Going On Branch Lines

One day, Thomas was working in the goods yards, arranging trucks for Murdoch. Soon enough, the new visitor, American puffed up to him. "Hello, American," Thomas said. "Oh, hello, Thomas," said American. "I'm running my branch line," said Thomas.

"I see," said American. So American let Thomas continue on with his work. Ameircan took another passenger train while Thomas finished shunting the last trucks for Murdoch's goods train.

When both Thomas' and American's works were done for the day, they both wanted to rest until tomorrow. That's when American made a decision.

"I think I am going to tell you a story," said American, "It happened almost 100 years ago." "Okay," said Thomas, "I'll be glad to listen to your story."

"Good," said American, "Uh, maybe we'll wait until our friends return from work." "Okay," said Thomas. Just as they said that, Percy, Emily, Toby, Daisy, and Sara returned from their days work. "Oh," said Thomas, "Welcome back, everyone."

"Hey," said Toby. "So, what are you doing Thomas?" asked Emily. "American is going to tell us a story," replied Thomas. "Oh boy," said Percy. So the engines gathered around American and he began to tell the story. "Very well," said American, "Let me begin."

"Okay," said Percy. "It started with an engine named John Bull," began American, "For those who don't know who he is, he's a British built engine for an American railroad company. He is well known for having cowcatchers built on his leading trucks."

"Interesting," said Toby, "Another engine with cowcatchers. I like John Bull." "Okay," said American, "But Toby, you will listen to a foolish thing he did." "Oh," sighed Toby. "Anyway," said American and thus his story about John Bull began:

One day on an American Railroad, the engine with the cowcatchers on his leading truck, John Bull had been arranging a long train for a freight engine.

After he finished work, he left to pull another freight train. John Bull chuffed along the line. His cowcatchers prevented him from derailing. This got to his smoke box and as a result, he wouldn't stop bragging about it to the others.

"My cowcatchers prevents me from derailing," said John Bull to another engine, who just ignored him. Nonetheless, John Bull proved to be a really useful engine.

But that didn't stop him from boasting. "I'm un-derail-ment!" he bragged. Then engines just ignored him and continued on with their work. This didn't change John Bull's arrogance. However, one day, his mind would change forever.

It started like any other day; John Bull had finished arranging a freight train for a freight engine. Then he left to pull another train to the lumber mills. "Nothing to go for," he bragged, "My cowcatchers prevents me from derailing!" He set off on his journey with his train, still bragging about his cowcatchers. "No trouble for me!" he blared. However, his luck is about to change.

For a short time, John Bull remained silent, until John Bull got switched onto a siding. The switchmen realized his mistake and tried to flag John Bull down, but he couldn't make it. "Huh?" he said, "Weird." Not realizing he puffed onto a siding, he steamed on. Suddenly, there was a crash.

"Argh!" cried John Bull. He didn't see that a large rock had fallen onto the rails. So John Bull had wrecked his cowcatchers. "No!" he shouted. His cowcatchers smashed into debris. John Bull no longer had cowcatchers to feel important. "I'm in disgrace!" said John Bull.

Soon enough, John Bull was able to get back onto the main line and continued his journey. But without his cowcatchers, he had to be really careful going on the main line.

This means he could not avoid anyone puffing by and laughing at him. "Look!" said one of the engines, John Bull has now cowcatchers!" John Bull felt embarrassed for the rest of the day. During that time, other engines teased him about having no cowcatchers.

Eventually, John Bull took a day off from work to have new cowcatchers fitted. When John Bull returned to work, he no longer bragged about his cowcatchers.

Soon enough, everyone else stopped teasing about John Bull broken old cowcatchers and everything had gone back to normal. John Bull had learned his lesson.

"That's the story," said American. "Oh," said Thomas. "What a foolish engine," said Percy. "Well, I guess he became a clown," said Sara.

"Well, that's what happens if you brag about something," said American, "Especially cowcatchers." "I'm glad I didn't have cowcatchers fitted on me," thought Thomas. "Well, I'm glad to have told the story," said American, "I hope you like it."

"I think it taught us a lesson about bragging." "I'm sure it did," said American. So for the rest of the day, the engines exchanged stories about their own adventures.

"Wait a minute," said American at the last minute, "Did I leave a plot about something happening to the other engines that teased John Bull's cowcatcher-less look? Oh well, I guess that's another story."