August 13th, 1960

  Roger, Robert, and the coaches were surprised to see the little diesel pulling a huge steam locomotive. The old saddletank was impressed by Clair’s strength, but the steam locomotive that Clair was pulling was more impressive. The engine has a black livery, but also a front tank in front of her face, and two separate power bogies. She was a strange-looking locomotive, but Roger recognized that design because Mr. Hutton had told him about the locomotive design before in the past.

  “It’s a Garratt locomotive,” Roger told the others.

  “What’s that?” Robert asks.

  “It’s an articulated tank engine,” Roger told the young engine, “The water tanker is in front of her face, and the regular coal bunker behind her. Most of the Garratt locomotives are quite powerful engines.”

  “How can she see with the water tank in front of her face?” Mary asks, “Seems like an odd place to put a water tanker.”

  “Must be the weight,” Taylor guessed, “More power on the wheels.”

  “Could be,” Anabel agreed with her sister.

  “Either way, she’s a really pretty engine,” Robert commented.

  Clair pulled the huge Garratt locomotive to the yard in front of the shed. Despite being the same gauge, this engine is massive, not only bigger, but more powerful than Roger or Robert. The new engine smiled at the surprised engines and coaches.

  “Hello,” She smiled at the engines, her voice was obviously British, but kind and soft, “I’m Elizabeth, what a lovely little railway you have.”

  “Thank you,” Roger smiled, “Welcome to the Roger Railway! I’m Roger.”

  “Hello, I’m Robert,” said Robert.

  “I’m Clair,” the little diesel smiled.

  “And these are my coaches, Taylor, Anabel, Mary, and Charlotte,” Roger introduced his coaches.

  “Hello,” the four sisters said to the Garratt locomotive.

  “And this is my coach, Sophia,” Clair smiled.

  “Nice to meet you,” Sophia smiled.

  Elizabeth was surprised.

  “What a lovely bunch of engines,” She smiled happily, “And a quaint little railway, I can’t wait to operate some passenger trains.”

  “How was the trip to the railway?” Roger asks.

  “It was interesting,” She told the old Porter, “The diesel locomotives of America are quite ugly compared to us British built diesel locomotives, though the streamline diesels look very nice.”

  “It’s a matter of taste,” Clair told the new engine, “Anyway, what did you do on your railway before moving to America?”

  “I operated slate trains, coal trains, and passengers,” Elizabeth beamed with pride, “My railway was part of the slate industry, and it’s been going quite well for the last 40-50 years, though, our railway went defunct due to how the world is changing, but your owner purchase me, the other engines, the coaches, and a few slate wagons.”

  “Wow, I didn’t expect Mr. Hutton would buy the whole fleet,” Robert commented, “We’re going to have so many new coaches.”

  This made Roger curious.

  “How was the passenger service?” the old Porter asks.

  “It was the best,” She commented, “My railway connected to another narrow gauge railway, The Ruined Castle Branch, and our passenger trains would interchange to The Ruined Castle Branch. I’m mostly a freight engine, but when I do haul passengers, I could max out 10-12 coaches on tough gradients.”

  “Wow,” Robert said in awe, “That’s a lot of coaches.”

  “And a lot for our railway,” Roger noted, “The Roger Station can handle 8 coaches max, I’m guessing Mr. Hutton would overhaul the station to accommodate the growing number of passengers.”

  “Though we have other coaches,” Elizabeth commented, “The other 8 went to a museum, with most of the other engines and rolling stock.”

  This made Roger smile.

  “Hutton Steam Company,” the old Porter told the Garratt locomotive, “The museum that our owner has formed, it just opened a few weeks ago.”

  This made the new engine smile.

  “Wow, your owner is very cool!” She commented, “When do you think I’m going to start operating?”

  “Let’s wait for Mr. Hutton to arrive,” Roger calmed the Garratt locomotive down, “It’s still light out.”

  “He’s probably having dinner with Lizzy and the boys, his sons,” Clair noted.

  “He’s usually the man to tell us the plan for tomorrow every day,” Robert smiled, but had a question, “Where are the other coaches and rolling stock?”

  “Back at Roger Station,” Clair told the young saddletank, “I may be powerful, but 8 coaches and 10 four-wheel wagons, plus a Garratt locomotive, would be too much for me.”

  Robert was in awe.

  “That’s a lot of rolling stock,” Robert commented.

  “It’ll be good for photo charters,” Roger noted, “They’ll sell like doughnuts.”

  “With summer still here, you’ll be a great help,” Clair told the Garratt locomotive.

  “And with your size, you haul most of the demanding trains,” Roger told Elizabeth, “Summer is our busiest season.”

  “What’s the summer season for your railway like?” Robert asks the new engine.

  “Busy, mostly passengers, but slate trains are tied with the passenger trains,” Elizabeth told the young saddletank, “Since we also take coal trains, usually fall and winter are our busiest.”

  “I’m impressed,” Robert smiled.

  The four locomotives spent hours talking about Elizabeth’s old railway, with the Garratt locomotive asking Roger questions about the Roger Railway; it turns out, like the United Kingdom, he’s a big star on the Isle of Peter as well due to television airings. Mr. Hutton and Lizzy came after dinner, and as the light finally became dark, the engines were happy to see Mr. Hutton.

  “I see you made friends with Elizabeth,” Mr. Hutton smiled at the engines.

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  “She has good stories of her old railway,” Robert told Ben happily.

  “With her strength, she could pull all the passenger trains,” Clair said jokingly.

  “How many engines does Elizabeth’s old railway have?” Roger asks his owner and general manager.

  “A lot,” Mr. Hutton told the old Porter, “Three 2-6-2t Hunslet, six 0-6-0 Hudswell Clarke, a Bagnall 0-6-2t, and Elizabeth.”

  The engine’s eyes were wide.

  “That’s a lot,” Roger awed in surprise.

  “But not just that,” Mr. Hutton smiled, “My friend has purchased a Meyer steam locomotive, 2-foot gauge, also from the Isle of Peter, and she’s a wonderful design of a locomotive.”

  “I’m guessing that’ll be a good part of the display locomotives for the museum,” Clair guessed.

  Mr Hutton nodded.

  “Yep,” He replied, “Luckily, most of them are in good condition, but since I don’t need a lot of engines, I’m planning to operate two and display the rest of the engines.”

  “That sounds like a nice plan,” Roger smiled. He glanced at Elizabeth, “You always told me that Elizabeth is a special Garratt locomotive, but why?”

  Mr. Hutton smiled.

  “She’s the world’s first Garratt locomotive,” Mr. Hutton told the old Porter.

  The other engines gasp.

  “First?” asks Clair.

  “She, and two others were built in 1909,” Mr. Hutton explained to the little diesel, “The other two went to Australia, and Elizabeth went to the Isle of Peter.”

  Robert looked at Elizabeth.

  “Do you know about this?” He asks curiously.

  “My old manager did tell me I was a special engine,” Elizabeth told the young saddletank, “But I didn’t know I was the first until right now.”

  Clair had a curious look on her face.

  “I think that’s why your old manager said that you’re a special engine,” Clair told the Garratt locomotive, “You’re a first of a new example of modern steam power.”

  Elizabeth beamed with pride.

  “Anyway,” Roger said, looking at Mr. Hutton, “What’s the plan for Elizabeth tomorrow?”

  “I’ll have her operate a test run to Roger Station, to pick up the coaches,” Mr. Hutton told the old Porter, “And you’ll be pulling the wagons back to the yard, mostly for the sake of a photography chance for the railfans.”

  Clair giggled.

  “A freight assignment, how long has it been?” the little diesel joked.

  Roger rolled his eyes jokingly.

  “It may be, while I sometimes miss doing freight assignments that aren’t photo charters,” Roger said to the little diesel.

  Mr. Hutton waved his hand.

  “It’ll be a good chance for Roger to test his endurance,” He told the others, “Besides, there’s more.”

  The engine’s eyes were wide.

  “More freight?” Robert asks.

  “5 extra vans,” He told the young saddletank, “So 15, we might get them early in the morning.”

  “And the rest at the museum?” Clair asks.

  Mr. Hutton nodded.

  “Yep, though a small bunch, the other rolling stock went to Wales,” He said as he yawned slightly, “It’s been busy for the last few weeks, and I’m ready to hit the hay, but that’s what Elizabeth is mostly doing tomorrow.”

  Mr. Hutton and Lizzy left the shed.

  “Simple day, I guess,” Roger smiled happily.

  “Are Sundays usually slow?” Elizabeth asks.

  “Sometimes,” Roger told the Garratt locomotive, “Usually Clair operates the single coach special and Robert operates the afternoon train, but with your test runs and my freight assignment, I’m guessing that the passenger operation would be changed slightly.”

  August 14th, 1960

  Roger would be right, in the morning, Elizabeth would be steam up for her test run, everyone who heard about the new steam locomotive would visit the railway, the volunteers and staff were looking over her to see if there’s anything problem with her, but luckily, there wasn’t a single problem, but another thing that could be a big issue is her weight. Roger watched as she slowly moved through the points, with careful watching by John Taylor. Her articulation impressed the Preservation Society members; the tracks groaned a bit, not used to the weight of a large steam locomotive.

  She slowly got out of the yard and onto the Roger Railway mainline to Roger Station, Roger is also in steam for his freight assignment, she disappear into the distance, so far, she’s a good locomotive, nice and kind, and with her power, then longer passenger trains would be operated throughout the year, and that’s a good thing, Mr. Hutton and Lizzy came to the old Porter, despite being Sunday, it’s still a busy day.

  “She’s excited about operating passenger trains,” Roger told Mr. Hutton, “Will her coaches need an overhaul?”

  Mr. Hutton shook his head.

  “The coaches were given a light overhaul at Hunslet Peter,” He told Roger, “Good as new, and they also carry more passengers, this would help with the summer season.”

  “And with the longer trains, we need to rebuild the two stations,” Lizzy noted to her husband, “We don’t want our passengers to be getting off and on without a station platform.”

  “Luckily, I purchased a couple of stepping stools, which can help us a bit,” Mr. Hutton told his wife. He looked at Roger, “Roger, I have a question for you.”

  Roger was curious.

  “Sure, what’s the question?” He asks.

  “How do you feel about expansion?” Mr. Hutton asks the old Porter.

  Roger was a bit confused.

  “Like expanding the line?” Roger asks.

  “Yep,” Mr. Hutton nodded, “After the grand opening, Marcus and I have a little meeting, and he asks me a proposal, of expanding the line to Westminster, about 10 miles, he told me that our passenger numbers increase 10-15% if we do this project, but it’s my decision at the end of the day.”

  Roger thought for a bit, while the expansion can help the passenger numbers, but at the same time, it’ll ruin that feel of the Roger Railway is, a comforting historic narrow gauge railway, and this is not the first time this talk has been done, Roger old owners wanted to expand the line to the big city, but that would mean getting new engines, track, stations, rolling stock. As much as Roger loves a mainline excursion without leaving his railway, he didn’t want this, and he’s positive that the others won’t like it.

  “No, I wouldn’t like that,” Roger told Mr. Hutton, to which the old Porter could see that he had a sigh of relief on his face.

  “If I’m going to be honest, I was thinking the same as you,” He told Roger, “As much I respect Marcus, and all the help he has done, I’m not going to do something like this, not only it cost too much money and time, it’ll cost the other engines' feelings to be neglected.”

  Roger smiled, but fell after realizing something.

  “He’s going to keep pestering you on the idea,” He told Mr. Hutton.

  “I have a feeling he would,” Mr. Hutton sighed, “Luckily, the display engines at the museum can be purchased by enthusiasts if they have the budget, and knowing Marcus, he has the budget. Or he can go on a miniature railway route, since miniature gauge is quite popular for building railways.”

  Elizabeth came back with the coaches, 8 royal maroon coaches. They look beautiful, and Roger was impressed by the design; he knows that the passengers are going to like the new coaches for the rest of the summer season.

  “Those coaches look good,” Roger commented, “The Brits always construct such perfect rolling stock.”

  “A pride of my railway,” Elizabeth beamed.

  “They are a beauty,” Mr. Hutton agreed, “I think we have it set for the rest of the summer season.”

  Mr. Hutton and Lizzy climb up into the old Porter’s cab.

  “Now it’s our turn to pull some rolling stock,” Mr. Hutton told Roger.

  Roger smiled, blew his whistle, and left the yard, on his way to the Roger Station to pick up some freight.

  Roger arrived at the station, and many railfans saw the wagons, and with the crane at the station, the vans are here as well, the wagons are a mix of coal wagons and slate wagons, the slate industry in America is big, but not as big compared to the United Kingdom, Pennsylvania has a few narrow gauge railways that operates slate trains, and one of them is preserved, the Lancaster Light Railway in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. There were also the coal wagons, a simple design, but Roger imagined Elizabeth pulling 20 of these little guys on her railway; she’s a powerful engine after all.

  Some of the volunteers were already at the station and were making sure the wagons and vans were in good working order; the vans looked similar to the Roger Railway boxcars. Mr. Hutton and Lizzy got out and inspected the train, just to make sure the brakes aren’t on, or the wheels are off the rails, but everything seems to be in good working order. Roger coupled up to the long freight train, which is 15 freight cars in total.

  “I didn’t expect the wagons from the United Kingdom to be small,” Roger commented, “I know our America’s own four-wheeled cars aren’t big, but these are tiny.”

  “They’re a reliable sort of trucks,” Mr. Hutton commented, “I remember seeing a few at the Ffestiniog Railway when I visited Wales when I was a young boy.”

  “Do you think the wagons are good for work trains?” Roger asks.

  “Hopefully,” Mr. Hutton commented, “But these are mostly going to be used for photo freight.”

  Mr. Hutton then sees the railfans taking photos of the long train, which is the longest freight train on the Roger Railway, a history in the making.

  “This one will be in the books,” Mr. Hutton chuckled.

  “And memories to be remembered,” Roger added.

  The volunteers got onto the wagons. The old Porter doesn’t know how safe this was, but he went along with it. After everything was all set and done, Roger blew his whistle and left the station with 15 freight cars; this would be an interesting sight.

  The wagons weren’t heavy, but the combined empty weight of the wagons, the vans, and the volunteers weight, made this an interesting feeling, the old Porter’s design was meant for industrial railways, strong, brute force, and luckily, Roger can pull this train without any issue, though, like mentioned before, the combine weight did made the old saddletank put in a workout running for today. The railfans along the trackside were quite curious to see Roger hauling a freight train; the sight was something to behold.

  Roger blew his whistle as a way for any animals or worse, people are on the tracks, not just railfans, but volunteers or joggers, the last thing that Roger wanted is some to get hurt while he’s operating backwards, the weather was nice and being on a Sunday, means that everyone is getting ready to get back to the normal life, work, school, and much more. The train rattles along the tracks; it’s a warm day, and the weather is nice for a passenger train.

  Roger arrived back at the yard with Clair at the station on her one-coach train. She was surprised to see how long the train was. Elizabeth is in the yard, resting after the first part of the test run. The old Porter switch, or shunted as Mr. Hutton likes to call it, the wagons into the freight shed, to be used for photo charters and or work trains. After shunting the wagons and vans, Roger moved to the front of the engine shed for a rest. He was tired, but not too exhausted.

  “How was your test run?” Roger asks the Garratt locomotive.

  “It went well, though my sides are inches away from the station,” She told the old Porter.

  Mr. Hutton took note of this.

  “I think when we give the station an overhaul, we’re going to fix the platform to accommodate your loading gauge,” Mr. Hutton told Elizabeth, “Since you have an outside frame like Robert and Clair, then that means you’re wider than Roger.”

  “Robert didn’t have any problems with an issue like this? Did he?” Roger asks.

  “Thankfully, no problems,” Mr. Hutton sighed in relief, “But that’s mostly from the basis and how I want him to be built if the Roger Railway purchased a steam locomotive with an outside frame.”

  John Taylor came up to Mr. Hutton and spoke to him, and it seemed like forever before Mr. Hutton came up to Elizabeth.

  “One more test run today, and you’re good for service on the Roger Railway,” Mr. Hutton told the Garratt locomotive, “John has told me that the overhaul done at Hunslet Peter did a wonderful job.”

  This made Elizabeth beam with happiness. She then looked at Roger.

  “Is there advice for operating heritage passenger trains?” She asks the old Porter.

  Roger smiled.

  “Well, since you have experience operating passenger trains, it’s kind of like that, but more relaxed,” He told Elizabeth, “Not too fast, not too slow, just a perfect speed, and don’t bump the coaches, this can cause people and the conductor to be hurt.”

  “I see,” Elizabeth said. She went quiet for a few seconds, then smiled, “Thank you, big brother.”

  Roger was taken aback.

  “Big brother?” the old Porter asks.

  “You treat me well, you and the others are kind, the folks from the city were shocked to see a Garratt locomotive, I’ve heard them saying mean comments,” She told Roger, “I feel like you’re a big brother figure to me, most of my old friends are gone now, but never forgotten, I want to make new memories, with my friends at this railway.”

  Roger smiled.

  “Sure,” the old Porter smiled, “Little sister.”