Dave comes home

Dave was lifted up by a crane and back on the tracks; all the trams were watching and dinging their bells welcoming Dave back to the metropolis city. Dave felt special; He had never had an ovation like this before.

Later Dave was in the workshop getting ready for his run tomorrow when Mr. Reginald, the manager spoke to him, "Dave, it's good to have you back."

"It's great to be back sir," said Dave

"Tomorrow you can start work; the mayor wants you to work your hardest."

"I will," said Dave and the manager walked away. Alastair rolled up beside Dave, "It's great to have you back" said Alastair

"It's great to be back," said Dave, "I like how the tracks reflect the suns raze."

"Yeah, while you were gone some workmen came and cleaned our tracks; I can't remember the tracks being this cleaned ever."

"Well it sounds like everything was good when I was gone."

"Well not really," said Alastair, "you see while you were gone we had someone replace you, his name is Zeus, he is huge, he has 5 stalls attached to him. He comes over rumbling through and saying how big and strong he is he keeps us up all night." Dave was speechless, and then came a rumble, the earth shook and then a huge Tram engine came thundering over. "So you're the legendry Dave I've heard so much about." Said the tram in a very low voice

"And you must be Zeus I assume." Dave said while inspecting the engine.

Alastair was right he was huge, everything Alastair described about him was correct. Zeus spoke again. "I came here to replace you, because I can go twice your speed in perfect safety, I can carry more passengers than you and I can do sharp turns without falling over." Dave wasn't impressed, "you haven't been here long have you?" Dave asked but Zeus didn't answer. "Because," Dave went on, "any tram here knows you don't go fast here, the sharp turns can derail you."

But Zeus wasn't impressed; "well a small tram like you would derail, but I've done sharp turns all the time and I haven't derailed" "even on the bridges?" "EVEN on the bridges." Zeus had never been on the bridges that elevated you off the roads but that didn't concern him, he just rolled into the work shop and nothing more was said.

Road or Rails

The next day Dave was getting inspected for bugs while Zeus was getting fixed for his run today. The Manager showed up. "Everyone I got your schedule today, Alastair, you'll be taking the down town route, Dave you have the Late night shift, Paul you'll be taking the city route and Zeus you have the main line route. I expect good work from you today." And he left.

Zeus was pleased, he was getting the all day route but Dave was concerned, "The main line route has the bridges, you should show down there," but Zeus wasn't listening he just rolled away to start his day.

The first station was on a bridge, Zeus sped up just to get up the bridge, he saw the first station around a corner, Zeus went faster and faster.

Dave was waiting at the workshop, his inspection was complete and he didn't have anything wrong with him, then the manager walked up. "Dave, Zeus has had an accident; he is now off the rails and on the road, I want you to rescue him." Dave rolled away and when he got to the scene of the accident, he could only laugh. Their was Zeus blocking traffic and perched on the road feeling very silly. "Who is this?" Dave asked his driver, "its Zeus didn't you know?"

"It doesn't look like Zeus; Zeus can go around sharp turns with out derailing." Zeus looked down feeling very sorry for himself.

When Zeus was put back on the rails, Dave, Alastair and Paul pushed him back to the workshop because he was so heavy. The manager had some stern words for Zeus. "YOU STUPID TRAM, YOU'RE SO LUCKY YOU WEREN'T CARRYING ANY PASSENGERS. IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN WE'LL LEAVE YOU HERE, AND YOU'LL NEVER TAKE PASSENGERS AROUND THIS CITY AGAIN!!!"

Zeus was fortunate to have been repaired, he is now a sadder and a wiser tram, he never tries to go fast now. If you ask me, it serves him right.

Marqus breaks the law

If you were to take a tram just outside of the metropolis city, you'll see some tram tracks and a few stations, you'll may also find a small tram taking passengers to a drop off station.

His name is Marqus he has 2 stalls and is young and full of his own ideas, Alastair picks up his passengers from Marqus' drop off. "Passengers are passengers" Alastair would say to Marqus, "Not trucks treat them with respect." But Marqus didn't listen he was thinking about getting back to the depot.

The next day their were fewer passengers but he didn't mind, but as the days went by, fewer and fewer passengers he then started to worry.

One night Marqus told the trams about the passengers disappearing.

"It's the new Buses" said Paul, "they came here a few days ago and our passengers have been taking then instead of us because they say their more reliable."

Marqus was upset, "Does this mean we're going out of business?"

"No" Said Alastair, "it's just the buses say their more reliable, it's even in their slogan." Alastair referred to the billboard outside which said "Metro bus ways, we're more reliable than Trains."

The next day, the manager arrived, "Trams we have got to work faster, usual jobs today but I want everyone to work harder to beat those Buses" and he walked away.

Later that day Marqus met one of the buses, he was a single Decker bus, he was square looking and like a tram had two sections. "So you're one of those trams I've heard so much about."

"And your one of those trams I've heard as well." The bus said, he didn't sound friendly, only grouchy. Marqus Scowled at the bus, the bus returned the favour and scowled back at him, "you're stealing our passengers and we want them back!" Marqus said in a demanding voice, the bus only laughed, "why do you think I'll do that? We are revolutionary, we are the wave of the future, and we are the new generation." The bus finished. Marqus then did something that he would regret, "I challenge you to a race!" he said.

Trams on public roadways, are vehicles, like cars, they have stop lights and speed limits like cars, so their not allowed to speed, and all that Marqus of course knew this, but he was so caught up in the moment that it slipped his mind. The light went green, Marqus shot out of the station along with the bus, Marqus tried to go fast but the driver prevented him. "Slow down, you don't wanna get pulled over by the cops." But Marqus didn't listen, he saw the bus go straight past him, Marqus was trying hard to go faster but their were stations at every turn and when Marqus thought he could speed up their was always a station preventing him.

This went on and on until Marqus got to the drop off station and when all the passengers got off, Marqus shot out of the drop off station and went coasting down the line, he eventually caught up to the bus and sped up, he went past the speed limit and went past the bus, he was going 80 in a 60 zone, then he came upon some traffic lights, he slammed on his breaks but it was to late, he went though a red light and stop right in the middle of the intersection. The bus saw this and turned where road left rail, he laughed at Marqus' failure. Evidently a police car showed up, he booked Marqus on Speeding and running a red light.

That night at the depot, all the trams were making fun of Marqus. "Law breakers need to go behind bars" said a voice, "they need to be locked up" said another voice. Marqus felt ashamed he spent the rest of the next day in the depot.

Making up

Marqus had broke the law, he spent the rest of the day in the depot, a replacement tram took his runs, this tram was named Richard, he had 4 sections, his cab, two small attachments and the end bit. He was the same colour as everyone else, silver with red lines. One day he couldn't work, he has a bug in his system and couldn't do Marqus' runs.

"We need a replacement for Richard." Said the Depot manager, the only tram was Marqus, but Mr Reginald didn't trust him.

"No!" he said, "I can't risk getting another ticket." Then Marqus said in a hoarse voice, "I'll be able to do it sir, I understand that speeding is wrong and I will do my best to make up for my mistake" the Manager pondered for a moment, and walked away.

Some time later he came back to Marqus, "I've decided to let you out, ONLY if you promise to be good." Marqus agreed and for the first time in a long time he left the depot.

Marqus worked harder than anyone, he let people off at the drop off station and in between, but during his run he saw the same bus that made him break the law. "Just ignore him." Said his Driver, "He won't acknowledge your existence of you don't acknowledge his." Marqus didn't know what the word 'Acknowledge' meant but he ignored him. Then the bus said "Well if it isn't the little Law breaker" said the bus but Marqus ignored him

"Aren't you gonna challenge me to a race?" but Marqus just ignored him, then the Bus swerved sideways and hit Marqus' side on purpose. Marqus didn't ignore that; he couldn't hit him back because he was fixed to the rails. The bus turned away like a coward and ran away.

At the next station, Marqus' driver reported this to a policeman.

"Hmm, this is bad. Do you know who owned that bus?" the policeman asked, the driver told him. "I'll go and confront the owner of that bus depot then." And he left.

That night at the depot, Marqus was talking about what happened to the other trams until Mr Reginald showed up. "Marqus the incident that happened with you and the bus had been taken care of." Said the Manager, Marqus wondered how he knew about the bus hitting him. "As a reward you can work in the city and stop working outside of the city."

"But sir, what happened to the bus?" asked a voice. "You don't have to worry about him, the police say the buses rude attitude that the Metro bus ways in officially closed." Then their was a loud chorus of cheers and bells. They can work again.