The Lake Shore division of the Canterlot & North Western cuts through the fertile farmlands and lush green pastures of the Great Plains. Dotted with beautiful lakes, the rolling landscape would seem to be an ideal country in which to railroad. The seasons were so definite that one never tired of the changing scenery; and yet the winters were so severe that only the stoutest could endure their hardships. This vigorous and interesting railroad is the background for this story, which witnesses steam at the height of its glory and sees the coming of the Diesel.

This story is based on my grandfather's experiences working for the Chicago & North Western Railroad out of Neenah (pronounced knee-nah), Wisconsin, so the scenery is based on my home state. I hope others from Wisconsin who read this will recognize the locations, even though some will have different names.
Teen for language.
Now humanized.

The Griffon Empire has invaded Equestria. Griffon technology has nullified the use of magic and has stripped the pegasi of flight. The Princesses are in hiding. Using a network of abandoned rail lines, a small resistance force wages a war to get their country back. From the coal mines of the east, to the snowy wastes of the north, these ponies fight bravely against all odds.

I've had this idea bouncing around in my head for a while, and I decided to give it a shot.

The idea for this story came from an old magazine called The Wizard. The story, also called Will'o the Whistle, ran from 1957-1958. The main plot line is taken from the story, but the small events are completely mine.