#wooden locomotive

[arlesdale]

For some reason the pet store had wooden railway wtf

[memorycycle]

placing a wooden skateboard ramp on the train tracks and watching the 4000 ton locomotive hit it and fly into the sky at an unfaltering 45⁰ angle until it disappears through the clouds

[g-xix]

Time after Time | WillNE

summary: "when you and Will haven't had a date night in too long, and so wine-drunk and dopamine flooding your system, you and will get to dancing in the living room you two claimed and called home <3" hyper-fluffy Will blurb. Super domestic n soft, like scene setting just with major fluff iygwim. songs (a lot of songs inspired this lol): "I wanna dance with somebody", "time after time", "girls just wanna have fun", "my girl" ~the temptations

Imagine just sorta dancing in your living room with Will.

Long time without a date night. Too long without having just spent some quality time together.

You knew it, and so did Will.

And so the homemade pizza and board games date night was set, ending with the two of you just a bit wine drunk as Will brought out the archaic record player and vinyl, setting the needle down onto and allowing a familiar oldie to reverberate through the living room, making you sway from side to side as you brought your wineglass to your lips once more.

Will surprised you as he held a hand out however - open with his fingers outstretched - grin evident on his face as his other hand tucket behind his back, echoing the image of a chivalrous suitor requesting a dance.

You giggled at the notion, yet filled with a playful flirtatiousness, you linked your hand with his and pulled yourself onto your feet - setting your glass down on the wooden table and linking your other hand with Will's also, looking up into his eyes and admiring the smile lines in the corner which sourced from his lips which curved upwards in joy - his stubble bordering his face and contrasting his pearly teeth which glowed from beneath his perfect smile.

A laugh fell from your lips as Will raised your hand to spin you, yourself playing along and having all too much fun as you indeed let yourself twirl with your hand attached to Will's still. And pressing back into Will's chest, you let your arm outstretch towards the right of your body, linked with Will's as you swayed back and forth with the music, the hand around the small of your back leading your swings back and forth.

Your head fell into his chest, burrowing and finding comfort within the warm of his body as you closed your eyes and simply rest yourself against Will, still slowly oscillating at your own gentle pace. Truly, it felt as though your whole body was filled with gold-dust which vibrated back and forth, creating thermal energy by their locomotion, filling you with a fervent glow as you simply felt home within Will's presence.

You didn't fail to return the spin to Will either though - getting onto the tips of your toes and raising your arm to make the tall man whirl like a pretty princess, crouching to duck under your arm and spin with a bursting guffaw of his own, his eyes radiating unchained elation, mossy irises illuminated with golden stars reflecting the ambient lighting of the little flat you together inhabited. 

The moment felt timeless. Each note seemed to carry you further away from your reality, wrapping you in a cocoon of warmth and intimacy - Will's hands gentle yet firm, guiding you effortlessly, as though he'd done this thousands of times before (which he most definitely hadn't).

You both moved in perfect harmony, your steps synchronizing facilely, a testament to the incomparable connection you shared with one another. And the laughter and joy that bubbled up between you were a reminder of the simple pleasures that you'd both missed, having been too lost within your working lives for far too long.

Will's breath tickled your ear as he leaned in, whispering something sweet that made you giggle and blush. You responded with a light jab at his shoulder, feeling lighter and more carefree than you had in ages. His laughter, rich and warm, resonated through his chest and into you, amplifying the sense of belonging that enveloped you both.

The song changed to something smoother and more relaxed, and your movements followed  in suit; Will drew you closer, your bodies pushed flush together, dance slower and less vigorous. You rested your cheek against his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath your ear. It was a sound more comforting than any melody, and grounded you within the moment, allowing you to just stop... and take in the beauty of your relationship, and the memories you'd built and shared together.

As the music continued to play, you both fell into a quiet, comfortable silence. The only sounds were the faint hum of the record player and the gentle rustling of your clothes as you swayed. Will's hands found their way to your waist, pulling you even closer, if that was possible. You tilted your head up, meeting his gaze.

The song began to wind down, and Will dipped you dramatically, earning another burst of laughter from you. As he brought you back up, he captured your lips in a tender kiss, sealing the moment with love. When the record finally ended, and the room fell silent, you remained in each other's arms, unwilling to let go.

Rain beat against the window outside, sky dimming as the day faded away, the warm white glow of your apartment window a beacon above London, in which nobody could've even dreamed of the love that filled the room, wrapped in one other's arms, lost in the warm vehemence of the moment <3

Hope you enjoyed reading!! Feel free to interact- whether that be a comment, vote or follow! Requests open, feel free to submit what u wanna see... Much love!!

To see more for AMP and other YouTubers, here's my MASTERLIST

And here's my WATTPAD, with 50+ more oneshots to read

p.s. Customise which Oneshots YOU want to be tagged in by submitting your preferences to the taglist on THIS GOOGLE FORM

WILLIAM LENNEY TAGLIST:

@kennysimp101, @insomniac4000, @ajcs150, @martini4lyfe,

@anaaye7, @lordzzz, @sunshinesunny, @x-d1vine, @danric03,

@zandrax, @lilyyxoii, @amberrrx, , @notalloutofusernames, @666-gothic-bat-666

@imredjack, @lyssaluvs, @wh4theduck, @raekensluver,

@junodz, @ajshabsxxwife, @2themoon-and2saturn, @nappingtopknot, @thankunextx,

@megaprincesscakes, @softanic, @lilyyxoii, @clarkeysbog, @springholland

@xxkatxgracexx, @mekselinaurr, @blackbat2020, @scassty1202, @ivvees-blog

[weavingstarlight]

It’s been a bit since I posted any artwork but I haven’t stopped making it, I promise ~

I asked for drawing prompts a while back, and I got this one from @not-freyja : “Mask refusing to learn how to read (the poor “teacher” is your choice)”.

And I was like "well OBVIOUSLY now this has to be fanart for @wutheringmights ' glorious story, Call Them Brothers!" (Seriously, this is one of the best fics out there. It is not for the faint of heart, but it is SO GOOD. I would need to use so many more words to express how good CTB is, and maybe someday I will write all those words.) And ta-da! We have Spirit/the engineer trying and failing to get little Mask to appreciate the written word.

There's also no way you can tell this from the image quality but Spirit's schematic is in Spirit Track's Hylian, but I couldn't be bothered to translate an actual locomotive blueprint so it's just the text of the Royal Engineer's Letter that Zelda sends him.

6 x 8.5 inches. One singular black nib pen.

[IMG: Spirit Tracks Link (Spirit) and Young Link (Mask) sitting together on a wooden military crate. Spirit has a locomotive blueprint on his lap and looks irritated. Mask has a disgusted expression and is flailing his arms and legs. The drawing is in black pen and is shaded with heavy crosshatching.]

And here’s some WIP pictures, just for fun ~

No sketch cleanup we die like Wild! [Img: a very messy, crowded sketch of Spirit. This is right before I started inking.]

Photos taken second before disaster [img: pen and ink drawing of Spirit and Mask sitting together, with no shading]

Last two pics! Faces and fonts. I worried so much about Mask's expression but he's such a little gremlin it came out fine.

[sgiandubh]

For no particular reason: Lola's homemade chocolate

Today is Lola the Corgi's presumed birthday. We chose it approximately, while at the vet's, because Lola's story is nothing short of a canine miracle. She jumped in my cab, somewhere in the humble outskirts of Bucharest, on Saint Nicholas' Day. The driver asked, absurdly, if that was 'my dog' and I simply answered 'well, now it is'.

Little did we know the shaking, stone cold and scared to death puppy was a very rare Cardigan Corgi - this came later, when a British friend was amazed at the recovery and pointed it out adamantly. She could have been stolen or simply lost, but we will never know and we never looked back.

All our dogs had Spanish names (except for cats, always boys and always Pasha, namesakes of a beloved Shipper Mom's childhood pet), simply because they are easy to learn and remember. In her case, Lola is for...

for well... for obvious locomotion reasons 🤣 #LolaFlores. Twelve years with a supremely intelligent and empathic friend deserved a batch of my homemade chocolate, don't you think?

Too bad she can't try it. But enough babbling, here goes.

You will need: 2 cups/ 250 grams milk powder - I recommend Nestlé's Carnation, if you can't get hold of Rarăul, the obscure, Communist local brand (so damn good); 2 sticks/200 grams full fat butter (I recommend Irish butter, always with excellent results), at room temperature, cubed; 7 Tablespoons/50 grams cocoa (Dutch, if you can, but I prefer either Ghirardelli or the Greek Ion brand, which I think are the best on this planet); 2½ cups/ 500 grams Demerara sugar (or caster sugar). A dash of instant coffee, for decorating. You can replace sugar by stevia sweetener (measure accordingly - I used this, because I was also cooking for a severe diabetic who can't control herself), with very good results. Optional: crushed tea biscuits or cookies in the US/chopped hazelnuts/pine nuts/walnuts/peanut butter (in swirls) - sky is the limit. For the adult version, feel free to add a hefty swig of brandy/rhum/whisky/bourbon/vodka/limoncello or hey, let's be totally dirty (sssh!), Bailey's.

In a nonstick pan, gently simmer 3/4 cup or 170 ml cold water with ALL the sugar. Stir nonstop (only with wooden spoon or silicone spatula, never metal - it lends a foul taste!) until you get a sort of thin syrup - basically the sugar should dissolve, nothing more. 2 to 3 minutes should be enough.

Add the cubed butter, stir gently until it melts and incorporates completely. 10 minutes max, but never stop stirring!

Take the pan off the heat. Gently pour dry milk in small batches, stirring and incorporating continuously. It should immediately thicken, sticky fudge consistency.

Gently mix the cocoa, with slow, ample bottom/top movements (you don't want it anywhere else but in that pan, for sure). Right consistency should be a thick ribbon, pouring from the spoon.

Back to the heat for about 30 to 45 seconds, stirring all the time. I have no idea why, but my grandma always insisted it was very important, go figure. Take off the heat and immediately add the nuts and (if you choose) the alcohol, mixing vigorously.

Pour into a well buttered loaf tin. Dust with instant coffee. Let cool, put into fridge for 6 hours minimum (overnight is better). Only cut with a wet knife. Devour and don't think about the damn calories.

I am sorry for the very, very old pic (2010, I think). Tonight, it was impossible to take a proper one 😱.

This is what we do call 'homemade chocolate' all over Eastern Europe, but to be honest, it's rather some very, very good fudge. The dry milk is a dead giveaway of the real age of the recipe, which is around 1945 - postwar rationing, of course.

You are welcome. You won't regret the 45 minutes you're likely to spend making it.

[theremexpress]

"WELCOME ABOARD!"

→ It had been raining, it had been raining for a while now. You wondered when it’d let up, but you always liked the smell and the white noise so it wasn’t something to pay too much mind to. 

However, you paid attention to it now, especially since the train you were supposed to catch was missed. You really should fix your pocket watch, somehow it was easy to forget it was an hour behind…

It was the late afternoon, the dark clouds in the sky matched your mood as droplets of water drizzled overhead. At least the small wooden station you were under shielded you from getting wet. It didn’t take long for the rain to start to get heavy, it would definitely be a longer walk home now… 

Resigning yourself to leaning on one of the pillars of the station, you accepted that you’d have to wait for longer, since there wasn’t an umbrella with you- and you did not wish to soak in the rain on the walk back home. It was a one way ticket to getting sick, and the train ticket that was bought was already expensive enough. 

With the dark gray rain clouds overhead, it started to get darker as the sun started to set, the warm colors of the lazy afternoon shifting to a cool night, the air was crisp with the rain as you waited it out. At least you would be able to look at the stars when the clouds depart. 

Maybe an hour had passed before a distant horn of an incoming train echoed through the trees, it surprised you, as you initially thought you had missed the train. It did bring a couple of questions, where exactly was this train headed if you missed the first? Or did your train somehow run into a situation and was late? As far as you were aware the only train that came to this station was yours… So maybe that ticket wasn’t a waste after all. 

A large locomotive train slowed to a stop in front of you, a dark rich blue with gold accents decorated its exterior, it was rather fancy. This would explain why exactly your ticket was so pricey…

Once it came to a full stop, one of its car doors opened to reveal a rather tall man. You assumed it was the conductor, as his outfit matched the train's colors. 

“Hello there! You got your ticket?”

He gave you a friendly smile while you rummaged through your coat pockets to find said ticket. Once you pulled it out you found that it had changed, now matching the train with its blue and gold coloring. However, before you could take a closer look the conductor gently plucked it out of your hand and punched it. 

He stepped aside, the warm yellow light inviting you inside the train. 

“Maverick Mic at your service! It’s raining, why don't you come inside? I’d hate for you to catch a cold.” He offered you a hand, since the step was a rather tall one. Taking it, you were hoisted up into the train.

The train was indeed warmer than outside, the interior was nicely decorated with a chocolate brown with the same gold accents that adorned the outside of the train. It was rather luxurious, you do remember reading that the trip would be comfortable, but you felt a bit out of place in such an expensive aesthetic . You were now aware of the worn clothes you were wearing, you hoped the conductor didn’t look at you differently. 

“Welcome to The REM Express! My, it’s raining isn't it? I hope you weren't waiting for too long, We do like to be punctual for our passengers after all.” 

Passengers… There was no one else in the car. Granted, it was a rather large train, you didn’t count how many cars there were so maybe the other passengers were somewhere else. Maverick waited patiently for your response as you lagged to reply. 

“Oh, um, It’s fine, my watch is pretty unreliable when it tells time, haha! I thought I arrived late, but now I’m thinking I arrived early instead…” 

“I see! Well, in that case, would you like some hot chocolate? Just to help you get settled in. You must have been freezing out there!” Maverick led you to the other side of the car, where a small counter with a bar was set. 

You set your luggage down and slid off your coat, it felt nice being able to relax. The train started to pick up again as the horn sounded once more, and the initial movement of it made both you and Maverick sway for a moment. 

You quietly observed the conductor as he began preparing the drink for you. 

“Not much of a talker, hm?” He poured milk into the cup as he also began to speak, “If you have any questions, I’d be happy to answer. Just say the word.” 

You thought for a moment, what exactly could you ask? 

“Where are we headed?"

“Well we’re heading to the nearest town over, Bloomsberry I believe! Renowned for their wine, maybe I can sneak some aboard…” This was a surprising comment.

“You’re allowed to do that?”

“Truthfully, no, everything stocked on the train has to be approved by the company, but I'm sure Rainy wouldn’t mind, at least maybe if I give him some he wouldn’t mind…”

You didn’t expect Maverick to be playful, but it was refreshing.

“Who is Rainy?” With the question, Maverick gained a lopsided smile.

“Rainy is our esteemed engineer, the one who drives the train of course! Maybe he’ll come to greet you when we reach a rest stop. Admittedly he doesn’t come out very often, but who knows! I wouldn’t mind sneaking you some wine if you wished it, hehe!”

You couldn’t help but shake your head, you figured Maverick was just being silly. 

“I’m good, thanks.” Maverick stirred the chocolate into the milk as he continued.

“Well, anyways, once you’re settled I’ll show you to your room! It is starting to get late, and you look a bit worn, has it been a long day for you?”

He had no idea the packing situation you had before this, and then getting stuck in the rain… and on top of that you were pretty sure you were broke now.

“Something… like that…”

“Then I hope this chocolate will refresh you!” 

You were then slid the drink, steam emanating from the surface, well stirred with a slice of strawberry fixed on the edge of the cup. How fancy. Maverick looked proud of himself. You couldn’t help but be amused by his little antics. For him to have such charismatic whimsy was beyond your understanding, at least for a train conductor.

“Thank you!”

“Of course!”

He started to clean up the bar, putting everything back where it was. You blew off the steam and took a small sip, the chocolate was indeed rich in taste, no wonder they had everything approved… everything seemed to be of high quality. You were indeed getting your money's worth. 

At least you were becoming broke for a good reason. 

“Anything else?”

→ Was there anything else?

[pwlanier]

Model locomotive: Wooden; 2-2-2 locomotive No.1 "A Watkin". Made for Sir Edward Watkin by the South Eastern Railway Workshops for his son Alfred.

Science Museum

[rogueinkglitch]

When I was younger, I was obsessed with being stealthy. Ninjas, spies, rangers, all of it. I was very good at hiding, courtesy of being a tiny little critter and very flexible, so I could squeeze into any small space. I was generally very quiet, to the point that people would often not notice I was hovering around, and thus frequently overheard all kinds of things I probably was not supposed to. I also, the voracious little reader I was, loved the book The Trumpet of the Swan, which opens with a character describing how he could walk silently.

Obviously, I had to teach myself how to walk silently. I already preferred to go barefoot, despite my parents’ best efforts, which helped quite a bit, and being small was once again an advantage. I quickly picked up the art of moving almost silently, and often used the skill to sneak up on my brother and launch a surprise attack. Eventually I also figured out how to do so in shoes, because eventually it was cold enough that I was forced to wear something on my feet if I wanted to go outside.

I still retain all these skills today, and they can be very handy in a variety of situations, including but not limited to not waking the entire house when I go down the stairs at 3 am to use the bathroom (old house + wooden stairs = incredibly loud trip both ways if you aren’t careful).

However, I have recently been dealing with an unseen consequence. You see, I don’t just know how to move silently, it actually became my standard mode of locomotion. I now move with little to no sound at all times. This in and of itself is fine.

When paired with my general forgetability, small size, quiet demeanor, and tendency to wait to be noticed before speaking, I have gained the ability accidentally jump scaring various people. From classmates to friends to even my own partner, I’ve scared all of them by suddenly appearing near them and forgetting to announce my presence. Multiple people have suggested a bell.

So I guess be careful what skills you pick up, or you might start accidentally terrorizing your coworkers and the occasional innocent retail employee.

[ltwilliammowett]

Can you do a short term list for us in a funny way?

Welcome my dear newcomers aboard HMS Surprise. You have been exclusively selected ( or gently beaten up and dragged here) to join us on our South America tour. I promise you excitement, sleepless nights, beautiful scenery, storms, sunburn, no water and a bloody French…. oops I mean great adventure. To help you find your way around on board, here's a short list of important terms.

Landlubber - you, if you need this list - speak a non-sailor who simply has no idea about being a sailor.

Ship - your new workplace - this wooden lady is now your everything and treat her well, she is your life insurance to get you home safely. But be careful, she is very headstrong and if you want to tell me now that she is just an object, you thought wrong. She is very much a living individual and she will make you feel that.

The rigging - that sort of spider's nest above you - is there to operate the sails. Look forward to getting to know the ropes very well.

Sails - those cloth rags hanging from the thick wooden poles. They are used for locomotion and are not blankets.

Wheel - this strange wooden wheel with spikes on it - no, it is not an instrument of torture, but is used for steering.

Anchor - heavy, made of iron and keeps our lady in place.

Compass - this strange thing that lives in a box and is constantly moving back and forth. To cut a long story short: You know which way is north and you can keep your course. You'll soon know it by heart.

Captain - Boss

1st Lieutenant - Second boss and the one who can really fuck you up if he wants to. Get in good line and please don't suck up to him. But he is the one who puts you in everything, be it ward, mess, hammock, etc.

2.nd. Lieutenant - me and I too can make you uncomfortable.

Master - knows where the sails hang and what course to set. Takes just a little more work off the boss.

Purser - is responsible for your food rations, but will also try to get you to buy something from him to make life on board a little easier. Don't do this, he's quite expensive.

Sailor - Your new colleagues, and depending on their years of service, they will know how to handle that wooden lady, how to set the sails and so on. You'll learn it too.

Old Salt - an experienced old sailor, stick with him if you want to learn and he is willing to share his knowledge.

Surgeon - the name says it all. We have a good one on board, be lucky. And if you're lucky, you'll come home with all your body parts.

Midshipmen - mini officers who still need to learn. They can be quite demanding and annoying, especially when many of them are still very young. But don't be surprised if a 12-year-old gives you orders, he's allowed to.

Mess - the place where you eat

Cannon - heavy, iron, dirty, hot and with a loud bang. Used to stop the enemy or inflict serious damage. Keep your limbs to yourself and only follow the instructions of those who know what to do with them. Otherwise you will only injure yourself unnecessarily.

Cannonball - heavy, made of stone or iron. Come into the cannon and please do not trip over it.

Admiral - comes along sometimes. Is the boss of the boss

Hammock - your bed, but don't get too comfortable in it because you won't get much sleep anyway.

Rum - elixir of life, next to coffee

Powder monkeys - yes, they are children, but they know what to do and you can learn something from them too.

Boatswain - also called Bosun, he whistles the orders and drives you to work. He is also your wake-up call.

Marine - our sea soldiers, there aren't very many of them, but the few that there are are fine. They are there for the safety on board.

Cutlasses, muskets, grenades, axes, etc. - makes autsch, hopefully not with you. You will learn to handle them.

Cook - as the name suggests, and yes, having only one leg is normal.

Quarterdeck - not your dance area, that's the officers' area, you're only allowed there if your duty requires it.

Wardroom - also not your area. This is where we officers live and have some privacy.

Great Cabin - living and working area of the captain (you remember? - boss).

Gun deck - remember those big black things that bang loudly? they live here.

Berth deck - this is where you live, sleep and eat. Don't worry, it doesn't get cold there, you share the space with about 170 men.

Well, there is more, but I think that should be enough to start with. The rest will come naturally later. Don't stress about it and I think you will enjoy next year by the sea so much that you will want to come back.

[the-rewritten-railway-au]

The Two Smallest Engines

May 1930

The Adventure Begins (2015)

Word Count: 3,543

Since the end of the 1920 Locomotive Crisis Loan, the North Western Railway has been struggling to continue operation with its five engines. Sir Bertram Topham Hatt II makes a big decision: purchase a tank engine for the railway.

~

On a sunny afternoon, Edward, the smallest engine on the North Western, was working in Tidmouth Yard. He was chatting with Emily, who was slightly larger than him. The smallest of the two was waiting to be uncoupled from a train of empty trucks when a grand blue tender engine rolled into the yard with-

"A goods train, a goods train! The shame of it! Oh, the shame of it!" he complained. His voice boomed throughout the yard, reaching the station.

The pair of smaller engines sighed, annoyed. "For guidness sake, it's no yon most shameful thin’ ye're doin, Gordon!" Edward reprimanded as he looked at the express passenger engine. "Ye ken thon we've been havin’ more guids trains every year."

"And why can't James take them? Wasn't he bought for that reason?"

"He wiz," replied Edward, "but traffic has grown more than expectit since, especially durin’ the summer season."

Gordon huffed.

"Oh, get over it!" called out the Stirling Single. "You didn't have a problem with it before. What's so different now?"

"Other engines did most of the goods work," replied Gordon. "You should've been glad that was the case back then."

"How come?" She squinted suspiciously.

"You're very outdated, Emily," he sneered. "Old, weak, and slow. Those large wheels of yours are nothing but an inconvenience to your performance."

Emily gasped, and her face scrunched up in fury. "I-!"

"Wrap it, both o' ye," scolded Edward. He looked at the larger cerulean engine. "Start headin’ tae the station, Gordon. I'll shunt the Express coaches in a moment." He looked over to the GNR green engine. "Emily, yer guids train is ready. Please, jist git tae it."

Emily sighed. She wheeshed, a final blow towards Gordon, before leaving to pick up her goods train.

Gordon huffed, heading to the station to wait for the Express coaches. "Once the new engine arrives, I better not keep pulling them."

Edward froze. "New engine?" he exclaimed, rolling forward. "Whit new engi- Och!" He suddenly jerked back, having not been uncoupled yet. The little tender engine quickly shot an apologetic smile to the workman who had approached him with a shunter's pole.

Once Edward was uncoupled, Gordon continued. "He bought a new engine. Might replace you or one of the others."

His nose twitched. "Excuse me-?"

"Wouldn't be surprised, especially with James when we all found out about his wooden brakes."

"That doesn’t make me useless!" someone exclaimed.

Suddenly, James screeched to a halt into the yard. Gordon and Edward halted as they neared the track the black tender engine rolled on.

"James…" muttered Gordon.

"I'll have you know, my brakes work just fine! My stops are much better than any of yours."

"Oh, but at what cost?" he asked mockingly. "What about that black cloud coming from your brakes the other day?"

The ex-L&YR Class 28 huffed. "I may not be as 'grand' as you," he replied, avoiding the question. "But I'm bigger and stronger than the smaller two," he finished with a prideful smirk directed at the smallest engine.

Edward could only be unamused.

"You may be stronger but you're barely any bigger,” argued Gordon. “Your ego is, though, by a long shot."

James jerked his smokebox door open. Steam blasted out and spread throughout the surrounding area. Fuming and scrunching up his face in fury, he glared and wheeshed steam at Gordon.

"James, could ye please move along?" asked Edward, not wanting to have to separate the pair if needed. He wasn’t sure what happened between them. Five years ago, they got along just fine, minus the minor disagreement. "Gordon, jist go wait at the station. I'll be there with the Express coaches."

"But-" said Gordon.

"Go. Noo,” he repeated sternly.

Just as he expected, both engines grumbled. Once James shut his smokebox door, both larger engines left.

“My brakes work just as good as yours!” He heard James holler at Gordon in vain.

Edward wheeshed the very little steam he could and sighed before he fetched the Express coaches.

…

Days went by as the engines waited for the newcomer but there was no sign or announcement about them. While the others didn't think much about it, Edward would occasionally look around as he worked in the yard, hoping to catch sight of the new engine. Unaware of his crew, Charlie and Sidney were humored by his behavior.

A few weeks later, a tank engine rolled into Tidmouth Yard. He peered around the yard, looking for something, or someone. His new crew let him do his thing, as they were informed by the previous crew that this particular engine liked to get to know his surroundings.

"Tidmouth, Tidmouth, Tidmouth…" he murmured.

Earlier, at the crack of dawn, he asked his crew not to show him the way to his final destination once they reached the Vicarstown Drawbridge. There was no ship available from Southampton Docks to the Island of Sodor, not until August, so he was sent by land. Once the ex-LBSCR E2 reached the bridge, he was bored so he challenged himself.

He was really regretting it now.

Suddenly, a loud shrill rang throughout the yard. The lost newcomer was startled, trembling on his six-driving wheels.

The little tank engine frowned. What a way to welcome some-engine, he thought with a huff.

An engine came from the turn up ahead. "Hey, you!" he exclaimed and laughed.

"Bloody hell, ya bloke!" the little engine exclaimed. "Some manners ya have."

"Alright, sheesh! I didn't mean to frighten you like that."

"Of course, you didn't."

"Well, I didn't!" James exclaimed, in a "matter-of-fact" tone. "You seem lost. Where are you heading?"

Meanwhile, Edward was being uncoupled from a set of giggling Troublesome Trucks, having played with them for a bit, when he overheard them.

"Tidmouth!" A voice, unknown to Edward, exclaimed. "Do ya know where it is?

Edward stilled and stayed quiet, quickly shushing the Troublesome Trucks. Surprisingly, not to him, they listened.

"But you're already in Tidmouth!" chuckled James. "Where are you from?"

"The Southern Railway. All the way down south in Brighton." He eyed James quizzically. "What's up with your eyes? Why are they different colors? Did something happen? Were they like that since ya were built-?"

As the engine continued to ramble on and James fumed, Edward gasped. He whispered excitedly, "Bertram's new engine!" The elder blue tender engine whistled as he backed up slowly. Charlie, his driver, gently pet his outer cab and chuckled along with the fireman, Sidney, seeing the excitement of their cerulean engine.

Once Edward backed up to line up to James and saw the new engine, he was shocked and gasped.

The new engine was tiny. He had no tender, his coal box being right behind the cab on the back of the engine. The little engine had a short stumpy dome, a short stumpy funnel, and six small, blue wheels, but they was as tall as he and James were. A normal tank engine, Edward realized.

His livery was a pale brown, Khaki, Edward figured, with white lining. The letters "SR" and the number 107 with a small B above it were painted white on the side of his tanks. His eyes were dark teal, looking around the yard excitedly as he rambled on.

"...I've heard so many things about Sodor. What's it-" The new engine noticed Edward, who was slightly smaller than James, staring at him. "Hello? Is something the matter?" He scrunched up his face, looking at his round nose. "Do I have soot on my face?"

"Och, whit? Naw, naw… It's jist… ye're… small," said Edward awkwardly, slightly confused and still shocked.

"No, I'm not," huffed the E2, annoyed. "I was one of the larger shunters on the Southern Railway!"

"Oh really?" James teased.

"Well, I was big enough to do my job just fine in Victoria and London.” Maybe too big… “I can do the same here!" the tank engine fumed and he moved along.

"Wait, wait! Thon's no how I meant it!" Edward quickly chuffed backward. "It's jist… ye're very different tae everyane else… I huvnae seen a wee tank engine like ye in years."

The little khaki tank engine huffed again. "I may be a 'wee' tank engine, ‘sir,’ but I'm very hardworking!" he expressed pridefully.

"S-Sir?" Edward exclaimed, startled and flustered as he saw James backing up with boisterous laughter.

“Old…” murmured James.

Edward’s glare was all in vain.

Suddenly, Gordon thundered into the shunting yard. He came to a halt with a whistle and laughed. "And who are you?"

"I'm Thomas," the khaki tank engine puffed pridefully. “Your director named me!”

"The new engine!" Edward emphasized with excitement as James reversed, stopping right next to Edward.

"Oh dear," the grand express engine mourned mockingly. "The Fat Director must've made a terrible mistake. I think he was expecting someone really… useful."

"I am useful," Thomas huffed. He didn't like this grand blue engine. He didn’t feel welcome. So full of himself. So disrespectful when he’d only just arrived!

Edward noticed and felt guilty for Thomas, especially for his own words. He hadn't even introduced himself properly.

Gordon laughed dismissively. "For fetching coaches, perhaps. Oh well. If you stick around long enough, you might be lucky enough to see me pulling the Express,” he boasted before he whistled and departed. "That will be a fine sight for you."

Thomas glared at the Gresley experimental Pacific as he passed by. "Without me, he wouldn't have an Express to pull," he muttered and rolled his eyes. He didn't like him at all.

Edward sighed. "I'm sorry aboot Gordon. I'm afraid he's like thon." He inched forward. "I'm sorry for whit I said earlier. I dinnae mean any offense tae ye. Where were ma manners… I'm Edward."

“And I'm James,” introduced the larger mixed-traffic engine, following Edward.

Another voice spoke from a distance. "Hello there, hello!"

"And there's the Fat-"

"Sir Topham Hatt!" Edward forced a smile as James scoffed at him, muttering “Rude.”

"Hello there!" A short, well-dressed, chubby man exclaimed as he and his assistants approached the newcomer. He was excited to see Thomas once again. "I’m glad you three made it safely. Welcome to the North Western Railway, Thomas," said Sir Topham Hatt II with pride, gesturing to the surrounding area. "Pardon me for the introduction a few days ago. I am Sir Topham Hatt, the director of this fine railway. You will become a great addition to the place. I expect you to do very well as Edward will be mentoring you."

"Of course, sir!" replied Thomas.

"Alright then. Go on with your work! I shall be checking up on your progress now and then for the first week," exclaimed Sir Topham Hatt II. He dismissed the engines before walking away with his two assistants.

Once Sir Topham Hatt II was gone, Edward said, "He's right. The others will be arriving soon."

"Fine, fine," huffed James as he rolled away from the yard, heading to the Main Line.

"Where's he going?" Thomas asked.

"Tae Brendam Docks, I presume," Edward replied. "He diz'nae hae any passenger duties until later."

"Passenger duties?" Thomas flipped his smokebox door open and looked at James. "Isn't he a goods engine?"

"Well, his class was meant for goods trains…" Edward replied and hummed. "Things are different here."

Thomas thought for a moment. "Will I be able to do that?"

Edward hummed. "Maybe. But right noo, ye need tae focus oan whit I need tae teach ye during your trainin."

"And what are we going to start with?"

"Shuntin."

"Shunting? My class was practically built to shunt."

"Well, it diz'nae hurt tae practice, especially in a new railway. No everything is the same as oan the Mainland."

"Really? How come?"

"The Troublesome Trucks ur more tedious and difficult tae deal wit, thon's ane thin'. And the yards ur much smaller here than oan the Mainland, if ye take a quick look around. And this yard is the largest oan Sodor, besides Vicarstown," Edward replied. "Give me a moment, I need tae git the Express coaches ready for Gordon. I'll be back in a bit."

Thomas hummed in response as Edward chuffed away. The steam shunter looked around, examining the yard. It was much smaller than the ones in the Southern Railway. It was slightly smaller than the smallest yard in the Southern Railway.

"How much smaller is the smallest yard here?" he mumbled to himself.

He chuffed around Tidmouth Yard, struggling with the tight turns. Hopefully, Edward and others didn’t take notice. He didn’t need to be reminded of how troublesome his performance was. He couldn’t help it. It wasn’t his fault that he performed this way. 

As Thomas wandered about, he heard two voices. His eyes followed the sound, eventually landing on two auburn passenger coaches, tucked away neatly in what appeared to be a carriage shed.

"I'm worried about James' brakes, Annie. Honestly, I smell nothing but ash whenever he brakes!" The coach with the name "Clarabel" painted in white on their sides whispered.

Annie, the other coach with her name painted on as well, replied, "So do I, Clarabel! It bothers me so much. I do hope the Fat Director figures something out…"

The two auburn coaches were unaware of the khaki shunter looking at them. From his own experience, coaches could either be sweet with reasonable sternness or absolutely hostile. There was no in-between, just a game of chance when it came to them. He nervously approached them as he felt lonely. "Hello there.”

Annie and Clarabel suddenly went quiet. "Who was that, Annie?" the latter asked.

"It's a new engine! Hello there, little one!"

Thomas huffed. "I'm not little!"

The pair giggled at the newcomer’s fussiness. "What's your name? You must be new around here," said Clarabel.

"I am! My name is Thomas," Thomas replied. "I'm from the Southern Railway."

"Hello, Thomas. I’m Annie," said Annie.

"And I'm Clarabel," Clarabel greeted.

"And we are the Ffarquhar Branch Line’s coaches," they said in unison.

"Figures," said Thomas. “I don’t think two coaches can handle mainline passenger service.”

"Smart, smart!" said Clarabel.

"Indeed," said Annie but froze as she noticed a familiar face through Thomas' front cab window. "Mr. Perkins?"

"Mr. Perkins?" exclaimed Clarabel.

"Mr. Perkins?" asked Thomas, confused.

A soft chuckle came from Thomas' cab. His driver, Gilbert Perkins, popped his head out of the cab. "Hello, you two. It's been a while!"

"Hello, Mr. Perkins!" greeted the auburn coaches.

Thomas was confused. "You know each other?"

"Oh, of course, we do!" exclaimed Annie. 

"He was our old engine's driver," giggled Clarabel.

Just then, Edward returned.

"I'm back, Thomas!" Edward exclaimed as he chuffed into the yard. The elder blue tender engine took notice of the scene. "Och, I see ye've met Annie and Clarabel- Mr. Perkins?" he exclaimed.

"Hello there, Edward!" replied Mr. Perkins.

Edward flabbergasted. "Ye-"

"Looks like I’m a permanent driver from now on!" he exclaimed with excitement. “Can’t wait to work with this fella,” he continued, petting Thomas' cab, who laughed at the interaction. “Nice to see you’re doing well, old boy.” With that, Mr. Perkins popped right back into the tank engine’s cab.

"Oh, hello, Edward!" said Clarabel. "You're guiding Thomas, right?"

"Be sure to teach him well, Edward!" Annie exclaimed.

"Please do!" continued Clarabel, before dropping her voice down to a whisper. "And maybe James while you're at it."

"Noo, I dinnae ken aboot thon last ane, but I will try, ma'ams. Noo, git some rest. It will be a while before James comes back," Edward replied, reminding the two auburn coaches.

Annie and Clarabel hummed in reply.

"We shall chat some other time then!" exclaimed Annie.

"Indeed! It was a pleasure meeting you, Thomas," said Clarabel.

"Goodbye, Thomas! Goodbye, Edward!" The two sister coaches exclaimed before getting some shut-eye.

"Goodbye!" the two engines replied. They puffed away as quietly as they could from the carriage shed.

Once they were far away enough, Thomas asked, "So, where do we start?"

"Wit’ the regular freight trucks!" replied Edward.

…

Edward and Thomas spent the rest of the afternoon shunting. Though Thomas grew a bit exhausted, that didn't mean he had no energy to be cheeky.

During the late afternoon, Gordon was resting in the yard. Thomas was beside Edward, resting from the day's work when the little khaki tank engine noticed.

Thomas sneaked up on Gordon on the track next to him as Edward looked at him, confused. He was shocked when Thomas' whistle shrilled throughout the yard.

The loud noise startled Gordon awake as Thomas exclaimed, "Wake up, lazy-bones! Why don't you be as useful as me!" Cheeky laughter tumbled off his tongue as he raced away.

Edward couldn't help but laugh at the little tank engine's cheekiness, following him and leaving behind an annoyed Gordon.

…

Evening approached when Emily pulled into Tidmouth Yard. Thomas noticed her, in awe of her shape. She looked very different from the other engines. "Who's that?" he asked with curiosity as he backed away from a few trucks.

Edward followed suit from the train of empty cars, lining buffer to buffer to Thomas on a different track. "Thon's Emily," he replied. "She's the ane wha pulls the mornin’ Wild Nor' Wester."

“The what?”

“The Express.”

“Really? She-”

The Stirling Single’s whistle shrilled throughout the area, grabbing Edward and the tank engine’s attention. Within minutes, she approached the other two.

"Good evening, Edward! Who is this?" Emily excitedly asked.

"Guid evenin’, Emily! This is Be- the Fat Director’s new engine!" he replied.

"Hello, I'm Thomas!" the E2 greeted.

"Hello! My name is Emily," the ex-GNR Stirling Single replied. "I'm about to head back to the shed. Are you two heading back?"

"In a bit. We jist need tae finish up here," Edward replied.

"Ah, alright then. I'll see you two later," Emily said before lowering her voice. "I just hope the others aren't there already…"

"James and Gordon ur. Henry's no due until much later."

"I was hoping it wasn’t either of those two. Henry's much more bearable…" she grumbled.

"Dinnae worry, Emily. Dinnae mind em."

Thomas spoke up. "What's wrong with James? He seemed nice!”

"James is a bit…" Emily hummed, "...rude."

"But he can be nice, like earlier," Edward pointed out. "It's jist… rare tae see him be like thon…”

"Oh," Thomas said. "So you pull the morning Express?"

"Ah, I see you've heard," Emily replied teasingly. "I used to pull it all the time until Gordon arrived to help. The Other Director was concerned about my age so he bought Gordon from my old railway."

"So Gordon's the Number Three?"

"That would be me!” piped up Emily, gesturing towards her tender. “Henry's number four. Then Gordon's number five. James is number six, and, well…"

"I would be number seven?"

"Yes," replied Edward quickly.

"You really like to ask a lot of questions, don't you?" chuckled Emily.

"I just have to know!" huffed Thomas defensively. The tender engines laughed at his fussiness. "It's a new railway. I don't want to be wandering around like a fool! I want to know what I’m doing!"

"And ye will wit’ time, Thomas! Wit’ time," chuckled Edward, just as Emily yawned.

"Sorry," she quickly piped. "I'm chuffed! I'll see you two back at the shed. Bye!" The apple green single pulled out of the yard, onto the mainline, and headed to Knapford Shed.

"Bye, Emily!" Edward and Thomas said in unison before getting back to work.

…

That night at Knapford Shed, Thomas was now the smallest engine of the North Western Railway. He was exhausted by the time he and Edward pulled up to the Shed. They saw Emily watching James failing to talk to Gordon while a grand green tender engine was fast asleep.

I guess he’s just like that with everyone, Thomas mused as Gordon shot a glare at James, quickly shutting up the black tender engine. Said engine pouted and reversed into his berth, calling it a night.

Knapford Shed was like any normal engine shed. It had a turntable next to it. There were doors to each berth. From what Thomas could see as he approached the turntable, it looked like the structure had sections. The roof seemed to split into three, and each one looked identical. Each section had three berths.

"How did ye like yer first day?" asked Edward as the little khaki tank engine was turned around.

"I enjoyed it!" he exclaimed, catching the attention of the other three tender engines. However, the unknown engine stayed asleep. "I can't wait to start pulling trains and exploring the island!"

A grumble was heard, and the two smallest engines looked to find a disgruntled Gordon.

The Edwardian-styled engine sighed. "Listen, Thomas. Yer dedication is great but ye need tae learn the basics first," said Edward. The guilt of grounding the newcomer's hopes down struck him. "Neither o' us want ye tae get intae trouble because ye dinnae ken ‘em."

"Oh, I'll get them down! It'll be easy!" claimed Thomas.

Edward chuckled but his worry for his mentee persisted. The pair talked for a while longer as the others slept. They giggled and whispered as quietly as they could before sleep finally took over.

What a great first day.

~

Notes:

Imagine rewriting a rewrite you did, haha-

I wasn't satisfied with the rewrite. It was the one story that kept pestering me so I finally got the chance to sit down and fix it.

I decided to split it up into multiple stories and heavily edited the parts I didn't like. Most of it was down to the dialogue and cutting out parts like Henry's story and the scene with Edward and Gordon.

Another thing that really irked me about my rewrite was Emily. She created more dead space so this is intended to fix that, as well as other continuity errors from James' arrival arc and connotations to IRL basis/facts, such as James' wooden brake blocks and the problems with the LBSCR E2s.

Thank you for reading! Have a wonderful day! <3

[thespeedywagon98]

Emily and Caitlin! They are a couple in the wc au!

And I thought of tender engines, cats like Henry, Gordon, and James, being named two bunkers because of the fact they’re capable of carrying two wooden carts. Tank engines, like Thomas, Percy, Bill, and Ben are called one bunkers because they can only pull one wooden cart! I don’t have names for other engines like bullet trains and tram engines, but I’ll probably think of one soon-

This image is them as loco’s! I haven’t drawn locomotives in a while so they look awkward lol.

[arlesdale]

Working on Freddrick.

[withlovelunette]

Matryoshka Doll & Wooden Soldiers (WIP title)

— A Nutcracker Retelling

Genre: Fairytale retelling, adult fiction, speculative fiction.

Setting: Wintery, early 19th century Germany, Russia & other culturally-inspired fantasy settings with a touch of steampunk.

Summary: Clara Stahlbaum is forced to prematurely shelf her ballet career after a severe injury. Feeling lost and alone, the former ballerina leaves the comfort of her home in the countryside to visit the city and help her godfather run his toy shop while she recovers from her mental strife. After encountering a peculiar stranger with wooden hands who speaks of a fairy that can undo all injuries and ailments, Clara is pulled into a plot of curses, tragedy and lost personhood.

Themes: Identity & self worth, loss of humanity, defying fate, vengeance and repressed emotions, hints of unhinged womanhood if you squint.

Introduction & Context

Matryoshka Doll & Wooden Soldiers is a retelling and slight reconstruction of the beloved story The Nutcracker & the Mouse King, taking partial inspiration from the ballet, but is otherwise mostly based on Hoffmann’s original 1816 novel! I’ve been deeply infatuated with this story ever since I watched the animated movie by GoodTimes Entertainment (please tell me someone else watched this as a kid) and the Barbie version when I was little. I’ve since read the original book and been wanting to reconstruct the story into something new! Everything in this post is very much a WIP and subject to change as I develop the story, as it’s still in its first draft!

Inspirations & Vibes

Tchaikovsky’s music and the ballet (naturally), powdered snow, sweet Turkish delight, hot steam from the locomotive swirling in the crisp winter air, scent of gingerbread and mulled wine with cinnamon, winter wonderlands and peppermint candy canes, pastel baroque & rococo aesthetics, white marble with specks of blood, loss of humanity and sense of self, tragic romance, whimsical inventions, old fashioned toy shops filled with wonder, out of tune music box and other antique trinkets, freshly baked Berliner buns, the gritty and dark hiding beneath the prim and proper, prickling fingers on thorns while picking berries.

Main Characters

Clara Stahlbaum (23) she/her

Burnt out gifted kid filled with longing and passions she can no longer pursue, a romantic posing as a cynic to protect her feelings, loves messing with little trinkets and antiques and is kinda a nerd.

Hans Peter (25) he/him

Stoic, intellectualises his feelings, detached yet slightly vain, charming until you realise he’s not aloof for allure’s sake he’s just kinda socially awkward, but hey maybe that’s charming to some.

Godfather Drosselmeyer (52) he/him

Eccentric, mischievous, a bit sketchy but people brush him off as just a quirky old man, secretive, knows a lot and yet literally no one in the city knows anything about him he just showed up one day.

I might make a deep dive post about these characters to go into their psychology and development if that’s something people would be interested in! Deconstructing a character’s psyche is one of my favourite aspects of writing and I’d love to be able to share it. Also I know this seems very heteronormative as a story but I promise there are queer themes brewing beneath the surface here I would die otherwise.

✦ If you’d like to be added to a tag list for future writing updates/excerpts, please let me know! 

Story Tag; #md&ws

[brickcentral]

Review: LEGO Ideas 21344 Orient Express Train

Wait a minute, wasn’t that supposed to be green? No, the real Orient Express was blue with stately gold inserts and that’s the color we get in the new LEGO Ideas set.

I was lucky to have the set delivered to me by LEGO thanks to BrickCentral, for which I am very grateful. Everything you will read below is my own opinion.

Building

Building the set was a lot of fun, and the dedicated tracks (instead of standard LEGO tracks) are a very nice addition. At first glance of the box I already imagined this huge sheet of stickers and placed crookedly on the wagons. But there were very positive surprises: golden, even prints on the tiles. Bravo LEGO!! This adds a really huge exclusivity to an exclusive transport.

The interiors of the carriages are wonderful, spacious, and filled with details.

Here we come to one of the most important things, the Orient Express fits on regular tracks from any LEGO set which is brilliant news. The proportions of the wagons themselves are perfect, huge at almost 40 cm long each.

The disadvantage is some repeatability. We start by building a 120 cm long track and pass through 2 wagons that are the same from the outside and many steps are repeated, which is noticeable after time.

Details

The interiors of the wagons with “wooden” inserts look beautiful. The golden crowbar in the locomotive cabin is perfect, a hidden diamond in a cleverly designed chassis. I can go on and on about all these little details that make up the beautifully crafted set.

Minifigures

We get 8 minifigs here but I don’t think any of them will beat the porter and the cameraman, in my opinion. They are great.

This does not mean that the others don’t stand out. Each is nicely set in an era with interesting accessories (the vintage camera is awesome) and style.

I have the least sentiment towards the driver, but I respect him for his hard work which would be difficult in a tuxedo. Minifigures give the set this fun function, which means that the set is not just a “collector of dust” on the shelf, but a nice set to play with– my children confirm this 100%.

Summary

Orient Express is beautifully designed in terms of proportions and the spirit of the era, at least the carriages and minifigs. The locomotive/engine is the weakest part.

In terms of photography, it’s tough to shoot because it’s loooong and repetitive. Is it worth buying? At 299 euros, it’s not my first choice, but you can’t go wrong buying it.

You can seriously enjoy looking at it, unfasten the wagon from time to time, hold it, look at it, put it back and the world becomes more beautiful. But you can also build tracks, arrange minifigures, ride, and just have fun… that’s what LEGO is all about.

Age: 18+ Price: $299.99 / £259.99/ €299.99/ 469.99 AUD/ 2499 CNY / 121990 HUF Pieces: 2,540

[valtionrautatiet-official]

An introduction to VR passenger carriages, part 2: Eil commuter carriages

Like the blue carriages, the Eil and Eilf carriages are rare these days, with most of them having been scrapped. They are also close relatives to the blue carriages, and indeed some consider them to be blue carriages. However, as a colour-oriented person I never approved of this, as the Eils were never blue, but rather had a sexy unique look never shared by other carriages.

An Sr1-hauled commuter train made of Eil coaches at Hyvinkää, 1984. Mikko Lumio, Suomen rautatiemuseo.

The Eil carriages were built in 1982 and 1985-87 by our Pasila workshop in Helsinki (the last class of carriages built entirely in-house by us) primarily for use in the commuter services around Helsinki. Their arrival allowed us to retire the last wooden-bodied passenger coaches.

Eil 25025 at Joensuu in a long-distance train, 1995. Falk2, Wikimedia commons

Like all of our passenger carriages at the time, the Eils were designed in-house by our own design department. To facilitate fast loading and unloading, doors were moved from the ends of the carriage (as they were in all blue carriages) to the middle, and widened into double doors to allow double penetration - a construction very similar to the Sm1 and Sm2 electric multiple units already used in the Helsinki commuter services. Seating arrangements were also similar to the first two Sm series, with groups of six and four facing sets. However, the seats were fabric-upholstered individual seats to give better comfort and make the Eil carriages better suited to use in long-distance trains if needed. The carriages were given a unique livery, with similar stripes as on the blue carriages but using red instead of blue.

Interior of an Eil carriage, 2007. Psl10i, Wikimedia commons

The Eilf carriages were otherwise identical to plain Eil carriages, but had a space for the conductor. In total, 50 Eil:s and 7 Eilf:s were built. The original top speed of the carriages was 140 km/h, but this was upgraded to 160 km/h in the early 2000s. Starting from 2011, they were repainted in our current corporate image, unfortunately making them less easy to distinguish from long-distance trains.

A rake of Eil coaches at Kouvola in the current livery. Nimimerkki951, Wikimedia commons

With the delivery of new trains for use in the Helsinki commuter train network, the Eil-carriages were retired in 2017. They languished in layup until 2020, when some of them were reactivated for use in locomotive-hauled commuter trains. However, scrapping sorry, marketing department told us to say recycling also begun the same year, and at the time of writing only 16 Eils and 4 Eilfs survive. If you're lucky, you can still spot the attractive carriages filled by hot, sweating workers in Z and R trains during the rush hour.

[guerrerense]

Color In A Grayscale World por Danial Por Flickr: On April 11, 1937, the American Locomotive Company held open house to show off the latest in locomotives, and Milwaukee Type Atlantic number 4 was part of that celebration. The 4 was fresh from the paint shop, with the Hiawatha Indian adorning the tender and HIAWATHA nameplate on the flank of the locomotive. The 4 was delivered to The Milwaukee Road in Milwaukee, Wisconsin shortly after, where it would receive finishing touches. In this photo by an unknown photographer 87 years ago today, we see the 4 spot getting steamed up outside of the Milwaukee Shops. The HIAWATHA nameplate on the flank of the locomotive has been replaced with a CHIPPEWA name plate for it's duties between Chicago and Milwaukee, along with service on the recently inaugurated Chippewa Hiawatha. In the cab of the 4 Spot, you can see the engine tender keeping an eye on water levels, steam pressure among his other duties, along with what appears to be some top brass on scene for the initial firing of one of the worlds most famous streamlined steam locomotives. The cost of the final Milwaukee Type Atlantic was $109,230. The number 4 is being held in place by wooden wheel blocking while being fired for the first time, while the company brass inspects her, along with other facets of the area. Had the 4 Spot survived, she would be 87 years old today on her first day of service for The Milwaukee Road, but retirement came in June, 1951. I took the liberty of meticulously bringing color to the beautiful Atlantic for this posting, although the original I have is a darkroom processed black and white image. MILW 4 Milwaukee Road Class A Milwaukee, WI. April 20, 1937 Photographer Unknown D.A.Longley Collection