Here's the official start of my series. Hope you enjoy it. Note: This takes place in a different state then the prologue takes place.
Chapter 1: Waking up and Starting up
Indiana 1940
Black was all around him. He could hear strange noises. "What are those noises" he thought. Suddenly a light appeared in the distance. "What's that" he thought. The light started to get closer, and he felt scared. Soon the light started to engulf him. "Awe" he screamed.
Opening his eyes, he looked around. He was in the middle of a huge workshop. There were big engines in siding and small engines pulling parts about and some pulling the big locomotives in and out. "What is this place" he thought. "Hello there, glad to see your awake" said a voice. The thing looked down, and there was a man standing right in front of him. "Who are you" the thing asked. "My name is Richard, I'm in charge here" the man said happily. "What's 'Here'" the thing asked. "This is the Indianapolis railroad works" said Richard. "What am I doing here" the thing asked "and WHAT am I". Richard smiled "What you are is a steam engine. And the reason you are here is because you were just finished being built." The locomotive had a confused look. "I'm a… steam engine" he asked. "Yes you are, uh," Richard said while rubbing his chin. "What is it" the locomotive asked. "I just remembered you don't have a name" he said looking at him. Richard thought harder, and then he smiled. "I got it, how about, Sam". The locomotive thought for a moment. "Ya, Sam sounds good" he said with a smile. "Good, Sam it shall be", and then Richard left.
"Wait, what's going to happen to me" called Sam. "Don't worry" said a voice. Then a small locomotive pulled up next to Sam. "I'll take you outside so they can fire you up" said the small locomotive. "Fire me up" said Sam in a confused way. "It means they'll get you ready to leave" said the small engine as it puffed to a set of points that would switch it onto Sam's line. "Oh, but where am I going" asked Sam. "How should I know, I'm just a shunter" he said while he coupled up to Sam. "Let's go" said the small locomotive as he puffed forward, pulling Sam with him. When they arrived outside, the shunter took Sam to a strange machine in the middle of the yard. "What's this" asked Sam. "It's called a turntable, it turns engines around" said the shunter as it pulled Sam onto the table. Soon Sam was on the table and was uncoupled from the shunter. "Well I have to get back to work, good luck" said the shunter as it switched onto a new line and steamed back to the workshop.
Soon three men arrived. Two were dressed in suits; the other was dressed in blue overalls. "Hello, who are you" asked one of the suited men. "Uh, my name is Sam. Who are you three" he asked. "I'm your new driver" the suited man replied. "And I'm your fireman" said the other. "What are a driver and fireman" Sam asked. "A driver controls you and tells you where to go. That's my job" said the first suited man. "And a fireman keeps your fire going and helps the driver. That's my job" said the other suited man. "Okay, but who are you" Sam asked the man in overalls. "I'm the turntable operator, I help turn the table" he replied happily. "Oh, okay then" said Sam. "Now let's get you turned around and fired up" said the driver.
Soon the turntable operator was turning a handle. This was causing the table to spin around slowly. While the table was spinning, Sam was taking in all the sights of the yard. There were lots of buildings, strange huts near the tracks, and lots and lots of engines. "This place if very busy" said Sam, still looking around. "This is the most important workshop in Indiana, that's why it so busy" said the driver, which was in front of Sam. Soon the turntable stopped and Sam was looking at a track that led away from the workshop. Soon another shunter pulled up to him. "Now it's time to get you some coal and water" said the fireman. "Why" asked Sam. "Because that's what makes you move" he replied. The shunter backed up to Sam, and the turntable operator tightened the coupling. "Here we go" said the shunter. Soon they were off.
The shunter took Sam to two structures that where on the side of the track. "What are these things" said a confused Sam. "This is a water tower and coal hopper" said the Fireman. Sam was pulled under the water tower until his tender was directly under a nozzle on the tower. The fireman climbed onto the top of the tender and opened a cap for a tank. "Were good" he shouted to the driver. The driver then climbed a ladder that lead to a handle on the side of the tower. When he reached the top, he grabbed the handle and pulled it down. Soon water gushed from the nozzle and into tank. Sam watched as the water continued to enter the tank. "That's enough" shouted the fireman. The driver let go of the handle and the water stopped. The fireman closed the lid and climbed down from the tender. "Was that it" asked Sam. "Yep" said the driver. "Great, so I can move on my own now" he asked. "Nope, we still need to get you some coal and start your fire" he replied. So the shunter moved Sam forward to another structure. "This is a coal hopper, it loads coal into engines" said the shunter. He moved Sam forward until his tender was under the chute. "Open it up" called the fireman. Soon coal came down the chute and fell into Sam's tender. After ten minutes, his tender was full of coal. "Is that it" Sam asked. "We just have to light you fire and you can go" said the driver. So he and the fireman climbed into Sam's cab.
Soon Sam's fire was lit and burning nicely. The shunter had left minutes ago, so now it was just Sam. "You ready to move Sam" called the driver. "You bet I am" Sam called back. So the driver started turning nobs and pulling levers. Then he slowly opened the throttle. Sam's pistons hissed, and soon his wheels started to turn. "I'm moving, I'm moving" said cheered happily. He gained more speed as the fireman shoveled more coal into his firebox. Then Sam saw a sign ahead. "You are now leaving Indianapolis railroad works" Sam read. "Yep, time to get you to your new railroad" called the driver. Sam smiled as they got onto the main line. "New home, here we come" he said happily.
Hope you liked chapter one. Sorry that the only permanent character introduced was Sam. The next chapter will see him on his new railway. If you have a good idea for a character, PM me or leave a review.