Knoxville, Tennessee:
November 2, 1915. 1:00pm
Ten years have passed since Stewart was revealed and in that span he has formed a very strong friendship with his crew and his sister Cassidy. Today they were hauling a very heavy freight train and it had taken all day, all night, and half the next day for them to pull their train from Alexandria to Atlanta, when they got there Stewart found a pair of telephone lines hanging over the tracks above him.
"Hey Cassidy, what are those for?" he asked.
"What, the cables? Those are for them fancy new electric trains. I hear they are attempt'n to replace us" Cassidy replied and sure enough one was stopped at a station taking passengers while they slowly stopped at a signal. It looked like a lunch box with poles sticking off the top. It was painted white with a big Virginia green stripe along the side. His face looked to be around late 20's if he was human, but he looked rough, he even had a scar on his nose that went down it.
"Well, speak of the Devil and he shall appear" Cassidy said quietly, Stewart was confused, over the years he hasn't been to Atlanta very often, most of the time he was in Alabama or Mississippi and this is his first job after he was transferred to the Atlanta division of Southern.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the sweet Cassidy and…what the Hell is that ugly thing behind you?" the electric asked in a rough, somewhat flirtatious voice in the first half of his sentence until the second half where it turned to hostility.
"It's called a freight train, I think the electric wires have finally fried your circuits" Cassidy said smugly.
"Not the train Grandma, the thing between you and the train" the electric snapped. Stewart was offended and was about to shout in protest, but Cassidy stopped him.
"Don't worry about him Stewart, Raymond here is just rude and stupid, built like that perhaps" she said. Stewart couldn't help but chuckle at the comment. Raymond on the other hand sneered and as soon as the conductor gave the order he raced out of the station as fast as he could, grumbling dreadfully along the way.
"That was Raymond, Stewart, he's rude, mean, and very prideful, which I don't understand, he hasn't done anything worth read'n about aside from being the only electric engine that Southern Railway has rented as an experiment" Cassidy explained.
"Why would our railway even use him?" Stewart asked.
"My engineer tells me that our controller is beginning to think that steamers like you and me are uneconomical and electric engines are the future. I for one don't buy it, it costs a fortune to light up a house, much less power an entire railway with electricity" Cassidy explained. At that moment the signal went straight up and off they went again. It was evening when they finally made it to the freight yard in Atlanta. From there they had their train unhooked and they made their way to the roundhouse where they saw several freight locomotives resting. One of them was a Baldwin 2-8-2 Mikado type number 4534, another one of the same exact model and make but numbered 4554. A third locomotive was a Burnham, Williams & Co J-2, 2-8-0 Consolidation number 470, and finally the last locomotive resting in the shed, was the most beautiful of all, to Stewart at least, another Baldwin 2-8-2 Mikado number 4501. She had black paint just like the rest of them, but her eyes shown a beautiful emerald green eyes and a face that looked like an angel's to Stewart.
"Uh, C-Cassidy, who's that one, third one from the right?" he asked nervously.
"That's Sarah, she is Southern's first Mikado and she came around here back in 1911 and spends most of her time in Tennessee…don't tell me you're fall'n in love little brother." Cassidy said in a teasing manner.
"What? Of course not, don't be ridiculous." Stewart asked. But before Cassidy could answer, there was a chorus of cheers and whistles. They figured out that the new engine belonged to Southern Railway. Cassidy uncoupled from him, moved onto the turn table, and was moved into the roundhouse once she was turned around onto an empty track. Now Stewart was waiting nervously and he wasn't so sure about getting on that turntable, but John, his engineer pulled the lever and made him roll onto the turn table.
"Ladies and gentletrains, I give you, Stewart" Cassidy announced, and more cheering ensued.
"He looks exactly like you Cassidy" said the engine numbered 470 he was obviously of the male persuasion, he too like Raymond looked tough, but he had a gentle smile to him.
"Pity, I'd like to have two Pauls' hangi'n around here" The 4534 replied to the 470 who laughed at the comment. Cassidy rolled her lime green eyes at the comment.
"Don't worry about them Stewart, they're just crazy" rang in the 4554 who was male. Sarah, the 4501, smiled as Stewart was carefully backed in between her and Cassidy.
"Hi, I'm Sarah" she said with the most beautiful voice. Stewart struggled to say "hello" back to her, to which she giggled.
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Sodor, 2013
"So, you knew Cassidy, AND Sarah before being part of the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum?" asked Henry with interest.
"Yes, I did, and I still believe that I am the luckiest engine on Earth because I got to be with them after retirement" Casey replied.
"Wow, that's amazing" Edward replied.
"So where'd you get the name 'Casey'?" James asked.
"Well…" Casey started.
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Chattanooga, Tennessee, December 19, 1917
Stewart was waiting patiently at Citco yard for his next freight train. The United States had entered World War 1, and his train was supposed to be a shipment of parts for a new machine called "Mark VIII tanks" to take to New Orleans. Originally the parts were made in Pittsburgh, and there was a four way train transfer between the Pennsylvania, Norfolk and Western, the Nashville Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway, who was due in the next few minutes to drop the train off, and take another freight train back, and then completed by the Southern. John was drinking a cup of coffee and Matthew was trying to use Stewart's fire to keep himself warm in the cold evening, the weather was horrible, with icy rains reaching 5 inches.
"The NC boy is due" John told his fireman.
"Good, I have been itching to get down to New Orleans and out of this cold" Matthew replied. Suddenly, a small porter 0-6-0 rolled up beside Stewart with the current controller of the railway in her cab, this engine was Dorothy, a friend of both Cassidy and Sarah, Stewart liked her, she had a strong presence of innocence about her that just made him smile.
"Gentlemen, we have a problem!" the controller shouted.
"What is it?" John asked.
"The locomotive pulling a train carrying troops for the Army has broken down in Knoxville on it's way to Fort McClellan in Alabama, it's already late by four hours because the idiot engineer didn't know what he was do'n" the controller replied.
"You guys are the only engine and crew I could find that was relatively close and not overly busy"
"But we're supposed to pick up a train of parts for tanks and take them to New Orleans!" protested Matthew.
"You can take them both! I have contacted the station master and he says he will push the arrival time back a few hours, plenty of time for you to THAT train to Knoxville with you as you pick up the army train, drop off the army train at the station in Anniston, and continue down to New Orleans, from there you will help Cassidy pull two trains back here to be split up to go to Washington D.C. and Charlotte" answered the man.
"Think you can make it Stewart?" Dorothy asked.
"I'll do my best" was his reply and just moments later, NC&StL K1A 4-6-2 Pacific number 506 with a "Vanderbilt" tender pulled in next to Dorothy, he looked tired.
"Excuse me…" he panted "but are you Stewart? The locomotive who is going to take my cars?"
"No silly, but he is" laughed Dorothy. The NC engine was too tired to laugh but without barking at Dorothy, he looked to Stewart.
"Oh thank goodness, I was beginning to think I will never find you, this yard is crazy tonight" He was then uncoupled from the train and he moved slowly out of the way while Stewart got hooked up to the train.
"Don't you worry none, I'll make sure your train is on time, now if you will excuse me, I must go to Knoxville" he said and he puffed away.
"/bKnoxville!? That train is supposed to go to New Orleans/b!" shouted the Pacific, but Stewart didn't listen, and Dorothy explained the situation to him, it made him feel a little better but now he wished the news was brought to him sooner, he would have stopped at Knoxville first to pick up the train himself before bringing it over to Chattanooga, it would have been easier and less time wasteful, not to mention that he was built for passenger service, he just happened to be the only one available in Bristol when the tanks were dropped off by the boys of Norfolk and Western. Meanwhile, Stewart battled the weather to make it to the main station in Knoxville where the train full of troops was already six hours late. Now the next challenge was to get Stewart turned around, a few porters took his heavy freight while he left to find a turn table. When he found it he moved with no hesitation and was turned around facing the right direction. When he got back to his train he found that it was already hooked up to the coaches. He thanked the tank engines who had shunted the two trains together as he hooked up again. This time the caboose was hooked up to his tender, and now the train was exactly seven hours late.
I'll have to move quick if I want to get these guys to the base and my freight to New Orleans on time, and hope that I don't run into red signals. He thought to himself as he finally heard the conductor yell out. With icy rain pouring on him, he set off as quickly as he could.
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Sodor, 2013
"Seven hours late with icy rain? How did you survive the trip without slipping off the rails?" Thomas asked.
"You know, that's a question I ask myself to this day, I guess you could say I had an angel watching over me that night" Casey answered.
"So how much time did you make up?" Gordon asked.
"That's where the story gets interesting" Casey said.
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Huntsville, Alabama, December 19, 1917
Stewart rolled carefully into town to pick up water and coal before continuing onto Anniston where the base was located. He felt like he was going to fall apart as soon as he stopped under the water tower. By now the rain had died down but it was still very cold outside and very wet. When he was getting his tender filled with coal, he heard some men chattering about him.
"I thought this train was late by seven hours"
"He must've been go'n at high speed"
"If he keeps go'n at the rate he was when he was outside the city, his chances are very slim, but he might just get the train on time, not bad for a freight engine"
Stewart couldn't believe what he was hearing, and so he decided to ask.
"Excuse me gentlemen, but how much time did I make up?"
"You made up five hours with another three to go at normal speed" the tallest of the men answered. At that point Stewart knew he had to get going and sure enough, his tender was full and his fire was quickly making steam and his engineer pulled the throttle. Off again they went into the dark night. The ride was bumpy for the troops inside the coaches and some of them were complaining as precious time was being made up.
"Stewart, slow down!" called John who had a hard time keeping the engine under control.
"But John, we can make it, Anniston is just up ahead!" Stewart called. John looked at his watch to find they were now only thirty minutes behind schedule compared to the original seven hours.
"Well I'll be a monkey's uncle" he said to Matthew, and he showed the time. Matthew obviously did not believe him at first until he looked at his own watch and it said the same thing.
"Do you think we can make it?" he asked.
"We'll be late for sure, but at this rate it will only be a few minutes" replied John and Stewart roared ahead. With ten minutes to spare, there was Anniston, in the morning light, they slowed down to allow a safe stop at the station. When they arrived, they found a tall, buff, man who wore a U.S. Army general's uniform standing on the platform waiting patiently for them. With no hesitation, Stewart pulled himself and the freight cars past the station to allow the new soldiers to finally get off their carnival ride of a train. The men who were complaining about the ride began to charge to Stewart to give his crew a piece of their minds when suddenly the General stood in front of them.
"Welcome to Anniston boys, I understand you are five minutes late" he said. The men told him about the ride they had and were quick to blame Stewart for being late.
"WHAT A HORRIBLE EXCUSE FOR MEN YOU ARE! DID YOU HONESTLY THINK THAT I HAVE NOT HEARD THAT YOU GRUNTS WERE SEVEN LONG HOURS LATE!? I WAS THE FIRST MAN THE CREW OF YOUR ORIGINAL LOCOMOTIVE TOLD ABOUT! YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES! THIS ENGINE AND HIS CREW NOT ONLY SAVED YOU FROM UTTER HUMILIATION, BUT THEY ALSO GAVE YOU TRAINING FOR THE SHIP RIDE YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE ONCE YOUR TRAINING HERE IS COMPLETE!" the general shouted at the top of his lungs. The soldiers did not reply, they just stood attention and moved back into formation. The general slowly walked up to Stewart, and eyed him for a moment. He could tell he worked so hard that his wheels looked as if they would fall off. Stewart was nervous, he didn't know what the man would say to him after what he told those men. But the general gave a very small smile.
"What's your name son?" he asked.
"S-Stewart sir" replied the engine.
"Stewart? I don't believe that name fits you, from now on, I will call you Casey. Because you remind me of Casey Jones" the General replied.
"Who's Casey Jones?" Stewart asked, confused.
"What? Did nobody tell you?" the general asked.
"He never asked" called out John, who was oiling his gears.
"My boy, it is a story that you should know" the general replied, but before he could begin, John interrupted him.
"With all do respect sir, we must get going if we plan to make it to New Orleans on time" he said.
"Oh, yes, pardon me, carry on boys…America is in your debt" the general replied and he moved over to the platform.
"Let's hear it for Casey! America's finest locomotive!" he shouted and with him came a huge cheer from the soldiers that never complained and even a few who did cheered as well while Casey pulled out of the station, next stop, New Orleans.
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Sodor, 2013
The engines in the shed were in awe, even Spencer, who had quietly snuck in next to the shed to hear the second half of the story, and without a word, he puffed away.
"But I thought Cassidy was the first to call you Casey" Percy spoke up.
"Well, many people get confused, Cassidy was the first of the other engines to call me that, and quite frankly I am honored by it" Casey replied.
"What about New Orleans? Did you make it in the delayed deadline?" Toby asked. Casey smiled widely.
"I made it an hour before the original deadline so my crew got a much needed rest while I told Cassidy all about it. And that was when she first started call'n me Casey too. And when we got home she told everybody and the name now sticks with me forever"