[Don't mind me. I'm just a line bump]

Non-faceless Vehicles

Written and Researched by Victor Tanzig and Broa Island

Proofread and Corrected by Broa Island

In the last Bibliography, I told you all the story of Clive's awakening before briefly touching upon the faceless and non-faceless categories that exist for vehicles. I had to be brief, otherwise I would've taken up the entire chapter with the particulars of that topic. So instead, I will be discussing the specifics here.

Let's begin where we left the subject off in the last chapter…

Advantages and Disadvantages

Before I go any further, I think it's important I lay out a few things. To begin with, when a non-faceless vehicle is… 'born', it's by way of a process called an 'awakening'. So named because that's how it is. The first time a non-faceless is… 'turned on', they have described the sensation as like waking up from slumber.

The reason I bring this up is because Clive's awakening was a momentous occasion for two major reasons. The first; it meant the start of a new kind of life. The second; the so-called 'myth' of spontaneous combustion turned into a reality. When a non-faceless vehicle is fired up for the first time, the aptly named 'First Firing' to use the correct parlance, they're then able to ignite and extinguish whatever form of combustion it is they utilize to get themselves moving. Best of all, it's instantaneous. So there's no fussing about, and no waiting. The moment their firing, their off!

Some people have also asked many non-faceless vehicles what happens when they run out of fuel, if it's painful, or if that's the equivalent of them starving! The answer to both, thankfully, is no. When they run out of fuel, that simply means they can't move.

On that note, many people are surprised when they're told that non-faceless vehicles are 100% autonomous (as long as their controls are left in neutral that is). Which leads to the inevitable question of why they have human drivers and/or crews in the first place. There are several reasons why.

They provide vehicles with regular maintenance and monitor their performance to prevent any overexertion. They are also useful in the event of a breakdown, as they can effect repairs quickly; as a side note, non-faceless vehicles are also able to identify what problem they have and tell maintenance crews exactly what and where the issue is, thus saving valuable time and money on locating it first. But more importantly, crews are the friends of non-faceless vehicles, providing them with company while working.

Of course, nothing is perfect, and non-faceless vehicles do have some disadvantages. For one, they are often called an impediment to progress.

I once said in one of my previous writing works that the world is constantly changing, especially when it comes to technology. No sooner something comes out, it is replaced by something new. Most of the time, it means the previous generation is discarded. For vehicles, this often means being scraped. But since a non-faceless vehicle cannot be scrapped, as enforced by the Sentient Vehicle Act of 1865, their owners, operators and managers are essentially stuck with obsolete vehicles. Though a company that owns non-faceless vehicles also has a duty of care to keep them maintained, their also under no obligation to effect any sort of repairs that might price them out of business. Regrettably, this has lead to the closure of more than a few businesses.

There are choices given to a non-faceless vehicle if such a thing was to occur… but, not all of them are good.

Rights and Privileges

Alright, let's be fair here. It's not always the fault of a non-faceless vehicle if their company goes under. Like everything else in life, there are multiple factors. But no matter what the reasons may be, whenever a company closes, it's owner must give their non-faceless vehicles three options that will decide their future. Relocation, Retirement, or the Final Firing.

Relocation simply means to be sold to another business. I don't know if I've mentioned it or not, but a non-faceless vehicle must consent to such a transaction. This came about, believe it or not, thanks to the wording found in most anti-slavery laws. This is the most common option pursued by non-faceless vehicles, as it's seen as the best of the bunch.

But what about Retirement? Well, there are two additional choices with that. The first is to become a museum piece. And the second is life on what's called a Heritage Site, where vehicles can spend the rest of their days giving rides to tourists, holiday makers, and enthusiasts.

Now we come to the Final Firing.

I don't know for how long it's been debated whether a person has the right to end their own life if they want. But for non-faceless vehicles, they do have that right, and it is absolute! The Final Firing is essentially assisted suicide, which is made possible by the introduction of a special chemical into a vehicle's system. I'm not even going to try and pronounce it's scientific name, but it's commonly known as 'Blair Water' (named after a Sudrian urban legend made famous by its 1999 film adaptation "The Blair Witch Project"). Once this euthanizing agent is poured into a non-faceless vehicle's fuel tank, they go into a deep sleep, one they don't wake up from. After that, their systems cannot be restarted. Then, and only then, can a non-faceless vehicle be scrapped.

Many of you might be wondering why on earth a vehicle would ever choose to die. I think the same can be said among us humans, the reason depends on the situation. For instance, perhaps a vehicle has been so seriously damaged in an accident that no amount of repairs are possible. Maybe their just too proud to retire. Or maybe it's the only option truly available to them.

Whatever the reason, when a vehicle says the want to go, there's no debating it. An owner has to comply.

Crime and Punishment

Non-faceless vehicles are not immune to the law. Crimes such as assault, industrial espionage, stealing, and illegal racing carry the same consequences as they do for humans.

In Great Britain, the symbol of the vehicle criminal justice system is Rail Gate Prison; this is a somewhat misleading name, as it is not just non-faceless trains who are imprisoned there. When a non-faceless locomotive or piece of rolling stock is imprisoned, they are considered "shunted".

The maximum penalty a non-faceless vehicle can receive is 30 days imprisonment, though there are exceptions. This may seem like a slap on the wrist, but one must consider the societal impact this would have. As an example of such an impact, let's say a non-faceless Pendolino was done in, there would be no engine to run the express on the West Coast Main Line, and there would be no way commuters could get to work. The same with the engine that works the Coaling Plant Branch Line on Sodor; if she were arrested, coal shipments would back up, causing the mine's performance to suffer, jobs to be threatened, and create unrest in the local community.

I'm sure you get the point. A vehicle is made to provide a service, and it can't do that if it's confined to a cell for years at a time.

However, not every vehicle that is arrested gets sent to Rail Gate. A vehicle may also be shunted in their local communities, but that depends on how severe the crime they committed actually was.

So, does incarceration work for a non-faceless vehicle? Not always… But I suppose it works often enough for them to keep doing it. I mean, isn't that why humans just keep locking up their criminals?

Repairs

As was mentioned before, non-faceless vehicles can specifically point out any defects they may have, which saves time and resources trying to find the issue. I guess you've figured out by now that non-faceless vehicles can indeed feel pain. So, how do they tolerate the repair process when it so often involves cutting, welding, and sometimes dismemberment?

Well, you see, when major repairs need to be carried out, a chemical similar to 'Blair Water' known as 'Green Water' is introduced to a vehicle's system. The difference between the chemicals is that, while 'Blair Water' is a euthanizing agent, 'Green Water' is simply an anaesthetic, and a vehicles' system can be restarted (albeit manually); rolling stock is awoken simply by being moved by an engine.

Theories

I'm sure it hasn't escaped your notice that I haven't explained how a vehicle becomes sentient. That's simply because… no body knows. Even though non-faceless vehicles have been around for the better part of two centuries, very little research has been done on the matter. This is because they are basically immortal, as old age and sickness isn't really a problem for an easily repairable machine. Plus, when a vehicle is eventually put to sleep using 'Blair Water', and an examination is conducted on its cadaver, these quasi-autopsies tend to reveal nothing of value.

There is several theories as to how they come to life, and I'll describe three of them for you.

I'll begin with the Chemical Reaction Theory. A rather self-explanatory theory, it postulates that when the First Firing is carried out, a peculiar chemical reaction occurs that causes the birth of life. For a while, this was the generally accepted theory until non-faceless rolling stock arrived. Since they don't experience any form of ignition or combustion, their presence added a further layer of mystery to the non-faceless topic, and even questioned the validity of the First Firing all together.

(As a side note, I should point out that everything I've said about the rights afforded to non-faceless vehicles also applies to a railway's passenger and freight cars, including their right to suicide.)

Next is the Attentive Theory. This theory puts forward the idea that vehicles built with an extra layer of care are the ones that will come alive. I've never believed this one, as it's a bit… 'flowery' for my liking. Furthermore, it can be argued that attention and care to detail goes into the development of all vehicles, so why wouldn't that mean they all come to life?

Finally, we have the Revenant Theory. This theory suggests that non-faceless vehicles are the mechanical reincarnations of the deceased. Though it may seem utterly ridiculous, there is quite a bit of evidence to support it. When Clive had his First Firing, he already knew his name, and was 100% literate and articulate, even though he was only twenty seconds old. No non-faceless vehicle has ever been given their name; they've always known it. How would that possible for essentially a newborn unless they've already led a full life? Plus, it seems that some non-faceless vehicles, upon meeting for the first time, instantly get along… as if they knew each other in a previous life. Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang are good examples of this.

However, this theory has never really been accepted, not just because it sounds so outlandish, but because, as time went on, vehicles began appearing with more… unusual names. I don't know about you, but I've never met anyone named Splatter or Dodge.

Well, I think that just about covers it for today. A lot of people have asked non-faceless vehicles over the years if they are ever worried about the future. If there'll ever be a time were vehicles like Thomas the Tank Engine are no longer 'really useful'. Oddly enough, no, most of them aren't. After all, everything comes to an end and I don't think it's anything to be frighten of. It's just the natural order.

All the same, that's why BNSF1995 and I are telling these stories, so the engines of Sodor will be remembered. And believe me, the two of us have a great many stories to tell… How about I tell you one in the next chapter?

Alright then, here's the story I think you may have heard of. It's the tale of when Thomas came to a stationmaster's house for breakfast…