Phantom Lights

Locomotive #490 was requested by CSX Railfan Brony 4449-Chessie Daylight

The sun's beams were only just coming over the horizon as Warren shunted some flatbeds into place for his run over to the forest. Lots of log orders had been placed over the last few weeks, so the logging loco was kept busy going back and forth with train loads of logs. As he slowed to a stop, he heard puffing from nearby.

" 'ello, who could that be? I thought we were alone out 'ere," he said to his crew.

They looked out the cab and saw smoke in the distance. A minute later, a blue tender engine puffed into the docks with no train. She slowed down to a smooth stop next to Warren, and Mr Mason climbed down.

"Well I'll be darned, you were a rusty wreck when you came here, yet now you run like a champ," he commented. "I should never doubt Robert's choices in future."

Brook the Blue tender engine sighed happily as she felt the warmth in her boiler. She looked around at her surrondings. Even in the dim light of the day, she enjoyed looking at everything around her. Then she spotted Warren, "sorry, I should've addressed you when I arrived."

"Tis alright Lass," smiled Warren. "I can understand the feeling, many a engine has that wonderful feelin' when they come out of the workshops for the first time. Me name's Warren, what do 'ey call you?"

"I've been called Brook, and to be honest, I love the name. It really makes a locomotive feel like they belong."

"Aye, it does." Just then, they heard a whistle from behind Warren's train, "alright laddie, we're goin'!" he called to the conductor. The whistle sounded and Warren puffed off, "see you later Brook me lass, and have fun on your first day."

"Thank you Warren, I'm sure I will."

After some more test runs from the docks to the workshops, Brook was put to work. Her coaches weren't ready yet, but it didn't matter as she pulled both passenger and freight trains with great ease. The freight cars enjoyed working with her as her caring attitude made them feel warm and fuzzy inside, sort to speak. As for the coaches, they were okay with her, but they weren't too keen on the mix-match of colors, "we look like a rainbow instead of a train," they complained.

At the end of the day, she puffed onto the turntable and backed into her stall where she finally met all the other engines

"It's almost like an unbelievable dream to be here," she said. "Here I was, doomed for scrap, yet..."

"Oh it's all real," smiled Andrea, "every little bit of it, even the bad parts."

"Bad parts?" Brook asked with a raised eyebrow.

"She's talking about Old Pete, and those stupid McKenna Trucks," said Rebecca. "They're nothing to worry about, we've all put them in their place, in more ways than one I can tell you."

"Tis lucky you don't have to deal with fellas and lasses like I did back on the California Western." Warren's eyes narrowed and his voice changed to a small growl, "especially him."

"Him?" Brook asked nervously. "Who is Warren talking about?"

"The only engine to ever attack us, kill four people and send many of me friends to the scrap yard. Northwestern Pacific No 178. Tis the most horrid engine I've ever seen, and rotten down to his frames. Tis miserable engine..."

"But he was scrapped after his attack," said Andrew, trying to keep Warren from shouting so loudly. "He rightly deserved it."

"None of us ever acted like that," added Carrie, "and really, none of the locos we knew ever acted like No 178. Snooty at times, as Rebecca will tell you about myself," she paused as she saw Rebecca smirk at her. "But never with murder in mind."

All the engines and their crews agreed with that. Brook sighed with relief.

"Well, the engine may not be 'ere, but some say, something far worse exists," said Warren, keeping his eyes narrowed and looking from one loco to another.

"What are you talking about Warren?" Ace asked.

"I'm talking about No 178. After his scrapping, some of me fellow engines say they've heard his whistle, but see no engine. People say they have seen a flash zoom by them, especially near the bridge of the attack. They say his spirit left the scrapyards and haunted our line, forever reminding us of the terror he brought us all." His voice lowered as he added, "some even say that no matter where we engines go, he'll be there to haunt us."

"How would you know he's nearby?" Brook asked, sounding a bit nervous.

"If tis engine is on your line, you'll hear that horrible whistle and see his lights in the distance, which everyone has nicknamed 'The Phantom Lights', and tis is followed by speeding pistons as he charages at you. They say he runs to strike again, and won't stop till his revenage is complete."

Silence fell over the sheds, until Warren added, "so they say, but I'd never seen the bugger again since he left for scrapping."

"Nor have any of us," added Jessica. "I'm sure one of us would've seen these 'Phantom Lights' and told the others."

"I hope you're right," Brook muttered.

The next evening, Brook was called out of the sheds to make a special delivery to the Little Hauler's line. As she arrived, she discovered the delivery was a new locomotive. It carried the number '490' and the words 'Rio Grande' on the tender.

"Hey there," smiled the engine, "are you here to take me to my new home?"

"Indeed I am," said Brook as she backed up to the train. Behind the flatbed were loaded box cars with materials for Big Jim's Town and Gilbert's Lane. "So where did they find you?"

"Mr Harrison bought me direct from the Rio Grande, narrow gauge division to be exact as he needed a new locomotive for his line. Sadly, I was left waiting till the snow melted before I could get here, and only a few weeks ago was I loaded on old Loud Mouth up there," he said as he glared at the ship, who snorted at the narrow gauge engine, "and brought here. I can't wait to get back into steam and work again."

"I actually returned to steam just yesterday myself," smiled Brook. "I'm Brook by the way, do you have a name 490?"

"Well they all called me 490, but Mr Harrison has since called me Freddie. To be honest, it's better having a name."

Brook had to agree. Finally, all was ready as the conductor's whistle blew and they set off for the Little Hauler's line.

Much further down the line, a small group of teenagers were gathered around a Jeep and talking of a nasty plan. One of the teenagers was one of the girls who tried to steal Rebecca and plunge her into the waters of the harbour.

"So, you sure this plan will work?" asked one of her new friends.

"Oh yeah, this will scare them out of their frames," snickered the girl, "and it's all thanks to that story that logger said last night."

"And how is it you know the story?" asked another teenager.

"Well I was looking to steal some of their equipment for sabotage you know, and I just happen to overhear the story." She then looked sheepish, "sadly, I got so distracted with this plan that I forgot to take anything. Oh well, this will work."

The plan, they thought, was simple. Use the bright lights of the Jeep, along with an old whistle from a previous theft in the yards and scare any of the locos into racing back down the line in order to have an accident.

"That will surely teach them to not go through my town," she thought to herself.

To make matters work more in their favour, an evening fog was coming down on their town of McGinnis. They climbed into their Jeep and waited for the next train to arrive.

By the time Brook and Freddie were nearing the town of McGinnis, the fog was super thick. She had to slow to prevent having an accident.

"This is the thickest fog I've ever seen," commented Freddie, "it feels like the fog you would see when a ghost is about to appear."

"I sure hope not," muttered Brook.

They just puffed onto the street running portion of the line when they suddenly heard a shierking sound. "What was that?" Brook asked nervously, her eyes darting back and forth.

"That sounded like a whistle to me," said Freddie.

Brook hoped it wasn't what she thought it was. Before she could say anything, a bright set of lights shone through the fog and by the looks of it, were pointed right at her. The weird sound came again, louder this time. At that moment, Brook knew what it was, "it's the Phantom Lights!" she cried.

Her brakes suddenly came on with a groan.

"Whoa girl!" cried her engineer 'Lauren Baker'. She tried to get control over her panicking engine.

"Get me away from 178!" cried Brook. She shut her eyes and hoped she would stop, reverse back and leave No 178's sight.

Suddenly, there came more cries, followed by a crashing sound and the train stopped.

Brook was so scared that she couldn't open her eyes. Freddie however could see everything, "uh Brook, that ain't no ghost in front of you, it looks like a Jeep to me."

Brook opened one eye and gasped to see a smashed up Jeep in front of her. Nearby on the ground were three teenagers, who had jumped clear, but were groaning in pain. Lauren jumped down to check on the teenagers, "are you three alright?"

"Yeah, it's just a sprain," said one of them, "but I can't really say the same for my friends there."

Brook groaned, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"What in the name of the Rio Grande were you punks doing out here?" Freddie asked. "you were on our line!"

Lauren looked surprised by what Freddie said, then noticed in the wreck of the Jeep that they had an old locomotive whistle. Looking closely, Brook noticed the lights, many of which matched what she just saw.

"You were the Phantom Lights!" she cried.

The teenage girl groaned, "yes we were, we were hoping to scare you and make you crash."

"Idiot!" snapped one of her friends, who had a broken left arm, "you shouldn't reveal what we were doing out here, now we're going to land in big trouble."

"Opps," groaned the girl.

Her friend was right. The McGinnis police arrived on the scene and took the teens to hospital, and later off to Jail. Once Bryce arrived to take away the broken Jeep, Brook continued on down the line, a little damaged on her cowcatcher, but still operational. She continued on till she reached the Transfer Point with the Little Hauler's Line.

"What kept you both?" asked Mr Harrison.

Lauren explained everything about the 'Phantom Lights', then helped with getting Freddie off the flatbed. He looked on to Brook's worried face, "don't worry about this Brook, I'm sure your manager will understand this wasn't your fault, especially after he hears about what those stupid teenagers tried to do."

Brook certainly hoped so.