asked, feigning confidence.

Telegram smiled. “Well,” She said, looking over the two humans. “What are you? Never has there been creatures like you in Equestria.”

John smiled. “Well, my dear reporter,” He smirked. “We’re humans, to answer any human-related questions, we are scientifically called 'Homo Sapiens', and I guess you could say that we’re a form of monkey or so. We wear clothes to keep warm, and because on our world it is considered taboo to walk around without clothes. That, and other reasons I am not at liberty to say.”

Telegram nodded, writing down most of what John had said. “Very well,” She said, before turning to Benn. “What is this locomotive, is it from your world?”

Benn had a rail fan glint in his eye, before he spoke up. “Well, this is a Gresley B17, better known as the ‘Sadringham’ or ‘Footballer’ class,” He smiled. “The class was built by Sir Herbert Nigel Gresley of the London North Eastern Railway, mainly for hauling fast secondary express trains,” He said. “Also, the class was mainly named after famous football clubs, but a few were renamed later.” He grinned.

Telegram quickly jotted down what had been said, before looking up. “So, what are your plans for the BNFR, in spite of the Nationalization Act that has pushed it to the corner?” She looked from both John to Benn, and back again.

John cleared his throat a bit, gaining the mare’s attention. “Well, we have plans to update the engines and rolling stock of the BNFR,” He said calmly. “Also, I seem to see that signal arrangements will have to be updated a bit, and I have to go see the works in order to make sure things are up to code.” He finished, and nudged Benn.

Benn caught on. “Between the two of us, relays plenty of ideas to help modernize and assist the BNFR in fighting back against the Nationalization Act. So this B17 isn’t the only engine that you will see along the BNFR network, we have plans in the works to build a new class of engine based on engines from our world. It’s unknown if the plans will pass, but if that fails, we can just copy this locomotive and have a new fleet of ‘Sadringhams’ riding the rails.” He finished, before John cut in with a smart aleck remark.

“And don’t worry your pretty head off,” He grinned. “Benn and I are single, so don’t worry about dating,” He then laughed, as Telegram blushed a bit, and Benn punched him in the arm. “Ow, what did I do?” He whined, as if he had done nothing wrong. Benn glared at him.

“Strike that off the record please Miss Telegram,” Benn said. “Johns just being foolish is all, bless his little American brain.” He smiled, before poking John in the head.

John just brushed it off. “Whatever Benn,” He grinned. “Like you haven’t tried getting a girlfriend?” He chuckled.

Telegram nodded. “Umm, could I get a picture of you in front of the locomotive nameplate please?” She asked the two humans.

The two nodded, before John motioned to Mr. Hoover and Regulator to join them. Mr. Hoover laughed.

“Sorry boys, but this is your interview, not mine. Besides, mares love famous stallions, and this could boost your popularity with the mares.” He said, before laughing.

John grinned. “I like this guy, he’s a riot. Have you ever considered stand-up comedy?”

Benn just whacked John on the back of the head. “C’mon Romeo, get in from of the engine nameplate.” He said, before the two took position on the platform with ‘Champions Lodge’.

Telegraph then positioned her camera in her cherry red magic, before taking the picture. “Thank You Mr. John and Mr. Benn,” She smiled. “I’ll make sure this ends up in tomorrow’s newspaper, along with the new land speed record that you broke.”

Both boys were confused. “Wait, speed record?” Benn asked. Before Regulator spoke up.

“Remember when I said that the BNFR’s fastest engine can only manage 60 miles per hour? Well, the EQN’s fastest engine managed 70, and that was with only a dynometer car attached. Your engine managed 80-90 miles per hour, WITH a full train, AND managed to keep to the timetables, WHILE arriving early,” He said. “That’s a feat not even the EQN could hope to grab in their operating life.”

John nodded. “That’s nothing,” He grinned. “What if we built the LNER A4’s? Then what would you do?”

Regulator went pale in the face. “I’d retire, that’s what I do. I mean, how could you humans even keep that thing moving without derailing the engine and killing the crew?”

Benn shrugged. “Dunno, but if Gresley were here and alive, we would ask him that.” He said.

John chuckled. “Anyway, I say we get this engine to the sheds, and I need to go to the works to oversee the ‘Fort’ class.” He said, before doing a funny quick walk to the cab, mimicking Curly Howard’s famous whooping. Benn just sighed, and followed him.

About an hour later, the B17 backed down on shed, and was parked in the fifth track near the back of the shed. Both boys jumped out. “John, you better get going to the works and see that new class you’re hoping to build,” Benn said. “I’ll examine the engine, then go with you.” He then started examining the B17’s running gear and the connecting rods for any cracks, as John hurried to the workshops.

When John arrived, he noticed Blueprint with some other ponies, going over some drawings. John realized they were going over the ‘Fort’ Class. So he decided to go over and try and help. “Excuse me?” John called, when he joined the group of ponies by the drawings. “So, what’s the word on this engine? Will you guys be able to build it?”

Blueprint looked at John. “I’m sorry,” She said. “But there isn’t enough facts to try and build this engine. It just seems like a bunch of random drawings.” John nodded. But then he remembered what Benn had said to Telegraph.

“Well,” John said. “You may have heard that ‘Champions Lodge broke a speed record today, and Benn and I were thinking. “What if you just copied the B17 instead? Y’know, take it apart and build copies of that engine with the same parts and stuff. Also, you can draw out proper blueprints as well, so you can build the design as a standard engine.”

Blueprint raised one eyebrow in surprise. “Copy that engine?” She asked, as if she hadn’t heard John correctly. “You mean that we would have to open up the engine, examine the parts, and then draw the blueprints as we go along?”

John nodded, but he then wished he hadn’t, as Blueprint grabbed John and shook him around in complete happiness.

“Human!! That is the greatest idea I’ve ever heard!!” She yelled in joy, which caused some ponies to turn and see what was going on. She blushed, then dropped John, who at this point was looking very dizzy and had three A4 Pacifics chuffing around his head. She turned to the workmen. “Everypony!” She called. “I require one empty track in order to park the human’s engine! We are going to begin construction of that class! And we will have engines that can give that EQN a run for its money!”

The works began to clap and some cheered. Benn had just arrived, and saw the cheering ponies, and a very dazed John. “Hey John, what’s going on?” Benn asked.

John turned to Benn. “Hey Benn, my engine idea failed, so I brought up just copying the B17 idea, and using it as a standard class of engine. It sounded like a good idea.” He explained.

Benn nodded. “I see, and you’re right, it could work in a way,” He said. “I say that we get the engine here then,” He turned to the workshop manager and Blueprint. “Where do you want to engine?” He asked, but then he heard some weak chuffing.

Everypony turned, to see one of the old engines trying to shunt ‘Champions Lodge’ into the works. When the B17’s driving wheels begin to touch the points, the old loco began to slip, trying to push the B17 into the works track. John and Benn tried not to laugh.

A second engine was called in to assist, and, with smoke blasting from the funnels, the two old engines moved the B17 into the works. When it was parked, workponies began swarming the engine, as Blueprint took tons upon tons of notes. “Excuse me?” She asked John. “Do you think I could have the notes you took on the controls in the cab?”

John nodded, then grabbed his notepad. “Page 12. They’re all marked.” He said, before he and Benn left the works. And headed outside to the R.I.P Line.

“Y’know John,” Benn said. “I’ve been thinking about these engines that are here,” He motioned to some 4-4-0’s in the R.I.P siding. “They’re so old and worn out, I mean it’s such a shock to see that they haven’t fallen on their own weight.”

John nodded. “I see what you mean, but an engine literally falling to pieces by itself,” He said, leaning against the running board of one of the locomotives. Right as he pushed his weight on the engine, the running board creaked, and some snapping sounded out. The running board shifted, and the boiler began to roll. “Look out!” John yelled, and both boys jumped clear, as the boiler rolled down an embankment that led to a coal pit. Both boys watched in shock as the boiler rolled down the embankment, and slammed into a pile of coal. John and Benn looked at each other, before John smirked and broke out in complete laughter. “Wow! Did you see that!?” John said between snorts and roars of laughter.

Benn looked at John, before he saw the funny side and started to laugh as well. “Yeah, what are the odds of that happening?” He chuckled. “We better go ask for a crane to get that boiler back though. I’ll get it John, you stay here and don’t touch that engine again.” Benn left to go find a crane.

John just looked at the boiler, which was lying in a pile of coal, nearly completely buried. He looked at the engine which the boiler belonged to. “Yeah, we’re gonna have to withdraw these old engines,” He said quietly, before walking to the engine again. “The odds of that happening again,” He grunted, before touching the connecting rod on the driver’s side, which fell off and hit the ground with a clang. “Are completely biased.” He said, before noticing Benn coming back with some Pegasi.

“Looks like we’ll have to invent cranes too John,” Benn said calmly. “But these pegasi were sent to pull the boiler back on the engine,” He then turned to the pegasi. “The boiler rolled into that open coal mine over there. So we just need to move the engine and put the boiler between the tracks to prevent it rolling.” He then noticed an engine coming up to move the broken engine away.

The engine slowly buffered up to the broken engine. The firepony coupled the two engines up. But when they tried to move, the engine came along smoothly for five seconds, but then the broken engine’s coupling fell off, followed by the cab slowly moving backwards, then hitting the ground with a sickening crunch.

“What are the chances of that happening!?!? I ask you!?” John yelled, indicating to the broken pile of scrap lying before him. “I mean, I could just walk up to this pile of scrap and kick it, and it’ll move faster than the Mallard on Welsh Coal,” With that, he walked up to the chassis and gave it a tap with his foot. To everyone and ponies surprise, the chassis rolled as one unit down the siding, before rolling off the siding and coming to a halt in the ground. “Shut up…” John grunted, holding up his hand, before turning away and holding back his laughter.

Benn just sighed. “I see that we’ll have to do more than just build one class of engine,” He said, as the pegasi moved the boiler to where it was needed. “We’ll need to build a whole new fleet of engines,” He then looked at John. “C’mon John,” He said, before walking away. “We have work to do.”

Comments

[SoralTheSol]

and now I am caught up. But as always my complaint is just a general lack of description. The characters spend more time talking in your story then you do describing whats happening and what they look like. If you want this to be good then that is gonna have to change. Now the over all idea of your story is good. I do like the plot that is going on. There is little in way for the world of equestria given in the show it is nice to see the ideas of other.

[Iron Sides]

I like it to a point but I agree with the other guy, it lacks in detail.