It was a quiet evening in Appleoosa, cool as well the crickets sang their tunes from the long grass and the dust of the road kicked up from a busy day of ponies and carts going from here to there at last began to settle, the street was all but deserted apart from a solitary figure standing and looking at a notice board, to the desert folks he would be considered a outsider or foreigner for he wore no ten gallon hat or poncho just a flat cap and a worn jacket and his cutie mark was that of typewriter . He took his gaze away from the board and began to briskly walk up the street and stopped at a half wood half brick structure. Appleoosa central a grand name for what was basically a few planks and a brick shack still it served its purpose as a railway station the pony seated him self on a bench and took out a tarnished brass watch
"Hmm" he said gazing at the face "6:52 I'm a little early still I could be little late" the pony chuckled to himself "I just hope he's on this train"
The pony proceeded to stow the watch in a pocket and pulled out a Manehattan paper and busied himself for some time by scouring the paper's pages, it had been about ten minutes that the pony spent reading but soon the rails began to softly hum, in the distance a plume of greyish black smoke could be seen blotting the pink sky, the pony sat up, gradually getting closer was a deep midnight blue locomotive it's lining was bright orange and wheels and cowcatcher dark red, it seemed to shake the ground with every exhaust bark it gave and as well it gave a quick shrill whistle as it began to slow in to the short platforms do as it stopped steam trickled out of the cylinders with a contented sigh. The fire pony was first to step out of the cab he was a youngish pony about the same age as the other one but this wasn't the pony the one on the platform was looking for he watched him leave the platform and looked back at the engine.
And there was the pony he was looking for, she came gingerly down the cab steps. An old mare in her early eighties her coat was deep blue like the loco but was stained with dust and oil and her greying mane was done up in a bun, the pony on the platform stood up stowed the paper in his jacket and walked over to the mare who was inspecting the valve gear.
"Ruddy thing the valve gear is to tight on these DWs give me a 4MT any day" the old mare muttered to her self
The other pony cleared his throat" errmm hello Mrs leaf spring I presume?"
"Blimey kid anyone ever told you not to scare your elders, but yes I'm Leaf spring who's asking?"
"My name is carbon sheet I'm a member of the Manehattan railway society I wanted to talk to you ab-" the pony said being cut off by Leaf Spring
"Say no more kid you want to hear about Equestria's transport history"she said with a toothless grin"I've worked these here metals for over 65 years and witnessed history as it happened, ere let me get decent and damp down the engine and I'll meet you in the watering hole besides I could do with a pint" Leaf Spring said grinning once more."
Carbon sheet was taken aback "err thanks,"
"No sweat kid," replied the mare who was now oiling the slide bars and cross head on the loco.
Carbon truly was surprised he hadn't exactly been expecting Leaf Spring to be so accepting given the brief confrontation but still he wanted this interview. You see at the time Carbon sheet was writing a book on the earlier days of the South West & Macintosh hills railway and as far as his research went this mare was the best to ask if it was to do with railway history and unfortunately the railways construction wasn't as well documented unlike the other lines in Eqestria so he was hoping Leaf Spring could shed some light on the subject. But either way he trotted off the platform and to the distant sound and raucous that pointed the way to the bar.
The cider barrel was the local 'watering hole' and was the typical western affair swinging half doors a big chandelier (somepony passed out in a trough)and it was packed,Carbon felt a slight twinge of regret for agreeing to this, as it was an incredibly stark contrast to the hi society 'bars he had seen back in Manehattan, but by skirting round a gaggle of dart players he found an empty booth and sat down, Leaf Spring came in about half an hour later made her way over to carbon and sat down she pulled out a worn clay pipe and smiled.
"So carbon what do you want to know?"
"Well you see Mrs Leaf Spring I'm writing a book on the history of the SW&MHR but the lines earlier days aren't as well recorded as say that of the Solar imperial line,I was told you were the pony to ask about history," carbon replied.
"Well one could say that young'n"Leaf Spring paused and sucked the pipe," I've been in this railways service for over 65 years and I don't plan on giving up soon, so I guess the best place to start would be the start" said the old mare chuckling slightly, Carbon sheet nodded.
Leaf Spring took a drag on the pipe and closed her eyes."the date was 913 celestial reign"...
