Shattered
The Little Haulers has had a good reputation during the year of 1956, with the exceptions of the Mudslide and the accident at Clover's Hill. Speaking of such accident, it has to be said that since that day, while John and Karen do work with Alison, they don't really get along well with her. For example, whenever she's talking to them, they will ignore her and have a conversation with each other.
Mak didn't approve of this behavior and made it very clear one evening before New Years.
"You two need to stop being bakas...er, idiots," she corrected herself again, "and listen to when Alison is talking. What if something is wrong, she warns you and ignore her, what would happen then?"
"We can see out the windows, so we'll know if there is trouble out on the line," answered John. "Besides, after what she did, would you really want to talk with this engine?"
Alison gave off a nasty scowl to her own crew. Mak responded in a calm manner, "I would've said no a while back, but then she helped me out of that mudslide, so she's earn my trust and friendship."
This made Alison smile a little, but she still felt sour about her crew, and longed to work with her relief crew again.
Before the sun rose the next morning, Mr Harrison came into the Warehouse and spoke with Alison and Mak, "tomorrow marks the beginning of a new year, and to celebrate, the town of Gilbert's Lane is going to be hosting a big party. People from all over the Island will be coming to our little railroad to go there, so this will mean lots of work."
"Do your best not to wear yourselves down," he warned them, "and be careful as you go along. We wouldn't want another incident or accident, especially not with passengers."
"We'll do our best Mr Harrison Sir," they responded.
Mr Harrison was indeed correct, nearly everyone across the island and even some from the mainland came to attend this party. The buses and Freedom Railroad engines kept bringing them to the transfer point, and the two narrow gauge locos pulled multiple coach loads down the line to Gilbert's Lane. Many even spoke about the locos.
"I personally like these engines," said one passenger, "much better than those so called modern locos."
"They are smelly and too noisy for my liking," said another. "Thank god for people like Mr Harrison for saving these beautiful treasures. Can you imagine a world without them?"
"I dare not think of that."
Alison smiled hearing this, until she heard her crew, "well at least one is beautiful, unlike some we can mention." This resulted in Alison gnashing her teeth.
Mr Harrison knew full well that Alison and her crew did not get along. This is why during the runs, he was talking with two new employees to the line. Twin sisters named Luna and Lori.
"So you two want to work with Alison, am I correct?" he asked them.
"Yes Sir, of course we do Sir," they both said in unison.
"You are aware she has an attitude right? And that she was responsible for that accident on Clover's Hill?"
"Everyone has an attitude," Lori shrugged, "she just needs some good role models to help her out, then you'll see a better improvement."
Luna was quick to agree, "not only that, but she's been so sorry since she had that accident. I saw that look first hand during her punishment, and even after that when the topic was brought up."
"Sir, we understand Alison may not be the easiest locomotive to get along with, but we would really like to work with her."
"And what of John and Karen? I can't just fire them."
"We'd never suggest such a thing," Luna said in defense, "but maybe make them work with another loco. After all, once the snow melts, I'm sure more will arrive, right?"
Mr Harrison had to admit that was true, and even reminded himself of one waiting to come to the Island.
"I'll talk things over with Alison when I get a chance, and we'll put you two on trail," he said to the two women, "but if Karen and John don't agree to the idea, then there's nothing I can do."
"Yes sir," said the women. They thanked him for his time and left to go to the party.
The party offically began after the sun set for the day. Even the mayor of Gilbert's Lane was surprised by the large turn-out. Everyone had a grand time telling stories, listening to music and playing games in the snow.
"Anyone would think they were like children playing games," Alison said as she watched them.
"Shut it Alison, no one wants to hear your whining," snapped Karen.
"Whining? I'm not whining, that was complaining, do you want to hear actual whining?"
"NO!" snapped her crew. That shut Alison up at once. From afar, Lori and Luna looked on with disappointed looks on their faces, "not really a good way to work with their engine."
"No indeed Luna, we would do much better with her, but it's up to Mr Harrison and the crew, not us."
"Which sucks if you ask me."
At one minute to Midnight, the countdown began. Everyone joined in, even the two locomotives. Finally, they reached; "Ten, nine, eight, seven..."
"I hope for a better year this year," Alison thought to herself.
"Four, three, two, one. HAPPY NEW YEAR!" Everyone cheered as fireworks lit up the night sky. Both Mak and Alison whistled along, though John and Karen weren't as interested in whistling as Mak's crew were.
"Come on you guys!" called Tom the fireman, "you can whistle louder than that!"
But they didn't. They kept at the same whistling tone until the cheering stopped. After half an hour, it was time to leave. As the passengers began to board the coaches, Karen oiled up Alison's joints, but she wasn't focusing too well on the job, and on the right side piston as she spilled too much oil. She hadn't noticed, but Alison had.
"Uh, you might want to clean that up," she adviced Karen, "my piston's aren't suppose to have..."
"Alison, not a word!" snapped Karen. "Don't start 1957 off on a sour note."
"It'll be a sour note if left like this," Alison thought to herself. She could hear the oil dropping to the ground, "I hope nothing bad happens on the way back."
Sadly, it would be just wishful thinking. Mak pulled out first with her passengers, and Alison followed ten minutes later with her train. Going up the hill leading out of town, her wheels slipped a bit on the rails.
"Easy does it, nothing to get worried about," she said to herself.
With much sand coming out, she gripped the rails and climbed the hill out of town. In her coaches, Luna and Lori listened with dread, "they're overdoing it with her," said Luna, "poor Ali, she's going to fall to pieces at this rate."
"Or damage something, just listen to that wheel spin," said Lori as she listened out the window.
After the harsh run up the hill, all went well for Alison. Soon though, she began to feel an odd feeling in her pistons. She was going to tell her crew, but knew her words would fall on deaf ears, so nothing was said.
As they reached the site of Alison's famous crash, the pain in her pistons became worse. She knew now she had to say something, "I think..." but she got nothing out as there came a loud bang, and steam hissed from the right cylinder. John went for the brakes and slowed the train to a stop.
Everyone leaned out of the windows to see what the matter was.
"Did we blow something?" John asked. He was about to climb out of the cab when he saw two women running towards Alison's front end. "Hey you two, get away from there!"
It was Luna and Lori. Lori got out a flash-light and pointed it at the cylinder. She gasped and called out to the crew, "hey ding-bats, now you've done it!"
"What?! What did we do?" asked Karen.
"Get out here and see for yourselves!" called Luna.
The crew climbed down from the cab and looked. It was hard to imagine, but it had happened. Alison's right side piston had shattered. There were tiny pieces of it inside the cylinder, and the cover at the front had blown off and left a dent on the cowcatcher.
"If it was that bad, why didn't you say anything?" John asked.
"Would you have listened to me?" Alison asked. "All night, you've been telling to sip it, so I did. And now look at my pistons, gone and my cylinder damaged."
The condutor came up with two other people, and they were carrying the cover for the cylinder, "I think this might be Alison's."
Both John and Karen went as white as ghosts, and said nothing at all.
Mak and Mr Harrison waited at the transfer point, but after half an hour, there was no sign of Alison or her passengers. Grabbing a workmen's coach, they set off down the line until they reached Clover's Hill. Even Mr Harrison was surprised by the damage done.
"It could've been worse Sir," said Luna. "The whole cylinder could've blown."
"I suppose so, but how did this all happen?"
"Too much oil by the looks of it," and she showed him the oil dripping to the ground from the back of the cylinder.
Mr Harrison walked over to John and Karen, and asked why there was so much oil. They sighed and said they had put too much oil on. When asked why Alison didn't tell them, they said it was because she knew they wouldn't listen to her.
"So, all this was your fault to begin with." Mr Harrison sighed as they nodded. He pinched the spot between his eyes, "now look, Alison's accident was bad, and left you in hospital for weeks, but she has shown how sorry she is and has been working hard to make up for it."
"Yes Sir, sorry sir."
"Don't say sorry to me, say it to Alison." And they did. Mr Harrison stared at them firmly, "I was going to ask if you two wanted to work with another engine, and leave the choice up to you, but after tonight, I think it's only fair to make the choice for you." He turned to Luna and Lori, "once Alison is repaired, you two will get to work with Alison."
"YES!" they both cheered. Luna even jumped onto Alison's cowcatcher, "just think old girl, you get twins for a crew."
"Now that would be something," said Alison, and to Luna and Lori's delight, they saw a smile on the narrow gauge engine's face, "I accept the decision."
"Good," nodded Mr Harrison. He turned to Karen and John, "you will get to work with our third engine once they arrive in the spring. Till then, you two can stay home until called upon."
John and Karen didn't argue, and went to the cab for the ride back. Mak coupled up and pulled Alison, along with her train back home.
Though this left Alison a little worried, with her out of action and the third engine not there, this meant Mak would have to do all the work alone, "Hope she can handle it all."
This story was inspired by the actual real event of Southern Pacific's narrow gauge tender engine 18. On April 9th 2019, the locomotive was visiting the Durango and Silverton Railroad, but she only got fourteen miles into the journey before her right side piston shattered, much like in the story, though currently the cause of how it happened has not been determined. Too much oil lubricating the pistons seems to the common thoery.
