I am I big train buff and it's all thanks to Thomas the Tank Engine and friends. Though I have always wondered what would happen if an American built engine, steam or diesel visited Sodor. Enjoy and please read and review. Some characters my be a bit ooc but I'm going off of what I can remember.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

-The American Visitor-

It was a bright and sunny morning on the Island of Sodor. The engines were just starting to wake up, when Sir Topham Hatt arrived with exciting news from the docks.

"Good morning engines! I have some exciting news to tell you about." said Sir Topham Hatt. The engines listened intently as he spoke. They had heard that a new engine was going to be visiting the island from American and that they were expected to arrive sometime this week. "As you all my have heard, we are going to be having a visitor from America. The news I bring is that our visitor has arrived and is going to be unloaded from the ship in one hour." He paused to let his word take affect. The engines were excitied because this would be the third engine to come to Sodor from America. First came Hank, then most recently Ferdinand. All the engines liked Hank and Ferdinand, so Sir Topham Hatt hoped that they would also like this new engine.

"Thomas and Percy I want you two, to go to the docks and meet our visitor there. Then escort him back here." he said. Thomas and Percy whistled excitedly.

"Yes Sir!" they said together and after they had taken on coal and water chuffed away towards the docks. Sir Topham Hatt watched them as Thomas and Percy left the yard before turning back to the other engines.

"Gordon and Henry today you will have the day off. Our visitor has agreed to take on both of your daily tasks for the day. When you see our visitor you will see why you have the day off.


-The American Visitor-

Thomas and Percy chugged quickly to the docks and talked about what the visitor might be like.

"I wonder if he is like Hank or Ferdinand." said Percy as they past the signal tower.

"I hope so. I really like them and it be nice to hear more stories about American and the engines there. I hope I get a chance to visit America someday." replied Thomas. Percy laughed.

"Why would you want to go to America, Thomas? Were you not listening to Hank as he told us that only big engines could haul mainline goods and passenger trains. Even the switching engines there are bigger than us."

Thomas wasn't listening as they rounded the curve and chugged up the loading docks. There they saw a massive ship, the biggest one they have ever seen. The ship was painted grey all over but was painted red just above the water line. The flag that waved from the ship's flag pole was like the one Hank had told them about. White stars on a blue square in the upper left corner with red and white stripes running across. The ship had it's own crane on it as it started to pull something up from with the depths of the ship. Thomas and Percy watched in aw as the crane raised the largest steam locomotive they had ever seen.

The engine had a big white smoke box that seemed to be almost as big as Percy. The engine was painted black with white trim along the edge of the running board that ran the length of the engine and had white coupling rods and running gear with white trim on the wheels. The engine was incredibly massive with four wheels on the lead truck and what amazed Thomas and Percy the most were two set's of eight driving wheels each set with it's own cylinders followed by another four wheels under the cab, on the side of the cab painted in white letters was the number 4012, but where was the tender? Thomas and Percy soon saw the answer to that question as the crane finished gently lowering the engine on to the tracks it went back and a few minutes later raise an equally massive black tender with white trim on the wheels. The engine had his eyes closed the entire time and didn't see Thomas or Percy.

Thomas and Percy were speechless as the crane lowered the tender behind the massive engine. Salty the diesle then pushed the tender slowly upto it's owner and once they were coupled together Salty backed away and switched onto the track beside the engine. Salty honked his horn at Thomas and Percy which startled then as they were fixated on the massive new engine sitting before them.

"Excuse me but you can open your eyes now." said Salty cheerfully. The new engine slowly opened his eyes and saw Thomas and Percy staring at him.

"Can I help you guys with something?" asked the new engine questioningly.

"My name is Thomas" said Thomas as he finally gathered himself and started to get use to the massive size of the new engine.

"My name is Percy." said Percy as he too gathered his wits.

"I'm Salty. Welcome to the Island of Sodor. How you had a good trip over from American." said Salty trying to make a good first impression.

"Thank you. My name is Union. So this is the Island of Sodor eh?" Union spoke in a deep voice. "I have heard stories about this place. Many good stories."

Thomas, Percy and Salty smiled. They liked Union already.

"When you get your fire and steam up we will go to the sheds where Sir Topham Hatt is waiting for us. Also please ask us any questions you may have."

"Sounds like a plan to me, though are all the engines on this island as small as you three are?" asked Union with a chuckle.

-The American Visitor-

Thomas and Percy lead the way back to the sheds with Union close behind them. As they approached a road crossing, Bertie the Bus was waiting for Thomas and Percy to pass. Union saw Bertie waiting and instinctively let out two long, loud and deep sounding blasts from his whistle followed by a shorter but equally as loud blast and finished off with another long blast of his whistle as he chugged through the crossing. Bertie was amazed and startled as he watched Union pass by.

As they made their way to the sheds all the engines in the yard were amazed at the massive size of Union as he rolled easily by and onto the lead track to the sheds where Sir Topham Hatt, Gordon and Henry were waiting. Gordon looked in shock along with Henry at the massive size of the new engine. There was no doubt in their minds that this new engine would not have any trouble handling their daily tasks today. As Union eased to a stop he let out a quick blast of his whistle which echoed through the yard and station. Even the passengers on arriving and departing trains were in awe of this new and massive engine that easily dwarfed even the largest steam and diesels on the island.

"Hello, I am Sir Topham Hatt. I am the railway director here on the Island of Sodor. Welcome." Sir Topham Hatt said with a smile.

"I am Union." Union introduced himself and then looked to Gordon and Henry. "Ah you two must be Gordon and Henry. Thomas and Percy told me about you two on our way up from the docks." Union smiled which Gordon and Henry returned.

"Union. Today I would like to see what you can do. If it's alright with you I would like for you to handle both Gordon's and Henry's duties for the day."

"I can take whatever you can dish out Sir" replied Union eagerly. Back home he could haul 150 to 200 car trains up through the mountains with ease so he figured that this would be a caked walk for him. Sir Topham Hatt smiled.

"Good then, I'll have Gordon's driver and Henry's driver tag along with you so you can find your way around the island and so they can inform you of the tasks you need to complete before the day is done."

"Oh don't worry about that I'm well equipped to run in the dark if I have to" said Union and he turned on his large headlight and even in the late morning sun it was still very bright.

"Ha-Ha. I guess you are then. Very well then to start things off Henry has a string of coal cars that need to be delievered to the docks" said Sir Topham Hatt. Edward rolled by with a mixed freight and whistled to Henry and Gordon.

"Yes Sir I will get on it right away" said Union and rolled back to the water tower and coal tipple and got ready for the first task.

-The American Visitor-


Hope you liked this first chapter, and yes, Union is a Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 Big Boy.