Canterlot & Everfree: The Early Years

by Smokey_Cinders

Chapter 9: Turbocharged Burnout

The Brochure had been playing on Smokey’s mind the whole ride home, he was quite angry that someone dared to announce they would be building a road over His railway.

“Alright, Smokey, take them back” Steam called over the cacophony that was 109’s spluttering and coughing as they moved out flatcars and boxcars of boilers and parts.

Smokey had grown progressively worried as he had to set the throttle to notch 8 to move the cars, the 539T Diesel engine coughing and choking as it moved the cars, it began to produce more and more smoke.

“Well then, we got the spot cleared, we just need to move the empty cars,” Steam radioed as he climbed down from the crane he had been using to unload the cars.

“Let’s do it,” Smokey replied. I hope the old gal can pull 13, that spluttering doesn't sound good, Smokey thought worriedly.

“Clear out,” Steam said as he climbed onto the last car to watch for Smokey during the Shove.

Smokey nodded as he picked up the radio. “Come in, dispatcher, this is C&E 109 requesting clearance across the main and to the C&E yard."

“Copy that, 109, you're clear across. The Rainbow Flyer’s due in ten minutes, so please have the main cleared. Over," the dispatcher replied as the switches aligned.

“Copy that, dispatcher, clear across the main. Over and out,” Smokey responded as he opened the throttle and 109 began to inch ahead, billowing out smoke and…steam?

“Come on,” Smokey encouraged quietly to both himself and the engine.

“Sheesh, think there’s something wrong?” Steam radioed as he looked back.

“Definitely, I just hope the engine keeps ticking at long enough to clear the main,” Smokey answered as they rumbled over the switch onto the Equestrian United mainline and began to reverse to cross the second line. It was then that 109 gave a loud cough and a pillar of black smoke shot from the exhaust stack.

“Buck me, 109 aint gonna make it in the hole," Smokey groaned in frustration as he picked up the radio. “Dispatcher, this is 109, we’re having engine trouble, send us into the EU yard and get us off the main!”

“Copy that, 109, directing you into the yard, a switcher will take you to the interchange track once the Flyer clears. Over," the dispatcher replied as the switches aligned.

109 coughed and sputtered again, the engine began to lose cylinders and flickers of flames came from the exhaust stack as they entered the yard, Smokey watching anxiously as the cars entered, the lights of the Rainbow Flyer could be seen.

“I'm gonna hate myself for this,” Smokey thought aloud as he roughly pulled the throttle to notch 8 again, fire shot from the stack as 109 jolted back, forcibly shoving the last two cars and itself off the mainline.

The switches aligned and the flyer shot past, horn blaring and the engineer shouting several choice words to Smokey for the near miss.

Smokey stopped 109 and shut down the engine before grabbing a fire extinguisher and running around to put the fire out, several EUR employees running over with hoses to quell the flames. “Buck Buck Buck!” Smokey shouted as he worked to put out the fire, Steam galloping back to 109 and using a fire fighting spell to help.

“Sweet Celestia! Janney! Go grab water buckets!” The dispatcher shouted from his office. “Wait!” He shouted as he turned again. “Sand pails! Sand pails!” He said as the unicorn turned to run. “WAIT! FIRE EXTINGUISHERS!”

Two quick thinking pegasi came to assist, bringing a rain cloud and compressing the water down onto the engine, managing to extinguish the

---

After another half hour, a shiny Genset switcher came to collect the 109 and its train, moving the consist across to the C&E yard. The engineer, a red mane and silver coated Pegasus named Turbo Charger, seemed sympathetic to the C&E’s sudden motive power problem.

“Hey, Smokey, right?” Turbo asked as she shut down the Genset and flew over.

“Yeah, Smokey Cinders,” Smokey said as he began opening attachments to drain the engine of water and find out what happened.

“Name's Turbo Charger, saw what happened back there, looks like your turbocharger blew out, ironically" she assessed as he landed next to Smokey and looked at the engine. “Seems a few head gaskets popped and caused you to have to push the engine to the red for normal performance,” she theorized as the Pegasus glanced in the engine compartment.

“Really? You seem to know a lot about engines,” Smokey said as he looked at the rather foreign looking Diesel engine.

“Yup! I learned from an old timer, he used to keep his old DD51 825 in immaculate condition, and taught me how to keep these older diesels running in top condition,” Turbo explained as she glanced at Smokey.

“825? Wasn’t that the locomotive that saved The Pegasus from an avalanche a few years ago?” Smokey asked, remembering hearing about when a vintage freight diesel pulled a stranded express train from the path of a massive avalanche.

“The one and the same! They put it on display in Canterlot after the old mule kicked off, sure miss him…” Turbo trailed off as she thought before smiling. “Say, I can fix this thing in a couple days! Lemme tell the forepony and I’ll haul it over! It will be ready in a couple days!”

“I’d appreciate that! To be honest, I don't know much about diesels, I mostly know steam engines and stuff like that,” Smokey said as he closed the engine compartment and climbed down as Turbo hopped down.

“Steam engines eh? Never really had much thought to them, but they are nice." Turbo shrugged as she looked at Smokey. "But personally, I like my Genset," she said proudly as she looked at the spotless diesel switcher.

---

After a couple hours, Turbo towed 109 to the Ponyville repair shop to begin repairs while Smokey and Steam made an uncomfortable call to explain what happened to Crosby and Brass. They were understandably annoyed but had no choice but to relent. Though they were happy to say that the Empress was ready to be transported to Ponyville. Later that evening, Smokey and Steam began to walk back to the station to discuss possibly doing boiler work on 13 while it’s being stored at his company, gasping when they saw none other than the Mane Six waiting for them.

“Hello Smokey,” Twilight greeted with a smile. “How’s the line coming along?” The princess asked as she raised an eyebrow.

“It was good for a bit princess, but unfortunately we hit a spot of trouble, our only locomotive had a small fire and is now in the EUR shop over yonder," Smokey explained with a sigh.

“Oh no! Are you ok? How bad was it?” Fluttershy asked, worried.

“Yeah I’m fine, it seems the turbocharger gave out and caught fire, 109 should be back in service in a day or two,” Smokey replied as he looked at the six friends. “So, what can we do for ya?”

“Well, we were hoping to enquire about a ride, but seeing your engine is out of commission, could we walk your line?” Twilight asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Up to Sweet Apple Acres? Of course! Just be careful," Smokey said with a smile.

“No, further into the Everfree Forest, I heard it’s beautiful from the rails" Twilight responded calmly.

Smokey’s face fell a bit, “Erm…I’m sorry princess, with all do respect, I would prefer not, the bridge over the river out there is very unsafe,” the ash gray pony said, trying to dissuade the six from going out and possibly finding 13.

“We can teleport across!” Twilight retorted with the same smile, raising an eyebrow.

“Then how about we come with you? We have a couple things to do today, but come here tomorrow and we’ll take you up to the trestle on a hoofcar and walk the rest of the way,” Smokey bargained.

“That does sound like fun, maybe I’ll bring some apple pie and we can have a picnic,” Applejack agreed, not realizing Smokey was trying to keep them away from Everfree yard.

Twilight nodded, slightly irritated with Smokey’s deflections. “Sounds like a plan, see you tomorrow then Smokey!” Twilight said as she turned to leave, the other five followed.

Once they were out of earshot, Smokey turned to Steam. “We need to do it tonight." The gray earth pony said as he went to call Crosby and Brass, telling them to be on the next train to Ponyville.

“Agreed, I’ll go get ready and tell the dispatcher to align the switches for a delivery” Steam spoke with a nod as he began heading over to the warehouse.

---

Twilight glanced to her friends as she walked. “So… I suppose we’ll be going there tomorrow then?”

“I’d rather wait for the train to be fixed, that way we wouldn’t have to spend all day walking on some overgrown train track” Rarity replied.

“It would be best, yes… but I still can’t shake the feeling that Smokey’s up to something, he was very adamant about keeping us away from the other side of that bridge” Twilight said as she looked to the others. “Applebloom said that was where the ghost train came from?”

“Yes… Twilight, are ya insinuatin’ Smokey has a steam engine?” Applejack asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I’m not sure… but I think so” Twilight said as they started passed a hobby shop, a model catching her eye… it was a model of a Baltimare & Ohayo J-8 “Big Six” 2-6-6-6 with the number 5847, her eyes fixated on it.

“I mean, even if he does, what’s so bad about it?” Applejack asked as Twilight stared at the model, an uncomfortable memory she’d never been able to forget came to the forefront of her mind.

---

“Mommy! Mommy! Our train’s coming!” Twilight shouted giddily to her mother as her father picked up their luggage as a deep low hooter echoed from the massive lumbering J-8 2-6-6-6 as it approached the station up a grade, the number 5847 on its cab. The engine hissing steam as it approached the station, the filly’s ears picking up an odd sound… it was a groan as if something was in pain, it was metallic and alien to her ears… and it was coming from the engine… “mommy, I think something’s wrong with-“

Twilights ears rang as she managed to regain consciousness, she struggled to lift her head from the debris littered platform, the station had all its windows blown out, the water tower was collapsed… and a railway pony lay lifeless on the platform, scorched and scalded by the superheated steam. Twilight lifted her eyes to see a monster, a demon… the steam locomotive sat in a mangled pile, its boiler lay a hundred yards ahead of the frame, the boiler tubes sticking out of the front and through the sides, the boiler tubes almost looked like they were the tentacles of some type of hellish monster reaching to eat her.

Twilight’s hearing didn’t return for nearly two weeks after the accident, every night she had nightmares of seeing that… that twisted visage of 5847’s boiler tubes sticking out, plucking up innocent ponies and dragging them within its mass. She’d learned that what happened was called a Crownsheet Failure, where the boiler was allowed to run dry causing the metal to weaken and the boiler to come apart in an explosive release of steam. Ten ponies were killed, the engineer, firepony, a brakepony, some passengers and an employee from the station… the employee she’d seen laying dead in front of her…according to the ticket agent, he heard the engine and realized it was going to explode, throwing himself in front of the young unicorn and taking the force of 300 PSI of superheated steam.

---

“Twilight?” Fluttershy asked as Twilight jumped slightly.

“Hm?! O-oh sorry, I… zoned out… l-listen… s-steam locomotives aren’t in my image for Equestria, they are in the past, where they should stay… I… I don’t think I could bear to… have one in Ponyville…” she said as she started to walk, not wanting to speak on the matter anymore.

Comments

[Smokey_Cinders]

11794310
I never thought of that! I like that idea, good thinking!

And thank you!

[Prince Jules Moonshade]

Even a diesel engine can have a catastrophic failure Twily. Anyways great chapter I do hope you keep the same sorta premise regarding how twilight comes to approve of them keeping the steam engine like you did before the rewrite. Was quite a fun read that chapter all though I’m certain whatever you do it’ll still be quite an enjoyable and fun to read scene.

[DanishDash]

Buck you Twilight! If you touch the train I will personally lead a revolution!

[Smokey_Cinders]

11798632
Fear not! I have quite the idea on how they get twilight on their side! I do hope you will enjoy it!

[Smokey_Cinders]

11799327
Oh don’t worry! 13 has much worse ponies to worry about than Twilight

[Prince Jules Moonshade]

11799429
Eager to see it as if it’s a rewrite I hope it’s a more epic train chase or something for that chase was epic when I first read it, and curious who the worse ponies are over twilight this time.

[Smokey_Cinders]

11799468
Oh there will still be a chase, but this time 13 is the prize! And let’s just say these ponies wield torches… 13 is in more danger than we think!

[Prince Jules Moonshade]

11799522
Once again, eagerly awaiting it! Tell then my good author!

[DanishDash]

11799430
Too late. I have already assembled my troops. We shall save 13! And I am totally doing it to help, and not to have a train for myself.