Quarry Diesels
High Hill Quarry is the main quarry on the Grand Central. Stone is cut from the cliffs, loaded into cars, and then taken to warehouses to be sent to places all over America.
The three engines that work here are Josh, Spike, and Samantha. Josh and Spike are responsible for collecting the trains of slate. Samantha is responsible for arranging the train, and making shure everything is in the right place. The three engines love working here, but it is exhausting.
One early morning at Heartland Station, Mr. Copper was looking over recent railway reports. "An overall fifteen minutes faster" said Mr. Copper. "Mike and Alana have really improved the passenger service. Not to mention Salvatore has been able to pull five more cars than Jake or Sam have ever done" he said as he looked over the papers.
This got Mr. Copper thinking "These diesels are making life better on my railway. It seems that they could be useful in other places as well" said Mr. Copper. He pulled more papers towards him and looked at reports for all Grand Central services. "It seems that the quarry is the busiest part right now. Hm, maybe it's time to see what a diesel or two can do there" he said smiling.
A few days later, Mr. Copper came to the quarry. Josh and Spike were waiting for their trains, which Samantha was arranging.
"Josh, Spike, Samantha, I have news for you three" he said.
"Really, what is it sir" asked Samantha.
"I have seen you three working hard here, and you do a fabulous job. However, I think you could use some help. So two engines will be coming here on trial. If all goes well, they will be working here at the quarry" said Mr. Copper.
"Oh thank you sir. It will be nice to have some new faces here" said Spike.
"Good, I hope you give them a good welcome. They will arrive tomorrow" said Mr. Copper, and then he left.
"I hope these engines know how things work here" said Samantha.
"Well they probably won't, so we may have to teach them" said Spike.
"I agree, let's just wait until tomorrow, and see how it goes" said Josh.
The next day, Samantha arrived at the quarry early. "Better get to work before those two engines arrive" she said. So she began arranging a train for Spike to take to the Transfer Yards. He had to collect ballast from the Narrow Gauge engines.
Two hours passed, and Samantha had arranged Spike's train and rearranged the cars.
She was about to take some cars to the loader, but then she heard a horn sound. "Is Salvatore taking this train" she thought, knowing she had heard a diesel horn.
But it wasn't Salvatore, because then a GE 45-ton switcher pulled into the quarry. It was painted dark green, with a long yellow line around it.
The engine looked around, observing the quarry. Samantha was a little surprised; she didn't know that one of the new engines was a diesel. Still, she decided to say hello anyway.
"Hello there, I'm guessing your one of the new engines" said Samantha.
The switcher looked at Samantha, but with a look of disinterest. Samantha saw this, but decided to push on. "So what's your name" she asked.
"My name is Amanda. And, ugh, what is yours" she asked, looking disgusted.
"My name is Samantha. By the way, welcome to High Hill Quarry. I'm shure were going to be good friends" she asked with a smile.
"Yes, yes, right" said Amanda, but with little interest.
"So, want to help me; I have to take these cars to be loaded. You can take half, and I can take the other" said Samantha.
"Uh, no. I will take all the cars. I'm not weak; I am a diesel. I am powerful, much more powerful then you" said Amanda snootily.
"What? But that would be too much work. It would be faster and easier if we both do it" said Samantha.
"I said I will do it myself. Why don't you be useful and go do something else" said Amanda angrily.
Samantha was surprised; this diesel was mean. Alana, Mike, and Salvatore weren't like this. But Samantha was told to give the engines a good welcome, so she didn't want to argue. "Alright then" she said, and she puffed away.
"Silly old girl; trying to tell me what I can and can't do" said Amanda as she moved towards the cars.
An hour later, Spike and Josh had arrived. They said hello to Samantha, and were introduced to Amanda. However, she gave them the same greeting she gave Samantha.
"Well, she needs to smile more" said Josh.
"It's her first day, I'm shure she's just nervous" said Spike.
Samantha heard this, and she smiled a bit. "Maybe that's why she wanted to take all the cars and was rude. She's nervous, and she wants to prove herself" said Samantha happily.
But then, the three engines heard the sound of something smashing. "What was that" asked Josh.
"I'll go find out" said Samantha, and she puffed over to the sound.
When she arrived, she saw Amanda behind sixteen cars, and just ahead of the front one, was the slate loader. Pieces of broken slate lay on the ground. "Oh my, what happened" asked Samantha. She saw that Amanda had a red face, but not of anger; it was one of a tired engine.
The manager walked over to the scene. He saw the broken slate, and then turned to Amanda. "Amanda, what happened" he asked angrily.
"I was pushing the cars to be loaded, and the slate missed the first car" said Amanda.
"But why are you pushing sixteen cars? You should only do four at most" said the manager "why would you take four times more"?
What came next surprised everyone. "It was Samantha's fault sir" said Amanda.
"WHAT" said Samantha, shocked and angry?
"She told me to take all the cars myself while she went to do something else" said Amanda.
"Samantha is this true" asked the manager, a little surprised himself.
"What, no sir" said Samantha.
"You're not lying are you" he asked.
"No sir, I never do something bad like that" she said.
"Exactly, Samantha is usually so nice. Why then would I lie? I am telling the truth sir" said Amanda.
"That is true Amanda. Right Samantha, I'm not going to punish you, but I want you to be more careful when giving orders to new engines" said the manager, and then he left.
Samantha was shocked, but then she looked angrily at Amanda. "Why did you say that? You were the one who wanted to take all the cars yourself" she said.
Amanda gave an evil smile "I know, but now I'm not in trouble. Unfortunately you're not to. But no matter, sooner or later, you'll get it…for good" and then she hummed away.
Samantha couldn't believe what she had heard. "Is she…trying to get rid of me" she asked?
"Sounds like it" said her driver.
"Well, I'm not going to let her. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon" said Samantha. Then she went back to work.
That afternoon, Samantha was working near the quarry entrance. She had pushed some loaded cars onto a siding, and was about to go get more. But before she could, she heard a horn sound.
"Not Amanda again" thought Samantha. But the horn was coming from the quarry entrance.
"Wait, it's not" she began, but was cut off as an ALCO RS-1 pulled into the quarry. It was painted the same as Amanda.
"Oh great, another diesel" said Samantha, annoyed. But she was still asked to give the new engines a big welcome, so she went to greet him.
"Hello there, are you one of the engines that's going to work here" she asked.
The engine looked at her and, surprisingly, smiled. "Yes I am, and I must say I'm a little nervous. You see I was finished being built last week, so I haven't had any experience in a quarry. Oh, where are my manners; I'm Russel" said the diesel.
"Well, nice to meet you Russel" said Samantha. She had a feeling this diesel was going to be nice.
"So, what am I supposed to do" he asked.
"Oh, you'll want to talk to the manager" said Samantha.
"Okay, thank you" said Russel, and he headed towards the main quarry building.
But no more than twenty minutes later, Russel rolled up to Samantha. "Anything I can do for you Russel" she asked.
"Yes, the manager told me to work with you" said Russel.
"Oh, alright then, you can help me arrange a train for Hercules" said Samantha.
"Okay, glad to" said Russel. So the two engines arranged the train of slate for Hercules. However, as they were working, Amanda rolled over.
"Hello old girl" she said with an evil grin. Then, she saw Russel. "Well, hello there. You look like an engine that knows how to do things" she said happily.
"Hello, I'm Russel, and thanks. But truthfully, Samantha is the engine that really knows how to do things. She's worked here longer than I have" he said.
Amanda snorted "Please, she's a steam engine. She's nothing compared to us diesels" she said.
"Hey, we may be newer, but Steam engines are wiser because they have experience" said Russel.
"Thanks Russel" said Samantha.
Amanda looked angry "Might want to rethink your opinions" she said, and then she rolled away.
"Just ignore her, she's trouble" said Samantha.
"Will do" said Russel.
That evening, work at the quarry was coming to an end. Cars were being shunted into place, and last loads of slate were being taken away.
Samantha was pushing three cars of slate into a freight shed. "All done Samantha, we can go home now" said her driver. "Phew, thank goodness. I'm tired and ready for a rest" she said. Her driver reversed her away from the shed. But things were going to go wrong.
Samantha was reversing towards a cross track. But something was coming towards on the cross track. Four empty slate cars were approaching. And they were being pushed by…Amanda. "This will show that steamer who's the new top engine, and show Russel how bad steam engines are" she said with an evil smile. Soon the cars were on the cross track, and right in Samantha's way. "Bye Bye Samantha" said Amanda, and she quietly slipped away.
Samantha's driver looked back, and gasped when he saw the cars. "Look out" he said, and applied the brakes. But it was too late. Samantha was going slower, but her tender smashed into the cars. They derailed, along with the tender. Samantha hit her derailed tender, and came to a stop.
"Oh no" she said, surprised.
Then, Amanda rolled up to her. "Oh my Samantha, what happened" she asked.
"I don't know, I was reversing and suddenly I hit these cars" said Samantha.
"Wow, what a shame. But don't worry, I'll get help" said Amanda. And she rolled away.
"That was strange though, those cars weren't there when I looked back a few moments ago" said the driver.
A while later, Amanda had brought cranes to clear the mess. But while the workmen took care of the cars and tender, Mr. Copper arrived. He talked to the manager, then they walked over to Samantha.
"Samantha, what happened" asked Mr. Copper.
"I was reversing, and suddenly I hit the cars. It's like they appeared out of nowhere" said Samantha.
"Was there any engine near when this happened" asked the Manager.
"Well, Amanda got here pretty quickly" said Samantha.
"AMANDA, COME OVER HERE" called the manger.
Amanda rolled over to them. "Do you have any knowledge about this accident" asked Mr. Copper.
"No I don't sir. All I know is that Samantha reversed and hit the cars" said Amanda.
"Are you shure you don't anything" asked Samantha, in a questionable way.
"Are you calling me a liar" asked Amanda.
"No, just asking" said Samantha.
"Well no, I didn't. Maybe from now on your driver should control you better" said Amanda, and she rolled away.
"Well Samantha, we will have to think this over. While your being repaired, Amanda will take over your job. And, we hope you'll think about what it means to be a quarry engine" said Mr. Copper, and then he left.
"Oh no, this is terrible" said Samantha.
But Amanda, who was nearby, smiled. "This is great. One steam engine down, two to go" she said with an evil grin.
TO BE CONTINUED