Thomas and Friends: A Second Chance
Chapter 2: The Mighty American Engine
It was a beautiful, and sunny day on the Island of Sodor. All the engines were hooting, and tooting and being really useful on the Fat Controller's Railway. Today was the day that the newest engine on the island was going to prove herself to be a really useful engine. Her name is 'Tina'. She is a big, strong engine from America. This is to be her big day out
"Good morning, Mr. Hatt," she greeted him with a smile
"Quite a nice day out today, yeah?" she said to the Fat Controller
"Indeed it is," replied Sir Topham Hatt happily back
"Hello Tina, good to see you in good spirits today, I believe today is the day you prove yourself a really useful engine," said the Fat Controller, greeting Tina at Knapford Station, "there is a long train of machine parts at Brendam Docks that need to go to the Sodor Steamworks, the trucks are heavy so I ask that you take a backing engine just to be safe,"
"Yes sir!" Tina puffed brightly, and chuffed along the rails to make her way to Brendam Docks. There was a line of flatbed trucks waiting for her. The crewmen at the docks had coupled her up to a train of twenty flatbed trucks, "whew, this is a bit of a weight, but nothing I can't handle," she soon saw James, Henry, and Gordon, "might as well ask them"
"Excuse me, can one of you be my backing engine?" she asked
"Not me, it'll damage my lovely red paintwork," said James
"Not me, I pull the express, I don't pull trucks," said Gordon
"Not me, my system is out of order," complained Henry
"Fine, I'll pull it myself," said Tina, and used her strength to pull the heavy train out of Brendam Docks, and she was out on the rails for the first time. Tina was a fast engine as well as being big and strong. Then, there was trouble. Tina was puffing along a turn when she came up to Gordon's Hill "whew...would you look at the size of that one?" said Tina
There was no way around it with a train as heavy as hers. Tina was going to have to go up the hill. She soon saw Henry, James, and Gordon too as they were making up the hill with their lighter coaches. She could see why the Fat Controller had advised her to take a backing engine, and she decided to give the three big engines another chance to help.
"Excuse me, can one of you help me up the hill?" she asked
"Not me, it'll damage my lovely red paintwork," said James
"Not me, I pull the express, I don't pull trucks," said Gordon
"Not me, my system is out of order," complained Henry
"Fine, I'll pull it myself," said Tina, and used her strength to pull the heavy goods train up Gordon's Hill. She heaved, and she pulled until she made it to the top of the hill. Tina watched her speed and her brakes as she puffed down the hill, and was very careful going into the turns "honestly though, what do I have to do to get a little help around here?"
Thomas soon came by, "Are you okay, Tina?" he asked her
"I'm okay, but the other engines won't help me," she explained
"Don't worry," soothed Thomas, "they can be real bossy boilers,"
"Thanks, Thomas," Tina said with a thankful grin to the tank engine
"Do you need help?" Thomas asked out of concern for her
"I'll be fine, go on, chuff along," she said with a wink to him
"Alright," said Thomas and puffed along with Annie and Clarabel
She soon saw Henry, James, and Gordon too. She decided to give those three big engines one final chance as she was stopping at a siding to get herself a drink of water. As the three engines were puffing along the track near the siding, she decided to ask them once again for help, "Excuse me, can one of you be my backing engine?" she asked the three
"Not me, it'll damage my lovely red paintwork," said James
"Not me, I pull the express, I don't pull trucks," said Gordon
"Not me, my system is out of order," complained Henry
"Fine then, I'll pull this train myself," said Tina, and she did
Tina made her way to the Sodor Steamworks where the machine parts were dropped off. The Fat Controller was at the Steamworks, "Good work, Tina, although I asked you to get a backing engine, you seemed to have handled yourself quite well, I'm happy to announce that your coaches have arrived, and you will start working on the Norramby Line,"
"Yes sir, that's wonderful, Mr. Hatt!" Tina puffed brightly and excitedly. Tina was coupled up to her new Pullman Coaches, and puffed out of the Sodor Steamworks. Henry, James, and Gordon were surprised to see Tina pulled her brand new coaches. She saw the three big engines and asked, "Excuse me, who'll help me find my way to the Norramby Line?"
"I will, I know the way," said James happily to her
"I will, anything for a grand new engine," said Gordon
"I will, I just got my special Welsh Coal," said Henry
"No," puffed Tina, "I puffed out of Brendam Docks without your help, I chuffed up Gordon's Hill without your help, and I puffed my way to the Sodor Steamworks without your help, I will find my way to the Norramby Line, on top of that, my driver and I have a map, take care," with the help of the map, they both made their way to her new branch-line
(Based off the American Fable 'The Little Red Hen' by Mary Mapes Dodge)