> Upgrading the Railway Network
>  by The Stainmore Phoenix
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 1

In Canterlot Castle’s private dining room, Celestia was talking to a male Alicorn Guard who she and Luna employed. The Male Alicorn was the same height as Celestia, with bright red eyes, dark red fur and horn, no mane, fiery orange tale. He wore traditional Equestrian guard’s armor, with a dark red gem in the center of the chest piece. He had no cutie mark on his flanks, however and that often singled him out for ridicule amongst the others. Celestia decided to take action, which lead to the conference.

“You do a grand job acting as the second in command when Shining Armor is away, but I need you to find your specialized talent and go with it,” she told him.

“I understand,” he said, nodding. “But I do take my job here seriously.”

She nodded at his remark.

“However, I think you’d be happier to find your talents and pursue that course,” she replied.

“Yes,” he said. “I take it I’m to wander around Equestria?”

“Not at all,” she said. “Some time ago, when we were starting our railway network up, I made a friend with several humans who were descendants of a person named Stanier. You‘ll meet them at a closed railway station.”

That got the male’s attention.

“Sir William A. Stanier?” he quizzed. “Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London Midland Scottish Railway?”

“Yes,” she replied, a bit surprised. “How’d…”

“I’ve been reading up on railway stuff, because there were books left on my shelf, with a note saying that they were to be read by anyone.”

Celestia chuckled, then wished him well.

“You’ll leave tomorrow,” she said. 

“Thank you,” he said, bowing.

Once he arose, he strode away towards his quarters. There, he stripped out of his armor and sighed, glancing at a photograph of his mother and father.

“If only you two could see me and Dragonstorm,” he sighed quietly.

Luna was walking by the door when she heard that and peeped through the keyhole to see the photograph. That gave her a start and she made her way to see her sister while the male went off to bed.

“Uhm, dear sister, you know of the pain that our male Alicorn guard feels, after losing his parents to that ghastly landslide five years ago?” Luna asked.

“I do, indeed,” Celestia replied, then explained her plans.

“It’s both a good idea and bad idea at the same time,” Luna said. “Dragonstorm isn’t up to his level, in terms of strength. Also, both have an inseparable bond and to split them up is going to drive them crazy.”

“I know they’re going to have separation anxieties, but we can’t have a blank flank guard,” Celestia said.

Luna conceded that Celestia had a plan.

“I hope your right,” Luna said and went off to raise the moon.

> Chapter 2
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Chapter 2

The next morning, the male alicorn was getting his last goodbyes said to his brother; a bright red Alicorn, half of the height of the dark red one, with two sea green eyes, a dark orange mane and tail. On his flank was a dragon with a flame aura surrounding it.

“I’ll return with a cutie mark hopefully and if it turns out to be a job that leads to me needing someone to help, your first in line,” the blank flank said.

“Good luck,” came the reply.

Once the final goodbye was said, the dark coat Alicorn took to the air and was out of sight when the other guards came out.

The Alicorn flew for a while. Normal Alicorns and Pegasi have to take breaks to give their wings a break, but being a royal guard meant that he spent most of his time in the air, looking down for any signs of intruders getting ready to strike the princesses. That meant that he needed strong wings, so he spent his time training his wings. That training also meant that he didn’t have to take frequent breaks.

“Blue skies and bright sunshine,” he chortled. “really brightens my day.”

As he flew along, he noticed that the clouds had started to become rather gray and ominous.

“Huh? I thought the pegasi weren’t to put out rain clouds for another two weeks.”

CRRSH!

“Okay, lowering my altitude right now!”

No sooner had the Alicorn lowered his descent, then it happened. A bolt of lightning struck his left wing and he found it hard to control himself. Soon, he spotted something that appeared to be a closed station.

“Time to crash land.”

He turned himself to crash into the bushes. While it wasn’t the best soft landing, it was something at least. He was lined up with the bushes and came in fast.

SMAK!

“Ooof!” he groaned.

“Nice of you to join us at Blandford Forum,” came a voice from behind the Alicorn. The voice was trying to hide a laugh.

“Oh, hardy har har!” the Alicorn snorted sarcastically.

“Well,” the voice said. “We’d better tend to your wing, as it looks like a war zone.”

“Thanks,” the Alicorn said.

“It’s okay,” the voice said. “I’m Alistair.”

The Alicorn turned to see the human he was to meet. He looked rather young (about 15), with unruly blond hair, hazel brown eyes, tan skin and he wore a shirt with a werewolf printing on it, dark green cargo trousers and black tennis shoes. 

“Nice to meet you,” the Alicorn said. “I haven’t a name.”

“Ah, well, I hope well sort this out,” Alistair said.

The Alicorn and Alistair headed off the platform and along the pathway. The Alicorn looked down.

“A closed branch line?” he asked.

“Yes,” Alistair replied. “Dr. Beeching closed it down.”

The Alicorn nodded his head.

“A somber thought,” the Alicorn said.

“I agree,” Alistair returned.

The two continued along the pathway, to them, the closed Blandford Forum Branch Line. At the next station along, they turned to the left and headed over a hill. Once safely on the other side and hidden from the rest of the world, they entered a three story house, painted in a dark green.

“That’s a lovely color,” the Alicorn said.

“It is,” Alistair said. “Brunswick Green. Used on express passenger trains from 1948 to 1968.”

“Ah,” the Alicorn said. 

The human tended the wing with care.

“I’d stay off of it for a while,” the human said.

“Thanks,” the Alicorn replied.

The two struck up conversation about his calling in life. They planned that in the morning, they’d go about the countryside, emptier than Alicorn’s room back at the Canterlot Castle and try to find his calling in life.

> Chapter 3
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Chapter 3

The next morning, drearier than the last morning, the two were out looking about and trying to get the poor Alicorn a cutie mark. The two were working hard when it was lunch time. Both took a seat on a nearby abandon platform and enjoyed apple tart, Woolton pie, Homity Pie and water.

“Thanks for lunch,” the Alicorn said.

“You’re welcome,” Alistair replied happily.

After the break, the two walked for a while until they reached a large structure.

“Where are we?” the Alicorn asked.

“Me engine collection,” Alistair said. “Sadly, I haven’t any running rights or rails to run them on. They’ve been rusting away in here. 117 locomotives-112 steam engines and five diesel engines. There’s also 64 wagons, 13 brake-vans and 80 coaches in the sheds next door. I wish I knew what to do with them.”

At that point, the Alicorn’s eyes lit up faster than a the Nightmare Night decorations.

“These are brilliant!” he squeaked. “Our engines and coaches are outdated and very dangerous indeed.”

Alistair looked at him and chuckled.

“You’d need to have knowledge of how to run a railway,” he said.

The Alicorn explained all he knew, including signals and their functions. Just then, there came a bright flash and Alistair walked to his left flank, then his right.

“Well, a railway semaphore signal, set at Danger appeared on your flanks,” he said.

“Nice!” The Alicorn said.

“Well, there you go, Dangersignal,” he said.

“Dangersignal?” the Alicorn quizzed.

“Your name,” he replied. “It matches your cutie mark.”

“Okay, cool,” Dangersignal said. “Now, I have a question, do you have paper and pen at your home?”

“Yes,” he replied.

“Good,” Dangersignal said. “I’m going to write a letter to my princess and tell her your predicament.”

“Thank you,” Alistair said.

Instead of him walking back, Dagnersignal told him to get on and the Alicorn galloped all the way back to Alistair’s home. The two were inside and Alistair lead Dangersignal to the study, where paper and pens were. Once everything was in order, Alistair went off to get himself a pint of London’s finest in the local pub.

“Dear Princess Celestia,

It’s your blank flank guard with news. I finally got my cutie mark and have a name-Dangersignal, so you can use that instead of calling me “that guard” or “that Alicorn” or whatever else any of the other guards like to pull out.

Second, I met a nice human named Alistair, who has a bit of a problem-he’s got a railway fleet tucked away in sheds, rusting and gathering spiders. 117 locomotives, 64 wagons, 13 brake-vans and 80 coaches.

On this, I must tell you that the railway network in Equestria is in dire need of upgrading. His collection looks modern compared to our tiny little tank engines. The coaches could easily carry well over the thirty passengers we cram into ten coaches. The wagons could carry all of the baked goods from the Cake’s bakery in Ponyville, the Apples from Appleloosa, fabrics and clothing designs from Manehatten and whatever else is needed.

The engines are practically new and waiting to be run. Some look like they haven’t turned a wheel in a dog’s age. There are engines of all different builds, that could be put into practical service doing the jobs they were built for before they were retired by British Railways.

That brings me onto Alistair. These engines have been in his collection for I don’t know how long. He longs to see them run, with the coaches and the wagons being hauled behind. With many lines not being close or even around any more, he’s been going down to stare at them.

Please help and I should return soon

Dangersignal.”

He folded the letter in half and in a flash, the letter was sent off. He sat back and sighed, clear down to his stomach. Suddenly, there was a flash of light and standing before him was Alistair, who was looking rather annoyed. Dangersignal looked at him, with a concerned eye.

“You’d best relax before you blow a blood vessel,” he told his human companion.

“I’ll relax after I’ve gone and broken a few bones!” Alistair snorted.

“What’s crawled under your skin?” Dangersignal quizzed.

“Oh, a guy down at the bar was going on and on and on about how Beeching was right in closing branch lines and all places with branch lines are going to be unsuccessful and will close within five years of being run, allowing for cars and coaches to take over!” Alistair bellowed.

“Coaches?” Dangersignal asked. “Those need a railway engine to pull them. They’re too big for any ponies in Equestria to pull.”

“Not railway coaches,” Alistair said, calming down. “A ‘Coach’ here in England is a ‘Bus’. That’s what I meant.”

“Okay,” Dangersignal replied. “Let’s prove him wrong!’

Alistair smiled. Suddenly, Dangersignal felt something fall on his head. Alistair picked it up and looked at it.

“It’s for you,” he said to the Alicorn.

Dangersignal used his magic to open and levitate the letter. Given how quick the sigh of relief came, Alistair assumed that Dangersignal only read part of the letter.

“It’s from Princess Celestia, who’ve I worked for as a guard,” the Alicorn explained. “She says she’s coming to inspect the locomotives and rolling stock with a couple of railway inspectors to see the engines. If we can get at least four more humans together, then we have a railway team, and we can hire as need be.”

“Leave it to me,” Alistair said.

He left a very confused Dangersignal. Forty minutes later, he came back, smiling.

“I talked with some old friends and they’ve agreed to meet us at Blandford Forum, and then come with us to the sheds,” he told the Alicorn.

“Oh, Celestia said that she’d also meet us at the station. I forgot to mention it in all my excitement,” Dangersignal said to Alistair.

Alistair smiled and together, the two made their way to the closed station. Standing on the platform was several humans ,a white Alicorn Princess and two unicorns

The two unicorns wore a blue suit piece, tie and had glasses. Both had dark blue coats and manes, with dark blue eyes that could easily turn any lemon into a pessimist.

“These are Ganger and Survey,” Celestia said. “Our chief inspectors.”

“Ah,” Dangersignal and Alistair said, then turned to the group of humans.

The humans-four boys were all about Alistair’s age. 

One had pale skin, tidy black hair, black eyes and wore a dark green shirt with black trousers and worn out running shoes. 

The second had tidy red hair, blue eyes, dark tan skin, wore a red shirt, blue trousers and white shoes.

The third wore a dark blue shirt, khaki trousers and worn out shoes. He had bright red eyes (something that was rather unheard of, except in Ponyville, and it was even rare over there); long, trimmed platinum blond hair and he had cream colored skin.

The last had the same cream colored skin, red eyes, but had dark brown hair, wore a sea green shirt, white with dark streaked trousers and oil stained shoes.

“Friends of yours?” Dangersignal asked.

“Yes,” Alistair said. “Names are Franklyn, Jordon, Tobias, and Thompson.”

“Ah,” Dangersignal said.

Just then, there came a panting from behind some bushes. A moment later; a boy, older than the other boys by a couple of years, with light colored skin, green eyes, clean trimmed brunette hair. He wore a t-shirt with dragon printing on it, dark blue cargo trousers and oil stained shoes.

“Jaisson, you’re late!” Alistair hissed.

“Sorry,” came the reply. “I was held up by some dumb cluck who thought I had money for booze.”

“No need to hassle anyone,” Celestia said.

Soon, everyone was walking along the path, which Dangersignal explained to Celestia, Ganger and Survey as a closed branch line under the Beeching Axe. Celestia looked around at the weeds growing and the over reaching blackberry bushes. It was a surprise to see her look so down.

“What gets me,” Alistair sighed. “Is imagining this line before the closure. What a place it was! My great great granddad ran trains along this line with his cousin. Eventually, the line fell victim to Beeching’s cuts, as there was ‘no need for a useless market station’ and everyone had to change four times to get to market.”

“Change?” Survey asked.

“Aye, Change trains,” Jaisson said, interrupting the others’ thoughts. “Most branch lines serviced towns and once a week, there’d be a market in one town along that branch line. All passengers that lived along the branch line would go on the train to that market and come back with groceries for the week or two.”

“Ah,” Ganger said.

“Also, branch lines serviced harbours, quarries, mines, dairies, steel mills, factories, scrap yards, and on rare occasions, other branch lines,” Tobias put in.

“Really?” Celestia asked.

The five humans explained as they lead the group to the sheds, where the engines were stored. When they arrived, the humans opened the doors and showed them the locomotives, wagons, coaches and brake-vans. The two inspectors were very impressed indeed.

“I think that we can safely say that we’ll give you the contract to run trains, if you lot can handle the work of upgrading the network,” Survey said.

“Leave it to us,” Alistair said. “We know loads of people who’d like to help run a railway, but never have the chance.”

“That’s settled then!” Ganger said.

“I agree,” Celestia said.

“It’ll take time for us to arrange for our friends to help us,” Alistair

“It’ll also take time to get boats to carry the locomotives, coaches, wagons and brake-vans to Equestria,” Survey said.

“That’ll be no problem,” Celestia said. “I do want Dangersignal to stay behind and help with the loading of the boats. After all, he‘ll be needed to help explain how Equestria works. The reason for this is that you all don‘t know how things in Equestria work and I‘d like it if you were filled in.”

“Yes, your highness,” Dangersignal said, bowing. 

Celestia and the two unicorn inspectors teleported away, leaving the five humans and dark red Alicorn behind.

“Let’s play ball,” Alistair said.

> Chapter 4
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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.

> Chapter 5
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 5

The next morning, Dangersignal was down at the large storage sheds, which were comfortably holding the large collection. He was inspecting a large tender engine, with light green paintwork, the words “Great Western” on the engines strange looking thing called a tender. The engine had two leading wheels, eight drive wheels and no trailing wheels. 

According to Alistair, the locomotive was a 4700 2-8-0, built for the Great Western Railway to handle coal trains, as well as the occasional passenger trains. He had said that the locomotive would be the best to run an “inspectors” train, to gauge the railway and see what improvements were needed to bring the entire system up to codes.

As the dark red Alicorn checked the water in the tender, he noticed Alistair checking over a line of Inspector saloon coaches. It took the human only forty minutes to make sure everything was in working order, then he joined Dangersignal, who was piling wood into the firebox.

“Jaisson and Jordon will join us as the station,” Alistair explained. “Also, he suggested that we work rotations, meaning that you’ll fire on the journey to this Crystal Empire, then drive the train down to this Appleloosa place, while Jaisson rides the coaches and Jordon acts as the guard, then at Appleloosa, Jaisson will fire while you take up the guard duties, allowing Jordon to ride the coaches. From there…well, you get the picture.”

“Yes,” the dark red Alicron chuckled.

The two worked at getting the engine ready. It took three hours to get the steam engine ready, but once it was ready, Alistair moved it to the large doors, which stood open. Dangersignal did some manipulation of track called “points” to make sure the engine was on the proper line for the coaches.

“All set!” Dangersignal called to Alistair, who reversed the locomotive down the line to the coaches.

When the engine buffered up to the coaches, Dangersignal gave a hoof gesture to tell him that the engine was in position. There came a quick, single shriek and Alistair joined Dangersignal to help couple the coaches.

“What was that shriek?” Dangersignal asked as he joined the chain couplings of the coaches to the locomotive’s tender.

“That was the whistle,” Alistair replied, joining some steam pipes. “One on the whistle in a yard like this means that I am stopping or ‘holding’ the locomotive while you join the couplings. I don’t want to rip a hoof off or crush you between the coaches, as that would not do.”

“Good point,” Dangersignal conceded. “Anyway, how many inspector’s coaches do we have?”

“Five. One LNER Teak; two small six wheel, one formerly owned by the Longmoor Military Railway; one formerly owned by the GWR and the last one formerly owned by British Railways,” Alistair said. “The coaches are in arrangement of having the two small six wheel coaches between the bogied coaches, with the teak coach at the front of the train and the GWR coach at the rear.”

“Ah,” Dangersignal said. “I take it that it’s to see how each one handles the routes?”

“Not exactly,” Alistair said. “It’s to see how much resistance the coaches give us on the gradients.”

The two continued on talking as they took the train to the platform. Jaisson and Jordon were waiting on the platform. When the train came to a stop, Jaisson boarded the GWR inspectors saloon coach, while Jordon checked his watch. The local train to Baltimare arrived ten minutes later.

Jaisson blew his guard’s whistle, raised his right arm and shouted, “RIGHT AWAY!”

Alistair responded with a single toot and the train rolled away. Soon, they were making good time as they thundered through the countryside. 

“How fast are we going?” Dangersignal called over to Alistair as the Alicorn threw another shovel load of coal on the fire.

“About forty-five miles per hour,” Alistair replied.

Dangersignal looked out and noticed a tail lamp. His eyes widened in horror as he saw the obstruction moving!

“STOP THE TRAIN! THERE’S SOMETHING AHEAD!” Dangersignal roared.

Alistair grabbed the brakes, jammed them hard on and hung the whistle. The engine’s wheels locked and the heavy train was sliding. The coaches were bouncing around, throwing the two passenger about. As the obstruction became clearer, it was another train!

“OH SWEET BRUNEL!” Alistair cried, and threw the 4700 into reverse, in hopes of stopping the train from colliding, but the weight of the coaches and the forward momentum weren’t easy things to combat.

Dangersignal tightened down the hand brakes and looked to see that Jordon had tightened the brakes in the rear coach and was going from coach to coach, applying the brakes. All the crew of the “test train” could do was pray that they stopped before there was a fearful collision.

The other train wasn’t making any attempts to stop. Dangersignal noticed young fillies in the brake coach and his eyes were now wider than anything! He looked at Alistair.

“I’m gonna try to stop that reversing train! You fight for control!” Dangersignal shouted.

“Go it! I’m counting on you!” Alistair replied.

Dangersignal teleported into the cab of the reversing train and saw the brake lever. He grabbed it and threw it hard on and moved the regulator hard over and released the brakes, in hopes of moving the offending train forward.

“Hey!” the driving pony snapped. “We’re going to Fillydelphia this way!”

“Not with another train in section!” Dangersignal roared in anger.

Not wanting a fight, the driver watched as Dangersignal got the train moving forwards. The points that lead to a siding were set for that siding. Acting quickly, Dangersignal put the train in the sidings and ran back, turning the points to the main line.

Dangersignal turned to see the “test train” come into the station. The brakes were slightly smoking and there was a dull red glow from what Alistair had called “brake shoes”. The driving pony of the reversing train was now in a fine temper and he let everyone know what he thought of interfering ponies, especially dumb Alicorns who haven’t found their calling in life.

“For your information,” Alistair replied calmly. “We had permission for the road. You were in the wrong by attempting to take the road for your own, when your train was scheduled for 11:45 am. It’s 10:25 am and we were making good time. You also put your passengers at risk of being crushed under the immense weight of my train.”

“Pah!” the driving pony snorted. “It’s no skin off my back! I don’t really care about passengers anyway! Noisy, complaining things!”

Alistair was absolutely angered now. He open palm smacked the driving pony of the other train.

“Passenger are your paychecks to keep your house up to code!” he told the driving pony. “You need to be more wary of what you say! Where I come from, that kind of talk is what gets you fired or beaten into dust by several large guys with shovels. Trust me, you need to think in future.”

Alistair walked back and inspected the locomotive and coaches. Dangersignal joined him soon and Alistair looked at Dangersignal.

“The brakes aren’t too bad,” he said. “But we’ll have to take our train back and put it in the sheds for maintenance.”

“That means?” Dangersignal quizzed.

“That means either we fire one of the other engines or we cancel today’s shakedown run,” Alistair said.

It was agreed that they’d fire another engine and come rescue the Fillydelphia commuters. Jordon pulled out a strange device and after pushing some buttons, he put it to his ear.

“Hullo, Franklyn,” he said into it. “Can you fire up the Maroon 8F and have it sitting, tender first in the platform? Our ‘test train’ ran into some trouble and nearly crushed another train. The brakes have suffered and are in need of replacing. Oh? You got some people to come and help us? That’s excellent! Oh, Darryn and Jeffery are coming up with the 8F? Tell them to wait and if you can, send another engine to rescue the crippled ‘test train’. Oh? You’ve got the 2800 fired up and it’s waiting for a job? Who’s working it? Dylan and his brother Keyth? Very excellent indeed! We shall wait their arrival!”

He closed the device and put it in his pocket.

“Some of my old college mate-Keyth, Dylan, Darryn and Jeffery are here to help out. Keyth and Dylan are coming up to rescue the crippled train, then Jeffery and Darryn are coming to rescue the Fillydelphia train,” Jordon said.

“Most excellent!” Alistair said.

Dangersignal, now inquisitive, asked the four humans he was with about their collection and friends. Alistair, Jordon, Franklyn and Jaisson explained everything.

“The friends are friends from when we went to college,” Jordon said. “They promised us that they’d help us if we got a railway to run our engines on.”

“As for the large collection,” Franklyn said. “That to us is a mystery in itself. We were only told when our grandparents died and their wills had been read to us. Right now, it’s a miracle that we have spare engines and coaches!”

“Agreed,” Dangersignal said.

They waited for a total of fifteen minutes before an engine, similar in shape to the 4700 arrived. Dangersignal’s eyes popped.

“I thought you only had one 4700?” he quizzed.

“It’s a 2800,” a teen said. He had long, well trimmed platinum blond hair, tan skin, wore a black shirt, khakis and tennis shoes. His companion looked exactly like him, except the shirt was blue and the trousers were dark green and the shoes were sneakers.

“Keyth!” Jordon called to him. “It’s been a dogs age!”

“Same here,” he said. “Ah, I see you have come here to help the railways?”

“Yes,” Jordon replied.

As the two caught up, Jaisson explained to a confused Dangersignal that all Great Western engines were built to a standard policy, making it easy to repair.

“Ah,” Dangersignal replied.

Jaisson nodded, then hand motioned the 2800 to back up to the coaches. Once the buffers connected, the couplings were joined and the 2800 huffed away with the “crippled” train. Fifty minutes later, a large maroon tender reversed into the station and standing there was another 2-8-0, with a larger boiler, bigger tender and the letter ‘LMS’ on the tender.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, please reboard your coaches,” Jaisson said. “We’ll get you to Fillydelphia in no time at all.”

The group clambered into the coaches. Jordon stood on the platform, checking to see if there were any stragglers. When he was convinced that the platform was clear, he blew his guard’s whistle, raised his right arm and shouted, “RIGHT AWAY!”, then jumped into the coach.

The train started slowly away and began to gather speed. Soon, they were bucketing along at a good pace. It seemed that time had flown by, as Fillydelphia station had appeared and the train began slowing down. Soon, it stopped in the platform and the passengers left the coaches.

The return journey was boring, but Alistair managed to get all the confusion sorted out and the next day, he and Dangersignal took a train of Dean 31 four wheel coaches and brake coach along the lines, making notes and looking at everything.

That night, after the tours were done, the group met up with two boys who were waiting around.

One had neatly trimmed jet black hair, blue eyes, skin the color of snow. He wore a dark green shirt, cargo shorts and sneakers.

The other had neatly trimmed shoulder length sandy blond hair, green eyes, dark tan skin. He wore a dull red shirt, cargo shorts and sneakers that look like they had seen better days.

“Dangersignal, please meet Jeffery and Darryn,” Alistair said.

The trio got through the proper greetings, then went to hotel dining facility, where they talked about how they were going to improve the railway line. Once they had a plan of attack, they went off to sleep.

> Chapter 6
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

> Chapter 7
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 7

Dangersignal sat, feeling cold and alone. He was crying softly, the tears tasting bitter. He always prided himself with having a clean slate, but this was too much and he felt as if he was going to fall apart at the joints. As he wiped tears away and stood up, he looked in the window to see a familiar figure reflected in it.

“Dash!” he said.

“Hey, there!” she said, then stopped. “Something wrong?”

Dangersignal sighed and explained what was happening and how he felt.

“I feel so…,” he began, but cut off as Rainbow Dash placed a hoof up and on his shoulder.

“You feel lost,” she said. “That’s because of your losses and how you’ve had to look after yourself and your younger brother. I wish you’d actually learn to live life to the fullest!”

He smiled at her and the two embraced. Jaisson soon arrived and chuckled.

“When’s the wedding?” he asked.

The Alicorn and Pegasus looked at him, each going redder than the pannier’s livery. They were in love and there was no denying it. Everyone saw their faces trying to hide that fact and failing miserably.

“Wait,” Dragonstorm said. “You fell in love with one of Princess Twilight’s friends and didn’t tell anyone?”

“Actually, I fell in love with him,” Rainbow Dash said, sheepishly.

“And she looked rather beautiful that one Grand Galloping Gala night I had off,” Dangersignal said. “The two of us struck up a conversation and, well, things went off in a pleasant direction.”

No sooner had Dangersignal finished, when a loud commotion was heard downstairs. The humans, Alicorns and Pegasus made their way to the action, which was the manager fuming and ranting about the “Griffon Parcel Service”.

“What is the Griffon Parcel Service?” Tobias asked.

“A mail service. Lots of post come from the Griffon Kingdom and they don’t even bother to sort it, so mail is delayed getting to it’s intended destinations,” Rainbow Dash explained. “Evidentually, the mail comes to this coast and is just dumped here, meaning that there is a ton of mail left unsorted and undelivered.”

“I’ve got it!” Jordon said.

“What?”

“A nightly mail train!” Jordon said. “We deliver the mail during the night, so the ponies and other residents of Equestria get their letters and packages in the morning.”

The manager of the hotel turned to see them standing there. He came to them.

“Think you can get this mail delivered if we sort it out here?” he asked.

“We can, but we need to phone to all the stations to let them know that a nightly mail service has been established,” Tobias said. “It’ll make life easier on us all.”

The manager ran to make the calls, while Dangersignal, Rainbow Dash and Tobias made their way to the warehouse, where they inspected the engines and decided to fire up a medium sized tender engine in GWR green with strange side plating and stranger looking wheels.

“The Aberdare Class, built by the GWR for goods trains, but some worked postal trains,” Tobias explained. “Great engines for getting trains like this moving with very little coal wasted and steam lost.”

“Brilliant,” Dangersignal said.

Tobias went and began lighting the fire while Dangersignal and Rainbow Dash placed lamps on the locomotive’s front. One lamp was set on a metal rod that Tobias called a “Lamp Iron”, which was directly over the coupling, while the other was set over the locomotive’s right buffer.

“Why are these strange objects arranged like this?” Rainbow Dash asked her boyfriend.

“These are lamps and the arrangement is called a “Headcode”, which tells a person called a signalman that a mail or express perishable goods is coming through,” Dangersignal replied. “You know what perishable goods are, right?”

“Uh, apples?” She responded, sounding confused.

“Fruits, vegetables, fish, milk. Basically, anything that can go rotten in the heat or in very off weather,” Dangersignal said.

“Ah,” she said. “But mail doesn’t “Go bad”?”

Tobias chuckled, “No, but because it is a special type of train, it is lumped with the express perishable goods, as they are both trains that carry needed supplies.”

Rainbow Dash nodded. Soon, the engine had steam up and was being moved about, shunting together a one coach mail train. Once all was ready, Tobias collected his fire Alicorn and their passenger, then made their way to the station, where the others were waiting with postal sacks.

As the mail was loaded, Dragonstorm came to the cab.

“All but Jaisson will travel with the letters and parcels. He’ll travel in the brake van,” he explained. “Make sure you don’t go breaking any Gresley records!”

He made his way to the postal coach, which would be uncomfortable for him. Once the final door shut, Dangersignal looked back to see that  Jaisson was showing a green lamp and blowing his guard’s whistle.

“RIGHT AWAY!” Dangersignal turned to Tobias. ‘We’ve got the signal!”

PHEEEP!

Tobias advanced the regulator and the train moved slowly off. Soon, the train was flying along the line. Rainbow Dash was sitting on the footplate of the cab, the wind whistling. The rails hummed, signals showed green, the moonlight danced around the train. The lamps cut through the darkness like a knife cutting through bread.

Just then, a “distant” signal warned Tobias and Dangersignal that Canterlot was nearby. Tobias slowed down and gave a special signal on the engine’s whistle-two short, pause, three short, pause one.

“What was that?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“I was whistling to our postal crew that Canterlot is coming up and to get ready to offload the letters and parcels for the town,” Tobias said.

Rainbow Dash nodded and watched as Dangersignal threw a shovel load of coal on the fire. He stopped and mopped his brows.

“Tiring work this,” he huffed.

“I know, but we’ll have a rest at the station,” Tobias replied.

Just then, they looked skyward to see a Pegasus that Rainbow Dash knew. She gritted her teeth and snarled.

“Lightning Dust!”

“Who?” Tobias asked.

“A Pegasus who once nearly killed Rainbow’s friends,” Dangersignal said. “Last I heard, she was sent packing, never to return to the Wonderbolts Academy. I bet she wants to race our train, to see who’s better.”

Dangersignal was right. Lightning Dust hovered near the cab and looked inward, with disgust.

“Dashie,” she snorted. “You give all Equestrians a bad name hanging with a human and a filthy Alicorn guard who’s of no use at all to the royalty.”

“Don’t you have any badges to lose in shame?” Dangersignal asked sweetly.

“GGGGRRRR!” Lightning Dust snarled.

Rainbow Dash was laughing and so was Tobias, who couldn’t resist laughing when he heard that Lightning Dust was “sent away in disgrace.”

“Well, I challenge you to a race,” she huffed indignantly.

“We’d love to, but we can’t delay any mail. Besides, you’d be seeing return before you got halfway to our next destination,” Tobias said. “We’re on time and that’s all I have to say.”

The guard’s whistle sounded and Rainbow pulled the whistle lever, giving a toot of acceptance. Tobias advanced the regulator and the train moved off, leaving a fuming Lightning Dust in its wake. The crew were working hard to keep to time.

“How about I teach you both a song?” he asked.

“Certainly!” Rainbow Dash squeaked excitedly.

“Okay, the song is called “Night Mail, performed by W.H. Auden, and was used on the last four minutes of a British Railway documentary called “Night Mail” which is about the night mail train.”

“Sounds like it could be fun,” Dangersignal said.

“Okay, here goes,” Tobias said, and began.

“This is the Night Mail crossing the border,
Bringing the cheque and the postal order,
Letters for the rich, letters for the poor,
The shop at the corner and the girl next door.

Pulling up Beattock, a steady climb:
The gradient's against her, but she's on time.
Thro' sparse counties she rampages,
Her driver's eye upon the gauges.

Panting up past lonely farms
Fed by the fireman's restless arms.
Striding forward along the rails
Thro' southern uplands with northern mails. 

Winding up the valley to the watershed,
Thro' the heather and the weather and the dawn overhead.
Past cotton-grass and moorland boulder
Shovelling white steam over her shoulder,

Snorting noisily as she passes
Silent miles of wind-bent grasses. 
Birds turn their heads as she approaches,
Stare from the bushes at her blank-faced coaches.

Sheepdogs cannot turn her course;
They slumber on with paws across.
In the farm she passes no one wakes,
But a jug in the bedroom gently shakes.

Dawn freshens, the climb is done.
Down towards Glasgow she descends
Towards the steam tugs yelping down the glade of cranes,
Towards the fields of apparatus, the furnaces

Set on the dark plain like gigantic chessmen.
All Scotland waits for her:
In the dark glens, beside the pale-green sea lochs
Men long for news.

Letters of thanks, letters from banks,
Letters of joy from the girl and the boy,
Receipted bills and invitations
To inspect new stock or visit relations,

And applications for situations
And timid lovers' declarations
And gossip, gossip from all the nations,
News circumstantial, news financial,

Letters with holiday snaps to enlarge in,
Letters with faces scrawled in the margin,
Letters from uncles, cousins, and aunts,
Letters to Scotland from the South of France,

Letters of condolence to Highlands and Lowlands
Notes from overseas to Hebrides
Written on paper of every hue,
The pink, the violet, the white and the blue,

The chatty, the catty, the boring, adoring,
The cold and official and the heart's outpouring,
Clever, stupid, short and long,
The typed and the printed and the spelt all wrong.

Thousands are still asleep
Dreaming of terrifying monsters,
Or of friendly tea beside the band at Cranston's or Crawford's:
Asleep in working Glasgow, asleep in well-set Edinburgh,

Asleep in granite Aberdeen,
They continue their dreams,
And shall wake soon and long for letters,

And none will hear the postman's knock
Without a quickening of the heart,
For who can bear to feel himself forgotten?

“That was awesome!” Rainbow Dash cheered.

“I agree with Dash,” Dangersignal said.

“Let’s try singing it on the way to Ponyville,” Tobias said.

It was agreed and after turning around at the Crystal Empire, they headed off towards Ponyville, singing the song and having a jolly good run. The train reached Ponyville on time, the bags were unloaded then the train moved off to continue along.

The sun was just coming up as the train trundled back to the depot. They had broken just about every other record in the books and then some during their night run. Ponies were just waking up and getting ready for the day. However, the crew of the mail train were ready for the beds.

“That’s something that’s gotta stop,” Dangersignal yawned. “We can’t keep up with all this work and be expected to carry out our other duties.”

“Agreed,” Tobias said, as he drew the train to a stop at Ponyville goods platform.

Just then, a shout was heard and the “night mail” crew looked to see five other ponies coming towards the train. 

One was an Alicorn like Dangersignal, but had a bright purple coat with dark purple and pink mane and tail, with a giant star, surrounded by smaller stars on her flank.

Another one was a bright while Unicorn with purple mane and tail, with three diamonds on her flank.

The third one had a bright yellow mane and tail, dark yellow coat with three apples on her flank and she wore a hat.

The fourth was a bright yellow Pegasus with butterflies on her flank and she had a bright pink mane and tail. 

The last pony had a light pink coat with a darker pink mane and tail. The mane was puffed up a lot more than the other ponies manes.

“Hey Dashie!” the pink one squeaked excitedly.

“Hey Pinkie,” Rainbow Dash yawned. “Can we catch up later. A bed has my name on it.”

The others were confused, but there came a clank as the signal dropped. Tobias gave a toot in reply and moved the heavy train off. Glancing back, Dangersignal noticed that the bright yellow one dove behind the others.

“I think we unintentionally scared Fluttershy,” Dangersignal said.

Rainbow Dash just shook her head. The train rolled into the yards, and after dumping the fire, the team went off to bed. Thankfully, there were no passengers traveling that day and they could sleep. Something had to be done, as the small group couldn’t handle all this work. Nine humans, two Alicorns and a Pegasus were not enough.
> Chapter 8
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 8

Two days later, the group were awake and learning the harbor yard in groups of twos and threes. It was complex, with many points, crossovers, sidings, through tracks and quayside lines, including gangplanks, where the passengers could catch trains. Rainbow Dash and Dangersignal were working on the London Transport Pannier tank.

“You never said this would be confusing!” Rainbow Dash told Dangersignal, in an accusing tone.

“Well, this is a harbor,” Dangersignal said. “The one place in all of Equestria where utter chaos can reign if nothing is kept in check. We need to learn the yards, in case we have to work here.”

Rainbow Dash conceded that Dangersignal had a point, and continued to watch as he handled the pannier tank with ease. Suddenly, he dropped his hooves to the cab floor and groaned in pain. Rainbow Dash, from what she saw him do, closed regulator and put the brakes on.

“You okay?” she asked.

“Yes,” he replied. “Just over did it two nights ago, when we had that postal run.”

“Well, you’re not continuing on in that condition. You might completely put yourself out of action, and then where would the railway be?” she stated.

“Your right,” Dangersignal said.

Rainbow Dash flew off and soon returned with, Dragonstorm, Alistair and Franklyn. Alistair and Franklyn took over for Rainbow Dash and Dangersignal while she and Dragonstorm helped their injured comrade back to the hotel. When they arrived, Dragonstorm went off to fetch some ice packs while Rainbow Dash helped Dangersignal to his room.

Carefully, so as not to do more harm to himself, Dangersignal crawled into bed, with his front legs stretched out. That eased some of the pain, and made what was left tolerable. Five minutes later, Dragonstorm came up with some ice packs and carefully packed them around the sore muscles.

“No more work for you for a week at least,” Dragonstorm said.

“A week?!” Dangersignal yelped. “I can’t be out for that long!”

“Care to injure yourself more?” Rainbow Dash said.

“No,” came the dejected reply.

“Hey, at least we’re able to put it right,” Dragonstorm and Rainbow Dash said.

“Anyway,” Dragonstorm added. “I promised Keyth that I’d help him arrange an empty express passenger train to get used to snaking our way away from the passenger gangplank to the open main line.”

“Go to it,” Rainbow Dash. “I’ll look after and tend to my boyfriend.”

“Thank you,” Dragonstorm said and galloped to the yards.

Silence reigned, then Rainbow Dash spoke up.

“How’s life been since your “retirement” from being one of the Elite guards?” she quizzed. “I know your attached to the job.”

“It’s a change of pace for sure. Rather hectic at times. You know what they say “A change is as good as a rest”,” he replied.

The two chuckled softly before Rainbow curled up next to him and went to sleep. He closed his eyes and smiled. The ice melted, slid around and eased the pain. Time slowed down and the two were in perfect harmony, until…

“So, I see that true love has been sought out at last.”

The two jolted awake, Rainbow Dash falling off the bed, striking Dangersignal on one of the sore muscles. He cringed as he felt the blow land and heard his sweetheart hit the floor. The two looked up to see a bright pink Alicorn with a Dark purple, Hot pink and cream colored mane and tail.

“Princess Cadence!” Rainbow Dash and Dangersignal gasped, in surprised horror. “We didn’t hear you!”

“Dragonstorm gave me a key,” she said. “After I explained that some certain ponies wanted to question you two.”

The two looked at each other, this time, their blushing was replaced with curiosity.

“Well, what do these ponies want to ask us?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“What you were doing last night?” Princess Cadence said. “They were surprised by noises in the night. One said that her guards saw you two standing in some creature, which was hissing as a small group of humans handed something to one of the ponies on the platform at Canterlot station.”

“So, we were being watched during our mail run,” Rainbow Dash mused. “Sounds logical, actually. Princess Luna raises the moon and works the night shift with her own Elite guards, which are Thestrals. They also say that they saw the strange creature, with a Pegasus hovering next to it.”

“Send them in,” Dangersignal said. “I’m sure we can handle questioning.”

Princess Cadence nodded, then headed to the door. Dangersignal gave Rainbow Dash a sly wink, which said that he was going to have some fun. Soon, the two could hear voices and hooves getting louder. Dangersignal told Rainbow to get on the other bed and act as though she was sleeping.

She nodded and carried out the task just as a group burst in. The same five ponies that were coming to the train when it stood at Ponyville station, waiting for the starter to come off, were there. Behind them was a Thestral, or batpony as many residents called them and an Alicorn with a dark blue mane and tail, black coat and a dark black patch on her flank with a crescent moon in the dark black patch.

“Princess Luna, Princess Twilight,” Cadence said. “Here is…”

“I know my own retired guard,” Luna spoke.

That got the Thestral all riled up. He believed that he and his kind were Princess Luna’s guards, but to hear that an Alicorn had the same privileges! He was getting ready to strike when Rainbow Dash woke and flew in front of him.

“Can we have peace?” Dangersignal asked. “I’m trying to make with the healing over here!”

The Thestral was still up in arms about Luna’s words. Dangersignal sighed, the managed to get Rainbow Dash to move aside, so his line of sight would get the “welcoming committee”.

“Look, if you want a fight, then we’ll fight,” Dangersignal. “In a couple of months, after I’ve returned from light duty.”

“Typical,” the Thestral snarled.

“Sergeant Steel Strike, stand down!” Luna ordered.

Sergeant Steel Strike stood there, growling and muttering insults as Luna looked at her former guard. Rainbow Dash stayed in the air, ready to jump in when things got out of hand. Dangersignal sighed, shook his head and gave a slight chuckle. Normally, a guard could hold his own in a fight, but with his “injuries” as the humans called them, he was relying on someone else to fight his battle for him.

“Look, I was working two nights ago on a steam engine from a class of steam engine called “Aberdare Class”, built by a railway called “The Great Western Railway” in a place called Britain, to handle coal trains. It was the best engine we had for the steep gradient to the Crystal Empire and they could handle mail trains as well,” Dangersignal explained. “The reason for the night run is that the Griffon Parcel Service has gotten lazier than anything, leaving unsorted post at Baltimare harbor. The clerk downstairs has to sort it before we take it out and deliver it.”

“Oh,” Luna said. “But why run it at night?”

“So everyone gets their mail in the morning,” Dangersignal replied. “It would never do if ponies didn’t get their letters or packages in due time. If a parcel is to be delivered at nine in the morning, then it’s at the sorting office, ready to be sent out and delivered at nine in the morning.”

“Now, do you care to explain one thing more?” Sergeant Steel Strike asked.

“What do you want explained?” Dangersignal asked.

“The Pegasus by the locomotive,” he asked.

“Oh, Lightning Dust,” Dangersignal said. “She challenged us to a race, but we made her fume and left her in the dust. She was going on about me being a filthy Alicorn guard who’s of no use at all to the royalty and that Rainbow Dash was giving all Equestrians a bad name by hanging with a human.”

That got them to look at each other, with a mixture of disgust and irritation. It was sometime before anyone spoke up again.

“That isn’t right!” one said.

“We know, Twi,” came the reply.

“But, Applejack!” “Twi” protested. “You don’t say stuff like that! Not even to people who are helping us!”

“I know,” “Applejack” replied.

The two turned to us. The one with Bright yellow mane and tail, and dark yellow coat with three apples on her flank spoke first.

“Name’s Applejack. Proud owner of Sweet Apple Acres,” she said. “It’s south of Ponyville and…”

“I know,” Dangersignal chuckled. “Famous for it’s apples. It’s only been mentioned to me 6,358 times during my time working on the railway line.”

Everyone stared.

“You heard about us through the train?” Applejack asked.

“You could say I heard it through the grapevine,” Dangersignal chuckled.

“The grapevine?”

“Local gossip,” he continued. “It’s a good source of getting information on some of the locals without having to inquire.”

Everyone chuckled. At that moment, there came shouting and the sounds of punches landing. Dangersignal groaned.

“Well, my dear enemy is here, ready to tear me a new one,” he said.

The others were surprised to see Dangersignal so calm in the midst of trouble. Soon, said pony arrived, growling and with a murderous look in his eye.

“You’re really pushing your luck!” he roared at Dangersignal. “Those two imbecilic princesses at Canterlot are giving you the go ahead to do this! They’re too stupid to live!”

“I’d watch what you say,” Dangersignal chided. “There are three princesses here, one with one of her royal guard.”

He didn’t care and continued to spout off like a broken faucet. Finally, Dangersignal decided to put him in his place.

“If you think your hot air could move the balloon in Ponyville, then how about a race?” Dangersignal said.

“A race,” Dr. EconoAxe said. “What are the conditions?”

“We start at Ponyville and race to the Crystal Empire. First race is with passengers. At the Crystal Empire, I’ll turn my engine, then we race back to Ponyville, where we’ll exchange the passengers for goods and race to Appleloosa, and back to Ponyville. The first one back wins and the loser has to find a new lease of life somewhere else,” Dangersignal said,

“Your on,” came the reply.

“I’ll wait until your better,” he sneered. “I don’t fight a broken weakling.”

Dr. EconoAxe left, chortling all the way downstairs. The others were concerned.

“You’ll never beat him!” Rainbow Dash cried. “It takes time to uncouple the coaches and turn the engine! Same with the goods trains!”

“That’s where having done some good old fashion hillside train watching comes into play,” he said.

He explained how trains use a method called “Top and Tail” where the engines are turned to face opposite directions. One pulls the train one way with the other pushing, then at the destination, instead of turning the locomotive at the “front”, the other engine takes over and hauls the train back down the line, with the engine at the “Back” pushes.

“Oh, then that way…” Applejack said.

“The train is sandwiched between two sources of braking power and heat,” Dangersignal said. “And no time is lost!” 

“That sounds fun!” Rainbow Dash said.

“I know and I know the engines for the tasks,” Dangersignal said.

> Chapter 9
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 9

When the humans heard of the challenge, they were beyond words, but Dangersignal reassured them of his plans.

“It sounds like it could be risky, especially with your injuries,” Dylan said.

“It’s not for a while yet,” Dangersignal said. “Anyway, it’s a broken fight.”

“Broken how?” Darryn asked.

“We have the right engines for the tasks and we have knowledge he doesn’t,” Dangersignal chuckled.

“Ah!” Alistair said. “We use what we know to best him!”

“Bingo!” Dangersignal said.

The three princesses and the other ponies were concerned. This was something big and it had a lot riding on it.

“If he loses…” Rainbow Dash squeaked.

“I wouldn’t worry,” Darryn said. “We’ve done this stuff before!”

“Raced a Hot air balloon?” Applejack asked.

“Yes,” Darryn said. “We’ve even raced buses, helicopters, jet planes and many things from where we come from! The fun of it all!”

“However, we don’t need to be smashing any Gresley records!” The other humans and Dragonstorm protested.

The other ponies were confused by the name and how serious Dragonstorm was on that point. However, Dangersignal turned to the humans.

“Didn’t you once say that you knew some people who owned locomotives that they were willing for you to use, if they could find these engines work?” he asked.

“Yes. John and Jarlyn Dunselby, who own an LNER A3 Pacific, #4475; name-Flying Fox. They have two friends, Averie and Zac Mykerson, who own another LNER A3. # 2576; name-The White Knight,” Jordon said. “But they’d never approve of this!”

Dangersignal thought for a minute, then told them that he’d do the explaining. It was his idea and he’d defend it come high waters or death. Everyone just shook their heads and gave a defeated sigh.

“It’s your funeral,” Darryn said.

Dangersignal smiled.

“At least I’d go out with a bang,” he said. “And I’d attempt to prove that my parents and sister are pleased with my decision.”

“This is for your family’s honor?” Applejack asked.

“Yes,” Dangersignal said.

“That makes it different!” Alistair said. “ Jordon, get on to your friends and make sure they fully understand the situation.”

“Right,” Jordon said.

“Dangersignal, you do your healing. Dragonstorm, come with me. I have a planned surprise,” Alistair said. “Rainbow Dash, you stay and help your boyfriend heal up.”

They blushed. When the humans, Princesses and bodyguard left, the other four stayed behind.

“Well, I am not impressed,” the white pony huffed. “You should have told us!”

“Yeah and have Twilight in my business! No thank you Rarity,” Rainbow Dash retorted.

“Can’t you two stow your anger?” Dangersignal said. “I don’t need it right now! Besides, your friends and friends do keep secrets, even secrets about being in love!”

“He has a point, Rarity,” Applejack said. “Besides, if they are in love, all we need is the wedding day.”

“We’re not there yet!” the two protested. “We’re only having our second relationship! We haven’t even begun the plans for engagement!”

The other four laughed and made for the door. Rainbow Dash sighed and carefully hugged her boyfriend, then the two went off to sleep.

	

> Chapter 10
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 10

Time slid slowly by. Dangersignal was now getting antsy and wanted to be back on the footplate, working with his human friends, shunting trucks and taking passengers. Rainbow Dash was eager as well, but after her time in hospital after damage to her wing, she has since learned to be patient. 

As for the others, they were working hard. Goods and passenger trains ran to time, as well as them doing the nightly mail trains. Arrangements were made and things were set in motion for the race of a lifetime.

Soon, Dangersignal returned to working order and was given a real treat indeed. Standing at Baltimare Station were the two A3 pacifics. Flying Fox was on track 1, with a twelve coach Pullman train while The White Knight stood in front of a train of wagons.

Four humans were standing on the platform next to Flying Fox, chatting happily.

“Ready to stick it to that fool?” one asked.

“End that Beeching Rip-off’s lies and dirty games?” another asked. “Certainly!”

Two humans climbed into Flying Fox’s cab and moved the train off. The other two called over to Jordon, who told him where to take the wagons and find a turntable. The engine soon returned, running backwards.

Jordon flagged Rainbow Dash and Dangersignal over.

“Climb in!” he called. “Dragonstorm and Alistair are waiting with the other engine and it’s crew.”

The trio climbed into the cab. Dangersignal took up position on the tender to make sure the engine didn’t come off the rails. With careful handling of the driver, The White Knight backed onto the coaches. Dangersignal jumped down, coupled the coaches and joined the brake pipes.

The coaches were being filled with the other ponies, who had come to visit Dangersignal during his time out of service. While all that was being attended to, Dr. EconoAxe came up.

“Ready to lose?” he sneered.

“That’ll be the day,” Dangersignal retorted shortly. “Get your balloon ready.”

Dr. EconoAxe sniffed and trotted away. Dangersignal looked back as the last door slammed. Rainbow Dash was riding inside the cab, to act as a look out for signals. The referee and guard’s whistles screamed and the flags dropped. The two engines gave a united blast and started off. The balloon was having a little trouble, but that didn’t stop them.

Soon, the two engines had the twelve coach train moving along at twenty eight miles an hour. The firemen shoveled for dear life and the drivers were playing tunes with the regulators and sanding gears. The train surged on, now passing thirty eight miles an hour, and soon they plunged into the tunnel leading into Equestria Canterlot station at fifty eight miles an hour.

The train rocketed through the station at seventy nine miles an hour. The drivers gave a special code on the whistle and soon the train was attacking the climb to the Crystal Empire at ninety miles an hour. The balloon was no where to be seen, and soon the train passed “Crystal Empire Outer Distant” signal, which was “On”.

“Slow off!” Dangersignal called. “Outer Distant is “ON”.”

The driver eased off and they passed the inner distant at sixty two miles an hour. They continued to slow the train and it coasted into the station, where the referee was startled. The balloon still hadn’t arrived and the train set off again, with Flying Fox pulling it from the other end.

The downhill journey was nothing. The engines coasted along, passing the balloon as it made it’s way to the Crystal Empire. Dangersignal just chuckled and the train rolled onwards towards Ponyville, where the goods train was waiting.

The passenger train blasted out of the tunnel and coasted slowly to the passenger platform. In the goods platform was a Robinson 02 2-8-0 tender engine and a Gresley P2 2-8-2. Coupled behind the Robinson 02 was an LMS 20T goods brake, a china clay hood, china clay slurry tanker, tar tanker, well wagon, lowmac, cattle wagon, single vent van, BR 20T mineral wagon, bogie bolster flatbed, Dogfish ballast hopper. A GNR 20T Eight wheel brake van was coupled to the other end of the train, with the P2 coupled to the brake van.

As the train came to a stop; Dangersignal, Dragonstorm, Rainbow Dash, Jordon and Alistair climbed into the Robinson 02’s cab. Jaisson, Keyth, Darryn and Dylan climbed into the P2’s cab. The guard gave the signal and the train rolled away. The goods train was only doing forty-five miles per hour, but making good time.

The crews repeated their actions as they approached Appleloosa. The wagons clattered about, but the two engines and their crews were working extra hard to keep control. Braking carefully, the train drew into the goods platform at Appleloosa, where the guard checked the wagons, then gave the whistle. The crews blasted the engine’s whistles and the heavy train jerked away.

The journey back was much easier and when they returned, they saw that Dr. EconoAxe was standing, looking flustered. Dangersignal jumped down from the cab of the 02 and walked over.

“Well?” he asked.

“I guess you win!” he snarled. “You also made me look bad!”

“That was your ego that did that,” Dangersignal said. “I only fueled it by making you a bet I knew you couldn’t win.”

Dr. EconoAxe gawked in speechless rage. He turned and stormed off the platform. The others began to laugh and soon everyone else joined in. Dangersignal turned and looked at Jordon.

“You thinking what I’m thinking?” he asked the human.

“You know it,” the human replied.

Rainbow Dash watched as the crews moved the passenger train onto the front of the goods train. Dangersignal got everyone’s attention.

“Ladies, Gentlemen, Fillies and Gentlecolts, please gather at the town square stage in three and a half and hours,” the dark red Alicorn said. “We have a planned surprise for you.”

Everyone was confused, but went about their business. The two trains were taken up to the Baltimare yards, where the trucks and coaches were shunted clear. Once the tender engines were cleaned up, Dangersignal went and fired up the pannier tank. Once sufficient steam was raised, he advanced the regulator and shunted about the yards, getting a coach, goods van and brake van coupled together.

Once that was done, everyone climbed into the coach while Alistair climbed into the cab to take up firing duties. Now that all the torture was over, the two could work the engine with a gentle hoof and a softer eye on the gauges. The train rumbled into Ponyville and while the towns ponies were busily chatting, the humans set up their surprise.

The tests were carried out and they ran over some songs, making sure they had the right ones picked out. Dangersignal looked at his girlfriend and smiled.

“Care to take the first song with me?” he asked.

Her eyes widened. It had been her dream to sing with her boyfriend for years and to have him ask was certainly a treat.

“Yes,” Rainbow Dash squeaked excitedly. “Oh yes I would!”

Dangersignal smiled, then turned to the humans.

“We’ll sing “Oh Mr. Porter!”,” Dangersignal said. “A Dancehall song.”

Rainbow Dash nodded. Jordon placed two stands in front of them and they looked at the lyrics. The humans began tuning up their instruments and the group ran through the song several times, with the Pegasus and Alicorn on the lyrics sheet, then several times with them off, to make sure it was memorized.

Once the preparations were complete, the ponies gathered for the celebrations. The group got everything cleaned away and on the count of three, Dragonstorm opened the curtains. The group stood, smiling and prepared for anything.

“Today,” Dragonstorm said. “We celebrate the success of Equestrian Railways, a much better version of British Railways, where we run efficient services and make sure our passengers are pleased with the services we have to offer.”

Cheers followed this statement. Once they died down, Dragonstorm continued.

“But we’re not just celebrating with parties and treats, but with songs about railways that our human companions know.”

Again, cheers went up and when it died down, Dangersignal took over.

“Alright. Ladies, Gentlemen, Fillies, Gentlecolts, Princes and Princesses, we present the first of many songs-Oh, Mr. Porter!” he said.

The audience stood as the band began to play. Soon, Rainbow Dash and Dangersignal began to sing.

Rainbow Dash and Dangersignal, 

“Lately I just spent a week with my old Aunt Brown,
Came up to see the wond'rous sights of famous London Town.
Just a week I had of it, all round the place we'd roam,
Wasn't I sorry on the day I had to go back home?
Worried about with packing, I arrived late at the station,
Dropped my hat-box in the mud, the things all fell about,
Got my ticket, said 'good-bye', "Right away!" the guard did cry,
But I found the train was wrong, And shouted out:

Oh! Mister Porter, what shall I do?
I want to go to Birmingham
And they're taking me on to Crewe.
Send me back to London as quickly as you can,
Oh! Mister Porter, what a silly girl I am.

The porter would not stop the train, but laughed and said "You must
Keep your hair on, Mary Ann, and mind that you don't bust!"
Some old gentleman inside declared that it was hard,
Said, "Look out of the window, Miss, and try and call the guard."
Didn't I, too, with all my might, I nearly balanced over,
But my old friend grasped my leg, and pulled me back again,
Nearly fainting with the fright, I sank into his arms, a sight,
Went into hysterics but I cried in vain:-

Oh! Mister Porter, what shall I do?
I want to go to Birmingham
And they're taking me on to Crewe.
Send me back to London as quickly as you can,
Oh! Mister Porter, what a silly girl I am.

On his clean old shirt front then I laid my trembling head,
"Do take it easy, rest awhile," the dear old chappie said.
"If you make a fuss of me and on me do not frown,
You shall have my mansion, dear, away in London town."
Wouldn't you think me silly if I said I could not like him?
Really he seemed a nice old boy, so I replied this way:
I will be your own for life, your imay doodleum little wife,
If you'll never tease me any more I say.

Oh! Mister Porter, what shall I do?
I want to go to Birmingham
And they're taking me on to Crewe.
Send me back to London as quickly as you can,
Oh! Mister Porter, what a silly girl I am.”

The two finished and the group cheered. Everyone was impressed. Rainbow Dash moved back and Dragonstorm took his place along side his brother.

“This next song needs some explaining,” Dragonstorm said, then turned to his brother.

“In 1963, in a place called England, a man known as Dr. Beeching began shutting down unprofitable stations and ripping up unprofitable branch lines. 2,363 stations and 5,00 miles of branch lines were ripped up. Many places are just shadows of their former selves. To remember these places, which no longer exist, we have a special song for that, which was sung originally by two people named Flanders and Swann,” Dangersignal said and turned to the group, raising his left hoof and making a slow motion. He then turned.

Dangersignal: Miller's Dale for Tideswell ...

Dragonstorm: Kirby Muxloe ...

Dangersignal: Mow Cop and Scholar Green ...

Dragonstorm: No more will I go to Blandford Forum and Mortehoe 
On the slow train from Midsomer Norton and Mumby Road. 
No churns, no porter, no cat on a seat 
At Chorlton-cum-Hardy or Chester-le-Street. 
We won't be meeting again 
On the Slow Train.

Dangersignal: I'll travel no more from Littleton Badsey to Openshaw. 
At Long Stanton I'll stand well clear of the doors no more. 
No whitewashed pebbles, no Up and no Down 
From Formby Four Crosses to Dunstable Town. 
I won't be going again 
On the Slow Train.

Dragonstorm: On the Main Line and the Goods Siding 
The grass grows high 
At Dog Dyke, Tumby Woodside 
And Trouble House Halt.

Dangersignal: The Sleepers sleep at Audlem and Ambergate. 
No passenger waits on Chittening platform or Cheslyn Hay. 
No one departs, no one arrives 
From Selby to Goole, from St Erth to St Ives. 
They've all passed out of our lives 
On the Slow Train, on the Slow Train.

Dragonstorm: Cockermouth for Buttermere ... on the Slow Train

Dangersignal: Armley Moor Arram ...

Dragonstorm: Pye Hill and Somercotes ... on the Slow Train,

Dangersignal: Windmill End.

The song ended and everyone stared. A song that was somber in a celebration? It was unheard of and could be considered by many to be wrong. Rainbow Dash stepped up and said that the song was an after thought, based on what Dangersignal saw during his time in England.

“Anyway, let’s continue with uplifting music,” she cheered.

The cheer was picked up and the party lasted another four hours. Afterwards, the humans, two Alicorns and Pegasus made their way back to the Baltimare Hotel after packing up all their equipment. Dangersignal and Rainbow Dash rode in the brake-van. They stayed in silence before Dangersignal spoke up.

“Will you…” he began. “Will you be there for me?”

“Always,” came the reply.

He smiled. “Thank you.”

“No, thank you for being prince charming,” she said.

The two made small talk all the way back. After shunting the wagon, coach and brake van away, and closing everything for the night, Dangersignal sat out on the quayside, looking towards the stars. Rainbow Dash joined him and the two curled up under the starlit skies. Watching them were two pale looking figures, standing under a lamp.

“We’ve raised them well,” one said.

“We have indeed,” another said.

The figures vanished into the darkness and a quiet happiness reigned over the sleeping ponies.

> 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.

> Chapter 12
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 12

Summer struck Equestria like a rather fierce sword blow. Ponies were traveling more than ever before and the crews were feeling the strains! Trains were running every hour, on the hour and the stresses were taking their tolls. Jordon managed to get his hand caught between two carriage buffers, Dangersignal broke his rear left leg when he jumped onto a moving train and everyone’s tempers were on hair triggers.

However, they were grateful when a rather calmed down Lightning Dust signed on, as a way to make up for her egotistical mistakes that could have caused Rainbow Dash’s friends their lives. It was also a way for the two to bury old bodies and wash themselves of the past. Once that was done, the two worked so well, that Dangersignal admitted that they could easily give him a run for his money on express passenger trains!

The worst affected by the sudden summer rush was the fleet of locomotives. Even with volunteers taking driving and firing lessons, the 119 locomotives were pressed into service, with the crews having to work harder than anything.

“We can’t keep straining everything,” Dragonstorm huffed. “If things get any worse, then we’ll have to either cancel services or force crews to take more trains than we had intended them to take.”

“Let’s go for doing what we can,” Dangersignal said. “We can only do what we can.”

Dragonstorm growled at his older brother, who was telling him to sit on his tail. Deciding against a fight during this stressful time, Dragonstorm trudged off to bed. In the morning, there came a deep roar that rattled the windows!

“What in the name of moonlights!” Dragonstorm cried.

Dangersignal and Rainbow Das were flying towards the sounds, both believing that some hideous monster had come to ruin all the fun. Glancing down, Dangersignal was struck by a cloud of…steam? Rainbow Dash looked down and managed to get over to her fiancée, and after clearing the steam cloud from his front, she told him that she noticed another steam engine.

“That can’t be!” he said. “There are no other steam engines that our human friends have stored away! They’re all here!”

“Well, there’s another engine working on the railway,” she replied.

The two dropped to get a better view, but instead were finding it hard to keep pace with the bucketing train and eventually the brake coach plunged into the tunnel leading towards Canterlot station. Dangersignal looked at Rainbow Dash and was about to say something when a streak of silver, black, orange and fiery red blasted out of the tunnel and headed towards Baltimare.

“Okay, either we’re both crazy, or that was another train,” Dangersignal said.

“That was most certainly another train,” Rainbow Dash said.

The two were now bewildered, but they soon heard a clanking noise. Both turned to see the same “sunset” coming back towards them. On the tender stood a person that the two recognized well.

“Jordon!” they cried.

“You likey?” he asked as the engine drew to a stop.

“Mind explaining all the random trains running at odd hours?” Dangersignal and Rainbow Dash asked, both now thoroughly confused and ticked.

“I wrote my American friends, who had a smaller fleet of engines, fifteen to be precise. They wanted to aide us in this venture and provide a fact to all the Equestrians that a railway is a team effort,” the human explained.

“Ah, that explains a lot,” Dangersignal said.

“Right, now we have plenty to do,” Jordon said. “You two are needed for weather duties. We can handle ourselves. Evidently, the weather manager wants you two to take care of a slight rainstorm outside Horseshoe Bay. He asked for Dangersignal, seeing as he can help with weather control, being a Pegasus.”

The clanking resumed and the train was soon plunging into the darkness, with the red lamps glowing for a few minutes, then disappearing as well. The two could only look at each other, bewildered.

“But Alicorns can’t control the weather!” Rainbow Dash protested. “It’s not their duties!”

“Well, I guess I could prove my versatility,” came the reply. 

Rainbow Dash shrugged and the two flew off. At the cloud storage facilities, the manager was waiting for the two, impatiently and was ready to chew them out, but when he realized that one of them was an Alicorn, he lost his insults in his stomach. He had only expected two pegasi, but that was soon shot down.

“Sorry we’re late,” Dangersignal said. “We got tied up with some other affairs that needed tending to. Now, I take it you want us to go and handle the rainstorm at Horseshoe Bay?” Dangersignal asked.

“Yes,” he said.

The two took several clouds and hurried away. It would be great practice for the Alicorn to get used to doing other tasks around Equestria, as well as working on the railway. However, the Alicorn seemed to be of two minds, as Rainbow Dash noted.

“Something up?” she asked.

“Huh? Oh, nothing’s up, except us,” he returned. 

However, she wasn’t convinced. She wanted to get to the bottom of this mystery.

> Chapter 13
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 13

The rainstorm that the two were scheduled to create was soon done and they rested on their respective clouds. Dangersignal gave a defeated sigh and closed his eyes. He simply wanted to forget that deed and continue with his simple existence.

“Hey, Danger, mind explaining why your starting to shut the world out?” Rainbow Dash asked, moving her cloud closer to his.

“It’s about the claim to fame that I gained here in Equestria,” he sighed. “The one about me fighting Sombra off and being considered a threat to him.”

“Yeah, I know that story, but it sounds too good to be true,” she said.

“Well, this is the first time your hearing the events,” he said. “It was while Princess Cadence was being married to Shining Armor. I was given the responsibility to keep peace at the Crystal Empire, when it returned, and before the two who run it came back from Canterlot. Celestia and Luna had trusted me to do my utmost to protect the crystal ponies.”

“And you did a good job,” Rainbow Dash said.

“That was a complete fluke though,” Dangersignal continued. “I was actually getting my sorry horn and wings handed to me on a silver platter. I had a cut that ran the length of my forehead and the blood streamed into my eyes, stinging them and forcing me to squeeze them shut. All I could do was swing blindly and from what I was told later in hospital, taking stitches in the wings and forehead was that Sombra ran off, bleeding and several bones broken.”

“Ah, but didn’t you suffer any other injuries during the fight?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Well, as a matter of fact; my front legs were broken, my rear left leg joint was out of socket, my armor was shattered and several large pieces were lodged into different parts of my body, I had a sword lodged between my skull and ear and I was losing tons of blood,” Dangersignal sighed. “I simply did what I could do before blacking out, either waiting for an ambulance or death to find me.”

Rainbow Dash was impressed, but was also rather green from the descriptions of the wounds that he’d incurred while doing that job for Luna and Celestia. However, he seemed to be the kind that nothing phased him. It was something that made her want to pry a little deeper into his secrets and figure him out, but she was afraid of becoming sick. He was the kind that could describe complete destruction without feeling anything, too.

“I want to ask you one thing,” Rainbow Dash quavered out. “If you can answer it without getting upset or making want to lose my lunch.”

“Sure, fire at will,” he replied.

“How can you be so calm when you see death coming towards you?” she asked.

“After seeing fellow guards and soldiers fall around me, my stomach became hardened to that. Also, I saw pictures of a place called Quintinshill. An estimated 226 people were killed when a troop train slammed into a local train, and a sleeper express smashed into the wreckage. Due to the coaches having gas lighting and being constructed of wood, they were ablaze in four seconds flat. The main cause of the accident was poor signalmen practices and laxity in the fireman of the local train in carrying out Rule 55, which we use to protect trains,” He returned.

“That bad?” she asked again.

“Worse, as many of the bodies couldn’t be identified as their identification cards and other belongings were completely burned in the accident. Three men were tried, and two were convicted of the crime while one wasn’t,” Dangersignal went on. “But there are accidents that are caused by fatigued men and poor company practices.”

“Oh, like what?”

“Hawes Junction, on December 24th, 1910. An overworked signalman forgot he had two light engines waiting behind the starter signal and when he pulled the signal “off” for the express, the two waiting “light” engines moved off and the express followed onwards, catching up with the two “light” engines and smashing into them and killing twelve passengers,” Dangersignal said. “Anymore and you’ll want to either cry or look for a trash can to empty your stomach.”

Rainbow Dash agreed and the two left the empty clouds behind, getting ready for another job. However that was shot down quickly when a purple Alicorn with a dark purple and regular pink colored mane and tail popped up from underneath some clouds, looking intensely cold and glaring at Dangersignal, who simply stood there, not even blinking.

“What do you think your doing with Dash?” The purple Alicorn demanded.

“We’re spending time together,” Rainbow Dash replied. “Lighten up, Twilight.”

“When your with him, it’s Princess Twilight Sparkle!” she retorted sharply.

“Do you have a problem with me?” Dangersignal asked.

“You!?” Princess Twilight Sparkle snapped. “Yes! You ditched your position as our guard to chase this long dead dream of upgrading the network!”

“It was Celestia and Luna’s orders,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Convinced you, did he?” came the sharp reply.

Before Dangersignal could reply, a bright white Alicorn cropped up. All three knew who it was.

“Princess Celestia,” they said, calmly, bowing down.

“That’s alright, you don’t need to bow every time you see me,” she chuckled. “Anyway, no-one needs to be at war with anyone else. He’s been finding his talent, since he had no Cutie Mark for the longest time and now he’s found it. While it may seem like he’s betraying you, it’s orders and to him, orders are orders and he’s been known to follow them to the letter.”

Dangersignal nodded. Celestia continued.

“Besides, he’s not exactly keeping himself out of death’s sights,” Celestia pointed out. “Railway locomotives and unbraked wagons are considered unpredictable and things could easily get worse.”

Princess Twilight Sparkle had a skeptical eye on Dangersignal, who was going whiter than snow, and his eyes were wide with the horror that a certain name would be uttered.

“Chapel-en-le-Frith,” Celestia breathed.

“What?” came the quizzical reply of the younger princess and Pegasus.

“Chapel-en-le-Frith,” Dangersignal stammered out at last, “Is a famous accident where a goods train ran away, after the steam pipe connected to the driver’s brake handle came loose and began filling the cab with scalding steam. The driver, John Axon ordered his fireman to jump for safety and attempt to pin the brakes on the wagons. While the fireman did so, John Axon was trying to fight for control, while he had a banking engine pushing the train, with the crew unaware of the problems in the cab of the engine at the front. From there, the goods train, with no locomotive brakes ran away. The guard on the runaway pinned the brakes in his van, but that did no good.”

He stopped to catch breath and collect his thoughts. Color was starting to return to him slowly and his eyes now trying hard to not show tears of respect for a man who had died, trying to save lives. He soon continued.

“At Chapel-en-le-Frith, there was a slow goods train and a DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) waiting in the station. The station staff had been warned and evacuated the DMU. There was no time to warn the guard of the slower goods train, as by the time anyone could have warned them, there was the runaway. All the station staff could do was evacuate the station themselves. The runaway ploughed into the brake-van of the slower goods train, killing both the guard of the slower train and Driver John Axon. The runaway goods train was completely wrecked, while the slower goods train had not suffered as much damage and it was shoved some 600 yards ahead, with the shock of the accident knocking some of the wagons off the rails. He‘s remembered as a hero, despite his deadly circumstances.”

Silence reigned, like a mighty king. No-one said anything as there was nothing to say. Dangersignal bowed his head in a respectful silence to the person who had shown that you don’t need to have magic or superpowers to be a hero, but that you have a determination to stay and fight, even if it’s a battle that your losing, that you have the power to turn the tides and save lives, even if you end up dead. 

At last, Twilight Sparkle looked at Dangersignal, who was quietly glancing down, watching ponies play at the beaches. Rainbow Dash was laying on his back, feeling safe and smiling, also looking down at the beachgoers. Silence still reigned, but it was Twilight Sparkle who broke it.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “It was that I’m so used to plans going accordingly and this was supposed to be a grand occasion, having the one who fought off Sombra acting as my body guard, but to hear that you went a different route made me…”

“I understand,” came the reply. “It’s how things turned out. You needn’t worry. I can still do guard duties when not needed for any tasks. Sound good?”

That was agreed upon and no more was said on any topic at all.

> Chapter 14
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 14

Time went by in a blur. A new branch line was constructed, running to Horseshoe Bay, which was drawing more holidaymakers than anything. Timetables were more accommodating for this, but it became clear that the network was going to be growing faster than ever. It became necessary to find an engine that was available to run the line in the fleet of engines.

“I have a suggestion of letting the BR Standard 4 2-6-4 MT Tank run the branch line,” Alistair said. “We can spare the engine right now, and it’s the right size to do that work.”

“But we may stress it out quickly,” Dragonstorm butted in. “We need to do something.”

“We have plans to built an LMS Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0 for this branch line to handle the heavier goods trains on that line, as well as the longer tourist trains,” Jordon said.

As they talked, Jaisson brought up a date that was fast approaching. To many people, who knew the history of British Railway steam traction and the fate of many dear engines that have given years of service, this was the best send off they could have had. 

“You know that Saturday, August 11th is coming up, and fast,” he said. “And on that day in 1968, a train called the “Fifteen Guinea Special” ran, as a last hurrah to our steaming workhorses. No pun intended of course.”

“None taken,” Rainbow Dash replied, smiling. “Besides, it’d be an experience to work on a memorial train.”

“You mean a “last hurrah” train?” her fiancée asked.

“We’ll call it that,” she said. “But I’d like to think that we’re running it in memory of those old engines who gave years of service.”

“Ah, yes,” Dangersignal smiled. “Anyway, plans for the run?”

That took up a great deal of time, but one part was agreed upon-That Dangersignal and Rainbow Dash, with the Black 5 would run the service as far as Appleloosa, where another engine would run to Dodge City and onwards. There would be engine changes where needed and the ponies could experience something that people paid money to ride on for the last time.

“Now, do we want to make the engines look pretty for the run or not?” Keyth asked.

“Not really,” Dangersignal said. “If we let them build grime and dirt, then they’d look like they should during the final hours of steam traction.”

That was agreed upon and plans were set in motion. The engine roster was soon created and the train was arranged. It was also planned that Dragonstorm would explain the history of the Fifteen Guinea Special, with the others taking up positions as crews on the locomotives, painted and decked out in their traditional British Railways liveries.

“I must say one thing though,” Lightning Dust said, coming up. She was sweating and looked to be absolutely dry.

Alistair got her water and she downed it, without stopping to savor it. While he continued to give her water to cool her down, she looked at Dangersignal.

“That livery looks hideous. It hides grime and the engines looks like it couldn’t draw the attention of a fruit fly, let alone the crowds for this journey. Now, I want to know one thing, is your brain working properly, or did you leave it at that Blandford Forum?”

“It’s working,” he said. “Besides, this is something out of the ordinary here.”

She could only sigh and look at Dragonstorm, who was moving buckets and paint brushes with his horn. He was chortling all the way to the station, where the Black 5 was waiting, it’s fire dropped, so as not to set the paint on fire or cause trouble.

Lightning Dust rolled her eyes and trotted off to help with the painting of the locomotive. It was going to be a long job and everyone had to do what they could. Dangersignal arranged with printers to have flyers made, advertising the event. 

> Chapter 15
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 15

The great day came at long last. Everyone worked hard to get things ready and make sure that the trains were stocked with all the necessary goods. Of course, the British Railways liveries that the engines pulling the train didn’t draw any crowds, mainly due to it’s unappealing color. No body cared until the clock struck 9:10 am, in which ponies arrived to purchase tickets.

To the surprise of Dangersignal and Rainbow Dash, Princess Luna boarded the train, with Battery Sergeant Major Shaydefire. Normally, she’d be asleep, getting ready to raise the moon and work night shifts. They weren’t complaining though. If she wanted to experience the last hurrah, then let her.

“Think we can give our fair Knightengale maiden a smooth journey?” Dangersignal asked, smiling broadly.

“You bet!” Rainbow Dash chuckled.

Once the passengers were onboard and the last door had shut, Jordon raised his green flag and blasted his guard’s whistle.

“RIGHT AWAY!” Rainbow Dash shouted, then turned to Dangersignal. “We’ve got the flag!”

“Right.”

Then, using his magic, he touched the whistle lever, the Black 5 giving off it’s signature bellow. With some skill and a gentle touch on the regulator, the train moved off, gingerly swaying. Soon, the train was moving along, wind racing passed the cab and the engine singing a merry tune on the rails.

The coaches were rolling smoothly along, their wheels singing an even merrier tune. As they reached Canterlot, Dangersignal used the signal to give two blasts on the whistle, letting signalmen and station staff know that the train wasn’t stopping at the station.

As the train rolled through the station, there was a surprise. The Ivatt class 2 2-6-2T was coupled to a small train of GWR Celestory coaches that had been built some months ago, to handle the increasing tourist traffic. It was set up as a commuter train, that was on it’s own last journey.

“Well, I guess it’s “Hurrah to steam!” day instead being our little “Fifteen Guinea Special” train day,” Rainbow Dash said.

“It’s splendid all the same,” Dangersignal said. “Railway men and even some of us railway ponies want to show respect to the engines that have fallen in the name of progress. Sometimes, when out on night runs, we even say that their ghosts watch us from sidings and bay platforms, pleased that we are showing the world that steam engines aren’t just outdated kettles.”

“Ghosts?” Rainbow Dash said. “I’ve not seen any ghost trains.”

“That’s because they’re non-existent over here, as there was never a fatal train wreck,” Dangersignal said. “Now, there have been countless fatal train wrecks around the rest of the world. Count your lucky clouds.”

Rainbow Dash agreed and continued to check the water and toss coal on the fire. Other trains passed and she waved to the crews, but soon, the platform starter was at danger at Ponyville Station.

“What’s up?” Dangersignal quizzed as he shut off steam and coasted the train into the station.

Standing on the platform was Jaisson, who was looking rather irritated.

“A goods train to Appleloosa has gone off the rails. The engine had no crew and ran away, with empty vans for the freshly harvested apples, but the goods had no brake-van and the whole train tipped just outside the junction where the line splits to go to Appleloosa or Dodge City,” Jaisson told the two driving ponies. “I’ve arranged for Alistair and Keyth to take over and run the train to the other destinations. I’ll explain to the passengers. You two better get a drink from the station café.”

“We don’t dare leave the engine until it’s brakes are secured, then we’ll take it in turns, especially if we have an engine taking over from us,” Dangersignal said. “Against regulations, you know.”

“Oh, forget the regulations this once!” Jaisson snorted once he climbed into the engine’s cab. “I’ll tend the engine!”

“You need to actually listen to him, dear,” Rainbow Dash said, leading Dangersignal towards the café. “The rules are all good, but you need to have some semblance of logic. We all want to see the passengers transported safely, but sticking to the rules day in and day out is going to create you enemies you don’t want.”

Dangersignal finally gave in and promised Rainbow Dash that he’d learn to have fun and only use the rules when they applied. It pained him to give up something that he based his entire life around, but if it kept his friends closer than his enemies, then he was all for it. The two made their way to the café, while Jaisson explained the situation to the passengers. 

They grumbled about the delays, but Jaisson paid them no attention. Instead, he spent his time making arrangements for an engine to take the train. Once that had been sorted out, the resident LMS Garratt came to rescue the train. While it never took part in the “Fifteen Guinea Special” being withdrawn in June of 1955, but it would suffice and the “Official train spotter” types could stow it!

In the café, Dangersignal and Rainbow Dash were enjoying herbal tea and several biscuits. The two never had a chance to plan out their wedding day, due to them having to work hard on the railway. After all, they didn’t have enough men to take over their duties yet. Now that they had plenty of time, arrangements would be made.

“Well, we do need to tell your friends in person, rather than by invitation,” Dangersignal said. “I heard from you that Twilight was absolutely ticked about getting the information on a piece of paper, rather than from her brother.”

“Good point,” she said. “But I must ask you, what about the railway?”

“Jaisson and his company are handling arrangements to find volunteers who want to leave their dead end careers and work with us, that way I don’t have to get dirty on a daily basis and put my life on the line all the time,” Dangersignal said. “In fact, today was my official “end-of-service” day, which allows me to run the railway as the controller and train guards for Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends.”

“Awesome!” Rainbow Dash cheered.

As they ate, drank and planned, the two believed that things would be looking up and that their human friends could look after the railway and run it efficiently.

> Chapter 16
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 16

Things were indeed looking up. Not only for Dangersignal, but for Dragonstorm, who was now in love with Lightning Dust. The railway had gained more humans, who were not only drivers and firemen, but firelighters, signalmen, shunters, station staff, maintenance men and relief crews.

Dangersignal took up his guard position, this time as the head of the guard unit assigned to protect Princess Twilight Sparkle and her team-Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Discord. As for the “relationships”-Rarity and Dangersignal never saw eye to eye; Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Princess Twilight Sparkle, and Fluttershy had “working relations”-meaning that they only said good morning to each other and Dangersignal gave a full report to whomever he saw first; he and Rainbow Dash were engaged to be married; but Discord was a whole different deck of cards.

The two had a relationship that Jaisson called “touching the wrong nerve”. The main reason being that Dangersignal and Discord were enemies and Dangersignal was not only very officious, doing everything by the book, but he was headstrong and rather stubborn.

“He’s giving Duck a run for his money, in terms of being headstrong,” Jaisson told the group one night, while their Alicorn guard was training Thestrals in how to give a full and accurate report.

“Who is Duck?” Rarity asked? “Whoever this “Duck” is, he must be a handsome knight in shining armor!”

“Uh, Rarity, Duck is a GWR 5700 pannier tank engine, original running number was 5741, before become NWR’s number 8,” Alistair said.

“A steam engine?” came the chorused answer. “He’s a steam engine?”

“Yes, but a couple of his characteristics are that he is stubborn, headstrong and doesn’t take anything sitting down,” Jordon added. “The same traits that Dangersignal exhibits from time to time. Sometimes I wonder if his headstrongness is going to lead to him being killed.”

“I should hope not,” Fluttershy whimpered. “That would be…”

But she said no more, as tears came into her eyes. Discord comforted her while the others came up with plans to make him see sense, without there being any injury. Of course, one part of the plan drew objections from Princess Twilight.

“I am not going to give him an order to make good with Discord!” she protested. “It isn’t right and there is no possible outcome that would be beneficial to any party involved!”

“If you manage this,” Rainbow Dash said. “Then we’ll let you all in on a little secret that he and I have.”

That of course got everyone to question her as if she was the prime suspect in a murder. All Rainbow Dash did was chortle and flew off, telling them that either they used some “pressure” from the leader or there would be some rather interesting news in the papers.

“I don’t think that this is right,” Twilight said.

“It’s the best option, dear,” Rarity said.

Princess Twilight finally gave in, and tried to find Dangersignal. To her surprise, he was hard to find and even with wings, she still couldn’t spot him. As for the officious Alicorn himself, he was off training the guards in how to fight with weapons or magic.

The guards who he was training had the greatest respect for him, so it was easy to teach them, unlike a fresh crew who arrived to handle the nightly mail service and thought they knew better. He needed things to be easier on him, after finding out that he was to be a bodyguard to Discord himself.

‘How repulsive!’ he thought. ‘I’m to guard that villainous serpent! No, serpent is too good a term for him-the low down, conniving, dirty…’

His thoughts were going off on a tirade, but he was dismissing the guards to tend to the castle. He wanted to be alone and put his mind at ease. He soon heard a shout and glanced up to see the princess he was protecting coming towards him.

“There you are,” she said.

“What do you want?” he asked, ready to receive orders.

“I actually want you to bury old grudges with Discord,” she replied. “He’s changed his tune and while this maybe hard for you to accept, starting over will at least make having friends a lot easier.”

“Really?” he asked, unconvinced. “Last time I tried that, when I was in a Canterlot school, that came back to bite me hard!”

“I know what that’s like,” she said. “But you need to actually learn that people, ponies or Draconequus as the case maybe, can change.”

“That’s something I can believe only when I see it,” Dangersignal snorted. “And it’s going to take a lot of convincing!”

“Yet you believed the humans when you were trying to find your cutie mark?” she asked.

“They were connections of Celestia’s!” Dangersignal protested, now getting his feathers in a knot.

Princess Twilight managed to cool him down with some well chosen phrases and after getting a promise that he would try to patch things with Discord, she flew off. If patching things got her and other friends off his back, then he was all for it.

That night, he slept badly. He kept seeing flames, smashed passenger coaches, screams and cries for help coming from the injured and dying passengers. All he could do was watch, frozen to the spot with fear. Then he was plunged into complete darkness. He began to feel something he never felt before, fear.

Scared beyond belief, his eyes flew open and he was sweating rivers. He took a shaky breath and looked at his clock. 3:45 am, and he didn’t take up guard duties for another three hours. He closed his eyes, and fell back into his troubled sleep. No nightmare was going to hold him back from his duties.

When he next came to, it was 7:45 and sunlight flooded the room. He was scrambling out of bed and over to where his armor was and getting it on when there came a knock. In a hurry and not wanting to delay himself anymore, he shouted “Come in!”

“Well, I never thought you’d be late to your day off,” came a wry chuckle.

Dangersignal turned and standing there, in his glory was Battle Sergeant Major Shaydefire. The Alicorn’s jaw dropped and he stared.

“How…but…what?” he stammered about, trying to get his mind wrapped around this. 

“I talked with Princess Luna and my Commanding Officer, who agreed to have me transferred here, and it was agreed that you’d have time off for me to get used to working here,” he said.

“But Thestrals and daylight…” Dangersignal asked.

“We’re just like regular ponies, but are considered to be monsters as we like it at night, but we can work day shift,” Shaydefire chuckled. “I’m to learn the ropes for both shifts, in case your needed for any kind of emergency. By the way, do you remember the Thestral who got his wings in a twist when Luna visited you while you were overseeing the upgrading of the railway network?”

“Yes,” Dangersignal said.

“Well, when they visited you, it was the middle of broad daylight and it didn’t affect him at all,” Shaydefire said. “Princess Twilight Sparkle needs you for something.”

Dangersignal nodded. He placed the armor back in it’s rightful place and trotted off to find the princess after Shaydefire made his way to take care of the guards. The Alicorn was not exactly looking forward to the proposition of being friends with Discord. 

> Chapter 17
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 17

Dangersignal was looking around, hoping that he’d run into his fiancée rather than Discord. Right now, he wanted to have a word with her about this hairbrained scheme that Princess Twilight Sparkle had finally hatched.

‘Maybe Rainbow Dash would be able to sort me out,’ he thought. ‘I really need her. Scratch that, I really need friends. I can’t keep pretending that things are all right when they aren’t.’

His thoughts began to flood his mind again, which meant that his attentions were elsewhere. Rounding a corner in the main hall of Twilight’s Castle, he crashed into Applejack, who was also lost in thought. Without any armor on, no-one scored any injuries, which was lucky. The two quickly untangled themselves and backed up, making sure the other was to form, with all their accessories.

“Pardon me,” Dangersignal said. “You look like your lost in the forest of your thoughts.”

“Same to ya,” came Applejack’s response. “Y’all might need to drink something to steady yer nerves.”

Dangersignal nodded. Applejack then eyed him, nodding to herself at intervals. It was forty minutes before either moved and the movements were that of Dangersignal moving to the side to allow Applejack to pass. Once she was clear, Dangersignal made his way to the “Tea room”-a room on the second floor of the castle, where the guards who were not on duty or on break sat to relax.

Weapons of any kind, if an Earth Pony or Pegasus are using them can weigh upwards of twenty to thirty pounds and be a real strain on the muscles. Alicorns and Unicorns are easily able to handle the heavy weapons as they can use magic, but when it comes to fighting, magic isn’t going to be a help; so, as often as possible, the Alicorns and Unicorns practice moving around, carrying the weapons in hoof.

Dangersignal, after spending a fair amount of time as Princess Celestia and Princess Luna’s Elite Guard, had gotten used to the pain and tiredness of the muscles from carrying heavy weapons. He had also trained himself to not rely on his Alicorn magic as much, as he knew it wouldn’t be helpful that much (his dealings with Sombra proved that theory, but it nearly cost him his life).

All the stretching and getting used to pain had meant that his reactions to feeling anything from a simple collision between two ponies were slower, and didn’t even register with him. His collision with Applejack proved that to him. He was thinking of Applejack’s odd behavior. Normally, the apple farmer wasn’t one to be doing all the nodding to herself and making mental notes; instead, she’d either be talking about apples or having a simple duel with Rainbow Dash to show who was better at being a tough guy, or tough gal pony.

‘Either I’m losing my mind, or Applejack and Twilight traded minds,’ Dangersignal thought. ‘Must be Discord’s doing? Where is he?’

As he entered the Tea Room, Applejack came running up.

“There’s been some chaos at Ponyville Station, a train of wagons were left blocking the passenger line, whatever that means,” the apple farmer said.

Dangersignal galloped off to the station to see a line of wagons blocking the points that allow goods trains to cross to the passenger lines when need be. He noticed that the wagon on the points, a box van that looks like a doghouse was off the rails, it’s wheel jammed in the points.

“Blasted salt van is “off” and “jammed” in the points,” he hissed. “There’s no way I can get it out without damaging the points. Passenger trains are just stuck.”

Dangersignal was ready to give in when he saw Discord coming his way with Applejack, A dark red stallion with a bright green apple on his flank. Dangersignal looked beside them and there was the Jinty coming along the passenger line, light engine. On the goods line, the Black 5 was shunting a crane.

Glancing back, towards where the line ran onto the Apple City Junction, his eyes nearly fell out of their sockets. The Robinson O2 2-8-0 and LMS Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2T were coming up, the large tank engine with another crane and a coach of work ponies.

“A “jammed” wagon?” Alistair called from the cab of the O2.

“Aye,” Dangersignal called back.

“Well, we can have it out without damage,” Dragonstorm said. “Hopefully.”

Dangersignal watched as the firemen of the light engines uncoupled the wagons that were next to the “jammed” wagon. Applejack and the stallion gave the motion to move the wagons away-a circular hoof/arm motion away from the body. With a toot on the whistles, the two “wagon rescue” engines moved slowly away and then, the cranes were moved into position. 

Discord moved in alongside Dangersignal and asked him how tightly the wagon was jammed.

“It’s fairly well jammed. If we could get some boards and stones, we can create a jimmy and have the wheel freed, with minimal to no damage to the points,” Dangersignal said.

With a snap of the fingers, Dangersignal saw boards and stones stacked neatly alongside the jammed wheels. With motions and careful working, Dangersignal and Discord had the wheels up and resting on the planks.

The cranes were positioned to guide the wagon and help keep it from jamming in the other points. Another engine was sent for to perform the wagon rescue.

“I hope that this works,” Dangersignal said. “This is something I’ve never attempted before and have no knowledge of.”

“Take a load off your mind,” Discord said.

“Why would I?” came the reply.

“Because life’s no fun when your stressed,” Discord chortled. “After all, I helped Celestia with banishing your old commanding officers. Oh the fun I had.”

Dangersignal thought that maybe Discord had changed, but he started to notice something else…every single pony and human were in costume. The men carried out the rescue while the Alicorn looked around.

“It’s Nightmare Night already?” he asked.

“Indeed it is,” Discord said.

Dangersignal said nothing. When the wagon was back on the rails, the Alicorn carried out an inspection and noticed that the wheels were damaged from being “jammed” in the points.

“Well, we’ll need a well wagon to carry the damaged wagon to the workshops to have the wheel sets replaced,” he said. “Right now, we need to get things settled and have the road cleared for the Horseshoe Bay Firebird.”

The cranes and wagon were moved into sidings and the lines were cleared in time. A heavy pounding noise, fallowed by a roar as the express blasted through the station. Once the train disappeared, men and ponies inspected the pointwork and some of the rails where the damaged wagon had been dragged along.

While all that was being tended to, Dangersignal looked around and headed to the castle, where he was to take up his guard duties. Hopefully the night sky might actually clear his mind and some walking around would help that process.

When he arrived, he was told by Shaydefire that the night shift would cover the day shift, allowing for the Alicorn to rest up after he overused his brain.

“Some sleep, from my experience,” he said. “helps clear your mind as well, my old friend.”

With that, Dangersignal headed off to bed.

> Chapter 18
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 18

The next morning, when Dangersignal woke, he looked at the calendar. Rainbow Dash woke to see her fiancée standing there, eyes wide in surprise. She came up to see the calendar and her eyes were still shut. To Dangersignal, It showed two weeks to Nightmare Night!

“What? How…it…I…unbelievable!” he spluttered.

Rainbow Dash couldn’t say anything as well after Dangersignal explained the events that happened on "Nightmare Night". She was trying to wrack her brain and wake up, in hopes that an answer would come to her. Her eyes soon lit up and she began laughing heartily. Dangersignal turned to her, bewildered beyond belief.

“Discord!” she laughed. “He pulled a fast one!” 

Dangersignal just about eye ticked! He and Discord had never been ones to be friends, but he soon started laughing as well.

“I guess I can’t stay angry at him forever!” he said, after taking on a fresh supply of air.

Rainbow Dash smiled and kissed him on the cheek. He went redder than his fur coat. Looking around, he sighed. Nobody saw them kiss. Being in love was one thing, but the two exchanging kisses like section tablets would have been rather embarrassing. After he finished his “danger signal” appearance, Dangersignal took up his armor and walked out to attend to his guard duties.

As he passed the others on his way to “accept duty shift” from Shaydefire, he gave them a smile and greeted them warmly. To them, it was both a relief and a surprise that he’d be smiling, after last night’s fiascos. However, things weren’t going to look good in twenty minutes.

He arrived to “accept duty shift” from Shaydefire, who had a message for the Alicorn captain.

“Flash Sentry has been transferred here to take over for you, while you handle the Railway affairs,” the Thestral Battery Sergeant Major explained. “Besides, I’ve requested that an old friend of mine, Captain Stormstrike, another Thestral. You’ve been asked for by Jaisson and Princess Cadence to go and rescue a stranded mixed, whatever that is.”

“On it,” Dangersignal said, and disappeared to remove the armor, then he headed off to the station, where Jaisson was waiting with the L&YR Class 31 0-8-0 tender engine.

Once aboard the cab, Jaisson reversed the engine to collect the train. The engine was having balancing issues and by the time they had arrived, the two looked ready to puke. Once they had collected their stomachs and the train, Jaisson advanced the regulator and the train headed off.

‘Mixed trains’ are not typical in the sense that they are all coaches or all trucks. The train is made up of both trucks and coaches. The coaches had to be in the front, as the coach’s vacuum pipes had to be connected to the locomotive. The unbraked wagons were being protected by four brake vans-two between the lead wagon and brake coach and two on the end of the train.

After the guard gave the crew the “green” and the “Right Away”, things went wrong. The engine began rocking and rolling violently and the trucks were not properly ‘pinned’, which caused them to snatch and bang about. The coaches were overloaded, making it hard for the engine to move them, but when the engine reached the gradient, Jaisson applied the brakes, but there was a grinding, then a metallic sheering noise.

“Our brakes have failed!” he yelled.

Quickly, Dangersignal found the reverse wheel and turned it hard over. Jaisson shut regulator and screwed down the tender brakes. The engine began to rock and the train gathered speed. Not wanting to risk any of the passengers lives, Dangersignal jumped onto the tender and using magic, he disconnected the front coach’s coupling and  brake pipe.

The coaches brought the trucks to a stop, but the engine came off the rails at the curve leading into Equestria Canterlot station. Dangersignal leapt into the air, using his magic to pull Jaisson to safety when the engine started to lean. Both were in the air as the engine tipped and slid along the ground, plowing up a few feet of green grass and dirt.

“We were lucky,” Jaisson said. “Thank you for saving me.”

“No problem,” Dangersignal smiled.

Within the hour, cranes arrived as well as a very startled Rainbow Dash, Dragonstorm, Lightning Dust, Princess Twilight and her friends and even Princess Celestia.

“What in the name of Equestria and Brunel?” Dragonstorm demanded.

“Our engine lost all brakes and rocked violently, then tipped,” came Jaisson’s reply. “Dangersignal managed to uncouple the coaches and get me out when the engine tipped off the rails.”

“Very quick thinking indeed,” Alistair said, looking up at the Alicorn who was landing.

“No problem,” came the reply. “It’s all part of the job.”

Men and work ponies moved the cranes into place to rescue the damaged engine. Dangersignal seemed to be lost in the labyrinth of his thoughts. Celestia and the others had never seen him like that. When the engine was on the rails, Dangersignal jolted out of his thoughts with a cry of triumph.

“That’s it!”

Startled, everyone turned to look at him. He was grinning and being as careful as possible, he made his way to the engine and gestured to the front, which was mangled.

“We need to make this engine into a 2-8-2 wheel arrangement and balance the weights to make it stable on our steep gradients between the Crystal Empire and Canterlot, as well as being balanced enough to prevent the engine rocking like a seesaw,” Dangersignal said.

“You’re looney,” Jaisson said.

“So says the person who let me read the Railway Series,” Dangersignal retorted sharply. “Do you remember the Flying Kipper? Henry had a different shape, a cross between an Ivatt Atlantic and an LNER A0. After his accident, he was sent to Crewe and rebuilt into an LMS Black 5. Same thing with James, before he was rebuilt at Crovan‘s Gate! He was too front heavy and his leading pony truck didn‘t help matters, aiding in his derailment just outside Crosby when his wooden brakes caught fire.”

Jaisson soon realized what Dangersignal was saying and grinned broadly.

“You mean-give this engine an overhaul and a little bit of a different shape?” he asked the Alicorn.

“Correct,” Dangersignal said. “The works can have the engine in and out in three to four months.”

“I forgot about that!” he said. “You know we had to set it up at the Crystal Empire, as they were the best for carrying out repairs?”

“I knew,” Dangersignal said. “We need to have this repaired. The other 2 L&YR 31 0-8-0s are to be withdrawn from working on this gradient. We’ll leave one in “original” condition and the other will become a 2-8-0.”

“Good idea, then that way we can prevent more accidents,” Jaisson said.

The two filled in the group while men and ponies continued to rescue the damaged Class 31. When the road was clear and inspected to make sure it was safe, Alistair, Franklyn, Jordon and Tobias went up with the LNER P2 2-8-2 and the Robinson O2 2-8-0. A pair of freshly built NER class X 4-8-0Ts were coupled to the rear brake-van. The two tankies needed to be run in and this was as good a chance as any.

After the mixed train cleared section and the damaged train as well as the works train headed off to the shops, Dangersignal was lost in thought. He was thinking of a way to provide power from a smaller machine, thus allowing the bigger machines (minus the Garratts, which were needed for the longer and heavier trains) to be freed up for other services.

Deciding to think about that later, he looked at the rails and noticed something that was concerning indeed. They were spread like butter.

‘Must have happened after the trains passed over them,’ he thought.

Soon, track gangs came out and were replacing the rails and even talking about ways of upgrading the lines, to handle the greater volumes of traffic. Celestia went back to her castle and the rest went back to Princess Twilight’s castle, where Dangersignal went to find the answer to his problems. Sometimes having books would be a great thing, but he looked to a poster that had been made while he was in the UK.

The engine in the poster was “Foxcote Manor”-a member of the ever famous GWR Manor Class 4-6-0’s, often described as “Halls on a crash diet”. His eyes lit up brighter than any decoration!

“That‘s it!” he cried happily.

Finding a notebook, pen, and several books on the Great Western Manors, he began making notes of all his findings. When he finished, he checked the gradients towards the Crystal Empire, his grin widened till it reached both his ears.

“Manors would be a great idea,” he said to himself. “We have one, but if we could build a few more, maybe eleven more, then we’d be able to give them that route, thus allowing our other engines to runs the lines that connect to Hoofington, Las Pegasus, Trottingham, Saddle Arabia, Mustangia, Maretania, Maretonia, and so on down the map.”

He soon sat down and began drawing up the Manors and looking into names. If he were back in the UK, then he’d have famous British Manors to name the engines after, but he was in Equestria, which lacked much of the excitement. There were no famously named manors to name said engines after.

However, he was much more resourceful than most ponies gave him credit for and he had names and numbers for the nine addition Manors. Of course, he had to do the one thing that would satisfy his honor to his friends who’ve fallen and to soldiers and even other units who have had men fall in times of battle. The thing was to have to special Manors constructed for Royal Guard Supply Trains, much like how the British “War Department” built the 2-8-0s and 2-10-0s for heavy military supply goods, and the SR built the Q1 0-6-0s.

“They might not be any War Department locos, but they’ll suffice for the duties required of them,” Dangersignal said. “But we need to make sure that the blast pipe is the right size, and if we couple that with superheating technology and steam reusage pipes, then we can have these engines handle trains that 8Fs and WDs would be handling on a daily basis.

After getting the plans squared away and sent on their way to the workshops, Dangersignal turned a weary to my bed and snorted. He wasn’t going to sleep, instead he was going to take up night shift guard duties. He looked to a piece of paper and jotted down numbers and names for the manors that were being built and this is the list:

7830-Dodge City Manor
7831-Ponyville Manor
7832-Crystal Manor
7833-Trottingham Manor
7834-Canterlot Manor
7835-Las Pegasus Manor
7836-Baltimare Manor
7837-Fillydelphia Manor
7838-Cloudsdale Manor
7839-Celestial Manor
7840-Lunar Manor

“I know thirty were built, but we’re building these engines ourselves,” he said and left to accept his shift.

> Chapter 19
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 19

That night, Dangersignal was out patrolling the area when he heard something on the wind. Without a second thought as to what it could be, he used his magic and readied his weapon, a spear.

“Show yourself!” he ordered.

Silence. Dangersignal looked tensely around, his eyes scanning the pitch black night. There was no moon and no stars, so lighting was non-existent. He glanced around, then continued his patrol, with his weapon ready to strike down the intruder.

As he rounded the castle’s left wall, he saw something coming towards him. Not wasting any time, he grabbed his spear and used it as a baseball bat, to strike down his assailant. The mysterious attacker dodged and tackled him hard, causing him to tumble backwards.

Scrambling to his feet, he used his horn to create a light so he could see…a Pegasus wearing an explorer’s vest, explorer’s style hard had, had a light Khaki coat with a grayscale mane (Similar layers to Rainbow Dash’s, but in grays and blacks). The Pegasus had raspberry red eyes and wore a rather arrogant smile.

“I heard you were working with strange creatures,” she snarled.

Dangersignal bucked once, nailing her in the stomach and sending her flying. He didn’t have time to grab his weapon, so he simply used what he had available, which was his weight. Taking to the air, he lunged at the strange Pegasus and tackled her. He soon had her wings and front hooves pinned and he was behind her.

“Who are you and what do you want?” he hissed.

“Not telling you anything!” she spat, trying desperately to strike him.

The other guards were away, to assist Luna and Celestia with some diplomatic functions and Dragonstorm was away on a night goods to Maretonia. It was supposed to have been Dangersignal’s turn of duty, but after the derailment of the Seesaw 31, he had been moved back to guard duties.

Being alone made it difficult to be in forty places at once and do protection duties. With this intruder refusing to give her name and attacking him, he was neglecting his other duties. This was not helpful at all and if Twilight heard of this, then trouble would ensue, which would result in him being permanently relieved of duties.

“I can’t waste time with you!” the dark red Alicorn spat at the intruder and shoved her away. “Come back with some sense and maybe some sanity, then I’ll talk with you. Until then, buzz off!”

The intruder snarled and tried to attack Dangersignal while he was getting his weapon ready and straightening his armor, only to be tackled by someone else. Dangersignal swung round just in time to see Rainbow Dash and the intruder staring intently at each other, then smiling.

“Daring Do!” Rainbow Dash squeaked. “What brings you here?”

“Him,” Daring Do said, gesturing at me.

“What about him?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“I heard about those monsters he works with,” Daring Do replied.

“You mean his railway locomotives?” Rainbow Dash quizzed. “This Alicorn is not only a guard of this castle, but is the Controller of the Equestrian Railways.”

“Daring Do” scoffed and went off in a huff. Dangersignal thanked Rainbow Dash and after telling her to go back to bed, the Alicorn resumed guard duties. As he rounded the castle to guard the back wall, a whistle from a nightly goods sounded and the vibrations from the passing train soothed him.

He continued his rounds, and when Shaydefire came out to relieve him for the midnight watch, Dangersignal told him that nothing out of the ordinary happened. Once Shaydefire accepted duties, Dangersignal trundled off to bed.

‘Sleep sounds good right about now,’ Dangersignal thought.

As he trundled passed his brother’s door, he noticed that his brother was snoozing comfortably. That made him smile sweetly and he soon drifted off to sleep. He was out for what seemed to be forever, but it was only seven hours and when he awoke, he noticed “Daring Do” hovering above him.

“What do you want?” Dangersignal asked, ready to fight.

“This is for you,” she said, dropping a folded piece of paper on him.

He opened it and read, then he looked up at her.

“This is all we need,” he groaned. “Right, I need to be alone to make some arrangements. This is not what we stand for at all.

“Daring Do” merely shook her head and departed. Dangersignal checked all timetables and free engine rosters. When he had the right engine for the job, he found pen and paper, then wrote out the orders. 

Once that was all done, he sent them off, then headed downstairs. Rainbow Dash was waiting for him and once the others were back, they announced their engagement and the tentative date of the marriage. While it was big news, the others accepted it in style and were pleased.

Some days later, Dragonstorm and Lightning Dust told them the same news and again, they were congratulated.

Once again, the same two figures that had watched Dangersignal and Rainbow Dash at the harbor, watched the two brothers and their girls. They smiled at each other and disappeared into the darkness, finally pleased.

> Chapter 20
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 20

After all the announcements of marriages and with the railway growing and humans coming in to assist on the fleet, as well as more and more work ponies joining the ranks, it put Dangersignal’s mind at ease. Another thing that put his mind at ease was that Rainbow Dash was willing to help by acting as a message courier.

Dragonstorm took up being the Assistant Controller and Lightning Dust acted as a second message courier. During the time that the two couples were planning their marriage, the shops at the Crystal Empire had rolled out the eleven Manors needed to work the steep graded line to the Crystal Empire from Canterlot.

“Why’d you have these “Manor” engines built?” Rainbow Dash asked Dangersignal one day over doughnuts and cocoa. The others were joining them and were rather curious as well.

“Well Manors have a reputation for putting the Welsh Mountains in their place. They were basically smaller 4-6-0s to the Kings, Castles, Halls, Saints and Stars. When they were built, their blast pipe, which creates a vacuum that helps keep steam pressure were built slightly too big, which created all sorts of drafting problems. Later in 1951, the blast pipe was reduced by ½ an inch and couple that with a slightly tweaked superheater and you have an engine that could put most of the British Railway Standards to shame,” Dangersignal said.

“Ah, a regular mountain attacker,” Lightning Dust said. “Must have been a great class.”

“They were,” Dangersignal agreed. “However, only 30 were built and nine survive into preservation.”

To them, that was a real shock. After finding their tongues, Applejack asked about the LBSCR E2 class tank engines that she saw shunting around Baltimare harbor.

“Ten built, all ten scrapped by the end of something called WWII. In fiction, Thomas the Tank Engine himself is based on an E2 with Extended Side tanks, and is the only one of the entire class of ten preserved,” Dangersignal said. “When British Railways decided to modernize their railway network and introduce diesels, steam engines were withdrawn and cut up before preservationists could get to them.”

“What is this “preservation” thing?” Twilight asked.

“Preservation is the act of preserving history, so people in today’s day and age can experience travel that was experienced in the 1920’s and into the 1960’s. In fact, the first preserved railway wasn’t a standard gauge railway at all, it was a narrow gauge railway,” Dangersignal explained. “In the early days of preservation, preservationists, or people who wanted to save history, would snatch anything they could get their hands on. Scrap Merchants and even Scrap Yards were making money on this preservation ordeal and even one Scrapyard in Southern Wales, known as Barry Island Scrapyard, had a group dedicated to saving steam engines that came to their yard. The team was known as the “Barry Steam Locomotive Action Group” and they would go around and list the condition of whatever locomotives they had left.”

“Woah,” Rainbow Dash said. “So this scrap yard was bent on saving locomotives?”

“Yes, in fact, Dai Woodham himself ordered his men to break up wagons and coaches first, then engines,” Dangersignal said.

The others were silent as they let the knowledge that Dangersignal imparted sink in. Another thought struck them.

“I’ve got something to ask you,” Rarity said.

“Shoot,” Dangersignal said.

“What is with the black on most, if not all the engines?” she asked.

“Oh, most of the engines on this railway are goods engine, so they were painted black to hide grime and dirt,” Dangersignal stated. “And when British Railways was formed, the steam engines were painted black or Brunswick Green, as they were phasing out steam traction in favor of the diesel locomotive. Many passenger engines are painted Black for the time being, considering we don’t have any good color photographs of the engines in their proper livery.”

Again, they nodded. The talk of railways reminded Dangersignal of something and he pulled out a small calendar to check something, then he groaned.

“I’d forgotten that!” he spluttered.

“Forgotten what?” Rarity asked.

“A special shipment of fabrics and supplies that you ordered are waiting at Baltimare harbor and I forgot to get an engine to take it!” Dangersignal stated.

“You…forgot…my…” Rarity stammered out.

“Wait here, I’ll fix this in no time at all,” he said.

With that, Dangersignal bolted after paying for his doughnuts and cocoa. Once clear of the station, he took to the sky and flew towards Baltimare. When he arrived, he saw the special delivery waiting, but no engine to take it. He then ran to the sheds to see that the K class 2-6-0 was sitting, waiting for “turn of duty”. the paint was fading away and the poor thing looked like it was waiting for the end.

He inspected the engine and found nothing wrong with it, which was a relief. He spent his time getting the engine fired up to “rescue” the stranded goods train. It was a stroke of luck that there was an engine to do this at all. Normally, the entire fleet would be out on runs, but it seemed that this engine was left behind.

Dangersignal was slightly upset that a splendid engine would be left behind, but he had no time to be angry with anyone. Instead, when he had pressure up, he ran the engine over to the wagons and coupled them up. The guard was ready and when the signals dropped and points clanked into position, the guard gave the green flag and the train started off.

“Now this is what I live for!” he cheered over the rattling and clanking of the fast rolling goods train.

He fired through the junction outside Canterlot and was now rolling towards Ponyville’s goods platform. Easing back the regulator and setting the brakes, Dangersignal checked all signals. He began the appropriate motions to keep the wagons in check, but it happened.

One minute, they were carefully reaching the platform starter signal, the next, there came a screeching banging noise. He glanced back to see sparks shooting up from the middle of the train!

He set the brakes and whistled the appropriate message for the guard to pin the brakes. When the guard did and the train came to a safe stand, Dangersignal ran back to where he’d seen the sparks. What he saw caused him to stare blankly for half an hour.

“I don’t believe it!” he yelped in surprise. “The axles on the middle van are gone completely!”

He was right, where the axles should be was empty. Instead axle boxes and frames were left in place. The pieces of the axles were found several feet back. Dangersignal soon sighed with relief.

“We’re lucky that we didn’t dump the train,” he said.

“I agree,” said the guard.

The goods were soon unloaded and delivered while Dangersignal waited for a crane and well wagon. Rules stated that the driver had to wait with the damaged train until help arrived. The guard caught the local back to Baltimare. When the passenger train was gone, Dangersignal took the K class 2-6-0 and moved the rear portion of the train off the damaged wagon and then did the same with the front portion, shunting them about until the engine was coupled to the return train.

The crane and well wagon soon came up and the wagon was loaded. Once it was secured, the rescue train set off, leaving men and ponies to check the rails. The goods train set off an hour later and Dangersignal was careful all the way back to Baltimare harbor.

He felt a little silly, trying to rush about and ending up damaging a wagon. Luckily, none of the goods were damaged and he was able to rest easy. After shunting the wagons into their proper siding and shunting the engine over the “fire dump pit” track to dump the fire, he flew back to Ponyville. The long flight gave his mind time to play back over all that happened.

“Yes,” he said, grinning contentedly. “We’ve succeeded.”

> Chapter 21
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 21

After a few weeks, Dangersignal and Rainbow Dash got married in Canterlot. Some time later, Rainbow Dash had triplets-two unicorns (one a boy and the other a girl) and a Pegasus (a girl); then Dragonstorm and Lightning Dust were married. They soon had their own kids-two pegasi (both boys) and an earth pony (a girl). Dangersignal was now working full time as the controller of the Equestrian Railways, while Flash Sentry took over the Elder Alicorn Brother’s guard duties. Stormstrike took up Dragonstorm’s duties.

The two male Alicorns were constantly making sure timetables were kept and their wives worked hard with the weather and tending to the children. The children were typical children. As they grew, the railway grew and more jobs were made. By the time the kids were old enough to attend Ponyville School, they were enrolled.

“It’ll be an experience,” said one of the pegasi fillies.

“Agreed,” the other fillies said.

Lightning Dust took them to school, where they met up with the other students. The five got the “Blank Flank” treatment from a pale magenta filly with a pale, lightish grey violet with streaked mane and tail and a tiara on her head. Her friend, a Cornflower bluish gray filly with a Ceruleanish gray mane and tail and pale cyan glasses was helping in the torment.

As Lightning Dust left, she was wondering if maybe Dangersignal might have a plan. It was lucky for the two wives that Dangersignal was sent to collect the children. When the school day ended, he meandered up to the school house, where his two daughters, one son, two nephews and one niece were waiting for him. From where he stood, before approaching them, he noted they had been crying.

“Hey up,” he said. “Come here, what’s been going on?” he asked.

He soon got his answer when the two bullies appeared. He glowered at them as his kids, nephews and niece hid behind him. One pointed and began laughing, but stopped when Dangersignal turned and told his kids to follow.

“I’m not done!” came the angry protest.

“You are,” came Dangersignal’s blunt reply. “Keep this up and your father will hear from me.”

“You think your some big shot?”

“Your talking to the controller of the Equestrian Railways,” Dangersignal snapped. “I expect you show some respect to my kids, or I shan’t show you any.”

That shut her up. Dangersignal lead the kids away. When they were clear, he looked at them.

“That’s Diamond Tiara and her friend, Silver Spoon,” his eldest son said, despondently.

“What’s wrong?” Dangersignal said.

“She makes fun of us for not having cutie marks,” his niece said, ready to cry.

That was it! Dangersignal turned around and saw a pony arriving to collect Diamond Tiara. Taking deliberate steps, the Alicorn approached the pony.

“Excuse me sir, but are you Diamond Tiara’s father?” he asked the strange pony.

“I am, Name’s Filthy Rich,” came the reply. “You look like your ready to lose your temper.”

Dangersignal explained all that Diamond Tiara did, including insulting his children, nephews and niece for not having cutie marks. Diamond Tiara had to bite her tongue to keep from making rude remarks. When the Alicorn finished, Filthy Rich looked at Diamond Tiara, a disgusted look on his face.

“So, Dangersignal, what do you propose we do for punishment?” he asked.

“Have her clean out the passenger coaches until you can trust her again,” Dangersignal said. “Give her a nice long time to think about her actions and maybe let a simple lesson sink in-actions have consequences.”

Diamond Tiara looked up, horrified. Her father was prodding her to follow the Alicorn and his children to the railway depot, where coaches, fresh from a journey to Trottingham were waiting to be cleaned out. Diamond Tiara protested that her butler should serve her punishment.

“Do you want your punishment to be extended to “you’ll be cleaning out these coaches until your married”?” her father asked.

Diamond Tiara decided not to push her luck any further and duly carried out her punishment. Dangersignal’s kids, nephews and niece were grateful that the torment was put to an end and were able to enjoy their time at school in peace.

One morning, two days before the Hearthswarming Weekend, Dangersignal’s children came to see him as he polished the LBSCR K Class 2-6-0, ready for a royal train. As the three fillies came into the shed, there came a wheeshing noise an the Black Five shunted into the warehouse where the K Class was being cleaned and polished.

“So, your kids are here?” came a voice.

“Oh, they must want something. I’ll tend to them Alistair,” Dangersignal said. “Just clock off.”

“Right-o,” Alistair said.

Dangersignal turned to his kids and smiled.

“Alright, Flash Freeze, Firestrike and Breezeblaze, what do you want?” the Alicorn asked.

“Well, our teacher, Ms. Cheerilee gave us an assignment, to talk about the underappreciated,” Breezeblaze said.

Breezeblaze, the Pegasus child of Dangersignal and Rainbow Dash had her mother’s multicolored mane and tail (mainly oranges and reds), while she sported her dad’s dark red coat. She had fiery orange eyes and her mother’s brashness, as well as her father’s “take nothing sitting down” attitude and work ethic. She was also timid around new fillies and very hesitant to make friends.

She was often deputized to ask her father if she and her brothers could do something, which lead to her being too nervous to approach the Alicorn with the idea and it never got done. However, this was a school project and she had been put on it with her brother, sister and three cousins and she was deputized because she had a certain charm to work on her father.

However, her father was grinning broadly, so her charms were wasted.

“Did she indeed?” he asked.

“Correct,” said Breezeblaze’s brother, a unicorn with an ice blue coat with snow white mane and tail. His eyes were the same ice blue as his coat. He didn’t share in any of Rainbow Dash’s cockiness, but he had his father’s brand of cockiness, which was he was cocky about doing his job properly.

“So, Flash Freeze, can you explain the assignment in detail? And no deputizing your sister to explain,” he said.

‘How’d he know?’ Flash Freeze thought, but explained the assignment in detail. By the time the unicorn finished his explanation, the Alicorn was smiling. He then told his kids that he’d be glad to help and if he could meet with their teacher after class, he’d explain his plan for the assignment.

The kids thanked him and left, but they couldn’t help but wonder what Dangersignal had in store for their assignment. They finally concluded that it must be something big and special for him to want to talk to their teacher.

The next day, when school ended, Dragonstorm collected the kids while Dangersignal explained his plan to Ms. Cheerilee, who happily agreed to make the arrangements with him for their assignment. When that was finished, he bid her farewell and trundled off to the castle, which was “home” for him, his family, his brother and his brother’s family.

“Time for the next part of the plan,” he said to no one in particular.

> Chapter 22
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 22

For part 2 of his plan, Dangersignal was talking with his brother about his idea. 

“I’m sure it’ll work, if Pinestreak, Stormcloud and Coalstreak agree,” she said.

Dangersignal smiled in agreement. Coalstreak, his niece, who’s an Earth Pony had an interesting talent for finding best quality Anthracite coal. Pinestreak and Stormcloud were both unicorns and the sons of Dragonstorm and Lightning Dust. Pinestreak had Forest green eyes, coat, mane and tail. No cutie mark on his flanks.

Stormcloud had a dark storm cloud gray mane and tail with a light storm cloud gray coat and no cutie mark on his flank. He had storm cloud gray eyes that were two shades lighter than his coat.

The two boys were both bookworms that could easily put Princess Twilight Sparkle to shame. At times, they often assisted their mother with courier duties when not in school or helped polish the engines when they were done with school.

Coalstreak, had a coal black coat, mane and tail. Her eyes were the same coal black color that her mane and tail were, but lighter by one shade. She was brash only when required (and that usually lead to her putting both Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon in their places). On her flank was a white outline of a coal shovel with a small mound of coal on it. Other times, she was very nice, and wanted to make friends, which lead to her making friends with the CMC.

The one thing that she and her brothers enjoyed more than anything, when not in school was being taught by the humans who her uncle employed about the railways of the UK. To her, it was interesting, and she had been taking cabrides in the locomotives as they trundled all around Equestria with their goods and passenger trains.

Of course, when she heard that her uncle had a plan to help them with their assignment for the underappreciated, her eyes lit up. It was like the greatest Hearthswarming gift that she got.

The group spent the holiday helping prepare the town. Passenger and goods trains hurried to and fro, carrying their precious cargos. Dangersignal was out helping track crews deice points, so that way there were no delays in the schedules. The kids volunteered to aide in helping station staff load wagons and coaches. The schedules were hectic and the station staff were grateful for the help.

During that time, a young trainee driver had been hired on. His name was Coupling Rod and he was a reckless sort. Disobeying speed limits, running through danger signals, treating the wagons roughly, damaging coaches and not listening to good advice. He was a few years younger than Rainbow Dash and was trying to impress a female Pegasus named Bright Eyes.

His resume of disaster doesn’t stop at minor rule infractions, but he has been reported several times for a more sever breach of regulations.

One rule that Dangersignal implemented on the railway to prevent accidents is that all “fly shunting” moves are done in the yard. “Fly shunting” is when wagons are uncoupled from an engine, then the engine moves forward to give the wagon enough momentum to move on its own, then the engine falls back, allowing the wagon to carry on to the siding.

The origins of that rule came out Alistair letting Dangersignal read a book about railway accidents and there was an accident at Abergele where a train of wagons ran away after three timber wagons were “hard fly shunted” on the head of the waiting goods train. The shunt was hard enough to break the cogs that held the brakes on the brake-van. The train smashed into the Irish Mail.

From then on, all “fly shunting” operations had to be done on sidings, where they had buffer stops to halt the wagons or if they break the buffers, they can stop on the grass beyond the sidings. It was for the protection of the main line, so passenger trains and fast goods trains were no longer in danger of being in a serious accident.

To Coupling Rod, that was the most foolhearty thing he ever heard and decided he knew better than an Alicorn who had lost his family, was involved (albeit uninjured) in a derailment, as well having a leg broken after jumping into a brake-van.

“Listen, kid,” Dangersignal would tell him. “You need to learn your lesson quickly.”

“Pah,” he would retort to the Alicorn’s advice.

However, with Hearthswarming Eve and Hearthswarming, the railway was in a rest period as crews went home to their families. The humans had finally gotten a rather large home, which had been built for them as a thank you for their hard work.

Soon, Hearthswarming was over and everyone returned to work, with Dangersignal taking up fire duties on the extended side tank LBSCR E2 class tank engine, which became Baltimare Harbor’s main stay shunter, while also running short goods and passenger trains. Normally, the controller of the railway would be sitting in his office, which was in Equestria Canterlot Railway Station, but ever since the hiring of Coupling Rod, Dangersignal had to take up his old duties to train the youngster.

The Alicorn hadn’t forgotten his promise to his kids, but it was merciful chance that they were last on the presentation roster and it made his work easier than ever. Of course, being on the first commuter train of the day put him in a brilliant mood. That meant that he’d be able to prepare the special for his kids’ project.

Of course, being on the first commuter train of the day and on light shunting meant he could carry out his plan without any hitch.

After he finished the commuter run and topped up the little tank engine’s water tanks, he went about preparing the mixed train for the Black 5 to take to Ponyville. The plan he had was to give the school children a special train trip while his kids presented their project on the underappreciated.

Dangersignal had been used as a base source for their paper and from there, the kids talked to the humans, who leant them books on the topic and after reading and making notes on paper, they wrote up the paper, which was twelve and a half pages, surpassing their instructor’s minimum of two pages.

“I’ll tell you one thing dear,” he told Rainbow Dash when she came into the room they shared. “I’ve been used for many things, but an information bank is a first.”

“At least your getting some usage of the knowledge you gained over the time you spent out of Equestria,” she said, kissing him on the cheek.

“Your right,” he said. “Well, we’d best get some sleep. G’night.”

“Night,” Rainbow Dash yawned.

The next morning, Dangersignal was up five minutes after Rainbow Dash, who was off to go and create a storm on the northeastern end of Ponyville. He teleported to the yards, where the Black 5 and special train was waiting. He was getting if fired up when Coupling Rod appeared.

“Oh, I’m working with you,” he hissed.

Coupling Rod was an Earth Pony. Steel gray eyes, Coal Black Mane, Dark brown coat, light brown tail. He had a steam locomotive coupling rod cutie mark, hence his name. He was roughly Applejack’s height and he always wore a cocky smile, even when he was paired with someone he didn’t like working with.

Dangersignal had tried time and again before the Hearthswarming vacation to break him of his “tough guy” attitude, but since he came from the backwaters of Manehatten, the Alicorn Controller found him a tough nut to break open.

“Yes,” he said. “I’m letting you be my fire pony for this special train. If you can behave yourself, I may consider you for a promotion from cleaner to shunter.”

“Why shunter?” he demanded. “Why not driver? I mean that suits me much more than shunter.”

“The railway promotion ladder works like this: Cleaner, Shunter, station porter, booking office attendant, guard for trains, fire lighter, fire pony, driver. Sometimes retired drivers do become stationmasters,” Dangersignal explained. “On a railway, having many different facets of knowledge and experience is a good thing. It helps if you have to cover other shifts.”

Coupling Rod sighed in defeat. He knew that the Alicorn was right. Jumping aboard, the Earth Pony took up the coal shovel. Dangersignal stopped him.

“Boiler’s stoked up and there’s plenty of coal and water for the journey,” he told the Earth Pony. “Give us a toot on the whistle and we’ll be away.”

Coupling Rod did as he was told and the train jerked into motion. The journey to Ponyville was rather plain, by Dangersignal’s standard, but informative to Coupling Rod. He’d only ever been in the yards, cleaning the locomotives, so for him, the main line was a rather big jolt.

“I always thought the main line was some kind of fantasy story,” he said. “The busyness of the line is a real change.”

“Right,” Dangersignal told him.

The two fell silent and soon pulled into Ponyville Station, where the class was waiting. Dangersignal glanced out of the cab on the driver’s side, which was next to the goods platform, to see Rainbow Dash dive into the brake-van. He turned back around and looked at Coupling Rod.

“Do we have the green?” he asked the Earth Pony.

Coupling Rod turned around to see Rainbow Dash blow the guard’s whistle and hold up a green lamp in her mouth.

“We do!” he called back.

Dangersignal gave one toot on the whistle and the train started away. In the first class coach, Coalstreak was giving the class her findings on mixed traffic engines. She was great at presenting facts. When she finished, Pinestreak presented his information on the importance of mixed traffic engines on a railway.

Breezeblaze was next and she explained that mixed traffic engines had a small start, with many of them being 0-6-0 tank engines, with some railways having 0-6-0 tender engines.

“History soon proved that railways needed bigger and stronger engines,” she said. “So, Sir William A Stanier, in 1934 built the Black 5’s to bring the newly formed London, Midland and Scottish Railway up to date and with 842 being built, they were a success, and were a favorite with loco crews and passengers.”

When she finished, Flash Freeze picked up with how many different railways found that having different sized mixed traffic engines played to the benefit of wherever they were needed.

When it was down to Firestrike, he stood up and explained how unappreciated mixed traffic engines really were.

“To many people, mixed traffic engines fall into the “if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all” category and don’t draw the crowds like an LNER A3 pacific or any flashy express engine. A point of comparison, express engines are like the princesses-built for one purpose and looking flashy while carrying that purpose out. Earth ponies are like the mixed traffic engines, they do whatever work is required of them and they rarely get noticed,” he said.

“A better comparison is with Princess Twilight Sparkle and my father,” Breezeblaze added. “The two are Alicorns, but both serve different purposes. Princess Twilight Sparkle goes to all royal functions and acts as a basic problem solver with the ponies of Ponyville. My father, Dangersignal is the Controller of the Equestrian Railway, but he doesn’t rely on his position and power to get what he wants, often times working with the humans and helping them sort out the problems without it getting too out of hand.”

“Ah,” Ms. Cheerilee said. “So he does whatever is required of him, whether it be the usual paperwork or firing on a tank engine.”

“Correct,” Breezeblaze said. “And Thanks to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, they have shown that he doesn’t always get the respect he deserves.”

The two snobbish ponies gulped. They were hoping that everyone had forgotten that statement.

“In fact, as an added bonus, My father is right now working this train with a Black 5 and a new pony who was a recent acquisition from the rough part of Manehatten,” Firestrike said. “Now, how many of you recognized him?”

No-one raised their hooves. He continued.

“My mother, Rainbow Dash is the guard of this train,”  he said. “Anyone recognize her?”

Again, hooves stayed down.

“This proves that the underappreciated don’t care about the appreciation of being noticed, but that they’ll do their job regardless of who notices or who doesn’t,” he pointed out. “The underappreciated are often underappreciated because of the type of work they do.”

“Oh,” came the chorused reply.

“To point something out,” Coalstreak said. “Many of the underappreciated locomotives and even characters make it into fictional stories. An example is in the famous “Railway Series” books that one of my uncle’s human friends let me read, they have one Black 5 in the book, named Henry.” 

From there, they explained at how many underappreciated characters have rarely made it into fiction and if they do, they really have to prove themselves, but that fame doesn’t really last, because they just see it as another job and go back to their original work.

When the kids finished, the train drew to a halt at Dodge City Station, where the class stepped onto the platform and looked at the scenery while Rainbow Dash, Dangersignal and Coupling Rod shunted around. No-one noticed them at all, but they didn’t care.

When all the shunting was done and the Black 5 was coupled onto the other end of the train, Ms. Cheerilee looked at the train.

“Why is the engine looking like that?” she asked.

“There’s no turntable, so they have to run tender first, which is a danger,” Coalstreak said. “Breezeblaze, Pinestreak, Can you two act as Dangersignal’s eyes, looking out for caution and danger signals set “against” our engine?’

“We can,” the two pegasi said.

With that, Breezeblaze took up position on the tender’s water tank with Pinestreak acting as messenger. The train trip back took longer, because they had to go slower due to their “situation”. To Dangersignal, better to be safe than sorry. At Ponyville station, the railway’s 4700 2-8-0 was waiting to act as a pilot engine. When the kids had left and the 4700 took up position, the train was soon off.

“That was a great report and day out,” Ms. Cheerilee said. “Coalstreak; you, your siblings and your cousins are really lucky to have such an important, if not always recognized family member. This performance deserves a passing grade.”

“Thank you,” they said.

At the end of the school day, Lightning Dust picked up the kids and took them back to the castle. As they passed the railway station, a goods train clanked slowly through. The setting sun made the passing train’s grimy paint dance.

‘Now that’s a beautiful sight,’ Breezeblaze thought as she headed to her room.

> Chapter 23
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 23

With Dangersignal having to train Coupling Rod, the strain was taking it’s toll on the Alicorn. His eyes had changed from light red to dark red and he became harder and colder. Normally this would have lasted several days, but it had lasted a good three months. All of the anger and coldness was not being helped by Coupling Rod’s arrogance.

The young earth pony was proving to be worse than Discord. Anytime anyone gave him sound advice, he blew it off. He also ignored orders, did things his own way and picked fights that resulted in him injuring fellow railway men. Coupling Rod’s file was filled with warnings, relief forms, suspension slips and countless complaints from passengers.

“This guy’s a train wreck!” Breezeblaze snapped one night, after coming back home after helping clean the White Knight, her favorite steam locomotive. “He never listens to a thing anyone says and look, he damaged one of my wings!”

She showed her left wing, which was bandaged up.

“He actually threw a shovel at me when I told him that I needed some help polishing White Knight’s paintwork,” the Pegasus filly said. “He then told me that little babies shouldn’t be in the sheds and that railway work is a man’s job!”

“That’s a lie,” Coalstreak said. “I help out, often times standing in as a firelighter and I’m a girl.”

“I know you do and my father is grateful for your help,” Breezeblaze told her cousin.

“I think,” Pinestreak said, his temper reaching dangerous levels. “That he needs to be brought to earth and soon.”

“How do you propose to do that?” came a voice.

They turned to see Rainbow Dash approaching them.

“He never listens and besides he’s an earth pony,” she said. “It’d be hard to bring him down to earth.”

“What if we paired him up against someone ten times as stubborn as him?” Stormcloud asked. “Maybe he’d finally learn his lesson.”

“If you  think that it’ll work,” Rainbow Dash said. “Your father has experience dealing with ponies like Coupling Rod. If I were you, I’d stay out of his path. Now, run along to bed.”

The kids did as Rainbow Dash suggested and she then went off to find the humans who her husband worked with. Wandering about the castle, she soon found them and her friends in the meeting room. Once the cyan Pegasus shut the door, Keyth explained the plan he had to the ponies and other humans.

“Are you sure that it’ll work?” Applejack asked. “It doesn’t sound like it’ll work.”

“Trust me, if we don’t do anything, then chaos, far greater than Discord could ever dream of controlling will run loose,” Twilight said. “So, are you all in or are you all out?”

“Count us in,” Rainbow Dash said.

The next morning, they put their plan into action. The plan, as it had been outlined by Keyth was that they would split the two up and keep them as far apart as they could. Rarity would use Dangersignal to fashion her dresses on. Considering that the male Alicorn loved getting dirty and stuck in anywhere, the fashionista unicorn would drive him absolutely nuts with her clothing and insisting that everything look perfect.

Coupling Rod would work with Fluttershy and help her tend her animals. The earth pony had a love of the rails and found working with a responsive machine the best part of life. Having him work with animals would also drive him nuts.

The rest of the plan was to keep them not on as far apart as possible, but keep them occupied for as long as possible, which would result in them not only missing their work, but it would result in them missing each other.

Rarity and Rainbow Dash found Dangersignal heading for the front door. Making their move, they caught up to the Alicorn and herded him towards Carousel Boutique. He thought nothing of it, considering he was supposed to pick up a pair of newly stitched overalls. When they arrived, he was instantly taken into the back, where Rarity did all her stitching and creating. She shut the door and bolted it, with Rainbow Dash barricading it from the other side.

The window was also shut and barricaded. Dangersignal raised a brow, but thought nothing of it, until Rarity started fussing around him. She was taking measurements, muttered to herself and began to ask him to stand straight up and look like a regal Alicorn. He didn’t show his discomfort at being stuck in a room with the fashion nut.

‘If I ever get out of this room,’ he thought. ‘I’ll definitely make it up to Coupling Rod.’

Right now, he hoped the trainee driver was fairing better. If he could see Coupling Rod’s predicament, then he’d get his answer.

Poor Coupling Rod was tied up and stuck in a pot, with the animals marching around him with forks and spoons. Fluttershy was having a hard time keeping them in control.

‘Trucks seem easier to control,’ he thought.

After Fluttershy used her “stare” to keep the animals in check, she untied him and he helped prepare their food. The two railway ponies were being put through their paces and then some.

That night, while Rarity slept, Dangersignal teleported out of the back room and over to where Coupling Rod was. Once he got the sleeping earth pony, he teleported the both of them to the safety of the railway shed. It was a five minute wait until Coupling Rod woke up.

“What are you playing at?” he asked.

“You’ll see,” Dangersignal said. “This is nothing new.”

The earth pony watch, bewildered as the Alicorn made replica figures and to take their place. Once he set everything in place, Dangersignal returned to a shamefaced Coupling Rod.

“Sorry,” he said. “I came from the rough part of Manehatten, and you have to be tough to get anything.”

“Well, your on a railway, where being a tough guy is a hindrance to you r performance,” Dangersignal said. “The reason you’ve never climbed the ladder to be a proper driver is because of that tough guy exterior.”

“Oh,” he said and watched as Dangersignal prepared the Bissell tank engine for harbor shunting. “I want to know one thing, is it a crime to ask for assistance?”

“No,” came the reply. “Asking for help is the first step in making sure you are learning. The student ashamed of asking questions is ashamed of learning.”

Coupling Rod was impressed by the Alicorn’s words and took that philosophy to heart. Deciding that it wouldn’t do to have the Alicorn do all the work, the earth pony grabbed a coal shovel and began to move coal from the bunker of the locomotive to the firebox. Dangersignal set the coal alight with a fire spell from his horn and as they waited for pressure, Coupling Rod went out and oiled the locomotive’s lubrication points.

As Dangersignal looked at the pressure gauge, his eyes popped. The gauge wasn’t stopping. In fact, the needle was moving into the reds and then it reached the green, where zero was.

“Our pressure gauge has gone right round the clock!” He called to the Earth Pony, “I’m dropping the fire. There’s something wrong with the engine!”

With that, the Alicorn put the fire out and began to inspect every inch of the square topped 0-4-2 saddle tank engine until he came upon a small metal plaque.

“Well, that certainly takes the biscuit,” he said as Coupling Rod came up. “Boiler Ticket’s gone and expired. This engine will need a new boiler and unfortunately, there is no magic that can make a new boiler appear.”

“Great,” came the disgruntled reply. “The harbor’s so full of chaos and we have no way of taming it.”

“Maybe we do,” Dangersignal said and glanced thoughtfully over to the Robinson 0-8-4T. Galloping over to it, Dangersignal checked the boiler ticket and sighed with relief.

“It’s still functional,” he said. “I’ll lubricate the joints, you get a fire going.”

“Right,” Coupling Rod said and began to pile coal on the fire and when all was prepared, he asked Dangersignal if the Alicorn could set an old and very oily rag on fire, so that way the earth pony would have a fire to manipulate to build steam pressure.

Dangersignal oiled rounds on the engine and then joined the earth pony. It takes three hours for a steam engine to get pressure up, which means that the crew often take in turns to have a cup of tea, eat breakfast, check the sandboxes and go over the schedule for the day. Sometimes, more experienced crews used this time to explain all the intricate workings of the railway to the new guy.

As the two ponies sat, waiting for pressure to build, Coupling Rod asked questions of the railway, making sure to understand everything. Dangersignal explained all the different duties and when pressure had sufficiently rose, Dangersignal opened the regulator and the locomotive rolled towards the open shed door.

When the engine rolled out, the sight that greeted the two ponies made their jaws hang open. Trucks and coaches were everywhere and the passengers were complaining. The two began to sort the mess out, their versatility being put to the test. Their engine was being paced beyond belief, being sandwiched between trucks and coaches.

No sooner had one passenger train been prepared, then an engine was fired up and the train taken. Once it was out of sight, a goods train was prepared and the shunting engine scrambled away to prepare another passenger train. The team worked well together and soon had the harbor back in order in no time.

“All ship shape and Swindon fashion,” Dangersignal said.

“The motto of the Great Western Railway?” Coupling Rod asked.

“Correct,” Dangersignal said.

The Alicorn leaned out of the cab to make sure that the points were set for them to collect a line of the old four wheeled coaches that Equestria had been using. The two of them were to take them to the works to be completely rebuilt, with the correct braking systems. As for the engines, they were beyond repair and in need of being scrapped.

“I really don’t like taking steam engines to the scrap yards,” Coupling Rod moaned.

“I know, I don’t like it either, but it’s better than having them break down or blow their boilers off the frames and injure many ponies,” Dangersignal sighed. “Think of it this way though, the parts will be recast and the engines made as good as new.”

Coupling Rod agreed and jumped down to give hoof signals to Dangersignal. Most railway ponies hate being a ground guide as they have to be on the driver’s side. If they’re on the wrong side, the driver runs blind and often times there can be an accident. Dangersignal was used to being the ground guide, and he did it as part of the profession.

Coupling Rod had rarely done that, being only a cleaner. This was his first time doing the job and he was doing a splendid job. When the large engine was buffered up to the coaches, Dangersignal joined Coupling Rod and the two worked on joining the coupling, securing it with a length of steel cable. The reason for the cable was that the couplings were different, and only slightly compatible. 

Once all the necessary preparations were complete, Dangersignal eased the train out of the sidings and over to where trains could easily leave the harbor rails and move onto open lines. Once all the points clanked over and the coordinating signals dropped, Coupling Rod joined the Alicorn on the footplate and the train slowly set off.

The coaches were in a sorry state indeed. Paint was missing or faded, the windows had spider web cracks, the carriage bodies were sagging or falling in on themselves. If there was an award for the worst looking interior, the little coaches would have taken first place. Benches were rusted and collapsed as the train rolled over rail joints, the cushions had springs and fluff popping out of every seam.

The couplings were the second offender, often times breaking off, forcing Dangersignal to stop and the two ponies would have to climb down and collect the parts, then Dangersignal had to move the coaches together and hope that the two coaches wouldn’t collapse when they were moved together.

One delay followed another and the train was now two and a half hours late arriving at Canterlot, where it was sent into a siding. However, the siding was much to short and when the coaches struck the buffers, half of the 60 coaches collapsed like a house of soaked playing cards. Dangersignal’s eyes were wide.

“That I did expect,” he said. “I’ll send for flatbeds to put the destroyed coaches on and open wagons to put the broken axles and little parts in.”

Coupling Rod waited with the locomotive while Dangersignal sent for help.

Meanwhile, Rarity was waking up and making her way to the back room was expecting to see Dangersignal pacing the room, with very little to no sleep. However, she was surprised to see the dark red Alicorn standing there, wide awake and smiling.

“Glad to see that you’re ready to help me,” she said, placing a hoof around his neck and shoulders.

Dangersignal collapsed and popping out was fluff and wooden dowels. Rarity looked, then started to gnash her teeth. Poking her head out, she saw Fluttershy and the others, all looking irritated. The humans with the other ponies were also irritated.

“I thought we had them,” Rainbow Dash snarled.

“We all thought the same thing,” Applejack said.

As they planned to get their own back on Dangersignal and Coupling Rod, the two railway ponies were slowly making their way to the works at the Crystal Empire with the coaches after being given the road and the mess was cleaned up. The large tank engine was sandwiched between the remaining coaches and heavy trucks with the broken coaches.

“Oh, bother and blow!” Dangersignal huffed. “We’ll never make it over a hill with a train this heavy this side of summer!”

“Couldn’t we attempt it?” Coupling Rod asked. “I mean we can’t tie up the line.”

Dangersignal admitted he had a good point. The train soon drew up to the platform starter. Dangersignal waited until the engine had a good head of steam and when the signal dropped, Dangersignal pulled one on the whistle and advanced the regulator sharply.

The noise was volcanic indeed! Coupling Rod shoveled for dear life, and the large tank engine began to belt up the grades. The weight was pushing and pulling against the engine, but the crew danced the levers, shovel, coal and water. They were going to make the greatest use of their steam while they had it and get a show out of it that would put the Wonderbolts to shame!

To any skilled railway man or railway pony, working on a railway is a finely tuned dance between crews, engines, trucks and/or coaches. Much like how a good dance steals the night, a crew who is well trained and able to work without any problem can do anything and push themselves beyond their design limits.

If anyone was to look in the cab of the large tank engine, they would have said that Dangersignal, Coupling Rod and the locomotive all danced their parts well. The train rolled along the flat just after reaching the top of the climb and coasted all the way to the works, where the foremare directed them to empty sidings to dump the train.

“Since you’re here, can you take a train of scrap to the smelters?” she asked.

“Certainly, Madam,” Coupling Rod said.

She then directed them to a siding where a train of twenty wagons sat, filled with scrap. That was a regular train that no-one liked taking, but if the works were to get fresh metal to make parts, then it had to be done. 

Coupling Rod once again acted as ground guide and when the engine’s buffers connected with the wagon’s buffers, Dangersignal set the brakes and waited while Coupling Rod connected the screw link couplings and tightened the screw. Once safely inside, Dangersignal moved the regulator and the engine responded by moving backwards.

The train was heavy, but shunting mares ran alongside and pinned the brakes on the wagons as the engine slowly crawled to the cliff it would jump off. “Jumping off a Cliff” is when an engine goes over the top of a hill or gradient, whether it’s on the flats or on the shallow side of a gradient.

On unfitted trains, it is important to pin the brakes on the wagons as it gives the driver, fireman (or fire pony) and guard total control over the train. After all, with no control over the wagons, they will overpower the engine and the train becomes a runaway, with no way to stop. All the crew can do is hope their brakes hold or they come off at a curve clear of a town or city.

Dangersignal knew this and made sure that everyone and everypony obeyed that rule. It has kept the wagons in check and no runaways have ever occurred. With him at the regulator of the engine hauling the scrap train, it was no different. Dancing the brakes carefully, the train coasted along a goods line on the other side of Ponyville, which took them to White Tail Woods and to the junction to the smelters yard. It was a rarely used line, but Dangersignal still whistled to warn everyone that he was coming to a stand to unpin the brakes.

All crew men and crew ponies like to have their train on what is known as the “Absolute Flat”, which means that there is no gradients for the rest of the journey, so that way the wagon brakes can stay off, which helps conserve coal and water.

Once Dangersignal had unpinned the wagon brakes, he joined Coupling Rod in the cab and the train started off after Coupling Rod gave a blast of the whistle. The trucks were heavy, so the journey was still slow, but with unpinned wagon brakes, the train was moving slightly faster.

Just as the brake van disappeared, the humans and Mane Six appeared. The whistle had drawn them to the rarely used station. Something puzzled Fluttershy and she put it out there, her shy nature replaced by straight curiosity.

“Why was there a whistle from this line?” she asked. “Better yet, where does this line go?”

“To White Tail Woods, darling,” Rarity said.

“And to the smelters yard,” Alistair added.

“They’ve gone…oh my…they must be…” Fluttershy began, her shy and timid nature coming back.

“Must be scared?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Remember, Dangersignal fought off Sombra and put him in an advanced state of weakness, which allowed for Princess Cadence to finally rid Equestria of that pest?”

“Oh,” was all anyone could say.

“But I understand that the smelters yard could scare them. I mean, watching as engines are broken up and melted down, it’s not a pleasing sight,” Rainbow Dash continued.

Just then, their thoughts were broken when a whistle rang out. They looked to see a large tank engine heading their way with a small train of wagons, covered over. Glancing towards the cab, they saw that Dangersignal was looking grim, and Coupling Rod was looking anxious. Then it happened.

POP! WHEEEEEEEEEEEE-EEEEEEEEEEEEEESH!!!!!!!

“That’s done it, the safety valve’s gone!” Coupling Rod said. 

The engine was stopped too quickly. The wagons banged hard into each other and the surged the poor engine forward violently, knocking Coupling Rod off the footplate and onto the platform. Dangersignal tried hard to keep the trucks from coming off the rails, but had he been wary of the rails, things might have been better.

The action and vibrations of the “fighting” train caused the rails, which were in rather awkward condition, to break and put the engine on the ground. The wagons jolted roughly, with five out of the ten landing on the ground.

Dangersignal was knocked from the cab, but his wings caught him, allowing him to stay upright. He looked around, but was face to face with Rainbow Dash’s ice cold glare.

“Hello, dear.”

> Chapter 24
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 24

Dangersignal was staring into the ice cold glare of his wife. She then placed her front two hooves on her hips and began to read him the riot act (which was a first). He started to feel more and more sorry for his stunt. Rainbow Dash couldn’t stay angry with him for long. She hugged him and asked why he went against their plans.

“I was going to teach him the line that runs to Manehatten,” came the reply. “The gradient is a 1-in-101% climb which levels off at the bridge that connects Manehatten to the rest of Equestria.”

“Oh,” she said. “That must be a tough line to tackle.”

“It’s grueling to the pony who isn’t trained in fire stoking,” Dangersignal said. 

Rainbow Dash made note of that, and went back to tell the others while Dangersignal levitated Coupling Rod away from the group and the two then landed by the stranded engine, with Dangersignal bringing Coupling Rod safely down. The two began to inspect the engine from top to bottom.

“Well, that tells it,” Coupling Rod hissed to Dangersignal. “Undercarriage is damaged and the driving axle on the second wheel set from the front is sheered in half.”

“We’ll have to get cranes and flat trucks,” Dangersignal said.

Coupling Rod hurried off to make the call. It was twenty minutes before Coupling Rod returned with help. It took a ton of time to move the cranes around to rescue the stranded engine. The trucks were re-railed and pulled away before the cranes were moved into position.

Once they were in position, Coupling Rod fit cables around the tank large tank engine and began to lift the engine up and swung it to the next running line and gently set it on the track, then the rescue engine, the BR Standard 2 2-6-0 tender engine, pulled the Robinson 0-8-4T back to the sheds.

“You must have been lucky,” Coalstreak huffed.

“Lucky?” The two railway ponies asked

“Lucky you weren’t hurt,” she said.

“I wouldn’t call this “lucky”,” Dangersignal said, attempting to lift his left wing.

It was bent and twisted, with several feathers missing. The others winced, as there was only one way that he could have gotten it. He carefully lowered his injured wing and looked back at the locomotive.

“Trying to use wings in tight spaces,” he said. “Isn’t exactly a smart idea.”

Rainbow Dash agreed, seeing that she was a Pegasus and was taught that wings should be used in wide open spaces. Her husband had used his wings to try and save himself, but had misjudged the cab width and managed to bang his left wing up.

He went to hospital and the doctor bandaged up his wings and prescribed him several different medicines to deal with swelling, pain, discomfort and grogginess. He was then put on bedrest until his wing healed, which meant he was out of commission for at least six weeks, which was shorter than the normal Alicorn wing healing time-twelve weeks.

Pegasi needed several days to have their wings heal. One reason, Alicorn wings are a lot bigger and any damage incapacitates the whole wing and basically downs the Alicorn, making them useless.

Dangersignal hated being useless. He felt that he couldn’t contribute, but like before, he was kept under supervision-Namely Rainbow Dash, who took great pride in saying that Karma got even with him for pulling one too many fast ones.

“Says the Wonderbolt Reserve who ended up being played for a sap with the “Mysterious Mare-Do-Well” stunt,” Dangersignal teased.

“I thought we agreed that we wouldn’t trade blows?” she asked, false innocence playing on her voice.

“We did,” her husband said, the same false innocence playing on his voice.

Silence, then laughter. The two realized that they had just played each other for saps and thought it funny. Once the laughing died down, the two looked out the window. The night sky was pretty. The moon and stars danced slowly around, their lights twinkling and shining.

“Beautiful,” Rainbow Dash said.

“That it is,” Dangersignal replied. “You’d best get some sleep. I need it too.”

Rainbow Dash decided to curl up under his functioning wing. Stallion Alicorn had larger wings than a Mare Alicorn. Many times, some one thousand years ago, when Alicorns were a much more common race, Stallion Alicorns were made of much tougher stuff and saw it as their duty to protect the Mare Alicorn that was their partner.

Despite Rainbow Dash being a Pegasus, Dangersignal still saw it as his duty to protect his family from any bodily harm. Then again, he never gave a second thought to his own safety, but when he realized that his family meant a lot to him and he meant a lot to them, it began to play on his mind.

That night, while he slept, he and Luna talked in the dreamscape.

“Princess, I’m slightly torn right now,” he said to her.

“What is it that has you torn, my fair friend?” Luna asked.

“Well, it’s that I want to be the best at what I do, but that means I’m constantly putting my life in harms way; but on the other side of the bit, I want to be there for my family, and that means that I’m often times having to ditch in the middle of something to be there when a crisis arises,” he said.

Luna pondered for several minutes before trotting over to him. She looked him square in the eye and kept her voice even as she spoke.

“I can only give you this advice my friend-that you need to talk with Rainbow Dash and see if she can help,” Luna said. “She may have the answer. I’m sorry I can not be of much help, but I am needed for another dream.”

With that, Luna disappeared and Dangersignal was left to stand in the voids of confusion. Just then, he could see that the voids were starting to fill themselves in. Lush, green fields; bright and colorful trees, well kempt grass and a certain, cheery cyan Pegasus.

“Honey, I’ve got some news for you.”

The dreamscape disappeared and his eyes flew open to see Rainbow Dash staring at him with a broad grin.

“Honey, I’m pregnant,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Again? That’s excellent!” Dangersignal cheered.

“And apparently it’s a rare birth, a bat pony/vampire hybrid,” she said.

Dangersignal goggled in surprise. This was rare indeed, so the question on his mind was how it happened. He wanted to ask Rainbow Dash, but she was on the phone, making sure the dark red Alicorn’s duties were being tended to. Satisfied that they were, she left for the hospital.

It was then that everything happened at once. Rarity raced in saying that Rainbow had given birth and there came a very horrid screaming noise. Dangersignal was on his hooves and heading for the door.

“COME ON!” he cried out.

Rarity followed him to Ponyville Junction where a sight greeted him. An express had slammed into a shunting coal train. From the debris patterns, the express was empty and doing around 85, despite there being a 25 mph speed limit at the junction. The engines were damaged and several undestroyed wagons were off the rails. The crews were injured and in hospital.

Dangersignal turned to see that the signalbox was empty. That sent all sorts of red flags waving. Getting the attention of the station stallion on duty, he inquired into the signalbox.

“Oh, Points Lock clocked on and signaled the express through,” the station stallion said. “The goods train was hoof ordered to shunt while the signals for the express were still “On” and showing “Danger”.”

“You ordered a shunting maneuver done while an express was bearing down?” Dangersignal snapped coldly.

“I wanted to save time,” came the sheepish reply.

“You don’t ever do that!” Dangersignal snapped again. “Rule #75, Section C, Subsection 4 says: “All goods trains that are to be shunted are to wait until a White Flag with a Blue border is shown, saying that the roads are free and the shunting maneuver can be carried out safely”.”

“Oh,” said the station stallion, meekly.

Dangersignal found Points Lock out cold on the floor. The Alicorn heaved the unicorn up and helped her onto the couch. She had the air of being a recent hire, as her coat and mane, both bearing a rusted silver color, looked too clean. He took up the phone and rang for a breakdown train.

That venture was met with ill success. He banged the receiver hard and muttered something about yard crews who don’t even bother to make sure the cranes are available. Without any cranes, there was no way to clear the wreckage. Quickly, he set all the signals to “Danger” and belled “Obstruction Danger” to the boxes in front and behind.

With all that being done, he was going to see about finding some cranes from somewhere else when he heard a noise the concerned him greatly. The sound of a steam engine dragging a goods train. He looked down and goggled in horror! A fast approaching goods was overrunning the signals at a mile a minute!

“Blast!” he yelped, grabbing a whistle and red flag with his ethereal magic.

Jumping off the box’s balcony, he galloped down the line waving the flag madly and bellowing out for the train to stop. The train, being drawn by a newly constructed GWR Cathedral Class, was moving too quickly. The driver saw the flags and slammed the brakes hard on.

The wagons began to derail and scatter themselves over the countryside, missing the station and all waiting passengers. Dangersignal looked angrily at the driver.

“Are you mental?” the Alicorn snapped. “All signals were set against you! Why did you ignore them?”

“I had seen them set for me to take the road,” the driver said.

Dangersignal realized that once a train reached a certain point, the driver could no longer see a signal go “against” him or her. Dangersignal made notes about ways to improve the protection.

The wreck crews cleared the lines, but it was slow going and works engines had to take away what was put on the rails and come back for more. Ponies appeared to watch the spectacle. Luckily, there was no need to have a full investigation, as everything was straight forward. However, an inspector came to see the Alicorn.

“Any suggestions for a further safety precaution?” he asked.

“Well, lets see…We have a “Distant” and an “Inner Distant”, what we need is an “Inner Distant Repeater” signal, so that way crews can see if there is a home signal set against them,” Dangersignal said. “Many old railways in the UK used this procedure as an added safety feature.”

The inspector wrote down the suggestion in a notebook and trotted away. Rarity, who had come up with Dangersignal was surprised to see that Dangersignal was putting his knowledge to good use. She moved closer to him and he looked down at her, due to his height difference.

“We should get to the hospital,” Dangersignal said.

“Well, Rainbow Dash gave birth, but to something extraordinary, A vampire/bat pony/Alicorn hybrid. The baby’s a boy. Evidentially, Princess Celestia knew that something like this would happen and wants to know if, when he’s old enough, you let him work as a prince for Princess Twilight, so he can run Ponyville when she’s needed elsewhere,” Rarity asked.

“Certainly,” Dangersignal said. “That was the intention if I ever had an Alicorn baby. I’d rather see him as a leader than in my position. That’s for sure, Rarity. However, with all body changes, it basically meant that this was bound to happen.”

“What do you mean?” Rarity asked.

“Well, when a pony ascends to the Alicorn state, that there is a high probability that they will have an Alicorn child. Bat pony/vampire/Alicorn mix is rare, unless there is a vampire/Bat pony in the family line and the one who bears some of the traits will end up with the mix,” Dangersignal explained.

“But you don’t have…” Rarity began.

Dangersignal turned and showed her four fangs. She gulped and stepped slowly back. All she could do was stare in surprise.

“My family history isn’t as simple as you may think. On my mother’s side, my great-great-great uncle is a bat pony/vampire hybrid. Throughout the family line, we’ve had bat ponies, vampires, bat pony/vampire crosses and regular ponies. I’m the first Alicorn Vampire,” Dangersignal said. 

“So that’s why Rainbow Dash gave birth to a mix of all three,” Rarity said.

“Yes,” came the reply. “I hid the truth because I’d rather not have every pony freak out. Anyway, I should go and see the little guy.”

Rarity agreed and they headed off to the hospital. At the door, they were greeted by the others and went in. Dangersignal moved alongside his wife.

“How are you dear?” he asked.

“Just fine after that,” she said.

Dangersignal said that he was pleased that his wife was doing well. The doctor said that the baby was healthy and Dangersignal got to see it. The coat shone brightly and he looked healthy. The others were pleased for them and left them alone. Dangersignal explained all to Rainbow Dash.

“Ah, well, I can understand your fear, but hiding the truth from me is kind of uncool,” she said.

“I know,” Dangersignal explained. “I had plans to tell you, but the day I wanted to tell you, you were in labor and giving birth. After that, I was wrapped around my jobs.”

“Oh, sorry,” she chuckled.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “Anyway, an upgrade to Ponyville Junction station brought a load of chaos that Discord would be jealous of. Along side the “Up Slow Platform” line, there is an “Up Slow Duplicate” and an “Up Slow Triplicate” line, to allow the safer running of two more slower trains. One can be held, and the other can over take. There are also two “Up Fast” lines, to allow two fast trains, with one again being held.

Alongside the other “Up Fast” line is a platform, so we can hold a passenger train and let the passengers out. On the opposite side of the platform are two “Down Fast” lines with a “Down Slow Triplicate” line, “Down Slow Duplicate” line and the “Down Slow Platform” line.

With this massive upgrade of chaos, it brought in signals that were supposed to be protectionary, but have done nothing but confuse the crews and cause accidents. I’ve fallen victim to their chaos and it isn’t a proud thing to admit. I misread my signal. I was on the “Up Fast” line, being held to allow a mail train to over take and cross onto my line. The signals were cleared for that train, but I read it that the signals were cleared for me to cross over.”

“Wow, that’s silly,” she said. “Your brains must have failed you.”

He laughed and continued to talk with his wife about the plans for the Alicorn filly that Rainbow Dash had birthed.

> Chapter 25
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 25

The little Bat Pony Alicorn filly was settling in well with his siblings and cousins. They took a real shine to the little guy and did everything to make sure he was happy. At the age of ten, he got his cutie mark, a chalk white outline of an LMS Black 5. He would respond to the Stanier and he had a liking for any engine Power Class 5.

“Well, I take it you’d like your name to be Stanier Five?” Dangersignal asked.

He nodded. It was finalized and everyone called him “Stanier” for short. He also seemed to be buried in his father’s books-mostly books on railways, histories, magic, anatomy books (mainly to gain a better understanding of pony bodies and how things work), philosophy and even law (mainly civil cases, with several books on criminal knowledge).

He was proving to be more of a book worm than Twilight and even retained his information and was able to provide the evidence to prove his point. At school, he paid attention to every single lecture and took notes. He even managed to put the school bullies in their place.

He even made friends with Fluttershy and the other ponies. The one he bonded to the most was Applejack, because of her easy going nature and the love she showed. During his time growing, Equestria grew in terms of towns, jobs, productivity, railway lines (including different gauged trains). 

Ponaidh, a town to the north of the Crystal Empire, was recently connected by the railway network and had a large smelter’s and scrap/repair yard. “Dead” engines were taken there to be reborn with new parts and new paints. Junked engines were used for spare parts.

Aberhoofi was another town, this time located in the MacIntosh Hills, which were rich in coal and slate. The town also had a 2ft 3in narrow gauge railway to handle the slate traffic as well as tourist traffic up into the well hidden springs. Being a Pegasus or an Alicorn had it’s drawbacks as they couldn’t see these hidden gems of tranquility.

Capall, was the last town, to the southeast or Equestria and served a vital harbor that brought in goods when the other harbors were booked. The line was steep, curved and had more tunnels than Swiss Cheese has holes. The line also served a sand quarry, paper mill and steel mill.

With all three towns coming to the forefront and proving that Equestria was bigger than was to be first expected, Stanier Five constantly found himself either train spotting or letting his mind wander when he was in the natural hot springs on the Aberhoofyn Narrow Gauge Line. His father was always there for him, but at times he felt left out. During those times, he’d sketch up ideas and then just play around to see if any of them would work.

The art took his mind off of being left out, but little did he know that his sketches of a steam locomotive would be turned into a real engine and he’d get the job of naming it. The engine was called the “Marine” Class; it had the 4-6-4 wheel arrangement and had the boiler and body build of a Manor class.

He performed calculations and figured out the engine had a tractive effort of 35,540 lbs and a boiler pressure of 230 PSI. The engine’s draughting and forward superheating was upgraded by the use of a bypass vacuum pipe. This special pipe allowed raw and cooled fire to draw oxygen through the vacuum created by the steam being forced through the funnel.

This in turn allowed the fire to burn at a hotter degree, thus allowed it to access more of the raw energy in the coal and water. This simple modification allowed the driver to have more power at his fingertips or hooves.

Stanier Five also gave the engine steam and vacuum brakes as well as vacuum brakes for the train it pulled. The reason was simple, more braking power meant the engine had a greater chance of stopping. He wanted to experiment with that, seeing as the engines in Equestria only had steam or air brakes for them to use, while they had vacuum brakes for the trains they pulled.

Dangersignal looked at the sketches and asked if he could borrow them. Stanier Five was curious, but his father explained that they were in need of another engine to handle the heavy trains over the mountainous routes between Ponyville and Aberhoofi. 

“You like this?” he asked.

“Yes indeed, and I need you to think of a name for this engine, as it is your design and the creator often times names the premiere engine of the class,” Dangersignal explained.

Stanier Five agreed to that and his father collected the drawings and placed them inside a waterproof bag. The larger Alicorn hopped a light engine to the works at the Crystal Empire. Stanier Five set to work naming the engine as well as doing his homework, which was mainly math and writing.

One day, some time after school had been let out for the day, Dangersignal collected Stanier Five and they hopped a light engine at Ponyville and headed off to the works at the Crystal Empire. The young foal had come up with a name for the first engine-”Canterlot Corps”. 

When they arrived, Stanier submitted the name to the machinists, who crafted the engine’s name plate. Once all was done and the engine had been painted in a brilliant Midnight Blue with white lining livery. The name plates were bolted onto the engine’s middle driving wheel splashers. Dangersignal stoked up the fire for the first run, with Stanier Five being the special guest for the journey.

Keyth, the human, was driving and found the engine rather responsive, while Dangersignal found the engine fully capable of raising steam with no issue, as well as having tons of steam on tap.

The engine was coupled up to a 7,000 ton goods train, consisting of 350 20T wagons. The train was due to Aberhoofi with supplies and no other engines were available to handle the heavy loads, so this would be a rather interesting trial.

“So, pops, think we’ll make it?” Stanier asked. “I know that Alicorns have powerful magic, but I think this engine may need assistance.”

“That, my dear son, is why Banking engines exist,” Dangersignal said. “Let’s get to the MacIntosh Mountains first, before we panic.”

Stanier agreed and watched the line, the signals were green and the rails hummed under the wheels of the train. The signals raised “clear” and the points clicked over, allowing the train to run onwards. Not having to slow down made things easier on the crew.

However, there was a problem. A signal that allowed the train to run onto the junction where trains could go to either Appleloosa or Dodge City was showing “Danger”. Keyth set the brakes hard and the train slid to the signal.

“Sorry mate,” Jaisson called up. “There’s been an accident. The royal carriage broke a wheel on the level crossing that allows ponies to cross to get to the other parts of Ponyville and a passenger train smashed into it. Princess Celestia was on the carriage and whisked to hospital. She some how managed to get out with only several cuts and a broken leg.”

“How’d this happen?!” Dangersignal asked.

“The royal guards evidentially didn’t get the memo that trains have right of way at level crossings and they thought they’d beat the train to the crossing,” came the reply. “Blasted fools. They’re lucky that Celestia wasn’t severely injured or worse.”

The only sounds were the hissings and clankings of the locomotive. When six hours had elapsed, the signal finally raised to “Clear” and the train proceeded with caution. The accident site had yellow flags posted and the wrecked remains of the carriage lay beside the line.

Once clear of the accident site, Keyth advanced the regulator and the engine responded with a will and charged forward and once it reached the grades, it started snorting clouds of smoke and steam. The weight of the wagons started to take their toll on the locomotive, but with some skillful steam management, the train rolled up the grades and then coasted down and into Aberhoofi, where a train of seventeen wagons of slate waited to head back to Ponyville.

“Well, that was a success, but now we have to run tender first, so we’re going to have to take it slow,” Dangersignal said. “Stanier, can you watch the road and tell us whether signals are clear or set against us?”

“Certainly father,” he said and took his position on the tender, with the aide of his wings and anchored himself down with the aide of some minor anchor spells he learned. After several line change maneuvers, the engine was moved onto the wagons and coupled up.

CLUNK!

TWEEEEEET!

“Right Away!”

PHEEEEEEEEP!

WHEEEEEEEEEEESH!

The train started away smoothly and slowly picked up speed so as to climb the grades out of Aberhoofi. Stanier Five was enjoying himself, keeping a close eye on the signals and the surrounding areas. Glancing ahead, once the train was on the descent, he saw something that alarmed him.

“STOP THE TRAIN! LUNA’S CHARIOT IS STUCK ON THE CROSSING!” he cried.

Keyth slammed the brakes hard on and the guard pinned the van’s brakes. The train went into a tenderlong agonized screaming slide. Dangersignal tightened the tender’s brakes and Keyth threw the engine forward, hoping the that the directional shift would put enough weight against the wagons.

Sparks and smoke filled the air, the metallic screaming being drowned out by the fighting crew. Dangersignal piled coal on, hoping that the engine could access all the power it needed. However, unbraked, loaded wagons are a real force to be reckoned with. A weight shift of any more than five on a twenty wagon train means that the crew is basically helpless.

While Alicorns are considered the most powerful type of pony, when pitted against something like that, they are just as helpless as any human. It doesn’t matter to a loaded train that there are ponies that have powerful magic, the wagons can quickly overpower them.

That’s why any type of pony, from Earth to Alicorn was trained in the art of speed braking. Teleporting was too dangerous as it meant that with quick moving trains, the teleporting pony would miss the wagon(s) and end up either at the brake-van or on the ground. Dangersignal had trained himself to do this, even though it was dangerous, but he knew that he had one chance and one chance only. Celestia got lucky, but Luna was on a one way ticket to see Starswirl the Beareded permanently.

“I’m going to try and pin the brakes!” Dangersignal shouted. “Try to keep this train under control!”

Keyth nodded and grimly turned to his greatest weapon-the locomotive itself. He glanced around the cab while the Alicorn scrambled over the even numbered wagons and pinned the brakes on the odd numbered wagons. The human’s eyes landed on the engine’s very own vacuum brake and grabbed the screw handle.

“ALL IN OR NOTHING!” he mentally screamed as he tightened the handle.

A hissing noise sounded out as the engine’s titanium vacuum brake blocks locked hard. The train started to slow down quicker, but the wagons were being squeezed. Then it happened, and all at once.

The engine came to a violent stop, the wagons trying to continue on, only smashing into each other and destroying themselves. Dangersignal was flung backwards and landed hard on the cab roof, denting it. Stanier Five was launched into the air and smashed into the gates. Keyth helped get Dangersignal into the cab then ran to pull Stanier Five into the cab.

Both had managed to injure themselves, but what was worse was that the engine’s brakes had jammed hard on. He was upset that he damaged the engine, but was more concerned for the two Alicorns.

Another engine was sent to take the two Alicorns to hospital, where they were tended to. Workmen and work ponies were sent to try and release the engine’s brakes, so it could be moved, but they found another problem, the engine’s ejector, which keeps all air brakes off had failed, so another engine would have to be coupled to it to pull it clear.

Rainbow Dash was at the hospital, looking over her son, and being there for him while he lay healing and sobbing. He had said that he was no good as an Alicorn, because his magic failed to secure him to the tender and how could he face Twilight or any of the princesses, who were much more skilled Alicorns. Dangersignal felt awful, as he couldn’t be supportive, due to him having to worry about his own healing and it really tore him up not being there for his kid.

Rainbow Dash soothed him and said that she was proud of him for helping prevent a very serious accident. That seemed to cheer him up and some time later, Princess Luna appeared and thanked the two Alicorns. She then turned to Stanier Five.

“Prince to be Stanier Five, your act of bravery has attracted my sister’s attention. Princess Celestia wants to know if you would like to learn magic from her?” Princess Luna asked.

“I’d like to take my lessons from Twilight, but maybe when I move on to more powerful magic, then I’d like to learn from Celestia, if that is okay with my parents,” he said. “You can ask my mother, as my father is busily healing from his impromptu braking.”

Luna nodded and looked over at Dangersignal, who lay silent and breathing. He had a rather large bruise on his torso, under his wing. She shook her head and gave a soft chuckle.

“I need to see him without a bruise,” the Night Princess said. “That sight’s just too familiar.”

Stanier Five laid his head down and slept, letting the medicine take over and wash the pain away. It felt like a hot spring had formed inside his veins and was there to help him out, but it also felt like something very familiar-his mother’s embrace. He couldn’t deny that Rainbow Dash’s nurturing and motherly nature made him feel safe.

Some time later, Stanier Five was released from hospital and left in the charge of Fluttershy. Dangersignal stayed for a while longer, as he was a lot bigger than Stanier Five and had managed to break a couple of ribs. He was pleased that his son was out and in the charge of a pony who he could trust.

Stanier Five helped Fluttershy with her light chores and even made Angel Bunny behave, with his vampiric fangs. He was constantly resting and taking medicine in accordance with the doctor’s orders. Twilight came by to check on her pupil to be and was pleased he was making a fast recovery.

Once he had fully recovered, he was taken to Twilight’s castle and placed in a mock up of a classroom from the Canterlot School for Gifted Unicorns. The one thing missing was a desk, but he didn’t need one if he was going to learn spells. After all, he was great with his hooves and his earth pony portion, but he need improvement with the use of his wings and his magic.

As he and Twilight got situated, he looked at his new teacher.

“I thought I was going to learn this stuff at fifteen?” he asked.

“Well, your father and mother changed their plans, because they wanted you to have a head start on your magic,” Twilight said. “I agree with them and also think you’d benefit from more spells, so your not just stuck with three or four spells. Alicorns usually have an arsenal of spells ranging from the most basic to the most complicated.”

Stanier Five nodded and Twilight began teaching him how to teleport from one location to another. He found it rather hard at first, but after several weeks of practice, he finally got it perfected. From there, he learned: Illumination, levitation, identity changing, shield, stun, counter, memory, healing, invisibility, time stop, summoning, and many other spells.

While he learned what he could from her, Dangersignal was out of hospital and working his tail off. Goods trains and passenger trains were running on time, and there had been several minor incidents with trains, one of which involved a set of buffers and a load of cheese (but that’s another story entirely).

Dragonstorm was on fast express passenger trains, seeing as he had experience with that and found it enjoyable. Dangersignal preferred wagons and slower trains, because he wanted to collect his mind. One day though, things took a change for the hilarity.

He was assigned to collect Princess Celestia from Canterlot while her sister used the newly repaired chariot to deal with some delegates in Saddle Arabia. Dragonstorm saw that the railway’s Pullman coaches were a fitting substitute. The train was arranged and waiting for Dangersignal to collect them.

The older Alicorn was oiling rounds on an LNER A5 4-6-2T. His nerves wanted to go back on him, which would leave him high and dry. He never transported royals at all, or he was riding alongside the royal to act as a personal bodyguard.

He gripped the oil can too tightly with his magic, which ended up giving him a massive headache. Coupling Rod noticed he was nervous and said that there was a first time for everything, so being nervous was natural.

“Yeah, but this is something I haven’t done in a long time and royal trains are beyond my purview of knowledge,” he said. “I maybe an Alicorn, but there are things I don’t even know.”

“Take it easy and things will work out,” came the reply.

The two hopped into the cab and Dangersignal advanced the regulator. The tank engine hissed into action and clanked away to collect the train. The run through the countryside calmed the Alicorn’s nerves, but he was still slightly nervous. At Canterlot Station, the coaches stood, with the engine’s smoke box facing the coaches, meaning the tank engine would be running backwards. Celestia was sitting comfortably and snacking on a jam tart.

Dangersignal moved the engine close to the coaches and the shunter was in the act of coupling the coaches when his attention was diverted to a train that had just embedded itself a few inches into the bay platform. Everyone thought the coaches and engine were coupled together, but they weren’t.

The guard’s whistle blew and Dangersignal opened the regulator and the engine slipped out of the station. However, Coupling Rod had noticed something odd.

“Erm, Dangersignal? Are the coaches meant to be sliding away from us?” he asked.

“No, but they’re…not coupled to the engine,” came the Alicorn’s answers.

Dangersignal set the brakes hard and the tank engine slid backwards for a few yards, then stopped. Embarrassment washed over the pair of ponies as they realized that they hadn’t been coupled. Moving back to the train, Coupling Rod ran along the platform and made sure the coaches were coupled to the engine and once the brake tests were carried out, the two ponies took the train to Ponyville, where Celestia was to meet Stanier Five.

Celestia found the who incident rather funny and she was able to laugh it off, as was Dangersignal and Coupling Rod, but the other ponies and humans would be sure to not let them forget this in a hurry.

> Chapter 26
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Stanier Five’s magic lessons had ended and he was being flight trained by Soarin’ and Rainbow Dash. If he was going to be a full fledged Alicorn, then he needed to be able to fly and who better than a Wonderbolt and a Wonderbolt Reserve. He was pleased to make friends with Soarin’ and learn from the best.

Meanwhile, Dangersignal was busy overlooking the construction of a 4-8-4+4-8-4 streamlined Garratt, a hybrid Diesel with a chassis of a Heisler, a GWR Cathedral class 4-6-2, and a Saddle tank/crane tank Heisler. He wanted to have some fun experimenting with different ideas that landed in his head. After all, he didn’t have any outside railway board to answer to and his experiments never hurt anypony or anybody.

“At least we’ll be miles ahead of the boring places that only use diesels and electrics,” he said.

However, his peace was soon to be disrupted. A messenger mare came to him and handed him a registered letter and had him sign. The Alicorn tipped the mare handsomely and after she left, he read the letter and gave a dissatisfied groan. He was being called back by Prince Shining Armor to train a fresh batch of new Royal Guard Recruits.

Dragonstorm was also being called back and he wasn’t best pleased at this prospect. However, a job was a job and Shining Armor was a Prince and they had promised him that they’d train any new recruits. He had been their superior commander and now he was semi-retired and was hoping that one of the Alicorns would take over during this training festival. 

The two Alicorns caught the next train to Canterlot, where several veteran guards met them.

“Field Marshal Dangersignal and Brigadier General Dragonstorm, I am Lance Corporal Dagger Maelstrom of Dispatch,” the large black coat Earth Stallion said. “I have received orders that you two are to be based here to train the new recruits.”

“That is correct, Lance Corporal,” Dangersignal said. “Have you any other orders?”

“Yes, your quarters are in the front of the Castle, Second Floor, Fifteenth door on the right,” Dagger Maelstrom said. “I shall be your official guide to your quarters. You two will be sharing one quarters to discuss what you both observe and discuss which ones should be hired on.”

Dangersignal and Dragonstorm thanked him and followed the stallion to their quarters, where several boxes of files awaited them. Lance Corporal Dagger Maelstrom left them to their reading and their mind making. Dragonstorm looked at his older brother once the door was shut.

“How do we want to train them?” Dragonstorm asked.

“We need to train them in what we call the “basics”-full and accurate reports without missing a comma, hoof-to-hoof combat, OTF medical analysis, basic first aid and whatever else we were trained in,” Dangersignal said.

While that was going on, the humans were continuing on with the work on the railways and the new style engines were out of the shops and had been run. At least, they were having fun and not having to don armor that felt like a ton of bricks. Pegasi armor was slightly lighter to accommodate the fact that the winged ponies liked to be in the air rather than on the ground.

Unicorn armor was heavier, but it didn’t impede the use of magic. It was also bulkier and weighed a great deal more, but it was meant to protect the magically astute ponies, but it slowed them slightly.

Earth pony armor was heavier, but that was because they were often the first line of defense and in the fray of the fight. Unlike Pegasi and Unicorns, Earth ponies had to rely on their strength, dexterity and even their quick wits and impromptu distractions skills. (One Earth pony that Dangersignal and Dragonstorm worked with was known as Dynamite Fuse and he had a tendency to over use his explosive knowledge, which lead to many mishaps, including blowing up Luna’s tower during her thousand year stay on the moon).

As for Alicorns, their armor was lighter, but it held many secrets and allowed for them to store weapons. In fact, Pegasi, unicorns and Alicorns were given throwing, utility and combat knives, as they could use their wings. Earth ponies were given swords and daggers as their combat weapons. Some of the more astute Earth ponies carried spears and lances.

Any former guard will tell any new guard that they serve two purposes-one purpose is to be a meat shield for the princess and the second-to be a guard every pony remembers. Dangersignal and Dragonstorm had passed into legend because of their feats, but they knew the fact that being a meat shield is far more fun than being a legend.

As they looked through the files, Dangersignal came upon one that made him roll his eyes in disgust.

Name-Blast Star
Pony Type-Thestral (Pony with Dragon wings)
Rank-Private
Age-22
Current Pay-650 bits
Cutie Mark-An exploding star
Eye color-Lime green
Mane color-White Chocolate
Tail color-Caramel
Coat color-Kiwi green
Talent-explosives/diversions

The photograph showed a cocky male Thestral with the Lime green eyes, White Chocolate Mane, Kiwi green coat and Caramel tail. He had a cocksure grin that said “Here I am, take me out first!”

“I’m glad he isn’t on our staff, or he’d be out of a job so fast, that he wouldn’t know which was up until I sent him packing for a thousand years to the moon!” the higher ranking Alicorn huffed. 

Something told him that this kid was going to be trouble and that there was no way of making him see sense until he was active and having to do his job or be completely wiped out of existence. Dangersignal refused to let that happen and decided to be a teacher to this kid. Deciding that Dragonstorm was too busy at the moment, Dangersignal went out to look over the new recruits.

The training ground was practically buried under formations of new ponies. Earth ponies, Unicorns, Pegasi, Thestrals and batponies stood there, at attention.

“Good morning troops!” Dangersignal called out.

“GOOD MORNING SIR!” the new recruits said in sharp and loud tones.

Dangersignal looked at them, with a thoughtful eye. They were reminding him of the humans he worked with and how prompt they were with words. He then had an idea to really put them through their paces. He really wanted to see how they’d perform and what skills each guard possessed.

He knew that Blast Star was in the ranks of the new trainees. He wanted to personally train that Thestral himself, so he waited and when Dragonstorm arrived, Dangersignal explained his plans to his younger brother.

“I understand, Field Marshal,” Dragonstorm said, saluting the higher ranking Alicorn.

Dangersignal turned around.

“Will Private Blast Star come Front and Center?” he called.

A hushed silence fell as a lone Thestral walked forward. The silence turned into sinkers and laughter as they realized he was in trouble, or so they thought.

“Right then, Private Lens Flarye, what’s so funny?” Dangersignal asked, glancing down at a Bright orangish red unicorn, with a glass white mane and tail and crystal blue eyes.

The startled unicorn nearly fainted, from being spooked by the higher ranking official. Others fell silent and looked around, as if to find rocks to crawl under. From the back, a Unicorn Stallion walked forward. Every new guard practically fell over.

“Commander in Chief, Prince Shining Armor,” Dangersignal said, saluting the Unicorn Prince.

The Commander in Chief returned the salute and asked how the new recruits were. Dangersignal explained that he had to promptly spook one to make his point, which got a wry chuckle out of the Prince. After another wry chuckle, he turned to the new recruits.

“If I were you, I’d listen to these two. I didn’t make them a Brigadier General and Field Marshal for nothing. They have years of experience and know what they are doing,” he told the stallions and mares. “If one of them wants to personally train one pony, like Celestia did with my sister, then it’s fine. I shall come back in three months time for an inspection and a report. If any of you have royally put your hoof in it, consider yourselves out of a job.”

“If they lose their job here, I know of a rubbish depot opening up that could use manual labor to unload the wagon loads of rubbish that the railway will be delivering,” Dangersignal said. “After all, it’s a job, but it’s on the low end of the world.”

The two Alicorns and Unicorn heard hushed whispers which sounded like, “We’d best stay on the right side of these three, unless we want to be on the rubbish bins.” Dangersignal and Shining Armor winked at each other, and the prince headed off to his lovely wife. As for the Thestral, he stared up at Dangersignal with a newfound respect.

Dangersignal gestured for the private to join him on stage. When he came up on stage, the Alicorn told the Thestral that he’d oversee a special brand of training. That got everyone complaining, but Dragonstorm said that if they behaved well for him, then Dangersignal might pick another one or two to be up for special training.

That got everyone to calm down and follow the orders of the Brigadier General, who trained them in weapons usage and the basics from when he was a recruit. Dangersignal was training Blast Star and looked down at him.

“I have chosen you to be one of six guards to be allocated at Ponyville, to act as a guard for Princess Twilight Sparkle and her “Stand in” prince, Prince Stanier Five,” Dangersignal said.

“Stand in?” Blast Star asked.

“That means that he stands in for Twilight when she’s away and runs Ponyville,” Dangersignal explained.

“Why me?” he asked.

“You remind me of my brother’s youthful self, and how he loved blowing things up,” Dangersignal chuckled.

Blast Star laughed slightly and was ordered to wait on the inner castle courtyard. Once he was out of sight, Dangersignal sighed and walked back to the new recruits.

“I was hoping this would be easy, but running the railway is easier,” he groaned.

> Chapter 27
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The railway wasn't fairing much better. Many engines were in for overhauls and repairs due to crews riding them roughly. Things seemed to be at rock bottom until..... 	  

“EUREKA!”   

“What is it?”  

“A breakthrough!”   

“Next time, warn us.”   

“Sorry, but the idea is based on the unbuilt designs of the Standard class 8F 2-8-0, 2-8-2T, 2-8-4T and the many Standard Range tank engines. If we can build these engines, maybe, just maybe we can keep traffic moving,” Alistair said. 

“Fit with conventional valve gear?” Rainbow asked.   

“No, The 8F 2-8-4T's will be fit with Joy Valve gear and Caprotti motion,” Alistair replied. 	  

“Ah, It's a joy because it's easy to maintain?” came the question. 	  

“No, it's a joy because it's a pain in the backside.”   

That brought out the groans, but the human was too excited and ran to catch the next train to the Crystal Empire, where he presented his ideas to the workcolts and mares. They set to work almost immediately, after sending out several locos for testing. One such loco was a 2-8-0 and updated version of the Super D, with 9mm injector trimmers and patched water feed pipes to keep water from dropping between the frames.  

“Improvements?”   

“Yes, to give a more comfortable ride,” The chief said. 	  

Alistair nodded and left to see the trials. The 2-8-0 Super G2z was doing well. Crews loved the redesign and found it kept speed easily, while handling 2,450 tons, easily out pulling the 9F, which could handle 2,200 tons.  

Alistair chuckled, then turned to see the work mares fitting oil burning equipment, as well as a Giesl ejector to another Super D they got their hooves on. He didn't stick around for he had other things to attend to.   

One of these other things was the new construction of a steel mill outside of Starlight's village. The construction process saw the removal of earth and rubble to a sorting facility outside Van Hoover.  

For such a job, the railway employed Robinson 04s, S160s, and 7200s. The heavy freight locos loved the challenge, but soon Super D's and Caledonian 492's were also employed on the duties. The 0-8-0's made even shorter work of the dirty goods. However, that wouldn't last. 	  

Just outside of the Crystal Empire is a town that everyone called Fetshill. The layout there was awkward. There were two loops either side of the double track mainline with a crossover to the wrong road.  

The signalbox there had traditions that would drive any sane railway type nuts. By the rules in place, no more than two signalponies or signalmen should be in the box, but there were often five to eight in the box, talking.   

Crews shunted wrong road only signed the roster and didn't check. Thankfully, the box had a booking lad to make sure everything was checked and to the rules specified. After several months, the crews in the box kicked him for “going above his station”. That would prove to be the biggest mistake made.   

It was a rather hectic day in the box, with no fewer then 45 trains being passed in both directions. Two goods trains, the Up coal to the Crystal Empire and Down general goods to Van Hoover were put into the loops to allow several faster trains to over take.   

Following the faster trains was a local service, with an express barking up on it's heels. The local, as done many times before, was shunted wrong road to allow the express to thunder on. As that was happening, the fireman signed the register and didn't check that the signals were protected and simply walked back to his engine for a well deserved tea.   

No sooner had the door shut, the driver of the coal train shuddered.   

“Summat wrong?” asked the firemare? 	  

“Yes,” the driver said. 	  

He looked at the local, then turned to see the signal protecting the wrong road shunted train come off. He jumped and ran up the stairs and burst in, shouting for them to reset the signals before danger came. 	  

However, a fast puffing was heard and a whistle rang out. They saw the firemare charge out with a red flag. She flew like mad and began waving the flag mad and screaming for the train to stop. 	  

The train in question was a mixed train of soldiers and holidaying ponies. The driver, a former guard, was aiming to get his train to the Crystal Empire on time. The firecolt saw the flag and tried to tell him, but the driver was not having it. They rounded the bend and saw the local on the line ahead. 	  

“Look what you've done!” the driver of the coal shouted as the Holiday/Soldier express plowed headlong into the local train. 

Just then, there was a scream of brakes and they turned to see another express plow headlong into the wreckage. The uninjured crews set to work cleaning the mess while the coal train's driver returned all signals to danger and demanded the signalmen there send “Obstruction Danger” notices up and down the line.   

Once all that was done, he returned to the carnage and began digging for survivors. Wreck crews were sent up to help clean things up. The three trains were damaged and the coaches, despite being steel, were crushed and some were even peeled like a banana. The undamaged coaches and uninjured patrons of the coaches were dragged back to the last stations on their journeys. Once there, the wreck crews set to work cleaning up and separating the entangled trains. When they managed to sort the trains, the three engines and the front potions of all three passenger trains were straight write offs.  

“Idiots,” Alistair muttered when he heard. 	  

The royals, who were informed, were all looking queasy. However, the others were looking more like they wanted to go on a reaming raid.   

“This...how...?” Luna asked. 	  

“Broken rules and mistaken actions,” Alistair huffed. 	  

They stared in shock.   

“We'll sort it out,” he replied. “I got reports and statements.” 	  

They nodded. He left and spent his day with Dangersignal and Dragonstorm going over reports. 	  

“Young idiots,” Dangersignal sighed.  

They nodded. 	  

“Well boys, reports all night long,” he said. “We're gonna need lots of coffee and headache medicine.”
> Chapter 28
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The accident investigation was conclusive and wrapped up in short order, but another problem sprung up, that would lead to the biggest disaster Equestria ever saw. 




A new set of crewcolts had been hired on in Maretropolis. However, they were much worse than first thought. They blatantly ignored rules and constantly were getting themselves into all sorts of trouble with the law. 




“Young idiots,” huffed Brick Arch. “Bettin' anythin' they'll get into trouble.” 




“Tooa reet. ah 'ope neya 'un else gets i' on thea stupidity,” a large black with red stripped unicorn named Fuse Injector said. 




They watched as the new crewcolts began fly shunting long lines of wagons at dangerous speeds. The two older hooves groaned and went to sort out this mess and take care the shunting that needed to be done. 




“Who needs them?” one of the new colts. “Always butting in and telling us to do it right.” 




“Right, who cares about this Gresley fellow? He's a fat and lazy so and so who only tells people what to do,” another huffed. 




The others agreed. 




“Our way is better and we'll prove it,” a fifth said. 




And prove it, they did. They broke every rule and did every wrong maneuver in the book. They didn't care and ignored every reprimand. Even suspensions and reallocations didn't work. They had pin ups insulting every designer and CME known to man and pony kind. 




“These young 'ooligans aren't goan learn. what's it goan tek, eur deyth?,” Fuse Injector snarled, watching their idiot trainees cause hell. 




She watched them take an ex-Union Pacific 0-6-0 Saddle tank and roughly fly some ex WD warwells into a siding. 




“We'll have to wait and see,” Brick Arch said. 




Days went by and the rowdy newcomers were making things worse and even dangerous. Such moves as fly shunting wagons across the path of inbound and outbound trains, many of them being passenger trains. Drivers hated that and often yelled at them, to no avail. 




Some days later, Celestia's cousin, Leon, now 17, was hired on at Maretropolis Kingsworth Sheds. 




“Okay, now, I need to find either Fuse Injector or Brick Arch,” he muttered. 




Looking around, he eventually bumped into Brick Arch. The large earth pony was looking over a recent arrival, an Ex-GWR Large Prairie. He turned to face Leon and smiled. 




“Hello,” he said. “Are you Leon?” 




“Yes, sir,” Leon replied. “I'm here to start work as a cleaner.” 




Brick Arch smiled and took the young Alicorn under his wing and taught him the ins and outs of shed 90C. Leon, with note book, was writing down every little oddity that the shed staff had and even their rituals. Some made him chuckle with bemusement. Once done with the shed teaching, the two cleaned and polished the 61xx in the shed before it's next train. 




As they finished work, a line of coal wagons came flying towards them from out of the yard. Leon set the table and the trucks rolled over the table and hit the buffers, the rear six coming off the rails. Coal flew everywhere and many of the lumps of coal hit the recently cleaned loco, denting it and covering it in coal dust. 




“I'll send for help,” Brick Arch said. 




“I'll examine the loco,” Leon replied. 




The two went to do what they said. Leon gave the loco a thorough examination before sighing. The boiler was dented and in several places, the outer casing was cracked; the tanks were bent and in places cracked, the peephole windows were shattered, the lamp crushed, the lamp irons bent and the smokebox door knocked in. 




“It's not safe to work,” he said. “I'll have to report this.” 




He did and two inspectors came to examine the engine. They found more damage caused by the flying coal and quickly arranged for another engine to cover the crippled engine's train. As they finished, An Ex-GWR 14xx, #1458, brought up the cranes from the sidings at the bottom of the yard. 




Another engine came to clear away the undamaged wagons and workcolts, workmares and workmen swarmed the turntable. Even with Leon's help, the table wouldn't turn. Closer inspection revealed the gears had been jammed hard into the teeth on the bottom of the turntable pit, which helps the table turn around to properly orient a loco for whatever job it had. 




“This is just lovely!” Leon snarled as Brick Arch came up. “First the tank and now this!” 




Brick Arch was filled in. He sighed and walked over to the young prince. 




“It'll be sorted. For right now, you'll have to learn how to shunt trucks and pilot the station,” Brick Arch said. “With the sheds out of action, you'll be lucky to clean an engine at all for the rest of the day.” 




Leon agreed and followed his mentor to the yards, where they found the pilot, an Ex-LMS Fowler 3F tank, more commonly referred to as a Jinty. Leon was taught to raise steam in a “warm” loco. 




A “warm” loco is a loco where the fire had died down, but isn't out completely. Raising steam from that state was a walk in the park if the crew knows what to do. Churning the clinkers and firebed over, glowing coals will rise to the top and throwing a half shovel on the glowing coals will start a combustion process which will set the coals on fire. If a little prodding is needed, the driver moves the coals around and the rushes of oxygen fly into the gaps and start to raise the fire. Some crews have a habit of grabbing a piece of wood and soaking half of it in kerosene, then lighting the soaked end and tossing it in to make sure the “warm” state of the loco has changed to a “hot” state.   




The raising process went without a hitch and they were soon moving coaches and wagons into their inbound and outbound platforms and sidings. The troublesome colts were still causing trouble. It was due to their carelessness that caused what happened next. 




One colt decided to stand on the railway line and play “chicken” with a line of wagons. His mate gave the wagons an extra hard shove, so they were barreling down the line at a greater rate. Leon screamed out for everyone to clear the line, but the young idiot didn't move. 




Leon tried to use his magic to hold the heavy wagons, but due to the weight, speed and momentum shifts, it was no good and the “chicken” was knocked down. By the time medics got to him, he was gone. Leon was close to tears. 




“Don't worry,” Brick Arch said, walking up and laying a hoof on the trainee. “Stupid gets what stupid deserves.” 




Leon nodded and they went back to working in the yard. There were no investigations as the events were transparent and the recent hires were thrown out. Leon was kept on and he proved to be a smarter investment to the railway. His trains were in and out on time and no one had a bad word to say about him. However, Leon had yet to face the main line with a train he had made up.
> Chapter 29
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

With two counts of broken rules ending with justice being served, things settled down. However, a connection was opened to a large, undersea state called Equilantis, which was a large Aquatic Changeling state, where Changelings and Ponies could live without any form of judgement. However, it was their advancements to their own Railway Network that made them an impressive force.

Using paraffin lamps to communicate, they had codes for everything. It could be considered confusing, but their crews spend four years in training before even making the rank of cleaner. Some of the codes, aside from the usual codes, are as follows:

Blue, Front left lamp iron on brake van-Mechanical brake failure on two or more coal wagons
Blue, Front right lamp iron on brake van-mechanical brake failure on two or more flatbeds
Blue, Rear left lamp iron on brake van-mechanical brake failure on two or more vans
Blue, Rear right lamp iron on brake van-mechanical brake failure on two or more specialty wagons

Umber, left front lamp iron on loco-Last minute post train
Umber, middle front lamp iron on loco-Last minute passenger train
Umber, Right front lamp iron on loco-Last minute excursion train
Umber, smokebox door lamp iron-Last minute freight train

Teal, Left tender lamp iron: Market goods (Tender first)
Teal, Center tender lamp iron: Oil train (Tender first)
Teal, Right tender lamp iron: Timber train (Train First)
Teal, top tender lamp iron: track maintenance (tender first)

Cyan, Left front lamp iron: Market goods (smokebox first)
Cyan, Center front lamp iron: Oil train (smokebox first)
Cyan: Right front lamp iron: Timber train (smokebox first)
Cyan: Smokebox door top lamp iron: Track Maintenance (smokebox first)

As for signalbox lamp codes:

Purple (Bottom), Orange (Middle), Maroon (Top): Train through, signal failure, flag next train
Double Purple: Electrics failure, manual crankscolt out
Triple Maroon: Runaway, driver has slight control
Triple Orange: Runaway, Driver has no control, train derailment eminent
Double Opal, Vermillion (Top): Breakaway, 45 wagons, guardless brake van.

With communication the way it is, paraffin lamps and color coordination can be relaid in short order to allow actions to be taken to prevent things from getting out of control. Crews are grateful for the system, which gives tons more information.

As for signalstaff, they were fitted with portable radios, so they could communicate without having to be drawn to a phone that was attached to a wall. The tunnel had a signalbox placed in the most ventilated section of the tunnel, where the signalstaff could keep sight of the train to the portals at each end of the tunnel.

It was a system that worked well. It kept trains from colliding with each other and even put trains ahead of schedule. To those who worked the Equilantis Main Line, they thought the color coded lamps were too much.

“Don't they think this is overkill?” one Driverling asked.

“No,” the guard said. “It's in addition to the bells, as it provides visual information.”

The crew of Ex-NSR K class 4-4-2T fitted a single lamp to the loco's top lamp iron and climbed into the cab and waited. Fifteen minutes later, the fireling looked back. He saw the green flag.

“You've got the road!” he called over to the driverling.

That called for the advancement of the regulator. The loco responded and made it's way up the line, to the long tunnel. The tunnel was 15 miles in length, ventilated properly, with signalboxes inside to allow extra protection. The reason for the length is that, when measured, from the bridge just after the Equilantis-Horseshoe Bay to Equliantis Deep Bank station is 19 miles, but the main climb is a 15 mile bank from the base to the top flats.

With such a grade, being that it's mainstay at 1-185% with spikes of 1-50%, bankers were placed at the base. Crews ascending had to really thrash their locos to get the most out of them. Descending crews had it worse, as they had to try to control trains weighing up to and often in excess of 2,200 tons. It was customary, before leaving Horseshoe Bay's goods yard to have the shunters pin the wagon brakes on the necessary wagons to prevent runaways.

Even then, trains still ran away. To make sure that they mitigated the damage a runaway did, a set of express points were constructed, as well as a stretch of track that lead to a large, open field some several miles out of the large state, where the runaway could derail with minimal damage to houses or two life itself.

“Over protective much?” a mare asked her husband one day.

“I know, I know, but you must understand my dear Roseluck, that our Queen doesn't want us to be taken away by a freak accident,” her husband, a large Aquatic Changeling said.

“But....King's Ransom....you're her top spy! Your on the front lines!” Roseluck protested.

“I'm protected in that field and she wants to apply protection methods here too,” he said. “You don't want to end up pinned in a coach when a runaway slams into the station, do you?”

“No,” Roseluck said. “I couldn't bare to leave you to raise the family and hold a job alone.”

He gently kissed her, and she cooed softly. King's Ransom smiled softly.

“Our kids are due back from school tonight,” he said. “Cheerilee saw them to the train home.”

Roseluck smiled softly. King's Ransom bid her goodbye, then made his way to the terminal station. There, he met up with the stationmaster.

“Right there, Ted,” King's Ransom said.”How's been your day? Long and tiring I assume.”

“Your right, it has. Also, I have some bad news, the Ponyville school train's been held to allow a goods to overtake,” Ted said.

“Great,” King's Ransom huffed. “What time's it due in now?”

“About 8pm,” came the reply.

King's Ransom found a bench to sit down. What was to be a 30 minute wait was now shaping up to be a 2 hour, 45 minute wait. He wasn't best pleased, but what could they do? Nothing.

Half an hour later, a long, slow and heavy goods train rattled through and into the goods yard. A swarm of tank engine descended upon the train and began breaking it down. After what was an hour of movements and bangings, clashings and clankings, King's Ransom noticed the signals come off and the points connected to the signals change to platform 9. At 8 pm exact, the hissings and clanking of the passenger train, hauled by a former NSR K class 4-4-2T.

Once the brakes were firmly on, the doors were opened and school children poured out, to the hooves of their waiting parents. Now, being that Equilantis Deep Bank was a busy station, seeing as many as 15 trains a day, sometimes triple that number in the summer, tunnels were built to allow passengers and tourists to safely get to their required platforms and to their required exits so they could go home.

But the station's layout did have a drawback. The yard's main access was cut in front of the platforms, at a point where all the lines bottlenecked down to two tracks. Often times, passenger trains were held up as goods trains left, despite passenger trains having priority on the line. To readjust the pointwork would be impossible, unless it was winter and the number of trains was reduced. Crews complained about it, but nothing could be done.

However, one night, things went wrong, but in the best way possible. After the students were out and the coaches were being shunted out, a train of wagons was being shunted at the same time. As they reached the crossing, the brake-van smacked into the brake coach and they were lifted from the rails, causing damage to the crossovers and points.

“Cor blimey!” yelped the on duty Signalling and threw all signals to danger, then arranged the lamps in the order of Gold on the bottom, Crimson in the middle, and Blue on the top, meaning “Derailment during shunting maneuvers”, then sent messages to Horseshoe Bay station, where the stationmaster managed to hold all trains.

Work crews were called out and while the station was closed to traffic, they worked fast and managed to move the yard's access lines a couple hundred yards up from the station “throat”. Due to their position, however, the station signalling had no control over them, so a specialty signalbox was built to accommodate them and two holding loops, which were added to hold trains that needed to get in the yard, so as to keep the main line clear.

The arrangements worked nicely, as this allowed for the goods to be held until the appropriate time. The holding loop on the up line to Canterlot allowed for a second goods train to be in readiness and for the allowance of an express freight to overtake it.

The new system did take time to get used to, but they did and the changes gave the timetable great amounts of relief. Trains were in on time and the school train was no longer delayed,, meaning everyone could be together sooner.

As for the station itself, it was still busy, but trains are vast vehicles of innumerable wishes and a station is a setting for arrivals, departures and other activities. Main stations, like Canterlot, are a hive for lots of emotions-upset, hurt, joy, hellos, goodbyes, and the anxiety that comes with those emotions.

The Aquatic Changelings who ran the station were used to them and often gave out little hints that they'll come back with the words- “They maybe gone now, but who says they're gone forever?”
> Chapter 30
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

One minute.

Everything changes within one minute.

No one knows that more than the signal staff. Their responsibility is to safely pass trains and keep to the time tables. Any delays are to be immediately relayed to them and they take the appropriate measures.

The signalers at Equestria Canterlot station know this duty all too well. At peak hours, they pass anywhere between 15 and 45 trains, from pick up goods to express passenger trains. One crossed signal, one wrong set of points set for the wrong road, one mistaken flag can spell disaster.

Often times, trains are running on yellow signals at peak hours instead of greens, so more trains can be squeezed through. One such example was when a Changeling Signaler passed a slurry train on five minutes after passing an express to Van Hoover.

“Stupid,” he growled.

“I know,” replied his booking colt, a pegasus filly of 15 replied. “But it's how things are to go, until that new box it built.”

The Changeling growled again, before accepting a pick up goods from Manehatten. He belled that he had a pick up goods shunting and wouldn't be able to accept a train for 20 minutes at the outset, then set his instruments to reflect that. He was getting ready to look out for the goods when he heard the bell ring, then....

“GOOD GLORY!”

“What?!” he demanded, running over.

“The idiots from Cloudsdale Lower passed a tanker train!”

He stared, before calling the box at Cloudsdale Lower sidings.

“Aye, we passed tanker train,” came the reply. “You said yous had space.”

“I did not!” the Changeling roared. “I told you I had a pick up goods coming in and shunting!”

There was an awkward, and choked horrified silence. Five minutes later, after hanging up the phone, the Changeling lifted it and called the yards at Ponyville.

“Send up the cranes.”

The confirmation was heard when asked why. A noise, greater than thunder ripped through.

“We'll send them up right away!”

He hung up and turned to see that both trains had tried to occupy platform 5, the main goods platform at Canterlot station. Five seconds later, a large fireball charged the box. The changeling, taking no chance, threw the filly out of the box as the fire engulfed it. Fireponies were on hand immediately, but it took 18 hours to subdue the fire. By the time they got in, the box was melted and there was a giant dome in the middle of the box.

“What's that?” one asked.

The dome crumbled to show the signal changeling there, singed and some cut marks. They charged him and began to cover the wounds and cover the burns in burn cream.

“Your lucky,” one of the fireponies said.

“I....urgh.....know....gah....” he groaned as the cold cream hit the cuts and burns. “Can you apply that any more savagely?”

The fireponies chuckled and continued to tend to him, as the first drops of rain began to fall. The changeling closed his eyes as the soothing sound of the rain hit the ground. Meanwhile, a goods crew was battling through the downpour.

“Can't these weather ponies keep the weather straight?” the driver asked.

“That'd be simple,” the firecolt said. “And as we all know, nothing can be kept simple.”

Just then, they heard a crash of thunder and saw flashes of lightning. The driver looked up to see the weather worsening.

“Just our luck,” he growled.

The points diverted them into an old bay platform. The signalcolt came down and told them they were being diverted into the bay due to weather washing out a section of line just beyond Canterlot.

“Great,” the firecolt moaned.

“We'll be safe here,” the driver said.

The crew looked around, hoping to find some light or a station sign. Nothing. The station itself was overgrown, with shattered windows and some eroded brickwork and rotten wood beams. The lights were rusted and showing signs of years of neglect.

“At least we have each other,” the driver muttered.

Just then, they glanced over to the old platelayers hut and noticed a Hippogryph, two unicorns, two pegasi, two earth ponies, one changeling, one gryphon, and two dragons. They all wore platelayers clothes and looked like washed up trouts.

“What in the....?” asked the driver.

“Don't know,” the firecolt said.

They watched the gang of platelayers. They seemed to be in some kind of mental checklist state and unaware of their surroundings. The crew watched as they gathered their tools and headed for a brick wall.

“Wait...isn't that.....”

“Yes, Red Tunnel.”

“Red Tunnel” was a relatively long tunnel-8 miles. It looped over itself twice, as well as follow a gradient down into the Moorlands Changeling Hive. It has two sharp grades- a 1-in-40 and a 1-in-20. The tunnel was in service for only twenty minutes, before it saw it's only fatal accident and after that, it was bricked up.

However, many times in the past few weeks, ghosts of those who perished in the mishap have been showing up, sometimes standing outside the tunnel like statues, other times, they walked into bricked up to the tunnel. However, the dark story of the tunnel was a secret well guarded by the Library of the Hive of the Moorlands, due to all the secrets it held which were connected to a pony who was away.
> Chapter 31
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

With the coming of the railway, everything seemed to expand and grow. Harbours were now busier than ever, businesses that did trades were booming and even businesses like farms were moving more goods than they were before the railway came along.

“Never have I thought I'd see the day this would return us such benefits,” Celestia said from her castle as a goods train flew through the station and charged at the grades beyond to get to the Crystal Empire.

“That is true, your grace,” replied one of her guards. “These machines seem to have shaped our country. Some for the best, some for the worst.”

“All railways have histories that are stained with blood Polish Cloth,” Celestia said. “But so does our shipping lanes and even the hot air balloon carry such distinctions.”

Polish Cloth agreed.

“That is true,” he said. “But, where do we go from here?”

“That, is for Fate to decide and Time to tell,” she said.