"Hello!, my name's Journal Box, I'm the new mare the company hired", a red coated, yellow maned Earth pony mare said as she walked into the offices of the Canterlot rail yard. Her cutie mark was of a hammer and a chisel.
"Well nice to meet you Ms.Box, I will call up somepony to show you around, I am Mr. Class, yardmaster of the Canterlot yard", said a brown colored unicorn with a black mane. The yard office was neatly kept and covered in pictures of older trains and crews. It didn't take long for a pony to show up to show Journal around the yard.
"Hello, you must be Journal I presume, my name is Traction Trotters", a blue stallion with a yellow mane said, "Come with me, I'll show you one of the biggest rail yards in all of Equestria". Traction lead her out of the office and into the locker area.
"Do I get a locker?", she asked.
"Yeah, ya sure do, your stuff should be in locker 15, the code is 0000 but you can and should change it", he said pointing to a small locker. Journal opened the locker to find an orange and silver reflective vest, ear plugs, and a cap with "ENR" stitched to the front. She put her gear on and then entered the yard.
"So what's my first job?", she asked staring in awe at the large train yard with thirty tracks in total.
"We need to put train V1065 through the hump", Traction replied before leading her to a locomotive. The locomotive sat in Celestia's sun idling with it's worn blue paint job, "We've still gotta wait for Arc Shine to show up though".
A few moments later a green unicorn mare with a red and blue mane showed up. Her cutie mark was of a welding arc and she wore sunglasses. "So you must be the newbie, welcome to the yard", she said.
"Thanks, I'm Journal, I'm guessing your Arc Shine?", asked Journal.
"Yup, that's me, you can just call me Sparky or Arcs", she replied, "Anyways, we've got a train to sort, Traction you ready?".
The blue stallion climbed up in the cab of the Equestrian Locomotives Works GP9 locomotive. Arc led Journal to the pilot of the locomotive and signaled for Traction to proceed. After throwing a few switches they got the long string of freight cars to push over the hump.
"Okay, so I'm gonna tell you the cars you need to cut, normally you just cut 'em one by one, but sometimes several are going to the same destination got it", called Arc Shine over the roar of the diesel engine struggling to move the monster string of cars.
"Got it!", replied Journal as they approached the hump. Arc directed Journal, telling her which cars to separate as the locomotive slowly pushed the string over the hill. A hump yard is a railroad yard that has a hill where train cars are pushed up, uncoupled, then coast down into separate outbound tracks.
It didn't take long for Journal to get the hang of working the hump, and by break time they had already switched half the yard.
"So is there anything you like to do for lunch?", asked Journal.
"We could go to the Sandwich Shack, what are you up for Trotters?", replied Arc.
"Sounds good to me", he replied before they trotted off to buy sandwiches.
The Sandwich Shack was not far from the rail yard, thus it was prime location for the yard workers to eat out. The shack looked like a remodeled industrial building with stucco walls and a tile roof. The three railroad workers sat down in a booth by a window.
"What could I get you?", asked the waiter.
"I'll have a haywich and a cola please", Arc answered.
"I'll go with the veggie burger, with a cream soda", Traction said.
"I'll go for the veggie dog, with a cola", Journal said a bit nervously. The waiter then went off to the kitchen to process the orders. There was a bit of silence before a conversation got started.
"So Journal, you planning on transferring to any subdivisions?", asked Traction.
"Well, I'm not exactly sure. The Southern division seems attractive, but I'm planning on trying to work for a smaller railroad", she replied.
"Why get a job on a smaller road? ENR pays good, yeah it's long hours workin' freights but the pay makes up for it. I ain't got no foals or a special somepony", replied Arc.
"Because I want to work for a smaller amount of time. I have other interests I want to pursue besides railroading", Journal answered.
"Well I kinda get ya there. I do scrap metal art and fabrication at my place when I'm not shuffling thousands of tons of cargo", the green unicorn replied.
"I do a lot of carpentry, some metal work, and gardening. I was a joiner for my uncle's firm for three years", she said in response.
"I build model trains and take care of my foals", Traction said before the waiter showed up with their meals. They ate in relative silence to finish their food before their break was over.
By the time they got back to the yard, it was only five minutes shy of when their break ended. The next few hours of the shift went by quickly because as soon as they switched out half the yard another train would arrive making an almost never ending stream of work. By the end of the busy shift they were in the employee locker rooms about to head home for the day.
"Tomorrow we'll be switching the Canterlot Industrial area, it will be a nice break from the yard work", Arc Shine told Journal.
"Sounds like it's gonna be a good experience. If I remember correctly there's a few factories and a stone distributing yard over there", she replied.
"There's also a couple produce distributing warehouses, and the lumber yard", Traction replied.
After the short conversation they all trotted to their houses to get rest for the next day of work.
It was cold the next day when Journal woke up early. She still had a couple hours before she needed to head to work. Her roommate's snoring could be heard through the cream colored wall. A few pictures were on the wall, a couple of which showed a younger version of her with an older stallion covered in black dust. Another picture showed a ten year old version of her waving to an engineer on a passing Southeast division coal unit train. The coal train was double headed with two large weathered 2-10-0 steam locomotives.
Journal got out of bed and headed to the kitchen of the townhouse she shared with her roommate. A little while later she was out of the houses and trotting to the yard to meet up with Arc Shine and Traction.
"Good mornin' kid", said Arc Shine as she met Journal by the door.
"Good morning professor Arc Shine of not that much older than me", she replied before both bawled out in laughter. Moments later Traction showed up.
"Hello, well we're on the clock in five minutes so lets just get to working", he chuckled.
They checked into the office before heading into the yard, or more specifically the engine sheds. The Canterlot roundhouses were large stone buildings with many engine stalls. Most of the stalls were empty besides a Big Colt locomotive, and a few consolidations. None of these however would be the locomotive they would be using.
"So what locomotive will we be using? Obviously we can't use a consolidation because we are lacking a firepony", said Journal as she scanned the roundhouse and nearby tracks.
"Well, the juice jacks are kept in the shed behind the roundhouse", replied Arc Shine.
"Really!, we get to run an electric today?", the younger mare asked in excitement.
"Yup, the only locomotives small enough to fit on that branch are the steeplecabs", said Traction happy to see somepony else liked electric equipment.
After passing the main roundhouse they arrived at the shed. Inside was a red steeplecab with white chevron stripes on the ends. Traction was the first to climb up onto the locomotive while Journal and Arc Shine followed.
"So Journal did they teach you how to raise the trolley pole in training?", Arc Shine asked.
"Yup, you just open the ratchet up on the rope receiver thing", she answered. Arc shine nodded and gestured for her to raise it. Journal slowly raised the pole guiding it with the rope tethered to the device. As soon as the trolley pole touched the wire the lights in the cab came on and the air compressor started thumping.
As soon as the air compressor stopped Traction gave two shorts blasts on the low pitched air whistle before he eased the locomotive into gear. The traction motors whirred as the locomotive rolled out of the shed. While the locomotive slowed down before a switch Journal jumped off and trotted ahead to line it for the locomotive to come through, then lined it back to the main track after it passed. After that they headed off to the interchange.
"So Journal where you from?", asked Arc as the locomotive trundled along.
Journal got a little tense before she answered. "Hooflan Coltucky".
"I'm from Detrot, dad worked in the mills. I applied for the railroad there and they shipped me off here".
Traction brought the locomotive to a stop at the interchange where a string of ten cars waited. Journal threw the switch while Arc Shine opened the knuckle on the coupler so the steeplecab could couple to the string. The couplers banged together and Arc connected the air hoses. The traction motors on the steeplecab growled as it pulled the string of cars. Soon as they were clear of the switch they were back on their way.
"My dad worked in the mines", said Journal as she sat down next to the unicorn. She was still tense from thinking about it.
"Is everything alright?", asked Arc noticing that Journal didn't seem as bright and cheerful as usual.
"Yeah, it's just that. Dad had a dangerous job until one day, mom left when I was still little".
Arc sensed they shouldn't talk about it any more and tried to change the topic. "So some of those hopper cars are filled with flour and oats, those are to go to the Canterlot Grain Co, the rest go to Equestrian Steel, and Shamrock's Stone".
"Sounds like some good switching", replied Journal.
"Yeah, especially with most of the trackage being in the street", said Traction as he whistled for the crossing. The rails went from going parallel to a street to running right down the middle of one. Warehouses lined both sides of the street, many had been or were in the process of being turned into apartments.
"This is cool", she replied, "I've always found the streetrunning sections of track interesting".
"I grew up on Gallops drive, it's not far from here. I came down here to watch them switch the industries every day after school", said Traction.
Before they exited the block they saw barrier horses blocking off the street off. Arc shine was the first to notice.
"The train orders don't say anything about road work", she mentioned.
"Well, they usually don't mess with the tracks so we should be safe proceed", Traction said as he stopped the train right before the intersection while Journal and Arc Shine galloped across to move the barrier horse out of the way on the other side.
"What do you think you are doing!?", shouted an orange unicorn mare.
"What do you think?", grumbled Arc Shine as she moved the barrier horse. Journal then signaled for Traction to proceed.
"I've got a marathon to organize, you can't just run right through it".
"Miss, unless you inform the railroad, and pay the fees. Yes we can", said Journal. The mare trotted off cursing under her breath.
"Good one", Arc Shine said as they climbed back on the front of the locomotive and continued trundling down the street.
A block later they arrived at the Canterlot Grain Company. The structure looked like a large grain elevator with a warehouse next to it. Delivery carts lined the loading docks ready to be loaded with the flour and oats to be shipped out across the city. Journal was put on flagging duty while Traction and Arc Shine swapped out the empty hoppers for heavily loaded ones.
The next industry was Equestrian Steel, they had ordered two flatcars of steel plate, and one coil car. This time is was Journal's turn to switch.
"So Journal, I don't think you've actually used a submarine switch before. It's like a normal switch, just that the lever is under this steel lid, I use magic to open it, but you're an earth pony so here's the hook pole", said Arc Shine hoofing Journal a crowbar like tool.
"Alright, let's do this", Journal said opening the lid and throwing the switch. She signaled for Traction to come on to the track to move out the empties while she trotted to go knock the hand brakes off. The switching went quickly for the steel mill as it was fairly straightforward.
"Where are we gonna eat lunch?", asked Journal as she entered the cab.
"The Hayburger's about a block away from the stone place", Traction answered.
"Sounds good to me", replied Arc Shine.
About an hour later after switching Shamrock Stone they were sitting in a booth at the Hayburger eating their meals.
"What do ya plan on doin' this weekend?", asked the green unicorn mare.
"I'm gonna stay home with my sons", answered Traction before taking bite out of his burger.
"Journal how about you?".
"I don't know. Probably building more models", the red earth pony replied.
"You are welcome to come to my shop. You may specialize in carpentry but I think you mentioned you have some metal skills. Maybe we can work together", Arc Shine suggested.
"I think that's a grand idea. I'll be there", Journal replied.
They finished their meals and headed back to the train. They talked more on the ride back to the yard. It had been a long day working the local train but a good one nonetheless.
"See ya tomorrow", Traction said as he left the yard office. Journal and Arc waved goodbye as they packed their stuff in the lockers.
The two walked out the doors before saying goodbye and going on their separate ways home.
"I really like Arc Shine, she's fun to work with, and actually pretty attractive", Journal thought, "I doubt she swings that way though".
Meanwhile Arc Shine was thinking something quite similar.
