A/N This is Janelle's story. I decided to make Todd her brother, because they're both smaller diesels.
Hey, everybody! I'm Janelle and this is my story. I'm Todd's older sister. I came to Sodor because an engine whose name was Rosie had an accident and fatal boiler explosion. Before that, I was built, named and tested. Today, I shunt at Vicarstown Yard and when needed, pull trains suitable for me. I'm someone enthusiastic, creative, idealistic and passionate, so the nicer diesels around here are my friends. Some of the bigger ones are mean about my size and it makes me sad, but I've got a driver to comfort me when that happens or anything to make me sad. When I feel I've got to let tears fall like rain, he just dries them and never tells me to stop. I don't cry when there's no need, only when it's real tears.
Thomas, an engine who was on this railway when I came here, told me "You've got to be a Really Useful Engine like me. It's quite important to be that way here.", then told me what he and his friends did to be that way. He was a good friend until he died of a broken heart and illness. Now, he's on display at Sodor Railway Museum. His crew now drives my brother. I was told Sir Topham Hatt couldn't bear to scrap Thomas, so he's there because of that. I remember how he wailed his broken heart out when another steam friend died. The big diesel he told me came here after his friend Henry died was horrible to Thomas, who shed a great many tears before he lost his will to live. Being the last working steam engine in the world was just too much for him, I guess. He said how happy he was before all the loss of Sodor friends. My brother's driver showed Todd and me a picture of Thomas. taken in a happier time. I believe we shall meet again on The Big Railway In the Sky, as long as I'm worthy of the golden rails. I just need to be a good engine, as I do believe in it.
If my brother or any of my other friends are sad, I give them a buffer press. I can imagine how they feel, because I feel things very deeply. Whenever a steam engine I befriended here died, I was so sad I had to let tears fall like rain. Other than Thomas, they had dreadful accidents. I sure miss Nia, Rebecca and Thomas, but we shall meet again on golden rails, as long as I'm a good engine. I've got a love, in addition to having my younger brother and other diesel friends. My love's name's Johnny and he's a diesel shunter at Knapford. We met once when I was visiting my brother there. Like us, Johnny replaced an engine whose life was taken. When one of my friends is sad, I imagine how they must feel, listen to them, help them express their feelings with the right words, support them, be there for them and if they're open, give them creative solutions or help them see from a new perspective.
A/N Charity the Paranoid Tank Engine will be my next in this story, but I introduce her in a Tale first, like I did with everyone except Autumn. My Thomasverse is a place of real tears only, if the story's one under my control, not movie-based or a re-write. Diesels with buffers can still do the engine hug with buffer pressing, in my Thomasverse. I got buffer pressing from some other fics and liked it, so I use it.