traintrainingmontage

[traintrainingmontage]

HIII TE IT'S ME AGAIN Really freaking loved the way you wrote the last prompt I gave you! Both Donnie (and all though I don't show it as much) James are very freaking dear to me, and I'm disappointed that we didn't get any deeper interactions between them in canon Got another prompt idea......do you mind writing something involving Donald + Railway Reincarnation? Thanks,

Kenora

Sure thing!! I love Railway Reincarnation SO gosh darn much, and I am happy to write more about it!

As a reminder, in this AU, all of the engines' souls are those of people who died and were reborn as engines! Some remembered their past lives as humans immediately upon waking up, while others only remembered after many years had passed and/or something happened that caused them to remember.

One interesting aspect of this is that siblings (and sometimes other family groupings) often find that even in their new lives, their paths once again cross, but while one sibling might already remember their fond yesteryears together, the other might not.

(Finally getting back to finishing my prompt backlog! Previous prompts are here!)

Gray clouds clustered overhead, causing Donald to shiver in his berth. However, it was neither the promise of impending rain nor the breathless chill that caused his discomfort; no, it was the fact that he rather missed these sensations, even if he would have once called them annoyances. Never again would he feel the rain prickling at his skin, cold as the lowest circle but refreshing all the same. Never again would he bundle himself beneath good Scottish wool to stave off the cold, for he had something far less soft to serve as his armor.

The first raindrops began to fall, pattering against his paintwork with light tink tink tinks that might have been melodious under other circumstances, but Donald wasn't in the mood. Too many other thoughts raged like flames in his mind, the fire within crackling and sputtering despite the pounding of the water without (and the fact that he wasn't even in steam today), resulting in what he could only articulate as an awful headache.

Suddenly, the sound of a whistle caught his attention and held it fast, forcing his eyes up towards the source. Piercing through the gloom was a bright headlamp, a distant star in the dim autumn afternoon, and before him came an engine bearing the number 57647. Of course, Donald couldn't have cared less about his number—not when he knew this engine's name. "Douggie? 'S that you?"

"...How many times do ah have t' tell ye, 57646? 'M not 'Douggie,' or whatever name ye keep tryin' t' put upon me," retorted the other engine, although there wasn't much heat in his voice, simply a token resistance as his crew got out, heading inside to take a much needed rest away from the deluge. "Still, tha's not important. Why'd ye do it?"

"Do what?"

"Don't play daft," Douglas snorted, and this time, he actually sounded angry, a lick of fire warming his words. "Ye stood up fer me. Claimed the trucks ah broke were yers. Why... why'd ye do it?"

Donald didn't even pause, didn't even think twice. Why bother, when the answer was obvious? "Because yer my bràthair, n'—"

"AGAIN wit' that?!" Douglas roared, then seemed to remember where he was. He hurriedly glanced around, then upon seeing that the coast was clear, lowered his voice before any interested railway workers came to investigate the noise. "Ye gotta stop this, 57646! You'll just get yerself scrapped!"

Instead of speaking, Donald simply stared at the engine before him, a collage of memories from a lifetime ago piecing itself together in his mind. For some reason, the way Douglas had said those words reminded him of their father, a kind, fearful man whose heart was forever bleeding for every bird who'd chanced to fall upon the grass. He'd never been known for being the most courageous sort, but he'd also take care of his own with a warmth the likes of which none could match.

Donald, on the other hand, had moreso taken after their mother, a storm wrapped in the form of a woman with a voice of warm, protective fury to match. They'd always been like this, contrasts and complements, and that was how Donald knew without a doubt that this was his brother. As strange as this situation was, that was one of the few truths he could hold onto, and was perhaps the only reason he hadn't lost his mind by now.

"Well?" Douglas muttered, less angry this time, but nevertheless, it shook Donald from his thoughts.

Right. He'd been asked a question, and he ought to answer it. "Then if ah do, ah do. Ah dun' wanna be scrapped, but ah'm not gonna forget who ah was and who ye were jus' 'cause it'd be easier. Ah wish ye'd believe me, but if ah jus' have t' keep tryin' 'til ye do, then fine."

Donald had expected some kind of retort from Douglas, but instead, the other simply stared, then let out a long, tired sigh. "Yer mad. Ye've got ta be. But still... thanks."

"O' course," Donald replied, covering up his growing frustration and anxiety beneath a wide grin. "Ah'd do anythin' fer ye, Douggie."

For a moment, Douglas' eyes widened, and was clear that he'd heard the depth of genuine affection in Donald's voice, just beneath the layer of frame-deep fatigue right on top of it. Before he could reply, however, Douglas' crew came back from their break, clambering into his cab and shoveling some coal into his firebox so that he could build up some steam. "Alright, lad!" his driver called. "Let's go!" At his driver's command, Douglas began backing out, away from Donald. He had just enough time to shoot Donald a hesitant, unsure look, his face conveying more than he could possibly say with words.

Donald merely watched him go, then settled back down with a sigh. The rain had intensified now, tinking even harder against his frames and metal, and his flaring headache had cooled, snuffed out to cinders. He often had to wonder to himself what the point of it all even was; Douglas didn't remember him, and treated him like a madman. Mad... engine? Whatever the case, hell, maybe he was.

And yet, it was moments like these that hurt the most. Moments when Douglas would look at him with an achingly familiar expression, and Donald could convince himself that surely his words were getting through. Already, he felt that torturous spark of hope in his soul alight, defiant against all that threatened to drown it out. Surely, his brother would one day wake up and remember who he was. Surely, all of Donald's suffering would be worth something.

Until then, he would just have to hold out, and fortunately, keeping his eyes on the greater goal had always been something he was good at.

[traintrainingmontage]

Ohhhhh, what an absolutely lovely design for Peter Sam! He looks so cozy... and chibi Duck is adorable too 💚

A certain Sudric-Welsh lad! And Duck…

[traintrainingmontage]

YES, EXCELLENT ADDITION!! JOB OUT HERE TELLING IT LIKE IT IS

Mfs really be out here calling this guy ugly

Have some respect on my mans Neil smh he's trying his best

[traintrainingmontage]

Had to vote Cutie of Truro and The Flying Chadsman here because it's free real estate. There's so much you could do with them. The dynamic of engines as famous as these two is so interesting; since Truro is classic GWR, an engine Duck idolizes, would he be as by the book? How does that complement or clash with Scotsman, who has lead a rather tiring and eventful life, and perhaps has less faith in the inherent goodness of Railway Management? There's just so much the fandom could (and has!) done with them that I have to pick 'em.

TTTE Achillean Ships Poll Tournament

First Round- Poll 14

[traintrainingmontage]

I've personally come to the conclusion that I like James and Edward much more as friends who come around eventually, because EdBoCo has my whole heart. They're SO sweet, and Edward deserves an engine who is on his level (a very difficult level to reach!). And Henro is also adorable! They have a great vibe!

HOWEVER, MY HEART BELONGS TO DUNCAN AND RUSTY, BECAUSE YOU SEE THEIR RELATIONSHIP MATURE ON-PAGE AND I LOVE TO IMAGINE RUSTY BEING ONE OF THOSE GROUNDING FORCES WHO KEEPS DUNCAN IN CHECK SOMETIMES, WHO HELPS HIM BECOME THE ENGINE WE SEE IN CHRISTOPHER AWDRY'S POP SPECIAL, WHO HAS GREAT BANTER WITH HIM AND WHO DUNCAN COMES TO GENUINELY RESPECT. I LOVE IT!

TTTE Achillean Ships Poll Tournament

First Round- Poll 15

[traintrainingmontage]

I'm not sure I can ever properly talk about Glennock here because her lore goes insanely hard and it's not entirely restricted to TTTE, and I love her dearly but I know I would also sound unhinged. However, she is my favorite OC I have ever made and has the burden of being therapist-adjacent for a god, so there's that I guess

[traintrainingmontage]

Love all of these fantastic thoughts! Folks in this fandom are so insightful. :) I've had my own thoughts on this, but I might share those at a later time.

Who wants to be a big nerd with me and work out a timeline of engine developmental psychology

[traintrainingmontage]

WOAH!! He looks AMAZING, OP!! I love how he looks painted; beautiful lighting and colors too!!

Salty

[traintrainingmontage]

There he is!! SUPER cute design, and I love the vibe.

is Trevor！

[traintrainingmontage]

OHHHHHH LOVELY! This is so well done!! Lucky you for getting to take a ride with him, and gorgeous art, OP!!

Happy birthday to the most special little guy💕

[traintrainingmontage]

THERE SHE IS!! Glennock, my wonderful girlie 🩵✨️ She is absolutely perfect 🥹

(How she works as a fankid is a little morbid; she's built from the frames and metal of Stepney and Rheneas, after they've passed. Theoretically, an engine would have conditional immortality, but even though the body can be repaired and replaced in a ship-of-Theseus fashion, the soul grows weary with time. When their souls were ready to depart, it was their last wish that their metal and frames be used to create something Really Useful, and what they left behind was used to make Glennock. She has traits from both of them as a result!)

(She also has supernatural vibes for an entirely different reason...)

But overall, she looks AMAZING and I couldn't be happier! Please consider commissioning Luna for absolutely lovely locomotive and spaceship art!!

Commission for @traintrainingmontage of their OC, Glennock the Tank Engine.

More info and timelapse below the cut:

Glennock is a 'fankid' of Rheneas and Stepney. Don't ask me how that works, that's a question for the client. So I had to come up with a design that was halfway between Rheneas or the real life Dolgoch, a narrow gauge 0-4-0 built by Fletcher-Jennings, and Stepney, a real life LB&SCR A1 Terrier 0-6-0 tank engine. The client originally asked for a side tank engine, but I talked her into a well tank since it'd be easier to make her look like Rheneas despite being standard gauge.

My initial thought was to just find a suitable engine and make that the basis. And honestly, that could have worked. My original choice was a Beattie well tank

Maybe modified a bit to look more like Rheneas and Stepney.

And while I did still take some inspiration on the mechanical side of things from the Beattie, as well as a Class G standard gauge 0-6-0 designed by Fletcher-Jennings, Glennock ended up being almost entirely a one-off design based on Dolgoch and Stepney.

Rheneas and his real world counterpart, the Talyllyn Railway's No.2 Dolgoch

Stepney in the Railway Series and Stepney in the real world.

The boiler is largely a scaled up Rheneas boiler, and below the frames it is more like a Class G. Stepney's contributions were largely visible, like the Stroudley cab, and a livery pattern based on Stepney's Improved Engine Green.

The livery was a real headscratcher because it had to incorporate pale blue as the main color, Stepney's orange-yellow color, and Rheneas' red. Took a long time to figure out something that looked halfway decent. It didn't end up with a ton of red (no more than most british steam engines) but to be fair the mechanical side is a lot more Rheneas than Stepney.

I was kind of imagining this engine was a one-off industrial engine built by Fletcher-Jennings, with the Stroudley style cab being a later addition. (Perhaps she was not originally built with one)

(Though I think the client probably had something more supernatural in mind--i'm sure they can clarify in the notes.)

[traintrainingmontage]

YEAHHHHH he looks fantastic!! 💚🥰 Love the background!

Happy 6/6! I had so much fun drawing this

Alt version below:

[traintrainingmontage]

Ohhhhhh what a cutie!! He turned out so well!!

Happy 6/6 guys

Happiest little lad on Sodor With no thoughts in that brain of his

[traintrainingmontage]

OHHHHH what a cutie!! Love how you did his hair!!

Happy 6/6 :)

[traintrainingmontage]

"The first raindrops began to fall, pattering against his paintwork with light tink tink tinks that might have been melodious under other circumstances, but Donald wasn't in the mood."

(From a prompt I'm working on)

Oh so ur a writer?? Prove it. Drop the last sentence of ur wip in the tags

[traintrainingmontage]

THIS MATCHUP ESPECIALLY HURT ME... OF COURSE I HAD TO CHOOSE MY FAVORITE OLD MEN, BUT AGAINST THE CLASSIC ESCAPE DUO AND A MODERN FAVORITE THOMAS SHIP, BOTH OF WHICH ARE ALSO GOOD...

C'MON, NEILLOEY!! PULL IT THROUGH! NOBODY DID IT LIKE YOU TWO!! ❤️ 💚

TTTE Achillean Ships Poll Tournament

First Round- Poll 6

[traintrainingmontage]

As much as I love Duncan/Sir Handel...

LET'S PUSH THAT RHENNEY AGENDA!! ❤️ 💛

TTTE Achillean Ships Poll Tournament

First Round- Poll 4