Thomas and Friends: Long Hood Forward

Chapter 1: Brother and Sister (Ellie & Elvis)

It was a bright and sunny day in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Fat Controller was on holiday in the Southern United States, but he was also there on business. He was looking for diesel locomotives that can help with the heavy freight work on Sodor. As he has quite a few large steam engines on Sodor, the Fat Controller felt he could use some large diesels

"Can I help you, sir?" asked a workman in a southern drawl

"Oh yes...I'm looking for a diesel," replied the Fat Controller

"You came to the right roundhouse, Slim, let me show what we got," said the workman, shouldering his shovel and showing Sir Topham Hatt to the engines, "a couple of our very best just got back from Atlanta, speakin' of that, what brings you all the way out here? You don't sound like you're from around here, Slim," he asked the stout gentleman

"I come from the Island of Sodor, and while I'm here on holiday, I've come to find some heavy diesels to come work on my railway and I've been told that this is the place to find the very best" Sir Topham Hatt explained to the workman. The workman scratched his bearded chin. He smiled to the shorter and more stout man. He made a nod to his request

"Well then, ask and you'll receive" the workman agreed

"Ellie, Elvis...this man wants to see you" said the workman

Two big, smart-looking diesel engines came forward from the roundhouse. They both had black paintwork with a white stripe with a gold bordering and black and white striping in front around the coupling. The word 'Southern' is emblazoned on the sides in gold lettering and nameplates on the sides of their cabs, "Ain't they the best you've ever seen?"

"Indeed they are, what are you names?" he asked the diesels

"I'm Ellie, a pleasure to meet you, sir," said Ellie with a smile

"Salutations, I'm Elvis, Ellie's my sister," greeted Elvis to him

"Why Ellie and Elvis here can pull anything you ask of them, be it passenger cars or freight trains" said the workman, the Fat Controller tipped his top hat to the two big engines, and went to inspect the two diesels. He could see that this roundhouse and their crewmen were taking good care of them. With a top speed of over 80mph, they aren't slouches.

"Such smart diesels, these are the ones" said Sir Topham Hatt

"That's mighty kind, If you like, we'll give you a ride" Elvis offered

"Yes, that would be lovely" said Sir Topham Hatt, with a blow of his horn, Elvis smiled and winked to his sister Ellie as he moved forward onto the turntable. Ellie smiled back to her brother as he was going to the train station in Crossville to take the Fat Controller back since Ellie is taking him toward the station. Ellie had a goods train to pull to Crossville

"All aboard, Mr. Hatt!" said Ellie brightly and was coupled up to a train of flatcars topped with lumber and empty coal cars to be filled. Elvis was going to pull the coach cars with passengers heading to Chattanooga from Pigeon Forge. Ellie got on the rails, and offered a smooth ride on the rails. Sir Topham Hatt noticed it in the cab, and he was impressed.

"Such a smooth ride, you are indeed a strong engine" he said

"If you don't mind, Mr. Hatt, I'm fast on my rails," replied Ellie

While keeping her ride smooth and getting up to speed without frightening her very important passenger, she went faster as she made it toward the halfway point in the journey with her conductor being steady on the throttle. The long and low drone of her horn echoed through the wooded areas as she rode the rails leading up to the smaller town ahead

They arrived at the Crossville Station, and ended their journey before Ellie was to set off back to Chattanooga "Well done, Ellie, well done, a fine diesel engine you are," praised the Fat Controller. Ellie beamed from buffer to buffer. Her twin brother Elvis was being coupled up to his coaches as the passengers began to file into the cars for a journey home

Ellie really cares for her brother "C'mon Elvis, you got this!"

"Thanks Ellie...all aboard!" he called out with a ring of his bell

Bridges and stations flashed by. The passengers in the coaches were happy and onlookers cheered as Ellie and Elvis passed by. They are a sight to behold, and though they are diesels, they work well together, and get along with the steam engines at the roundhouse. There are two tender engines waiting at the roundhouse named Clarisse and Clarence.

They work the Louisville & Nashville Railway and are numbered '402' and '404'. They were happy to see Ellie and Elvis "Hey you two, how'd it go?" puffed Clarisse, getting a grin and a wink from Ellie "good deal keep on pumping," the mantra of the American Locomotive is: 'whatever you want us to haul we'll haul, wherever you want to go we'll take you'

An old man came to see the Fat Controller "You be Sir Topham?"

"That's me, I say, these are the finest diesels I've ever seen,"

"Yes they are, you ain't gonna find a better pair of diesels than Ellie and Elvis," praised the elderly controller of the Chattanooga Roundhouse "now I've gotten word from one of my workers that you could use some diesels on your railway and you're looking for the very best, well then...I'll be willing to loan you these two it'll be $600,000.00 for the two,"

(Note: Ellie & Elvis are the Southern '2594' & '2601')