Extra A/N: oldest left, younger descending right
Heart Family: a secondary herd to the stallion Tender Hoof
Sire: Tender Hoof, herded with one of the Care Heart's sisters (none of which are on the train)
Mares: Care, Free, Pure.
Older Fillies: Snow, Sweet, Helping, Lemon, Tender
Younger Fillies: Kind, Love, Cold, Lively, Red, Cream

**Mid-provincial Inter-Land-Ferry, En Route towards Hollow Shades, Mareland, Equestria**
**002 Summer CC**
**Care Heart**

That young couple has been in the Hot Car for twenty whole minutes now! Pure Heart has been looking towards the rear door. I might ask her to go check on them soon. The train attendant returned shortly after they left saying she'd, 'put their ice pack in a cooler.' Why would they need an ice pack?

It is a nurse’s duty to care about others' health whether we are on duty or not, at the hospital or not.

But the girls are getting a lot of experience with a colt. That cannot be understated or undervalued. Fillies tend to gravitate towards them in school which will isolate the little fellows from the rest of the school population making it difficult for those who don't or couldn't act as soon as possible. So I suppose those two can take all the time they want as long as they don't miss their stop.

For a pegasus, he seems to be doing pretty well with their ‘hospital game’. Pegasi tend to like moving around as much as -or almost more than- some nature-ponies. Most stallions and colts can be averse to confrontations; so it's understandable that he hasn't asserted his desire to escape. He hasn't been too outside of that norm. Except, he was adamantly against getting any ‘bandages’ for his head.

Cream is the youngest and has been relegated to being 'the mother' for the fillies' game. She's patting the boy with a comforting, 'There, there,' and a maternal, 'Don't worry,' and some sage two-year-old advice, "This'll hurt you more than it'll hurt me." I don't know where she got that from.

Foals say the darnedest things.

"Dam~” Little Lemon asked Free Heart. "He won't let me bandage his head.”

"Hm~" Free thought with a hoof to her chin, "What are his symptoms?"

Lemon blinked at the question and then considered what she imagined the colt might have and concluded, "Headache."

"Oh my," she answered, "But I don't think a bandage will help much for a headache."

"Oh, no," some of the fillies gasped, "What should we do?"

“Well, drinking water helps," and some of the fillies started to pour imaginary cups from imaginary pitchers and putting them to his mouth for sips while an older filly, Sweet Heart, helped Red prepare an imaginary intravenous saline drip. "Rest is also helpful," and Kind and Cold Heart prepared a tissue paper pillow for the poor 'battered’ colt. "Finally, lots of love."

Hugs and nuzzles all around for the patient with plenty of coos.

The older ones are also providing advice for the younger ones who are tending to some imaginary wounds.

"That’s where his canon bone is, "Helping Heart shows Red and Kind his hoof. “It goes: canon, pastern, pedal."

"Why are his hooves different colors to his coat?" Lively asks as she wraps the hoof in white tissue paper.

Red asks, "Do you know about wing bones?"

I ask my own question to my other wife, "Pure, honey?"

"Hm?"

"It has been a little while for that young mare and her stallion,” I say. "Would you mind checking on them? "She gives a nod and a wink and gets up for her excursion.

Free Heart asks, “What do you think, girls? Is your patient all better now? "Free sees it, too: the colt could use some moving around.

The girls look over their work and think about it; it really comes down to whether they want to continue this game or change to another, but they’re not thinking about that. They’re thinking about the patient.

A consensus is reached, "Yup," he's better.”

"Okay," Free directs, "Be careful when removing the bandages. "They gave him lots of covert-not-so-covert sniffs, nuzzles, and hugs when wrapping; and he's getting more as he is unwrapped.

Once freed, the colt stretches and gets his blood flowing to his little limbs, and he looks around. The fillies help pick up the tissues while keeping an eye on him. He notices this and collects some for himself. Then holds a wad out to the nearest filly, Red Heart, saying, "Hello. Apple."

Red blinks and looks to me questioningly. I smirk and answer, "He's offering you a snack, Red."

She looks to me and back to the colt’s wad of tissues a few times. Then, she makes a fake *chomp* at the imaginary apple. "Mm~ thank you.”

He smiles and replies with his own, "Thank you," and proceeds to the next filly to do the same. Free and I can't help but chuckle.

"He doesn't know, ‘Your welcome,' yet," Free explains to some of the fillies who looked curious at his word choice.

Pure Heart comes back into this passenger car with her whole face flushed. She sits back between me and Free and shakes her head, “They're still busy."

I ask, "What?"

Free says, "There's no way they just got started. He didn't look like he needed that much foreplay -none actually."

Quietly, Pure began to explain, “By the looks of it, I think they have been snuggling hard this whole time."

I don’t know how to process this and, in my hesitation, Free asks, "What do you mean, ‘by the looks of it?’"

"Well," Pure answers, "there was too much sweat and, uh~ you know... It was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen. "We -and our older daughters- turn to look at Pure Heart.

With my medical training, I feel I should ask a hard question, "Did it look like -um- she was," and I make sure to whisper to Pure so that the girls don’t hear, "forcing?”

She shook her head and answered right away, "No. He was giving back as good as he got."

I said, "B- but they've been in there nearly half an hour now. How could any stallion last that long?"

Pure shrugged, "I don’t know, but I saw him you know and then just powered on through. And she was just as -um- lively -maybe more so- and he wasn't intimidated. In fact, I think he was encouraged by it."

Free got right up saying, "I gotta see this," and started towards the rear exit.

Some of the fillies wanted to join Free, but I stopped them, "Only Snow and Sweet are old enough,” to several disappointed groans, "and don’t you two disturb them, either. Eyes only."

Hot Cars are not exactly private places in the strictest sense. They exist to help ponies who are struggling with their biology. Biology is just a part of life. Ponies would not be using them if they were glass houses, but a stallion who can apparently last more than the average 30-60 seconds is plenty a medical reason for one of us to make sure they're okay. So, Hot Cars are one of those things that are not public but using it does come with the understanding of being seen. Most of the time, a stallion does what he's expected, and that is that. Mares might take a while longer, but we only need to do that in there during certain times of the year.

But one only hears about what Pure just described in the most risqué novellas. If we were all in heat right now, such a mental image would have sent all us mares back there for a roll ourselves.

If I wasn't the one who agreed to watch her colt, I'd probably be in there nibbling on Free while we enjoyed our neighbour's loving labours.

Calm down, Care. You’re foalsitting right now.

The little colt comes up to me and Pure holding up his tissue wad, “Thank you. Apple."

Pure blinks at him, but I say, "Thank you, Silly," and take a pretend bite of his 'apple.'

"Thank you," he says and moves his offering closer to my wife.

She gets the game now and plays along, “Nom, nom. Thank you, Silly."

"Thank you,” he says and then puts the wad with the rest of the tissues the girls cleaned up.

Next, he moves in front of all the fillies. He says, "Silly. Hah bah-bah. Thank you." Several of the girls look to me and Pure.

He moves one of his forehooves forward and then back down. Then he moves it out to the side and then back down. He repeats with the other forehoof and says the same thing again, "Silly. Hah bah-bah. Thank you."

Cream asks, “What is he saying?"

Cold asks, "What is he doing?”

I answer, "I think he wants you to copy him."

The girls blink and Red asks, "Like a game?"

"Oh!" Says Lively, "It’s like 'Princess Says.'" The girls know that game from school. One pony does something, and the group repeat the action. Usually, the pony designated as princess will say, 'Princess says,’ before declaring or demonstrating the action. At some point, they take turns.

With recognition, the younger girls get up to participate as he leads them moving his forehooves forward first and to the side second. He does his hind legs next, and they all giggle as they repeat. Then, he turns and starts to lead them in a line around the passenger car sometimes sticking a hoof out, jumping, or wiggling something.

Wigglin' and gigglin' as they mimic the colt.

At the end of a circuit, he points to the nearest filly and says, "Thank you."

They all stare back and repeat the point to him, "Thank you."

He shakes his head and motions again at Love Heart, "Thank you."

Kind Heart says to Love, "I think he’s saying it’s your turn to lead."

She perks up and says, "Oh~ okay!" The colt and Love switch places in the lead, and she begins to set some motions for the rest to copy.

After everyfilly who wants to lead gets a turn, the colt yawns and finds a place on our bench to lay down, and he has plenty of foals volunteer to join him for nap time.

Snow and Sweet Heart come back into the cabin from the Hot Car as red-faced as I have ever seen those two fillies.

Snow says, "Mom was wondering if one or both of you wanted to join her for a bit? We can watch the girls and the colt if you want."

I look at Pure, and she says, "It's a little intense in there for me. You can. Besides, I could tell that you-" I cut her off by giving her a nice long kiss to show my appreciation.

"You sure, Pure?" I ask, and she holds her face in that close-eyed kissing position as she thinks about it; so, I nudge her with my nose as I get up and she decides to join her herdmares for some impromptu admissions to the 'Rode 'n' Rolled on the Rails' club.

**Mid-provincial Inter-Land-Ferry, Leaving Hollow Shades, Mareland, Equestria**
**002 Summer CC**
**Silly the Colt**

Waking up with that warm fuzzy feeling is the best; that sweet embrace of cozy in body and in mind sure is stupendous. Even opening my eyes requires gargantuan willpower. But a sound spurs my curiosity, and at the moment that seems more important than the bliss of sleep.

Mom and dad are over on the opposite wall.

That stewardess lady is there. I don’t know her name, but she passed something to mom who placed it underneath dad who's falling asleep himself and groaned with satisfaction when she did.

Mom looks pretty tired herself. She gives dad some kisses to dad which send him into sweet dreams, then looks around the passenger car. Spotting me, she giggles and comes over to kiss my nose. She says something to somepony -probably one of the mares here- and then heads to door at the front of the cabin. I can't see much, because there's little ponies all over me.

Ponies have been going to the rear door a lot.

We must have stopped somewhere, because some of the ponies from before are gone; but most of them are still here. There are two new ones. They look markedly different from any other ponies I have seen.

Spitfire and her mom had thick tufts of fur in certain areas. I think they correspond with places that shouldn't get cold in high altitudes or high speeds like under the barrel, the belly, leg pits, wing pits, and around the collar bone. Maybe there are arteries near those places?

Mom and dad are less fluffy but more soft, and he has some more near his hooves and chest. I think that might be to help their body heat escape while they work. There might be some mate attraction purposes as well.

I haven't seen enough unicorns to get any thoughts about them yet. Baltimare seemed to be more populated by nature-ponies.

These new ponies on the train, however, are fluffy all over. They're not quite as bright, but their eyes are bright. Their pupils don't look rounded either, but it is difficult to tell as they look quite sleepy as they move through the cabin and settle into one of the bench seats in a pile like the one I'm in but with just the two of them. I think they have only one iris instead of that double-thing other pony-types have... I think I like both kinds... *yawn* So warm.

**002 Summer CC**
**Pear Butter, Buttercup**

I got Bright Mac some juice and something more substantial than apples and dry oats. He's earned it and will likely devour it when he awakes. He'll want some apples with his meal anyway, because that's just what his family does; and we brought some with us onto the train. I didn't have much in my apartment when we cleared it out -food or otherwise. The furniture came with the place, and I wasn't exactly taking care of myself the last few weeks as far as food is concerned.

But I have my stallion and a foal to take care of now. Funny how things turn around with some purpose.

I will never forget you, Apple Butter. One day, we will meet again at the Everlasting Graze. Until then, I will never stop missing you. I will never stop loving you; but all that sadness seems like it’s so far away right now. In its place is love.

My Bright Macintosh. My Silvanus.

Is that silly Silly still in that filly-fill? There: poking his head out from a little pony pile of little ponies. Good. The mares of that herd are snoozing away as well. They look worn out. I hope Silly wasn't too much for them.

One of the train ponies enters the car and looks around. I wave my hoof for her attention, and she comes over.

"Hello. May I help you?"

I respond with my own inquiry, “Ah was wondering where we are."

She nods, "Yes, we passed Hollow Shades recently. As we exit this forest, we'll enter the Misakigan Province. Through the windows over there," she points to the opposite side of the cabin, "you can see the Foal Mountain Range. There will be a few small stops between here and the Foaledo & Central Knock Station where we'll merge rail lines from our current one -Mid-provincial Inter-Land-Ferry- and the Trans-Equestrinental which is the longest rail line in Equestria going from Manehattan in the northeast and winding all the way over to Las Pegasus. We'll make that merge after midday where we will continue westward towards Detrot. From there, we’ll take the Detrot Into Canterlot Kicker to arrive at Canterhorn Transfer Station after dark."

"Thank y'u kindly, Miss," I say. She looks between me and Mac like she wants to say something but decides against it.

"It's my pleasure," she says and looks to see if anypony else needs her. None seem to, so, she heads forward on the train.

I settle into Mac's side and start letting the peace and quiet of the train settle over me when I see Silly start wiggling out of his pile of fillies.

Once emerged, he looks around. Seeing me, he waves, "Mom." I wave and smile back. He then starts looking around again and seems to settle on that pile of tissues those girls were playing with earlier.

From those, he fishes out four empty tissue rolls and slides those onto his hooves and starts to walk around. What. Where did you-? How did you-? Why?

He wobbles over to me and asks, "Apple?"

Curious, I reach into my nearby saddle bag and retrieve one. He holds his mouth open all the way; but there is no way it will fit, and his hooves are in stilts. So I break the apple into quarters and then divided some of those with my teeth into something he could fit in his mouth.

Furrow browed, he says, "Thank you," walks up closer, and grabs one of the bigger ones with his mouth.

"That’s too big," I say, but he walks away with it and heads over to a pair of sleeping ponies.

He pokes one with one of his tissue-roll-hooves. The lady wakes up groggily, "Huh, wha-?"

He places his apple piece at her hooves. With the tube he used to poke her, he raises it up almost like a salute and says, "Thank you." And then he
comes back my way.

The confused thestral mare looks at the piece, picks it up, and looks around. When she spots me looking and Silly hobbling and slowly retreating, she holds it up to me with an expression that says, 'What do I do?'

I wink back, "It's okay. He gave it to you."

She smiles and gives half to her friend and eats her portion. When Silly heads back her way with another slice for the next pony, she tells him, "Thank you."

"Silly," he responds.

She looks back at me, and I say, "That’s his name."

With new recognition, the thestral says to Silly, “Thank you, Silly." She yawns and says to me, "I'm Smooth Peach. Thank you for the snack." One of the Peaches, huh? I think one of Mac's older sisters is herded with a Peach -one of Granny's first daughters.

"You're welcome," I say. "It's okay if you go back to sleep." She nods and dozes with her head on her friend.

**002 Summer CC**
**Silly the Colt**

Everyone is sleepy now, but I'm not sleepy. Can't see the sun on this train, so I have no idea what time it is. Not sure how many days have passed either, but it is currently daytime. Maybe I can tell where we are from landmarks outside?

Lots of mountains on that side. Can’t really tell much about where we are from that. There are trees scattered about in clusters that get larger and more connected as you look down towards the valley the train is traveling in. There are bluish-greys to them in the shade, and in direct sunlight they look somewhat brownish. If granite is a thing, then I'd say they look like they're comprised of granite with some oxides mixed in. They stand very tall and sudden compared to the valley we are in; although, some are not particularly rounded at the tops and some round rather suddenly. The sides to them are somewhat acute but not wholly sheer.

On the other side of the train, there are thick forests. I can't see too far into them.

As I'm watching the branches and trunks zip by, they cease, and some pastures open up before me. Short grasses cover the ground for a long ways off, and the terrain has an almost ocean-like quality to the hillocks scattered everywhere. Even though these are fields, nothing is all that flat.

I remember background images from the show that made the landscape look like lots of simple bumps: hills, mountains, and even valleys all had this quality. I would think quadrupeds would enjoy flatter places. It seems the show wasn't just making the depictions simple for cost and time. The lands actually look like that.

A ways off, a small group comes into view. Several ponies on land and in the air and wearing shiny gold are encircling either a large rock or a creature. What is that? It almost looks like it is something of flesh molded from stone or made to look like stone. A troll perhaps? Its mouth is moving while it waves its arms at the ponies.

I push up the window, and wind rushes into the cabin. Some ponies start to blink at the change in pressure and new gust of temperature.

And I can hear a sound coming from that group, <> It sounds deep enough to be called masculine, but before they all go beyond what I can see from the train window, his swinging fist connects with a pony who looks to pop like a water balloon filled with tomato soup.

...

... I close the window. I think I'm done with that now and should do something to take my mind off of that.

There are some fillies over there.

**002 Summer CC**
**Care Heart**

*yawn*

"-now leaving Foaledo & Central Knock Station where it will just be a short knock over to Detrot. For those continuing beyond with us, the Detrot Into Canterlot Kicker will then be a quick kick on to the Canterhorn Transfer Station which is the largest train station in the country as it is the largest convergence of railways in Equestria. The Hot Car is currently being cleaned,” the train pony looks over to that young couple nuzzling on each other even as they nap, “again," and then resumes, "I'm Tunnel Buddy. Railed Caboose is currently on sanitization duty and will be back soon, so if anypony needs anything or has any questions, I’ll be here for you."

Those scary thestrals look like they got off and -wait- did she say, 'again?' Did that young couple went back to the Hot Car again while we were all napping? That- there’s no way. Her stallion must have been emptied during that early morning hour-long romp, and it takes more than a day for a stallion to refill.

Maybe he was just helping her? I suppose it’s possible especially given the level of affection those two have for each other, but to find a stallion willing to go that far for a mare is -well- I thought those novels were just fiction. Maybe there’s something to them? I should maybe talk with those two when they wake.

Tender Hoof is extremely sweet on us as his Secondary herd. But if Pear's stallion is willing or even when Silly gets older...

Free and Pure sure thought those two were demonstrating some astounding feats earlier. I couldn't believe it either. Where did either of them learn moves like that, anyway? That one where she had him pinned on his back with all four hooves up behind his head! Oh~ we ended up having our own little roll in the Hot Car while we -uh- took some... clinical notes.

Best train ride of my life.

The girls are somewhat waking up. One of us should get them some food.

Looks like that little colt has been awake for a little bit. He's putting Red's mane in a bun! What a little stallion he is: taking care of a lady like that. He'll make some herdsmares quite happy and successful with support like that. Keep that attitude, little colt. Anymare would go the distance to protect and provide for such a guy.

Her eyes are closed, but she’s awake with a little smile as he weaves her pink locks. While he does that, he's preening his wing a little bit, too... And using a feather to hold the bun? How does he know how to do that? And what a gift!

Most nature-ponies like things for their manes like flowers or tree cuttings. They're both definitely too young to be making gestures like that in the romantic sense, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't know what it means; but it fills me with happiness to see a colt doting on any of my fillies.

One of his own feathers is no small thing, either.

Little Cream Heart seems to have her mane in a little braid which wasn't there before; it’s pinned at the end with a little green feather and resting over a shoulder.

The rest of them are taking their time and enjoying that groggy feeling from midday naps.

Pure says sluggishly into my cheek, "I’ll go to the meal car and get something for everypony."

"Thank you," I say with a peck on her nose.

One of our older girls, Snow Heart, rolls onto her back and that colt, Silly, notices. He leaves Red and her finished hair bun to go sit next to Snow. Looking her up and down before placing both of his forehooves on her belly, he starts... rubbing?

Free and several waking fillies tilt their heads as they notice this not because he's rubbing her belly but because of what she's doing. As he rubs, she sticks her hind legs out as far as they can go and extends her neck out along the floor. She also sticks her lips straight out, and her whole self freezes in that posture.

She only stops when he stops and lets out a long groan of contentment. As she melts from some strange form of bliss, Snow displays a dopey smile.

He says, "Thank you."

“What was that!" Lemon exclaims.

Helping asks, "Is she okay?"

Tender just pokes her older sister and says, "Her muscles are really loose right now like, 'right out of the spa,’ loose."

"Do me," Cream says as she sits next to him and rolls onto her back.

Cold Heart goes to his other side with her head on her older sister saying, “No. Me!"

So, I tell the girls, "Get in line, girls. I'm sure he'll do that for all of you. Also, if you’re in line, watch his technique. Then you can do it for yourselves later."

A resounding, "Okay~," comes from the group.

As the colt starts with one hoof on Cold’s belly and another on Cream's, they both let out satisfied sounds of, "Oh~"

Free leans over and whispers to me, "Have you ever seen a reaction like that to a massage?"

I shake my head, "No. Usually the body relaxes during rather than to tighten up, but then I never thought to rub another pony's belly like that. It almost looks more like scratches than a massage, and spas only massage."
Cream and Snow are making the same posture that Snow was.”

Free agrees, "It must be some kind of reflex; it looks involuntary.”

I add, "Ponies involuntarily do that with their lips during a Tasting, but this is definitely not a nature-pony mating ritual; and the way they stretch their legs out is not a part of that instinct."

The colt says, "Thank you," and moves on to two more fillies as the last two slump down in happy pony puddles.

Then Free thinks out loud, "Maybe it's something he saw his parents doing?"

We both look over at the tired young couple when Pure comes back into the cabin with one of the train ponies pushing a cart. She announces, "I have some lunch for every- what’s all this, then?"

Cream answers in an almost dreamy state, "Belly rubs."

Pure raises and eyebrow and looks to me and Free for answers.

Free answers our herdmate with a smirk, "The colt seems to have some skill with his hooves."

Pure mumbles, "Not surprising given his family."

“Well, girls? Did you hear your mother?" Free asks changing the subject a bit, but they seem both focused on waiting for their turn and quite pacified afterwards.

So, I get 'the lead mare voice' out, "Okay, girls! Time for food. Let’s go!”"All of them started responding except for the two currently getting their bellies rubbed. It's almost like they couldn't hear anything -or care if they did.

Red asks, "Dam, what about my turn?"

I answer, "After lunch."

“Okay," she answers, "But I want Silly to do it."

"You can ask him, but he doesn't know many words yet," I say, and she seems okay with that.

The train pony starts hoofing out some crispy beets, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches on haybread with juice cups and apples. Pure made some good choices.

The colt noticed everypony around the cabin getting food and started to look around. His parents are still napping. The mare, Pear Butter, has her underbelly available if he wanted to go over and nurse, but he is looking at the girls eat their sandwiches.

Free notices him, too, and says, "Hey, Silly."” Hearing his name seems to get his attention, and she motions over to her with her hoof, "Come here."

She takes a piece of her bread off and offers it to him as he approaches. He sniffs it suspiciously before gently taking it and munches on it. Some of the fillies see this and offer him some pieces of their sandwiches.

Snow Heart says to me and to Pure, "I think I could be happy with a colt like that," then adds, "when he's older, of course."

Pure says, "Well, sweetie, we don't really know what his dam's plans are. He could be spoken for already, but," and she looks at me. I nod giving my approval, so she continues, "we can talk with her and her stallion when they wake up. They are pretty tired though." At that, Snow, Sweet, and us three mares blush to varying degrees.

But Lemon Heart who may have been listening says to us, "What about me?" And a few others who are old enough to understand the conversation communicate the same thing.

Oh, boy. This was the same problem Tender Hoof had: a bunch of sisters but you should only choose one for your main herd. But if he inherited anything from his sire over there... well, maybe he could handle it when he's older?

"Well," I say to try and change subjects, "why not teach him some games now that he's taught you all some?"

Author's Note

For some reason, all of the punctuation marks disappeared when I emailed my notes to myself, so I spent some valuable time editing when I wanted to write some more for this one. Sorry. I hoped to add Silly reading some more in Kevin's books but didn't because of the extra editing time. Looks like there will be another part to Chapter 15 for next week in addition to the other parts. I was hoping they could get at least to Canterhorn Transfer Station by the end of this part. Sorry. I did not expect this train ride to last so long.

Princess Says: is basically the game 'Simon Says.' Silly was trying to play 'Follow the Leader' which is a similar game that doesn't involve the verbal commands.

Filly-fill: like a 'landfill' but packed with warm, soft fillies.

I saw some videos about horses getting belly rubs. Apparently, they really like those and almost all make the same kind of face when they get one. I added the legs extending, because I have seen dogs do that when getting belly rubs. I think it's cute. Sometimes I can force the characters to do things in the story, and this was one that no pony fought back on.

Nurses: I am partially reversing the roles of Nurse and Doctor for the RGRE theme. While doctors will still mostly be male and require more book-study to achieve and be less manual in practice, nurses will be the more labor-intensive and mare-heavy career which will lend to it a little more social respect and require more hooves-on experience to learn in addition to formal education. I guess that means there's practically no difference, really, but one can consider Nurse to be a bit more prestigious and paid better than Doctor. The Heart family are mostly nurses or have medical-related talents.

Secondary Herd: as a reminder, stallions are in short supply. So, family of herdsmares may have their own mare-only herds, but the one sister who has a stallion may share her stallion so that mares do not have to go through life without having foals of their own. Some may also choose to go through the Department of Families and get a governmentally contracted stud or find a local stallion to stud, too.

Train Pony Names on This Train: Tunnel Bound, Tunnel Buddy, Train Run, Railed Caboose, Off Rails, Railfan, Convoy Party, Rail Hard, Pulls Out (conductor)
Some Equestrian Train Names: Trans-Equestrinental, Colorodeo Light Industrial Transportation, Fly Around & Find Out, The Unstoppable Sea-Crosser (has multiple stops), Mid-provincial Inter-Land-Ferry
Some Equestrian Express Train Names: The Golden Apple, Tail Flicker, Lunar Ocean Scenic-Express Rail
Some Equestrian Train Station or Short Journey Names: Foaledo & Central Knock, Canterhorn Transfer Station, Detrot Into Canterlot Kicker
Some Equestrian Rail Roads: Central Unities and Northern Territories, Best Way Railway, Farm & Agriculture Ghastly Gorge Outer Territories South, Totally Reliable and Definitely Not Rickety At All Unicorn Mountain Range Under-mountain Mining RR,
Equestrian Provinces: New Mexicolt, Neigh York, Misakigan, Mareland, Coltifornia, Colorodeo, Manesota

That was a Cave Troll. Yes, My Little Pony does have troll creatures. In the first IDW Comic arc, the Mane 6 are captured by one as a minor event for the arc. They behave much like the Lennie Small character from Of Mice and Men who is an extremely strong, overly kind person and also is unimaginably unintelligent. He accidentally deletes little animal critters while petting them and does not understand how, why, or even what any of that means. In the comics, the trolls seem quite similar in that they are fond of ponies but incredibly unaware how strong they are compared to ponies. The Mane Six had to find a way to escape which did not evoke their anger, because it could have gone real wrong quickly if they did. Although, the trolls are not depicted offing anypony in the comics, I saw too many similarities between them and Lennie.

This is also the first time I've depicted a possible demise in the story. It was quick. I have been subtly hinting the frailty of pony mortality throughout the story so far. Equestria is quite safe compared to much of Equus; but monsters, creatures, and beasts are a fact of life.