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Railroader doesn't allow you to customize the liveries of steam engines yet... but if it did, this is how i'd like to run my three engines.
Anyway... sentient locomotives are probably technically employees of the railroad rather than equipment, right? In railroader, the self-driving feature of the engines results in the engine getting a paycheck. So here's some excerpts from their job interviews. (they're not very good at job interviews)
interviewer: "Tell me about yourself." Trinity: "I'm a G-16 Mogul built 1906 by Baldwin with a two-six-oh wheel arrangement and a tractive effort of sixteen thousand pounds. I weigh eighty two thousand pounds and have a factor of adhesion of, ohh, four point five, four point six. Clayton: "I consider myself something of an academic. Of course an engine can't go to school, but I try to keep an eye out for the latest happenings in the world of science and technology. Faith: "I was built for speed and power, so despite these little wheels I am a pacific, and like any pacific, I can do passenger trains just fine. But I have no problem with freight either.
interviewer: "Where do you see yourself in five years?" Trinity: "Switching cars n' hauling freight." Clayton: "Oh god. Have you even seen the way things are going in this country? I mean, it could be worse, I could live in england, but in five years I wouldn't be surprised if I've been… erm, uh, i mean, I have every INTENT on making it past seventy, maybe even beyond. And I don't just mean as a museum piece." Faith: "I don't know. I seem to find my way all around the country these days. Things used to be so predictable, but now, it's just shuffling from one job to another. I try my best, but things keep going wrong…
interviewer: "What are your strengths?" Trinity: "Haven't we been through this? I told you my tractive effort is 16 thousand pounds. And yes, that IS plenty enough. I do NOT struggle to output that tractive effort. Clayton: "I'd say my best strength is my adaptability. I was built for express runs on the west coast, but here I am 60 years later hauling mostly freight on the shortline. I enjoy the intellectual stimulation of shunting just as much as the wind buffeting my face on a good long passenger journey." Faith: "Well you know. I'd probably say my best strength is my strength. Speed is nice, but power is what really gets you out of trouble."
interviewer: "Describe your work style." Trinity: "Well, you first. Describe your rule book. I go by the book whenever I can. And I will push the book to its limits to get things done efficiently, but I will do it by the book." Clayton: "I don't like to rush myself. Once I'm on the mainline I can make up for lost time, but I try to be sure to take care and be methodical with how I work in the yard." Faith: "How does the rhyme go? Safety first and tonnage last? That's the kind of thing management likes to hear right?"
interviewer: "what motivates you?" Trinity: "What a dumb question what do you mean what motivates me. If I have fire in my firebox and a good head of steam I'm going to need to put that steam somewhere. I don't need 'motivation' to work. I just do it." Clayton: "if i do not find a way to make myself useful my tender will run dry and my boiler will freeze and i will be left to rot on a siding somewhere. Haha. I love the current economic system we all live under sooo much!" (interviewer: [writes "marxist ten-wheeler" in notes.]) Faith: "I guess deep down I just want someone to be proud of me? I want someone to look at me go by and think 'wow! she's doing such a good job.' and then I want them to tell me that I'm doing a good job. Please."
interviewer: "Are you a team player?" Trinity: "What, you mean like, am I a multiple unit?" Clayton: "Yes. I think I bring out the best in everyone I work with." Faith: "Well, sometimes it's hard to get to know the other engines, and sometimes I think they don't like me very much. But I'll pull any train even if it has another engine on it too, if that's what you mean?"
interviewer: "Are you willing to work overtime?" Trinity: "The question is, do you have a crew willing to crew me overtime. That's usually the thing that holds me back." Clayton: "Hahaa… yeahh… totally…" Faith: [long pause.] "i do work… over… time… like the job doesn't get done instantly. It. You know it uh. It takes… time… So I do it over… time…"
interviewer: "What are your salary expectations?" Trinity: "Just the coal and water is fine." Clayton: "Well I'm a locomotive with about 60 years of experience so I expect to be paid an engineer's wage of $25 per day." Faith: "I expect a… salary… and know what that is…"
interviewer: "how do you handle stress?" Trinity: "Are you. Asking about my frames. Do I look like a damn twig to you? I can handle tension and compression just fine." Clayton: "Well popping my safety valve usually helps but I have other coping skills like counting the ties and rocking my reverser back and forth." Faith: "I usually just repress it and pretend everything is fine. I'm really good with passengers."
interviewer: "What is your dream job?" Trinity: "shortline railroad locomotive. I love my job." Clayton: "Movie star. The glamor, the recognition, the celebrities, oh it would be so thrilling!" Faith: "Well as long as it's not repetitive logging trips day in and day out, anything works for me."
interviewer: "Why do you want this job?" Trinity: "Your railroad has lots of industries still connected to it, and I think it would be fun." Clayton: "I feel like we've already been over this. If I don't have a job I will rust and decay." Faith: "Hoping for a source of stability finally, and the Class Is don't have that anymore."
interviwer: "Why should we hire you?" Trinity: "Because you'll be hard pressed to find a locomotive with a better work ethic." Clayton: "Because you'll want an adaptable, intelligent, experienced locomotive who can get herself out of trouble better than these new engines can." Faith: "Because I am truly the best of both worlds."
#Railroader#LUNAR 2 Clara Clayton#LUNAR 3 Trinity#LUNAR 4 Faith of the Heart#Steam engine#steam train#steam locomotive#locomotive#train#trains
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Trinity and Clayton stared at the newcomer.
"Are you lost?" Trinity said, pulling forward in the engine shed to greet the newcomer. A workman leaning on her tender stumbled to the ground.
"What?" Number Four said. "No, I'm--"
"Because this is the East Whittier Interchange," Trinity continued. "On the LUNAR road. Southern doesn't run the rest of the line anymore."
"I'm not from Southern, I'm from the Little River," Number Four said.
Now Trinity just got mad. "I've heard quite enough about rivers thank you." She harrumphed, and looked away.
Clayton was apologetic. "Trinity's just upset about the flood. I was derailed for months and we were both afraid we'd be… well… I was afraid we'd both be… you know…"
Number Four's expression turned to fear. "Don't mention it!" they said. "I understand!"
"Your timing's good," Clayton said, "you're here just in time to pick up the sawmill cars, I just brought them back to the interchange."
"There's still some misunderstanding," Number Four said. "I've come to help. I'm number one-ten, or, I was number one-ten. Now I'm number four."
"Oh!" Clayton said, smiling softly.
Trinity's mouth was agape. "I'm not THAT broken am I?"
"Calm down," Clayton said. "I'm sure they're not here to replace you."
Trinity closed her mouth, but she wasn't convinced. "We've been managing just fine," she grumbled to herself.
Finally the president arrived. "Greetings ladies," she said. "You're… number four?"
Number four smiled. "Yes ma'am."
The president blinked. Then she walked all the way around Number Four. Then she stood back at the front of the locomotive, and nearly blew a fuse, then she turned around and walked away fuming. "I wanted a pacific!" She shouted, "And that ------------- ---- ------- sent me THAT!"
Number four frowned.
"Oh. Hmm," Clayton said. "Well, don't worry, I'm sure she'll get over it. I'm a ten wheeler too, and I'm plenty fast."
"But I am a pacific."
"WHAT?" Clayton and Trinity whistled in unison.
#Railroader#LUNAR 2 Clara Clayton#LUNAR 3 Trinity#LUNAR 4 Faith of the Heart#Locomotive#steam locomotive#steam engine#steam train#train
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L.Un.A.R. No.2 "Clara Clayton" and No.3 "Trinity" sharing the East Whittier shops for the night. They're glad to have dry working rails under their wheels again, after the terrible flood--Clayton in particular.
"Anything interesting happen on your journey, Trinity?" Clayton said.
Trinity felt her fire draught harder when Clayton said her new name. After 40 years of being 'number three' and 'number two,' Trinity was glad to finally have a name. It still surprised her just how happy she was to hear it, from the engineer, conductor, and even from Clayton. When the diesel from Southern called her "number three" the other day, it had put her in a sour mood all morning.
"Well, at least with number one gone to work for the ACL, there's no one for you to gossip with," Trinity said.
Clayton's boiler felt cold at the mention of number one. "r-r-right," Clayton said. "The Atlantic Coast Line. That's… definitely where they are…"
Trinity pulled up a little closer. (though she wasn't supposed to move at all without a crew on site, for liability reasons).
"You wouldn't believe the journey I had. Longest train in months, and I pulled it just fine. I made my deliveries at Whittier and Ela without fuss, but Bryson is such a big yard you know."
"That I do--I took the first excursion after the line was repaired."
"Right right," Trinity said. "I forgot how spacious everything was up there. Nothing feels right anymore since the flood."
"I feel a little out of practice too," Clayton said, and she winked. Trinity gasped. "I didn't say anything about--oooh!!!" and she blew off steam.
"You'll spoil your fire if you don't calm down," Clayton said.
Trinity knew how to draught her own fire, thank you!
"At least leave enough pressure yet for the firelighter to work tomorrow morning, dear," Clayton said. Was that Trinity's fusible plug melting? Or just her heart.
#Railroader#LUNAR 2 Clara Clayton#LUNAR 3 Trinity#Steam engine#locomotive#steam locomotive#train#trains
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