Upgrading the Railway Network

by The Stainmore Phoenix

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Sunlight washed over Equestria. Rainbow Dash stirred, then gently nudged Dangersignal. He stirred himself and began stretching his wings and limbs. Sleeping on a concrete pier was one thing, but to do that and be used as a bed by his girlfriend was something entirely different. He was now paying for it, with all his joints being stiff and his legs being sore.

“Come on,” Rainbow Dash said. “We need…”

She stopped when she didn’t see Dangersignal following her. She had turned, and noticed he had a small box. He turned to her, and with careful deliberation, opened it. Inside was a ring. She looked at him, a tear in her eye.

“Dangersignal…” she began.

“Rainbow Dash, will you…will you marry me?” he asked.

“Yes!” she cried out, tackling him into a hug, causing them to tumble backwards.

Luckily, both spread their wings in time and caught themselves. They smiled and after getting the ring picked up, before any sea spray could ruin the box, then they flew towards the hotel, where two figures stood by the doors. Dangersignal looked down and sighed.

“Oh, they’re here,” he said.

“Who?” Rainbow Dash asked.

The two took to the air and perched on the hotel’s roof. He then looked at her.

“Lance Corporal Ice Blade and Staff Sergeant Blazewinds,” Dangersignal said. “My old superiors, when I worked for Luna and Celestia. They took a particular disliking to me because I did my job and made full, accurate reports without missing anything. That and the fact that they considered me and even my brother Luna and Celestia’s pets, as we got special assignments from the two princesses.”

“That’s all?” Rainbow Dash.

“Not at all, Dash,” Dangersignal continued. “Before my “retirement” from the guard force, I was chosen to be Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends’ guard, along with my brother.”

“You mean, you’d have been my body guard?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Yes,” Dangersignal said.

All Rainbow Dash could do was fawn and quietly say “Ohmygosh” two hundred, forty seven times over. Dangersignal wished he had been transferred, so that way he’d be his own boss and only report to his favorite commander, a Thestral who he got on famously with, and the Thestral was Battery Sergeant Major Shaydefire.

There were many reasons for Shadyefire being a Battery Sergeant Major, but the main two reasons were one-Luna got the rank from a book on the British Army that Dangersignal leant her and two, she wanted someone who could control a special group of guards who were skilled fighters. Shaydefire was a great leader, but as a special request, he asked that Dangersignal assist him and even be a drill sergeant to the troops. After all, the Thestral had great respect for the Alicorn.

The reason for a Thestral having deep and undying respect for an Alicorn is because of the Alicorn’s one claim to fame. From the local gossip lines, he heard that Dangersignal was the only one who had been considered a threat to Sombra and could send him packing. Of course, Dangersignal could fight Sombra off with weapons only, as magic and flight wouldn’t help as Sombra could dodge those easily.

Ever since then, Dangersignal’s been the center of attention and from then on, his two superior officers had taken a greater disliking to him. He’d been hoping for a change, so he’d be away from insufferable oafs who think that bossing him about was the greatest thing. From there, he was called into a meeting with Celestia and officially “retired” from guard duties, only being drafted to take up his drill sergeant duties.

The two watched the higher ranking officers head into the hotel. Once the coast was clear, the two flew down and entered, making sure they weren’t spotted. As they climbed the stairs, voices could be heard. Dangersignal said nothing, and tread carefully on the stairs. As they climbed closer to the doors, they became distinguishable.

“You can’t do that to him!”

“He’s given valuable service!”

“He’s too good.”

“He needs to understand his place and what better way than to eliminate him.”

Rainbow Dash looked at Dangersignal, who was quietly gnashing his teeth. Both were engaged and now that was under threat of being ended, as if they hadn’t realized it. Together, they made for the door and were heading towards Canterlot.

Or they would have done had they not crashed headlong into Celestia and Luna, who had arrived with Applejack and her friends. Rainbow Dash was overjoyed to see them and managed to get her nerves put together enough to explain the situation.

“Thank you, Ms. Dash,” A Thestral said. “I’ll handle it from here.”

“While that goes on, I need to prepare for a slow goods train,” Dangersignal said. “Why don’t you join me as I do need someone to help fire the LMS Garratt we’re taking out.”

Rainbow Dash agreed and the two trotted to the locomotive storage warehouse, where the Garratt was being looked over by Survey, the inspector pony.

“What brings you here?” Dangersignal asked him.

“Going with you on your slow goods run,” he said. “I want to see how you handle everything.”

Dangersignal nodded. He looked at Rainbow Dash and smiled. She returned it and helped get the engine cleaned, fired and oiled for the journey. As that was going on, Dangersignal got the orders from the yard master.

“Coal trucks,” he said.

“Correct,” the yard master said. “All the villages and towns need coal deliveries made, for residential use. Also, just beyond White Tail Woods, there is a junction to go to a smelter’s yard.”

“That’s up and running right this minute?” Dangersignal said.

“Been up and running for a while,” he said. “They need a large shipment of coal and make sure you keep them wagons on the rails. Your train is 114 wagons long.”

“Joy,” was all the Alicorn said. “At least I have some experience on handling unbraked goods trains.”

“Just take the train and quit standing around looking pretty,” the yard master snapped. “Your not in the Elite Guard anymore.”

Rainbow Dash wanted to clock the guy, but Dangersignal stopped her.

“Just ignore him,” her fiancée said. “He’s like all railway men: wants to get the trains out on the road with little or no delays.”

“But to insult one of Celestia and Luna’s finest guards is wrong in every sense of the word itself!” Rainbow Dash protested.

“It’s not your place to say anything to him,” Dangersignal said. “If you got into trouble, then I’d have to put it to rights and you know how quick I am to stress out. Right now, this goods run has me stressed already, and we don’t need to make it worse.”

“Sorry, babe,” Rainbow Dash said. “Can’t we do something to shut him up though?”

“Take the train,” Dangersignal replied. “Show him that unbraked goods trains don’t frighten us!”

Rainbow Dash agreed and the two made their way to the large LMS Garratt, which was about four sizes too small compared to their LNER U1 2-8-0+0-8-2, which was the largest engine they had, and the engine itself had a rather scruffy appearance, with flaking paint and grime eighty five layers thick. Then again, the engine was bought from a scrap yard after the LNER withdrew it from service because of unsavoury performances on the Lickey incline.

The LMS Garratts proved to be more successful in their ventures during the LMS’s tenure before being withdrawn between June of 1955 and April of 1958. Many of them had standard axle boxes, which kept overheating and failing. They were also heavy on coal usage and maintenance. One of the locomotives, on a test run to Chinley, had been inspected after bringing in an unbraked goods train and found that it’s brake blocks had melted.

The LMS Garratt that had been saved had modifications to be more economical. The cylinders were fitted with steam reusage pipes, allowing for greater conservation of coal and even greater pulling power (during it’s test, it pulled sixty coaches and 200 wagons from the Crystal Empire to Baltimare without melting any brakes and loosing steam), it had LNER style axle boxes, was the first engine to be fitted with a coal auger to move coal by the ton to the firebox as a mere human or Alicorn (as the case maybe) couldn’t shovel enough coal to even power the whistle! The engine’s coal capacity was upped from 9 long tons (9.1T) to 20 long tons (20.1T) to combat the grades between Canterlot and the Crystal Empire.

It was also the only one of it’s class to see regular mixed traffic service since it’s preservation. It mainly handled the longer tourist trains in the summer months and during the winter handled the long holiday rush trains. When not needed on passenger duties, it saw regular service on coal trains stretching to 250 wagons.

Dangersignal often saw service with it on coal trains. Not many ponies or even humans would take up working with him because of the incalculable perils of working unbraked goods, which left only Jordon and Franklyn to assist him with Rainbow Dash.

Of course, his willingness to do anything dirty and dangerous was looked down upon by many of the other residents, but he didn’t care a hang. It was a job and he wanted to do his best!

To say that he was enjoying his job would be an understatement. He had an absolute thrill taking coal trains and to have his fiancèe in the cab was a real treat, considering the cab was spacious for a British built engine. To have an inspector watching his expert handling of the train and how well he took charge gave him inexorable pride.

The trucks were running smoothly and the train made it’s journeys. Skill and timing seemed to be his second natures, along with having a connection with all the signals, being able to call each signal without having to look at them. What no-one knew was that more changes were due and the fleet would expand, bringing in more money and making everyone pleased.

Author's Note:

Yes, Rainbow Dash and Dangersignal are an item here. It's all part of his requests for me to tell everything.