The Long Trains Roll

They all stared at me incredulously.

"Of course we can! The problem is that the driver didn't just come off, the axle broke. We would need to cast a whole new axle."

My face fell. "She's never going to run again, is she?"

"I'm afraid right now, that is impossible," Celestia said. I looked down, sad that such a mighty piece of machinery was as good as scrap.

"But," Reggie broke in. "We are in the process of building a new locomotive, using the existing one as a pattern. It will be an exact replica, but more fitted to our stature. Some time in the future, we might know enough to return yours to service."

Hope blossomed inside me. "So, she could be repaired."

Celestia sighed. "Yes, but not for many years. But we would like you to take the new engine on it's first run. You have the most experience with this type of locomotive."

"I'm afraid that this will be a learning experience for me, too," I admitted.

"How so?" Luna asked.

"Take a group of locomotives like mine. All were built exactly to the same dimensions, using the same construction methods. Yet every one will be different-like people-they all have diverse personalities. Some can run faster than others with the same steam pressure. Some are finicky while others are jinxed, always having bad luck with repair problems. You see, even though the new engine will be an exact copy, it will have different characteristics. I will have to learn how to handle my engine all over again."

"Is this true, Reggie?" Luna asked.

"Yep."

Dr. Stable breaks into the conversion. "As fascinating as this all is, visiting hours are now over. I'm afraid whatever else you must talk about will have to wait until tomorrow."

I was released the next day. The Princesses gave me a room in the palace to stay in until I got a job. After settling in, I immediately went to the Princess Celestia and asked where I could find my K4.

"I was going to visit where they are studying it later in the day, but we could go now," She told me. Her horn lit up. There was a flash of light so bright that I closed my eyes, and I felt the sensation of movement. When the light faded, I immediately collapsed to my knees threw up. I felt a gentle hoof on my back. Wiping my mouth, I glanced up to see the Princess looking at me, her face etched with concern.

"I am so sorry, Randy. I had no idea that this would happen," she said softly.

"It's OK. Like you said, you had no idea." I got to my feet shakily. Looking at my surroundings, I noticed that we were next to a rail line. Buildings lined the track on both sides, most of their windows boarded up or missing. The rails were old and rusty from disuse, while weeds grew up from between the ballast. "Where are we?"

"We are in the old factory district. It may not look it now, but this was once the one of largest manufacturing hubs in Equestria. Everything you can imagine was produced here, from fabric and glass to furniture and steel. Now though, it is an eyesore. As the years went on, the factories found that it was harder to ship their goods to the towns and cities that kept springing up. One by one, they all shut their doors and moved the production to other towns. I had your locomotive moved here to be studied because nopony comes around here anymore." she explained as we walked. "Oh! Here we are!" she said.

We stopped in front of a large brick structure. It was two stories, but was about the length of the Master Mechanics building of the Altoona Works. Here, the rails looked like they had been recently been used. As I looked closer, I several things that were out of place. There was a shiny lock on the twin doors that led to an inner loading area, and the grass in front of the entrance door was trampled down a bit.

"After you," she said as she opened the door, gesturing for me to go first.