Tales from the rails

Express Logging

On the Drabtic and Deltic Isle, there are vast stretches of forests where adventures happen. In one such forest, there is a line, a very long line that keeps stretching on through the forest. This line is known as the D&D Logging Line. One lone locomotive works on it, his name is Bernard. He's a friendly engine, he's old too but very wise. He's also an American Shay locomotive, and is gear driven, so he has a bit of a weird design. He takes tree saplings up the line and fully grown, cut down trees back down the line where they are either shipped out or cut into wood planks that are then shipped out. Bernard is happy with his line, though it does get busy from time to time. Due to his age, he needs more maintenance than other engines. And as a result, other engines need to work on the line either with him or on their own. One day, Kevin was called down to Levi Station to receive orders from the controller. "Ah, good morning Kevin!" Said Sir William V. "Good morning sir. You requested to see me?" He asked. "Yes, I'm in need of an engine to work on our logging line, a fast and strong engine like you should be able to help Bernard with the workload." "Uh, logging sir?" Asked Kevin. "Yes, is there something wrong?" "I just thought maybe I would be taking the express or something a bit more... special?" "Oh, this IS special! Not many engines get the opportunity to work on this line!" "Well, I suppose it would be a good change of pace... alright, I'm up for it!" "That's a good engine, Bernard will come by and show you the way by noon today, go run around and wait." Said the controller as the telephone rang in his office and walked away. Later that day, Bernard arrived with a long train of logging cars. They were all loaded with big tree trunks and were taken to the yards to be unloaded. The Shay Engine puffed around, looking for a yellow A4 pacific with red wheels. "Uh... Kevin?! Where are you?" Called out Bernard. "Right here." Said Kevin as he rolled out of the shed, "Now who is calling me?" Kevin looked around. He saw the engine calling, he had an American diamond styled chimney, an off centered boiler, bright purple paint, a bunker full of smaller pieces of wood, and a tender filled with oil. "Hello. We got a few minutes before we head off, but I'll give you the let down. That line, I promise you, is the most beautiful line on this island. But if you aren't careful and obey the rules you learn there, you will be putting everyone on this line in danger." Bernard warned, "Now then, we got to get back to the trucks, we'll set off once they're loaded." Bernard said. He started off back down the line and was quite slow. Kevin followed slowly tender first.

"Now be careful coupling up to these, they're a bit more fragile than other trucks." Said Bernard as the two made it back to the goods shed, Kevin was going to be behind Bernard as he was the stronger engine. He gently buffered up to the trucks and was coupled. Bernard slowly backed down onto Kevin. He didn't have any buffers so he stopped just before Kevin and the two were ready. Once the trucks were all unloaded, the guard blew his whistle and the two engines set off. Kevin started up much quicker than Bernard, who was only able to reach about 30 miles an hour. The two picked up speed and went to charge at the hill. "Be careful! Remember what I said about the trucks!" Said Bernard as he shook a little from side to side. "Right." Said Kevin and he began to slow down. The two of them puffed down the line. Kevin wasn't used to going at such slow speeds and found it a little annoying. "We can't even go a few miles faster?" Asked Kevin impatiently. "We're not risking breaking the trucks. Also I can't go faster or else I run the risk of breaking my gears." Bernard said as they chuffed through Drenk. They continued down the line and began to approach the Lickey Incline. "We have to speed up!" Kevin protested. "I made it up this hill with a loaded train big guy, we're going to be fine." Bernard said as the two kept puffing down the line. Kevin grew anxious about the hill, and he was not sure if they would make it up. But when they started climbing the hill, they didn't slow down like he thought they could. The train continued on at 30 miles an hour. They made it to the top and Bernard began braking lightly. Kevin noticed this and also began braking. It was about 25 log cars, but it felt like just a couple of trucks. They slowed down and coasted down the hill, the trucks made them go a little faster and back up to 30 miles an hour. They rolled over The Grand Gap, and that's when Dan, whom was taking a heavy goods train of stone to Pleasentville to help renovate the harbour, was overtaking them on the express line. They were coming up on a switch. Kevin tried to speed up. "Let him pass us." Bernard said, and he began to gently brake. "What? No! We have a green signal!" Kevin said. "Kevin, we have to slow down for the switch anyways, now slow down and let him pass." Kevin reluctantly braked and the train came to a stop at a green signal just before the switch. They let Dan go ahead of them. "Thank you!" He whistled as he puffed over the switch and puffed through Vale station. "Did we really have to slow down? We're going to be late!" "You young engines and being on time. If we're five minutes late they won't bat an eye!" They were switched onto the Shadow Mainline and puffed along. Kevin was annoyed at this point, but now he was in too deep. They went down a strip of track that cut into the forest, the trees grew tall and over the tracks, but light shown through the bare trees. They then entered a big area where the trees were nowhere to be found. It was the logging camp. Kevin looked around. Some trees were being cut up into long planks, and there was a yard next to the line. The yard had some flatbeds and skeleton flatbeds as well. "I'll shunt the trucks, you take 'em where they want 'em." Bernard said as he was uncoupled from Kevin and the train. Kevin was also uncoupled from the train and was moved around so he was out of the way from the train. He puffed into around, examining the area. He found a two berth shed along with a turntable big enough for him to turn around on. "Hey, you there! You're Kevin, right?" Asked a man. His name was Jack, he was the owner of the logging company, inherited from his father. He looked about twenty, not being any older than 25 at the most. He often worked cutting the wood into halves with a big axe and could do it in just a few swings. "Yes sir, that's me." Kevin said. "Ah, welcome to The D&D logging company! We're sorry for such the short notice, but we need you to take several trains down to the towns." Said Jack as he walked over. "It's alright sir. I'll do my best to be right on time." "Alright. So we're preparing a train of timber to go to Pleasentville, and when you get back there'll be a lot train bound for Vale. So go get turned around and then you can buffer up to these flatbeds." Said Jack, and then we went back to his office to file a bit of paperwork. "Yes sir!" Kevin said, and he went to the turntable.