Tales from the rails

Jack, Ryan, and The Runaway

Jack is a very quiet engine. He rarely ever talks to anyone. If you ask the workmen, they all say the same thing, "He's a silent sort, but he's a hard worker. Though he does talk to three engines. And unless you're one of them, you ain't getting a peep outta him." Jake, who helped him escape from scrap long ago, Hudson, who often visits the Steelworks with trains and delivers news about what's happening on the railway, and Ryan, who befriended Jack during his time at the D&D Steelworks. Ryan and Jack tend to help around the steelworks for one week out of each month, often taking turns. Jake, who works at Blue Harbour, was being overran with work on one of these weeks, so Ryan was sent to help. Dom, Tim, Tom, Cyril, and Rowan could handle the work load as it was easier since the third Harbour was opened. Ryan was puffing proudly down the line, Jack was one of his closest friends and he enjoyed hanging with him. "I get to go to the steelworks! I get to go to the steelworks! La-de-dada-da!" Ryan hummed as he puffed down the line. He went over The Lickey Incline with a happy whistle as he puffed over the top oh the incline. He coasted down and chuffed cheerfully over The Grand Gap. Ryan soon made his way to the junction that led to the entrance of the D&D Steelworks. "Hello Jack!" Ryan whistled as he entered the yards. "Ryan? What are you doing here?" Asked a puzzled Jack. "Jake can't make it, he's needed at Blue Harbour. So he'll get the next two weeks here." Ryan explained. "Right, well we got lots of trains that need shunting. Hudson is going to be making runs back and forth to Pleasentville with trucks of steel and returning with loads of scrap for the entire day. Look, here he comes now!" The big green tank engine entered with a loud whistle. "Hey you two, this one's a big one." He said. His face was bright red and he was breathing heavily. Behind him was a very long train of trucks and flatbeds, all filled with rusty parts and broken beams. The two little engines got to work. When they work, they often never talk as to not disrupt their work. They flowed smoothly in and out of sidings. Hudson, who had went for a drink, returned to just the brake van left. The two engines were moving a long train of vans and flatbeds behind Hudson and then Ryan was going to grab the brake van. As soon as the engines were done, Ryan ran around the train and then got the brake van that was near the junction. He was coupled up and then he pulled it around to the back of the train. The guard set up the lamps and gave a little whistle. Hudson's whistle blasted through the Steelworks yards and began to depart the yards. When he left, the engines got to work shunting the scrap trucks into the melting zone. The melting zone is dangerous for people and engines alike, someone careless could often get themselves hurt in this area, and lots of molten metal and fires are here. A scrap crane began crunching up the loads, lifting them, and then dropping them into some kilns that are shut and then boil the metal until it melts and then is transferred into specialized trucks so they can be taken to the Steel Mill where they can be turned into useful things like I-beams and wheels and household items. Another thing that is made is slag. Slag is a waste product that is created when the steel is melted. They are put into separate trucks and are taken to a waste dumping zone. Jack often takes the trucks up there and has them dumped. Though slag is often done every evening before the Steelworks closes for the night. The engines made the molten steel and took it into the Steel Mill. The two worked hard for the whole day, shunting this and that and putting trains together to be shipped out.

Later that night, Jack and Ryan were sitting in the sheds. Jack had just returned from the dumping zone and was tired. "And done!" "I'm surprised you do this all the time! Why don't you ever take a break?" Asked Ryan as Jack was parked. "Because no one can do my job like I do." He explained. "I'll tell you what, take tomorrow off. I've worked here enough to be able to do as good a job as you do, so I can manage." Ryan offered. Jack hesitated, "Oh, I dunno." "Come on, I used to be the only engine working the entirety of Levi, the station, yards, and ports. I think I can handle this place." Jack thought for a few moments before he agreed. "Alright, listen, I will take a break. But you have to make sure every train gets in and out on time and you have to be careful with the molten cars, they're heavy and dangerous." "No worries Jack, I got it." Ryan said with a smile. The two engines then began to nod off to sleep. "I won't screw this up, no sir." Ryan said as he then drifted off to sleep with a snore. The next morning, Ryan departed from the sheds to get a head start on work. From the night before, some flatbeds had been loaded up with steel beams and were ready to be shipped, just needing a brake van and their engine to arrive. Ryan chuffed into the steel mill, which was quiet and a little scary. Normally there was an ominous red glow, but there was no light at all, the windows fogged up and the only light beamed in through the small garage like doors that were teeny tiny compared to the massive factory. Ryan, with his lamp, found the flatbeds and got them out to the yards where they sat and waited for a few minutes. Finally, Josh arrived to pick up the first train, some buildings in Vale needed renovations and Josh had only brought a brake van. "I'mma be honest laddy, I didn'a think I'd see you here today!" He said as he came to a stop. "Yeah, I thought you'd be off with a slow goods or something." "I know, but the controller wants me to help with steel trains, to help out a lad named Hudson." "Oh yeah, that's right! He was here and back all day yesterday. The poor engine, being overworked like that, well good luck, it's a long trip both ways!" Ryan said as he shunted the flatbeds behind Josh, who had moved his brake van out of the way of the flatbeds. Ryan took the brake van and shunted it behind the train and Josh was ready to leave. The Scottish engine gave a loud whistle and set off down the line. Ryan was about to rest when on of the workmen walked up, "We got a few scrap trains that need melting down, and some iron trains that need to be taken to the steel prep zone. So if you will." He trailed off and hurried away. Ryan started to move, but he looked around the yards for the trains. He looked around, trying to find the trucks, they weren't in the mill so he kept looking. He found the trucks, they were hidden in the shadow of the steel mill, where they kept the slag trucks. Ryan didn't bother with them, and didn't pay any mind to the man who was slinking around the trucks, he wore a worker's uniform so he looked like he was supposed to be there. Ryan puffed away with the scrap train and took them to the melting zone.