Tales from the rails

A Close Call

Dan had finally left the mines, he would miss his friend, but he knew he would most likely be back soon. He hummed a tune as he puffed down the line. He had made it to the very top of Lickey and started to go down when he saw Tatum and Jake double-heading a train. "Why hello Tatum, hello Jake." He whistled as he slowly coasted the hill. "Dan! We need help!" She said as she then began to roll down the hill. They were pulling a long brick train with some vans and flatbeds at the end. "We can't make it over, you got to help us!" Called Jake, his wheels slipped a little and the train then rolled back. "Come to the station, I'll get us a good run at the hill!" Dan yelled as he raced down.

Dan had gotten on their line and waited for them to come down. They rolled down as they screeched their brakes barely stopping. The train seemed to be 30 trucks long, and was filled with building supplies. "Okay, ready when you are!" Dan called with a loud whistle. The others whistled loudly as they slowly moved. Dan was facing down the hill as he banked the train. "Okay, we're fine! we just need help over the bend!" Called Tatum, Dan whistled loudly as he then left the consist. As he did, the trucks heaved back, tugging the coupling at Tatum's tender. "Oh dear." She said as she knew what was about to happen.

The coupling snapped! Dan had made it to the station when he heard a guard's whistle. "That's funny, that's a guard's whistle, but we haven't a guard!" Said DD. "We do now!" Screamed Mia, shoveling coal into the firebox to make it burn hotter. "Hurry Dan!" Yelled his driver as he threw open the regulator and Dan picked up speed. Dan panted as he was going his top speed, but it wasn't enough! The trucks hit Dan with a crushing blow, shaking the crew off the footplate. "DD, MIA!" He screamed, but then he noticed what line he was on! "This is the Express line!" He shouted, and he tried to whistle, but he couldn't! He tried to brake, but he couldn't! He then screamed long and loud, and a signalman noticed. "Runaway on the express line! Clear the lines!" And that's what they did.

Or so they thought as Jojo was on the line, ill and unable to realize what was wrong! "It's probably nothing driver, we're late as it is." He mumbled illy. "AHH!" Screamed Dan as he loomed into view. "DRIVER, REVERSE!" Screamed Jojo as he shut his eyes! The engines got very close to each other when a switch moved Dan out of the way, the two scratching each other as he passed. Then Dan tried something, somehow, he was able to brake suddenly. he put every ounce of weight and steam against the trucks, slowing them down, "Okay, I got this!" he thundered under a tunnel and over a points, "Another clear mile, and I'll- OH GOD!" There in front of him, was Drenk Station! "Oh God, Oh God, Oh God!" Rhys was sitting on a siding as Dan came into view, screeching brakes and screaming like a whistle. Rhys shut his eyes as Dan came closer and closer, then Dan got diverted into a siding, but finally, he slowed to a stopped, hitting the buffers furiously and knocking them out of place. "Oh, thank God." He said, panting. Dan reversed to face Rhys, and Rhys had his eyes sealed shut. "Did I get hit, is this train heaven?" He said, and by that, Dan knew he was alright. "No Rhys, you're alive, don't worry." "Phew! I thought I was a goner!" He said. Dan then looked around. "Where is everyone? This area is usually packed! Well, until I pull along with my coaches." Rhys then looked back and then at Dan again, "Oh, well, I found them and I took 'em! By the way you might wanna get you're brakes looked at after something like that." Dan then did look at his brakes, "Oh, well think you can get me to the works?" Then Rhys winked as he buffered up to Dan and the train, and began to push them to the works station.