Mr. Hutton was doing paperwork at his home late at night. The office building for the Roger Railway is almost finished, with just paperwork and inspection that need to be done before opening, not just for him and his wife, but also a resting room for the volunteers. The last two years have been successful, with ridership increasing in 1952, and hopefully, in 1953, with the season already started two days ago, Mr. Hutton predicted that it would break ridership for this year as well. The NRHS has given the railway a $10,000 grant for many projects and improvements, which help in the construction of not just the office building, but also a carriage shed.

  Roger himself was doing well as usual, with many other groups, organizations, societies, and clubs sponsoring chartered excursions during the off days, which helped grow a positive influence of the community and garner a reputation of being a very successful tourist railway icon. The old Porter has garnered fans throughout the exciting year, and everyone wanted to ride on the passenger coaches, pulled by a 73-year-old steam locomotive.

  The telephone rang, which annoyed Mr. Hutton, but at the same time, he needed a distraction, so he picked up the telephone and placed it to his ear.

  “Is this Mr. Hutton from the Roger Railway Preservation Society?” a male voice from the other line asks.

  “Yes…? I’m Mr. Hutton, Ben Hutton,” Mr. Hutton replied to the caller.

  The caller sighed happily.

  “I found your coach,” the caller told Ben Hutton bluntly.

  Mr Hutton was confused.

  “What are you talking about?” He asks the caller.

  “Anabel,” the caller replied, “I found Anabel.”

  Mr. Hutton was quiet; he had heard of the combine car from Roger and the sisters during his visits to the railway. Mary said that she had disappeared from the works and was never found, which made the coach sad and upset, and with the archival department being in the same building, Mr. Hutton was planning to find the combined car, but didn’t have the time.

  “Where?” Mr. Hutton asks the caller.

  “Simon Hill Railway,” the caller told Ben, “New Hampshire, write down the address, bring Roger along with his coaches to New Hampshire, because they’ll need to see this.”

  “Why are you keeping this a secret?” Mr. Hutton asks the caller.

  “Because scrap is a very good way to make money,” the caller responded, “I’ll call you in a couple of days, be ready.”

  The caller hung up, which annoyed Mr. Hutton, but he was confused about the call, and also curious; he needed to tell his wife, Roger, and the coaches, because this would be great news.

  March 23rd, 1953

  “What the fuck!?” Roger cried out.

  “You’re kidding?!” Mary was surprised to hear this.

  “What the hell!?” cried both Talyor and Charlotte.

  Mr. Hutton has told his wife, Roger, and the passenger coaches, to which they were understandably shocked, that Mary and her sisters had a look on their faces of disbelief, but also happy that their sister is alright, though on a different railway in New Hampshire.

  “What is this Simon Hill Railway?” 16 asks.

  “It’s one of the last two-foot gauge common carriers in the United States, the other is Southern Railway narrow gauge division,” Mr. Hutton answered, “Once a 350-mile railroad, now has 150 miles of track in total, dieselized, but they still have one steam locomotive from their roster for excursions.”

  “So you trust what this caller had said?” Roger asks, worried that Mr. Hutton might have been had, or worse, a scam.

  “He sounded pretty convinced,” Mr. Hutton said to the old Porter, “And he doesn’t sound like he’s playing a prank or wants my money.”

  “So, when is this caller going to call again?” Mary asks.

  “He said in a few days, though, I’m not sure about that,” Mr. Hutton told the coach, “But hopefully he’ll tell me more.”

  Then Carol came into the engine shed with another volunteer. Behind them was a young-looking man in a suit. The engines, coaches, and Mr. Hutton looked at the mysterious figure.

  “Are you Mr. Hutton?” the man asks.

  “Yes,” He nodded, “Who are you?”

  “My name is Wilbert, assistant to Eustis Franklin, the owner and the president of the Simon Hill Railway,” the man replied, “And we’re here to talk about Anabel.”

  The coaches looked at the man, Roger looked in disbelief, 16 looked confused, and Mr. Hutton blinked a couple of times.

  “How do I know that you’re from the railway?” Roger asks the man.

  The man reached into his bag and pulled out a few papers, photographs, and some other papers with words and numbers. Wilbert showed the paper to Mr. Hutton, and the photos to the engines and coaches, showing a young man posed with a 0-4-4t Forney type locomotive.

  “That’s me with Simon in 1934,” Wilbert told the engines, “I started working the railway when I was 20, I was 25 in this photo.”

  “I see,” Mr. Hutton said as he looked into the papers, “How did Anabel come to your railway, and how do you know it’s her for our railway?”

  “That’s a big mystery,” Wilbert sighed, “Some say she was stolen from the works and got onto the railway; no one knows where she came from, but she was used for the first few years, and then sporadically.”

  Mary cringed at hearing that her sister might be stolen.

  “When we were forming our steam program,” Wilbert looked at Mr. Hutton, “We looked in our shed and always thought that particular combine coach always looked weird, since the coach was in a brown livery and not in our railroad’s livery, and so I looked around, and couldn’t find any clues, until I visited the Roger Railway last year.”

  “I’m guessing you saw the other three and put two and two together?” Roger asks Wilbert, to which he nods.

  “I asked the volunteers about the coaches, and one of them told me about the fourth passenger stock,” Wilbert continued, “So I put two and two together, and asked my boss, to which he didn’t believe me at first, then he also took a trip to the railway, and he believed me after that.”

  “Oh yeah, wasn’t there a passenger who looked like he didn’t like crowds?” 16 asks Roger.

  “I remember,” the old Porter remembered, “Our conductor said he sat far away from the passengers.”

  “My apologies,” Wilbert sighed, “Eustis is quite antisocial and doesn’t like crowded places. I’m mostly in charge of the steam program, but he does love our railroad and the steam locomotives.”

  “That explains the odd telephone call,” Mr. Hutton sighed as he paced around the engines, “Though he said he’s worried about scrappers.”

  Wilbert had a sad and dark look on his face.

  “Two of our coaches were scrapped unauthorized, illegally,” Wilbert told Mr. Hutton, “So knowing that Anabel could be scrapped any day now, that’s why he made the call, and I came here right away instead of waiting for a few days.”

  “Wow, that sucks,” Roger was surprised to hear this, “The recently enacted Locomotive and Rolling Stock Act of 1950 said that passenger stock needed consent by the railroad or them before getting scrapped. How fuck up are people?”

  “I’m guessing no one wants to do the paperwork and or talk to the engines, so torch away,” Mr. Hutton bluntly admitted.

  “I like for Roger to visit the railway sponsored by Eustis Franklin,” He told Mr. Hutton, “We’ll have accommodations for you and your engine, and to make up for the travels, we’ll donate our staff to help with the restoration if it’s her.”

  Mr. Hutton looked at the man and slowly walked out of the engine shed. Roger could see that he was in deep thinking mode and looked back at Wilbert.

  “I’d like to visit your railway,” Roger smiled, “I’ve never been to a much longer railway before, and operating a passenger train on such a long distance sounds so exhilarating.”

  “I agree,” Mary agreed with Roger, “With a hopeful reunion with Anabel, I’d like to visit your railway.”

  “Though,” 16 piped up, “What if it isn’t Anabel?”

  The coaches looked at the ground with a worried look.

  “What Wilbert said did describe Anabel,” Mary told the tank engine, “I’m 100% that is her.”

  “We are hopeful,” Charlotte smiled.

  “I’m sure it’s Anabel,” Taylor said confidently.

  “As much as I like the feeling of hope, we can’t all leave the railway,” Roger admitted to his coaches, “16 can’t handle all the pressure of the railway operation.”

  Another silence fell.

  “Damn, you’re right,” Mary sighed, “I forgot about our own railway, I was so engrossed in finding Anabel.”

  “We just have to wait until Mr. Hutton arrives back from wherever he went,” Roger told the coach, “Though I wonder what he’s doing?”

  “Beats me,” 16 answered, “But it must be very important.”

  Just then, Mr. Hutton came back; he gave William a few papers, which looked like he had written for Wilbert, and the man looked at the papers that Ben gave him. After a few quiet minutes, he looked at Mr. Hutton, nodded and shook his hand, to which he looked at Roger.

  “I’ll see you at the Simon Hill Railway, Roger,” He smiled at the old Porter, “and we’ll make sure you and your coaches will be treated well.”

  With that, Wilbert left, and Roger was surprised by all this. He looked at Mr. Hutton who grinned.

  “I wrote in the paper that we accepted the invitation, but only to make this not a railfan event,” He told the old Porter, “And to donate at least to the railway, and operate one public excursion, and one private charter. All three coaches are going with us to the railway.”

  “What’s the private charter?” Roger asks.

  “A school field trip excursion,” Mr. Hutton told the old Porter, “My sister in law is a teacher in New Hampshire, and always wanted to take a field trip to the railway and sponsor a chartered excursion, but couldn’t find a date or time, until today.”

  “Win win I guess,” Carol chuckled. She was silent the whole time, though she didn’t say anything.

  “And the public charter is sponsored by the Boston Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society,” Mr. Hutton also told Roger, “Luckily, a few members from the Boston Chapter volunteer at the railway and arrange a quick public excursion in four weeks.”

  “I’m guessing this is all very sudden?” Mary guessed, and Mr. Hutton nodded.

  “Four weeks should be enough, with the railway bringing more tourists every week, and some come as far away from other states like Oregon or California,” Mr. Hutton told Mary, “And so this would be a treat for anyone who’s a fan of our railway.”

  “How long am I staying at the railway?” Roger asks curiously.

  “Hopefully not too long,” answered Mr. Hutton, “But knowing the publicity, they wanted to haul employee specials as a request by Eustis.”

  “I’d like to see Roger operate on the Southern’s Narrow Gauge Division,” 16 joked, “Highballing on a mainline excursion.”

  “Funny enough, I did send a letter offering a special permission to operate a Roger Railway Preservation Society-sponsored excursion last year, but they didn’t respond,” Mr. Hutton chuckled a bit, “This is the first mainline run for Roger.”

  “Exciting times,” Roger grinned, but faded, “Who’s going to help Eleanor and 16 since we're all going to be away from the railway?”

  “I knew that this was going to happen, but Hutton is almost done,” Ben told Roger.

  “The open-air passenger car is almost completed?” Roger asks, to which Ben nods.

  But 16 was confused.

  “Wait, what’s this passenger car?” 16 asks.

  “It’s a special project that Mr. Hutton is building from bits and pieces,” Roger told the tank engine, “Started at the beginning of 1952, and it’s going to be used for Volunteer Appreciation Specials. It’s a secret project; only a few volunteers know about this.”

  “Huh, that’s a nice gift for the volunteers,” 16 smiled, “So I’m guessing it’ll help me during the operating days?”

  “The coach is almost finished,” Mr. Hutton told the teenager, “Just the painting and it’s finished, I’m planning to build a second one.”

  “Is four weeks enough?” Charlotte asks Ben, “Even if it's just painting to complete the project?”

  “I’m sure,” Mr. Hutton told the coach, “I’ll stay all night if I have to. I have to prepare for the events anyway.”

  “Are you going to sell the tickets here at the railway?” Roger asks Mr. Hutton.

  “Maybe,” Mr. Hutton shrugged, “But it depends on whether folks are willing to travel to the New England region for a passenger excursion, the Boston Chapter is willing to sell some tickets since New England is prime Maine Two Footers country.”

  “When am I going to leave?” Roger asks.

  “April 13th,” Mr. Hutton replied, “It’ll be on a Monday, you’ll be only operating on the 10th of April, and Saturday and Sunday, you and the coaches will get maintenance work done before we leave. It’ll be me, Lizzy, and a few volunteers, plus my sons are coming as well.”

  “I’m excited,” Mary grinned.

  “I’m excited as well,” Roger agreed with Mary, “Not only will we find your sister, but also operate an excursion on a new railway!”

  April 13th, 1953

  The day went smoothly as usual, but with the announcement of this offline excursion in New Hampshire, tickets were bound to sell out, and when announced on Saturday, March 28th, they sold out right away. Many of the people who purchased the tickets are those adventure-seeking railfans who travelled around the United States to see steam or any form of railroading in different states, which Mr. Hutton ponders whether he should do another excursion, but decides to stick to one.

  The open-air passenger car was finally finished on Sunday, with a nice forest green paint job as the livery, simple, but it was the first new passenger coach on the line in over 73 years. The coach has the name ‘Hutton’ and the Roger Railway emblem; it was a simple coach, but it did look beautiful. To which Mr. Hutton has already started planning to build another one, to celebrate, the railway operated the first Volunteer Appreciation Special on April 1st, with Roger hauling the special.

  Spring weather means rain was going to be a problem, while light rain hasn’t been a problem, it could be a problem for the excursion on the Simon Hill Railway, with gradients on the line enough to stall an engine, though Mr. Hutton wasn’t worried since three coaches won’t be a big issue for the tough grades of the common carrier. The Volunteer Appreciation Special went well, and Mr. Hutton is planning to operate the train a couple of times a year, including at the Christmas party.

  When April 10th came along, Roger was excited to visit a different railway, which meant operating a longer route than the Roger Railway. After operating the last train of the day, the old Porter rested in the shed, not worrying about the next day, since he was not going to be operating; it was a day of maintenance and preparation for the trip to New Hampshire. His coaches were also getting some maintenance, with seats clean and everything nice and tidy inside. Both Roger and the coaches were ready to leave.

  The same lowboy trailer truck that delivered Roger after his major overhaul from Juniata Works, two more trucks were rented to bring the coaches along. Luckily, the news of the travel was limited, but small, meaning that the local folks and railfans who came to see their favorite steam locomotive leaving were a small crowd, which was good on the railway’s part. Getting to the Simon Hill Railway was a daunting task, mostly since the other trucks had to follow the main truck through the same road, which can be daunting.

  Folks from the other states that saw the odd load were quite curious, but didn’t ask or say anything; however, some recognized Roger from the Roger Railway. The old Porter loved seeing the new places, buildings, and nature. Traveling this far outside of Pennsylvania was something he would never have thought would happen. It was evening when they arrived at the railway. Roger and his coaches left the railway very early in the morning, and with a few traffic jams, they arrived safely with no issues.

  The railway yard looked like the yard back at home, simple. It has a sign that said ‘Starlight Yard’, but it had more tracks and sidings, the shed was bigger, more modern, and Roger could see a steam locomotive in the shed. After he was lifted, Mr. Hutton, his wife, and the volunteers pushed the old Porter into the big shed, the first movement on the new railway. The inside of the shed looks modern as well, with bright lights and a sense of new technology. Next to Roger was another steam locomotive, a 0-4-4t Forney type.

  “Hello,” said the steam locomotive, “I’m Simon.”

  This was the engine in the photo that Wilbert had.

  “I’m Roger,” said Roger, “The owner of the railway invited me to his railway.”

  “Huh, didn’t get the word,” Simon grumbled, “But my crew say that someone is visiting our railway, and it’s an honor to have a famous engine visiting our line.”

  “Famous engine? I’m just a regular steam locomotive like you and me,” Roger humbly scoffs, “But I’ve never seen such a modern engine shed.”

  “Welcome to dieselization,” Simon said sadly, “An engine like me feels odd being in a modern-looking shed.”

  The old Porter looked around at the shed.

  “So, you operate steam excursions?” Roger asks the Forney type locomotive.

  “Yep, two times a week, from Spring till Winter, three coaches,” Simon smiled, “I’ve finished an excursion sponsored by a local model railroad club.”

  “That’s nice,” Roger smiled, “I’m guessing mainline style excursions?”

  “You bet,” Simon grinned, “We have a long straightaway around 3-5 miles, which we could operate around 10-15 miles per hour if needed, especially with grades up to 1.5-2.0 percent, which is tough on a railroad like this. I can handle five coaches easily, though…”

  “I’m sorry about the two other coaches,” Roger sympathized with the Forney type, “Having your coaches illegally scrapped must be stressful for the owner.”

  “I don’t want to say ‘it is what it is’,” Simon said with an upset tone, “But we’re pissed off that this happened. Luckily, the merchant who did the illegal scrapping must pay 50,000 dollars, or else get 5 years in prison, but he still got prison time, only 1 year. At least we got our few other coaches.”

  “Well, that’s good at least,” Roger smiled, though, and wondered, “What’s the revenue of the railway now?”

  “Mostly general freight, sometimes from industries along the railroad,” Simon answered, “Even with 150 miles of track, they still carried a ton of freight per year.”

  “How many miles do you operate?” Roger curiously asks Simon.

  “Depends,” Simon replied, “10-15 miles on a regular day, 25 for extreme days, usually since most of the line has a gradient.”

  “Mainline excursions sound fun!” Roger smiled at the tank engine, “I'm excited for my trials.”

  The Forney type giggled.

  “Say,” Simon wondered, “Is there a reason why my owner is inviting you to my railway?”

  It was quiet for a few seconds, but Roger decided to tell the truth.

  “Your owner told my owner, Ben Hutton, that my combine coach, Anabel, is here at this railway,” He told the tank engine, “So I’m here to see if Anabel is here on this railway.”

  “I see…” Simon looked at the ground, then back at Roger, “There was a combine coach in the shed a few miles from here, though, my crew told me not to look into it.”

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  This got Roger’s interest.

  “Wilbert did say that they found a combine coach in a shed that looks odd to them,” the old Porter told Simon, “And Wilbert put two and two together when he visited my railway.”

  “Talk about chances!” Simon was surprised, “When I talked to that combine coach, she didn’t speak much, said her name is Anabel, and that’s it, she wasn’t used that much.”

  “That confirms that she is here on this railway,” Roger sighed, “Well, hopefully I’ll get a test run tomorrow, since I’ll be hauling excursion trains on here.”

  “Now you mentioned that, what excursions are you running?” Simon asks the old Porter.

  “A private field trip excursion, and one public excursion,” Roger told Simon, “Small excursions, but since I’m going to be here at this railway, might make use of their invitation.”

  “If you’re lucky,” Simon said to the old Porter, “You could haul the Employee Appreciation Special.”

  Just then, Mr. Hutton came in with Wilbert, to whom the two nodded at Roger and Simon, then Mr. Hutton looked at the old Porter.

  “How are you doing, Roger?” Mr. Hutton asks Roger.

  “Fine, no problems at all,” the old Porter smiled at his general manager.

  “Well, I’ve spoken with Wilbert, and you’re going to operate a test run tomorrow,” Mr. Hutton told the tank engine, “You’ll be hauling three boxcars and a caboose, on a straightway mainline from this engine shed.”

  Roger smiled at this.

  “Not a bad test run,” He smiled at Mr. Hutton, “How fast are we going?”

  “About 10 miles per hour,” Mr. Hutton told the old Porter, “Though we’re permitted to go faster, knowing the gradients on this line would prevent us from reaching at least 12 to 25 miles per hour. Which is equivalent to 75-100mph in standard gauge operation.”

  “Wow, I’m even more excited for the excursion I’m operating,” Roger smiled excitedly, “Maybe we could find the shed during our test run.”

  “That’s the plan,” Mr. Hutton sighed hopefully, “It’s going to be an interesting adventure for all of us.”

  To that, Roger agreed.

  April 14th, 1953

  Roger woke up quite early, since this test run is going to operate when it is still dark out. The old Porter felt the warmth of his fire as he moved slowly out of the engine shed; the cool air stung on the old engine’s face, but he was excited. In the dark, he could see Lizzy, the other volunteers, and Mr. Hutton’s sons, though Lizzy had a worried look on her face.

  “Is something wrong, Liz?” Roger asks curiously.

  “The train that we’re going to use for the test run should be here,” Lizzy said with a worried tone.

  “What time should the train be here?” Roger asks Lizzy.

  “About 3, it’s 5,” Lizzy told the old Porter, who was now worried.

  “Delay?” Roger guessed, “Happens all the time?”

  “We’ll get dispatch right away,” Mr. Hutton sighed, “I wish we could operate without a test train, but it’s not allowed for visiting locomotives.”

  “Did Wilbert tell you that?” Roger asks.

  “Yep, from a statement from Eustis,” Mr. Hutton showed a paper with the simple note, “Gave it to me after we arrived.”

  “Well, that sucks,” Roger said as he looked into the darkness, “What about the coaches?”

  “That’s a possibility,” Mr. Hutton agrees with the old Porter, “He didn’t say anything about your coaches in his note, but if we don’t hear anything from the freight train, we’re taking your coaches.”

  “I’ll stand to that,” Roger said firmly as well.

  Just then, a car came up with a man who looked like he had just got out of the shift today. He was a Simon Hill Railroad employee, and he looked tired.

  “Sorry, Ben, I couldn’t contact you,” He told the general manager of the Roger Railway, “There was an accident.”

  “Accident!?!” Ben cried out.

  “Is everyone okay?!” Roger asks.

  “What happened?” Lizzy worryingly asks as well.

  “Our crew is seriously injured,” the man told Mr. Hutton, “Head-on collision, late-night freight move, knocked one of the telephone poles, two diesel locomotives caught on fire.”

  “Holy shit!” Mr. Hutton shivered, “That’s scary.”

  “It is,” the man agreed with him, “Your boxcars for the test run were also damaged, the caboose oddly didn’t get a blow.”

  Wilbert came to the yard. He had a tired look on his face. Roger could tell that everything was going like a tornado, and he could tell that the result wouldn’t be pretty.

  “How the fuck did this happen?” Lizzy asks Wilbert, who took a big swig from his thermos.

  “I’m glad that my coffee is still hot,” He commented, but look at Lizzy, “I’m guessing miscommunication, which caused both trains to be on the same track, going at 25mph.”

  “That’s still fast for a 2-foot gauge railroad,” Mr. Hutton commented as he rubbed his forehead, “Do they always operate at fast speeds?”

  “25 is the limit, but 20 is our usual number,” Wilbert told Ben, “Our diesel locomotives have this new dynamic braking system for going down hills, which I’m guessing that our coworker didn’t apply.”

  Roger looked at Ben, he looked at the points that opened him up to operate on the mainline, then he looked at Wilbert.

  “Can we use my coaches for this test run?” Roger asks, “With the two trains down, quite literally, and with nothing to haul for our test run, it’s our only option.”

  “I was meaning to ask your general manager if you could haul your coaches for this test run,” Wilbert showed the old tank engine a note.

  Which says;

  “Roger can pull his coaches as a substitute after what happened for his test run, but he would need a Simon Hill Railway pilot crew, not in his cab, but in his coaches.”

  “I will be your pilot crew,” Wilbert told Roger and Mr. Hutton, “Which I was originally going to be in the original plan, with two other crew members who operate on the steam program and the regular train crew.”

  Roger looked at Ben, who shrugged.

  “I’m surprised as well,” He put his arms up, “If I had known it, I would’ve told you, which is odd that Eustis would let us run on his railroad without a pilot crew from their railway.”

  “That’s another big surprise,” Wilbert smiled, “And since you’re new to the railway, Roger, I’ll be your guide on the railway. Despite its freight railroad feel, the railway has some nice scenic spots. Our railroad passes through Loon Mountain. When it snows, it’s beautiful.”

  “I’ll take your word for it,” Roger trusted the man, and looked at Ben, “So what’s the plan for the run?”

  “We’ll operate on the straightaway, which is 15 miles, to the yard, which we’ll rest and go on the Loon Branch to Grafton County,” Mr. Hutton told Roger.

  “I guess we’re going to Loon Mountain after,” the old Porter chuckled.

  “While the straightaway doesn’t have gradients, but the Loon Branch does, at 1 percent,” He informed the old tank engine, “Our steam locomotives were built to handle these tough challenges of the railway, including Simon and Loon.”

  “Who’s Loon?” Roger asks, another new steam locomotive that the old engine hasn’t heard before?

  “He’s a 0-4-0t saddle from Hudswell Clarke, probably the only British steam locomotive from the Simon Hill Railway,” He told Roger, “He’s been preserved privately by a worker, and sometimes operates his engine here with permission from us.”

  “That’s good to know,” Roger smiled, “Let’s get the ladies out.”

  The passenger car shed was behind the engine shed. Unlike the engine shed, the carriage shed looked much older, but it looked like it was kept in good condition. The shed where most of the coaches for the steam program are stored, including Roger’s coaches. A small 25-tonner diesel switcher pulled the coaches out of the shed. He was a nice chap to the old Porter, and despite him being here, the old tank engine pulled the coaches into the siding next to the engine shed.

  “Oh, I can’t wait for this run,” Mary said excitedly, “Stretching my wheels at a long distance is something I've always wanted to do.”

  “Indeed, sis,” Charlotte agreed.

  “Let’s get this show on the road!” Taylor cried out excitedly.

  “Okay, a little meeting before we get ready for the mainline test run,” Mr. Hutton said, with his wife next to him, as the volunteers gathered around.

  Roger could see that the volunteers were excited.

  “I’m sure we are all excited, since this is a huge milestone for the Roger Railway Preservation Society,” Mr. Hutton looked at the volunteers, “We are sure to impress ourselves with this huge achievement, with also a chance to discover one of our lost rolling stock that was part of the railway.”

  “This opportunity like this will likely never happen again,” Lizzy told the volunteers bluntly, “So make sure we enjoy this as much as we can, and be a good sport about it, we only have two excursions during our time on this railroad, so we’re here for a short amount of time, so make this the best trip we can!”

  “Despite being spring, the morning is still cold,” Mr. Hutton reminded the volunteers, “So make sure that you wear a jacket, not a winter coat, but something to keep you warm.”

  The volunteers nodded.

  “And if anyone that is not a volunteer and is going to record some film of the run, just be careful,” Mr. Hutton added, “Any last words?”

  No one said anything.

  “Good,” Mr. Hutton smiled, “Now, let’s make history.”

  The volunteers went inside the coaches, with the two boys went into the cab of the old Porter. Lizzy came up to Roger with a polish rag in her hand and polished the old engine’s face.

  “A little clean before we leave,” Lizzy smiled and kissed Roger on the nose, before leaving to join her husband.

  Mr. Hutton leaned out of the cab; he could see that the points were switched onto the mainline, and he could see Wilbert giving Mr. Hutton a thumbs up, which means that they’re ready to operate on the mainline. The signal turned green, Wilbert walked to Taylor and got inside her, Roger blew his whistle, and slowly moved; he was ringing his bell loudly as a kind of signal for any railfans who knew about the run to get out of the way. Steam billowed in the air since it was still a little cold; crossing the points onto the mainline was an interesting feeling for Roger, but he was excited.

  After crossing the points, Roger increased speed, since this is a common carrier railroad, with a mainline track that could rival the big guys; each chuff was faster, his lamp was shining brightly, and he could see that it was just a never-ending straight track in the darkness. Roger could see on the horizon that the sun was coming up, but very slowly; it was a somber feeling, but it made the old Porter hopeful during his visit. He blew his whistle, which probably scared a lot of land critters, but he was making his way through the mainline.

  Despite being called a straightaway, there were a few curves, which weren’t treacherous, but they gave a feeling of being in a car going through a curve on a highway. The coaches were enjoying the ride as well, despite only the volunteers on board; this was like a real passenger train, though, as they went through another straight mainline, Roger noticed something.

  “Hey, look!” He cried out.

  Roger could see a siding that leads to a shed, and a few other sidings that connect to the mainline. The shed looked old, not derelict, but old. The old Porter could guess that this was the shed that housed Anabel.

  “Do you think the shed has Anabel?” Roger asks the coaches.

  “Could be,” Mary guessed, “But I don’t know.”

  “Same as sis says,” Taylor agreed with Mary.

  “We could try,” Charlotte suggested.

  The shed disappears in the distance as the train goes further away.

  “Mr. Hutton, do you think we could stop by that shed on the way back?” Roger asks his general manager.

  “I was thinking the same thing,” Ben admitted, “Let’s take a look after this test run, so far you’re doing great.”

  “You’re doing great, honey!” Lizzy cried out as she leaned out of the cab.

  Roger blew his whistle and started to slow down for a bit, because there was a yellow signal, which usually means there’s caution on the tracks, which is always something to be careful with. Many of the volunteers leaned out of the window to see what was happening. Roger could see a workman standing next to the track, waving his hands.

  “Is there a problem?” Roger asks the workman.

  “You won’t believe it, but a fucking cow is on the line,” the workman told the old Porter, “Maybe you can push the engine away.”

  Roger sighed. He didn’t mind helping, but he wondered if the workman had tried to move the cow, though the old Porter wouldn’t be surprised if the cow was going to be a pain in the bunker, and the workman gave up. He slowly moved back up to speed, making sure to be careful.

  Roger could see the cow in the distance, which was a big lad, and he was just lying on the tracks, relaxed, without a care in the world. The old Porter stopped, he looked at the animal, and the animal looked at him; he blew his whistle, which did nothing. He blew some steam at him, still nothing, the animal just went back, relaxing, without caring about a steam locomotive and his test run.

  “What the hell are we going to do?” Mary asks Roger and Ben.

  “Well, I try everything, but it seems like this guy doesn’t want to leave,” the old Porter sighed, “What are we going to do?”

  “I’ll probably phone someone,” Mr. Hutton suggested, but as he was about to leave the cab, he heard a whistle.

  “Who’s that?” Roger asks.

  Then, slowly, coming out of the trees was a steam tractor, which had a sigh of relief on his face as he came to the track.

  “Billy!” the steam tractor smiled at the cow, “Thank goodness we’ve found you!”

  “You know this cow?” Taylor asks the steam tractor.

  “Oh yes, I do,” the steam tractor smiled, “His name is Billy, a prized cow that my owner keeps, healthy boy, despite that, he’s a lazy piece of shit.”

  “I tried moving him with steam or my whistle,” Roger told the steam tractor, “But he wouldn’t budge.”

  The steam tractor rolled his eyes.

  “He’s like that to other steam locomotives, never with other steam tractors or me,” the steam tractor sighed, “Though this isn’t new to me.”

  “Pardon not introducing myself, I’m Roger,” said Roger, “I’m from the Roger Railway.”

  “I’ve been told by the workers that another steam locomotive is running on the mainline today, and it’s not Simon or Loon,” the steam tractor told Roger, “I’m Tim, or Timmy.”

  “Hello Tim,” smiled the old Porter, “How are we going to move Billy?”

  “I’ll handle him,” Tim told Roger. He then looked at the cow, “Billy, c'mon, it’s lunch time.”

  Tim blew his own whistle, which Billy looked at the steam tractor, and got up, much to the old Porter’s surprised face.

  “You weren’t kidding when you said only Billy listens to steam tractors,” Roger said as the cow got off the tracks, “But, thank you, does he do this all the time?”

  “Only in spring and summer,” Tim sighed, “My owner babies him a lot, though; he babies all of his cows.”

  “Though he does look very healthy,” Roger pointed out, “Your owner did a great job taking care of him.”

  “Thank you,” Tim smiled, “You’ll pass the family farm before you arrive at the yard. We’ll always make sure that the cows won’t block the line. Enjoy your run!”

  “Thank you!” Roger cried out, “It’s nice meeting you!”

  Roger blew his whistle and slowly left the area. During the inconvenience, Mr Hutton checked over the old Porter to see if there were any problems, but nothing was found, and the old tank engine didn’t feel anything wrong. The train picked up speed since they needed to make up time, since the cow had delayed them. Roger didn’t want to overwork himself, but didn’t want to be late with the test run.

  Roger arrived at the yard right before 10, which was surprising since the cow delayed the old Porter by 10-20 minutes, but at least he arrived before 10, the crew came up, and some stretched their legs and arms. Mr. Hutton, along with Lizzy, came over and checked over Roger once more. A car was in the yard, and Roger noticed that the driver was handing out drinks and food to the volunteers, which the old tank engine thought was a kind gesture.

  “How did I perform?” Roger asks Mr. Hutton.

  “Quite well,” Mr. Hutton told the old tank engine, “Better than I expected.”

  “You’re our pride on the mainline, sweetie,” Lizzy giggled. She squished his cheeks, “My goodness, you’re just so adorable!”

  “To be fair, you’re the smallest engine to operate on the mainline,” Mary joked to the old Porter.

  “We’ll rest a bit before continuing. Loon Branch is next,” Mr. Hutton told Roger and the volunteers.

  “Loon branch is 10 miles long,” Wilbert said as he took a sip of his coffee, “But the gradients are a challenge; a rest is truly needed.”

  The old Porter sighed with relief. A rest is needed, but he was excited to travel so far compared to the railway back home, freight came and went, and it was interesting to see a small Porter locomotive in the yard with big diesel locomotives. The volunteer crew at an early lunch, knowing this would be another long trip up the branch line, which Roger was ready to tackle.

  After getting cleaned up and one final check-up, the old Porter watches as the workman switches the line to the other track, leading to the Loon Branch, a name that Roger always thought was interesting. He blew his whistle and slowly moved out of the yard, which the spur leads to the branch. The old Porter moved slowly since the branch probably wouldn’t support the weight of Roger and his coaches, but so far, nothing problematic had happened.

  Wilbert wasn’t kidding about the line being 1 percent gradient; despite an almost empty train, it was heavy enough that Roger could feel the weight of his coaches behind him and the rails on his wheels. This was a challenge that he had never experienced, but he pressed on. The branch line itself was beautiful, a forest with mountains in the background, and the forest itself reminded him of back home, though the branch line was a tough piece of grade, and Roger had to conquer it.

  “How are you feeling, Roger?” Mr. Hutton asks the old Porter.

  “I can feel the gradients on my wheels. This is one tough piece of railroad,” Roger told Ben, “But I can do this.”

  “I got some hot sand for traction just in case, also, there was dew on the rails this morning,” Mr. Hutton told the old Porter, “So far you’re doing great.”

  “Thanks,” Roger smiled.

  After running 10 miles, Roger and the train arrived at the end of the branch line, which oddly required the old Porter to operate on the streets, where the tracks connect to various industries. People from the small town of Lincoln were surprised to see the old Porter and his train, which hadn’t seen a different steam locomotive since the railroad was converted to diesel traction. Some of the locals took some photos, while some were taking film of the run. Roger blew his whistle as a way for people to get out of the way without using words.

  The end of the line was quite literally the end of the line, where a station is next to the tracks, though, the huge crowds of people came to see Roger and his train, it was an odd spectacle, despite not even hauling an excursion yet, many people and children came by to take some photos, and some passenger commented on how small and cute Roger is, though, it did slightly irk the engine.

  “Look at these crowds!” Roger commented as everyone took a good look at the saddletank.

  “Reminds me of back home,” laughed Mary, “We’re a star, I’m guessing they aren’t used to steam locomotives back on this branch.”

  “Or an engine that’s not Simon or Loon,” Taylor reminded, “These small communities aren’t used to steam engines that are not part of the railroad.”

  And she was right, a few people would want to get a good look at Roger, but with Mr. Hutton, his wife, and the volunteers having experience with large crowds of onlookers from back home, they had prepared for the trip, Mr. Hutton got out of the cab and held a megaphone, this was used back at the Roger Railway to announce last train rides before the day ends, but this was also good to deter crowds.

  “Calm yourself, people,” Mr. Hutton spoke through the megaphone, as the crowd slowly backed away, “I know Roger isn’t Simon or Loon, but he’s a visitor to your town and state, so I advised everyone to clear some space so our crew can work on Roger, okay?”

  The crowd nodded and slowly moved out of the way. The old Porter was thankful for Mr. Hutton’s help to deter the crowds, though most of them watched on as the volunteers, Mr Hutton and Lizzy, checked up on Roger.

  “Why is this train so tiny?” one little boy asks.

  “Even Simon is longer and bigger than him,” a little girl asks.

  “Don’t be rude!” a teenage girl scolds the two, “He’s adorable, like a tortoise, but faster.

  Roger could hear people talking about him, but it didn’t bother him since, in reality, all two-foot-gauge steam locomotives are tiny; even the largest one is dwarfed next to a large standard-gauge steam locomotive. Lizzy was giving Roger a nice clean work with a towel, giving the old saddletank extra love and attention. The locals of the small town gave the crew some food and drinks. It seems like the townspeople got the news of why the old Porter was visiting, and some put some money in Roger’s coal bunker.

  “I didn’t expect to get a huge crowd,” Roger chuckled a bit.

  “Because you’re a superstar locomotive,” Mr. Hutton joked, “Anyway, we need you to pull back the train, though, there isn’t a passing loop on this branch.”

  “There isn’t, sadly,” Wilbert told Mr. Hutton, “But there’s a wye at one of the industries' sidings, which can turn Roger and his train, though it requires going backwards.”

  “That’s fine,” Roger commented, “At least I don’t have to push the train backwards like this.”

  “Let’s take a commemorative group photo for memories,” Mr. Hutton suggested, to which everyone agreed.

  The volunteers, Mr. Hutton, and Lizzy gathered and posed in front of Roger, though Lizzy decided to sit on the old Porter’s cab roof, to which her husband decided to join her, with their sons on their laps, and the other volunteers posed in front of Roger. It was a memorable photo shoot. After the photo was taken, the volunteer disembarked and went back to the coaches, which Wilbert got back in Charlotte, since he has the eyes to help Roger, Mr. Hutton, and Lizzy when backing the train.

  After the crowd size got smaller, Roger blew his whistle and slowly left the end of the line, backwards, slowly, the old Porter was whistling multiple times to alert the crowds about him operating backwards, pretty sure Mr. Hutton’s arm was pretty tired after that. Wilbert saw the siding that leads to the industrial railway, where the train crosses the points, before stopping, letting the workman switch the points, which Roger moved slowly onto the industrial line.

  Roger moved slowly as the crowd of folks followed the train. The old saddletank wasn’t going fast; he was moving at a snail's pace, hoping that no one would accidentally get hit by him. They reached the wye, or triangle, as Mr. Hutton calls it. Roger moved quickly through the points, moving forward in an opposite direction, then, after passing the first points, the old Porter moved slowly back through the other points, which completes wyeing the train. Roger was facing a different direction, ready to head back to the yard.

  Roger operated quickly out of the Loon Branch, since going the opposite way, this was much faster, though the old Porter made sure to be careful not to overexert himself, but with going downgrade, it was like a person down a hill, exhilarating. By the time Roger reached the entrance of the Loon Branch and the yard that connected to the branch, it was the afternoon, while the sun wouldn’t be setting until around 4-5, a chance of a night run is high.

  The yard is still the same, with nothing changed, but after a quick rest, servicing, and a check-up, Roger and his train left the yard back to the engine yard. This test run so far has been wonderful, and the old Porter is excited to operate an excursion on these rails, and a chance to see Anabel, which the old saddletank reminded himself of why they’re here in the first place, though Roger cursed himself for almost forgetting their mission.

  Roger left the yard and made track speed. They wanted to arrive at the shed’s location before sundown, though, like the cow on the line, things could happen any second now, which the old Porter expects. He blew his whistle as the glow of the evening loomed in the distance, though despite the cow on the line, the whole experience had been great for Roger, and maybe in future operations, the old Porter could revisit the line.

  “There’s the shed!” Roger cried out happily.

  The send was in the distance, but the old Porter and his crew could see it, knowing the plan, the old saddletank started to slow down, since they were going on a different trackage, and knowing that Wilbert knew the ins and outs of the line. After slowing and halting to a stop, Wilbert got out of the Charlotte and switched the points so Roger could go on to the other track. He slowly went on, making sure not to move fast, and there was the shed.

  It was old, but in good condition.

  “Well, this could be it,” Roger huffed quietly.

  After stopping in front of the shed, Mr. Hutton, Lizzy, and Wilbert got out and walked towards the shed, with Wilbert holding the keys. He opened the shed door, and to their surprise, there was only one coach, only one, that’s all. Roger could see something inside the shed, but nothing, so after Mr. Hutton and Lizzy got back into his cab, the old Porter moved into the shed. There were webs inside, dust, it wasn’t a place to stay in if you have asthma problems.

  Roger coupled up with the coach, with a closer look, the old saddeltank could see that the coach had the same livery as Mary and her sisters, which got the old Porter excited.

  “Is it her?” Mary asks anxiously.

  “I think so,” Roger told her.

  “Well, let’s pull her out!” Taylor told the old Porter excitedly.

  Roger pulled the coach out of the shed. Luckily, there wasn’t anything attached to this coach, so after pulling the coach outside into the light, the old Porter, the coaches, and everyone were shocked.

  “Anabel?” Mary asks.

  A groan came from the coach.

  “Who is this? I was sleeping,” the female voice groaned.

  The points switched to another track next to the coach, the old saddle tank was quickly uncoupled, and Roger moved up so the coaches could see this coach, to which the sleepy combine car was surprised.

  “Mary? Charlotte? Taylor? Is that you?” the coach asks.

  “Yes, sis,” Mary could feel tears in her eyes, “It’s us!”

  The three coaches cried out in tears of happiness that their sister was found, which made Roger’s boiler feel nice and warm. After confirming that the coach was Anabel, the volunteers worked around the coach, and to their surprise, she was actually in good condition, though how good is another question.

  “Despite being in this shed for a long time, she seems in good condition,” Mr. Hutton told Roger and the coaches.

  “But the main question is how long she was in this shed?” Lizzy curiously asks.

  “From my knowledge by digging through papers, she was only taken out for inspection; surprisingly, she got an overhaul in 1939,” Wilbert answered the question, “She never left this area other than inspection, maintenance, and overhaul.”

  “That is weird,” Roger said as he looked at Anabel, “But the good thing is she’s safe. Now we need to bring her back to Starlight Yard.”

  “But can she be pulled on the mainline?” Mary asked Mr. Hutton, to which he nodded.

  “Despite being last overhauled in 1939, she’s good enough to travel with Roger,” Ben told the coach, “But we’ll be careful, knowing that she hasn’t fully been used for who knows how long.”

  “I have lots of stories to tell,” Anabel said to the others, “But most of the time it’s in this shed.”

  “When’s the last time you were actually used for service?” Mary asks her sister.

  “After the war ended,” Anabel told Mary.

  Silence came, but knowing that they have to take Anabel back, after discussing plans with the volunteers and Roger with the coaches, they have a plan. The old saddletank moved back, and went back onto the same line as Anabel, coupled up to her, pulled her back over the points, which she switched to the other track, and he pushed the coach to the other track. Then Roger backed onto the mainline, which the train slowly passed her, luckily, since this siding is also a passing loop. After passing the other points, Wilbert switched the points, and Roger backed the whole train to Anabel, making this a four-passenger coach train.

  “There we go!” Roger smiled.

  “Now this is a full heritage train,” Mr. Hutton smiled.

  “Looking good, sweetheart!” Lizzy commented.

  “We need a photograph of this for memories,” Wilbert suggested, to which everyone agreed.

  Another roll of film was used to take this photo, next to Anabel, another accomplishment for the Roger Railway Preservation Society, and with another coach to help with the growing passenger numbers for the tourist season coming up. After taking the photo, Roger slowly left the passing loop siding and onto the mainline. This day has been a very good day for the old Porter.

  After finding Anabel and getting her out of her shed, Roger and the train left the area onto the mainline back to the yard. It was a busy day, but a happy day for the old Porter. With Anabel on the train now, it’s four coaches; Roger is excited for the new future that Anabel is going to have. Despite her appearance, she was in good condition, which makes it easy for the overhaul to go smoothly, though, since her last run in 1945, after the war, Roger has wondered if she can still carry passengers in her condition, though. Doing something like this is hugely risky, not just for the passengers, but for Anabel as well.

  It was getting dark, which was expected since they had discovered Anabel, which ate up time, but knowing what they were here for originally, the railroad officials and Eustis probably wouldn’t mind. The glow of the evening was beautiful, which was something Roger had always seen whenever the service ended at around 5. Though with daylight savings coming up, the railway last year experimented with adding additional service till 7:00 pm. So far, Anabel hadn’t had issues during the mainline run, which made Roger and the sisters sigh with relief.

  Arriving back at the yard was a quiet event, thankfully, but with the fourth coach seen on the train, it’s safe to assume that the railroad workers were happy with the recent discovery. Though in the crowd was Eustis Franklin, the antisocial man who is willing to help the Preservation Society on their mission, after stopping near the engine shed, Eustis came up to Mr. Hutton, grabbed his hand, and shook it.

  “Now, she’s back home,” He simply said, to which Mr. Hutton smiled and nodded.

  “Thank you,” Mr. Hutton smiled.

  Eustis nodded and left the area, now with Anabel safely back at her original home. It was a tiring day of mainline running, but Roger was happy nevertheless.

  “The plans for the field trip excursion will start on Friday, and Saturday will be the public excursion,” Mr. Hutton told Roger after he was turned on the wye at the yard, “Anabel will be evaluated to see how much work she needs to be restored or overhauled, but for her and the passengers' safety, no chances of her carrying passengers.”

  “You read my mind,” Roger grinned.

  “I could see that hopeful face anytime something good happened,” Mr. Hutton told the old Porter, “But, I think we both need some shut eye after all this, at least it’s Tuesday, so a few days rest is needed.”

  “I agree,” Roger smiled.

  April 17th, 1953

  After the test run, Roger and the coaches were delighted to have a few days of rest before the field trip excursion. Anabel was evaluated, which took a whole day, before Mr. Hutton announced that the restoration had started now, and she would be completed for this year’s New Year’s event, which was an exciting but daunting project. In fact, despite her dusty, worn-out look, she’s in better condition than most narrow-gauge rolling stock.

  The news spread of the coach’s rescue, and Roger’s mainline test run made it to the local papers and the folks at Train Magazine, which garnered a few new fans who had never visited the railway, which made the office’s telephone of the Boston Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society quite busy. Many of the volunteers who traveled from Pennsylvania came and helped prepare for the excursions. This gives the main volunteers a bit of a rest while getting the important work done. Anabel left the Simon Hill Railway for good, leaving on Thursday, and she’ll be back to her true home.

  Roger was quite happy with the outcome, with Anabel now getting restored to operating condition; it was a grand reunion that made everyone happy, though the job isn’t finished yet, but the excitement of this new project would encourage volunteers to join and help, which some from the New Hampshire area have already started. It was morning, and now the old Porter was simmering outside with his coaches. It was the field trip excursion, sponsored by the local elementary school that Mr. Hutton’s sister in law works at; this was the first mainline excursion that was operated by the old Porter, and he was excited.

  “Oh boy, I can’t wait,” Roger grinned excitedly. His coaches were looking smart as well.

  “I know, it’s been a while since we saw Julie,” Mary commented.

  “It has,” Roger agreed.

  Julie is Lizzy’s younger sister by 4 years. She visited the railway last year during her start as a teacher during the first anniversary event. Living in different states means it’s hard for her to visit her older sister, whom she missed at the first Christmas party of the preserved railway. Julie has talked to Ben about arranging a field trip to the railway, though timing is hard, and today was the day after weeks of planning and fundraising, which Lizzy also secretly donated to as well.

  “She is quite excited to meet you again, Roger,” Mr. Hutton smiled, “She was quite excited about the excursion, so she chipped in her own money as part of the donation.”

  “This is about to be an exciting run,” Taylor grinned.

  It was 7:00, and everyone from the engine and the coaches was excited for the excursion, as the volunteers were servicing the old Porter. A school bus came into the yard half an hour later, and Roger could see that the students had arrived. From his personal experience from back home, it’s usually elementary school students since the young children get exposed to the world of steam locomotives. The bus door opened, and a crowd of students came up; luckily, a few chaperons came out to gather the excited students, then came a woman who looked like a split image of Lizzy, it was Julie.

  “Ben! Sis!” She cried out!

  Julie came over and hugged Ben and her older sister. A reunion like that is always sweet, and with the summer getting closer and closer, the younger sister is always excited to hit the beach after her school season is over. Like her older sister, she has a striking beauty and an athletic, slim body that’s like a Pennsylvania S1.

  “You look wonderful, sweetheart,” Lizzy commented, “I’m guessing that diet is working for you.”

  “Yep,” She grinned, “No science or anything like that, just simple lunch and dinners, and the good thing is that I can still have my desserts.”

  The three giggled. While the three were catching up, the children were excited to see Roger; some were treated to a little cab tour, and some rang the old Porter’s bell. When Julie turned around and saw the old saddletank, she grinned.

  “Roger,” Julie said happily and came up to the old Porter.

  “How are you doing, Julie?” Roger asks the teacher.

  “Same as usual, but two more months until the school season ends,” She grinned at the old Porter, “It’s nice to treat the students with an excursion haul by yours truly."

  “It’s something I like to do, haul trains with happy passengers,” Roger smiled at the teacher, “Being on the mainline is something different.”

  “Are you thinking of doing this again?” Julie asks.

  “Depends on whether Ben and Lizzy could secure a host railroad,” Roger answered Julie, “But if they can’t, it’s no worry, I like my little railway and the Pennsylvania nature.”

  After the students were given a small tour of Roger and his coaches, it was time for the excursion. The children got into separate groups as they went into different coaches. After they were in and seated, Julie and the chaperones made sure that every student was in a seat and in attendance. The bus left the yard so they could pick up the children for the return trip to school. After a final check-up, Roger and his train were ready to leave.

  After blowing his whistle, Roger moved slowly onto the mainline, with clear blue skies, an old friend returning home, and a prospect of a new chapter of the old Porter’s preservation career; he was happy to experience all.

  May 15th 2021

  “I always loved that story of the many times you tell us,” Robert smiled after Roger told his story to a group of new volunteers of the Roger Club.

  “I’m still surprised that Anabel's restoration took only a few months,” Skylark leaned out of Roger’s cab, “5-6 months of restoration work, she must be in good condition.”

  “It is a feat,” Roger smiled, though he had a question, “What are you doing here, Skylark? This is your usual weekend off?”

  “Training some new volunteers since the old one is on maternity leave,” Skylark told the old Porter, “I already racked up over 500 volunteer hours anyway, so this wouldn’t hurt a bit.”

  “How do you feel about taking Roger to Japan?” Elizabeth asks the blonde engine driver.

  “It is something,” Skylark admitted to the Garratt locomotive, “Though with Samuel's and Roger’s stories of Japanese rail enthusiasts sponsoring excursions on the railway, this wouldn’t be too surprising if plans were made before the virus.”

  “We still have a couple of years,” Roger assured his blonde engine driver, “So we don’t have to worry about the travel until a year or two, also, just to remind you about the Volunteer Appreciation Special tomorrow.”

  Skylark blushed and looked away.

  “You forgot, didn’t you?” Roger asks Skylark.

  “I admit, I was busy,” She told the old Porter, “I was working on getting ready for my summer vacation with Moony and my friends, but I did have the reminder on my phone.”

  “At least it wouldn’t be like what happened last year,” Roger reminded Skylark, “Thank god that Esmee could operate both as engineer and fireman.”

  “Well, at least you’ll be pulling the train for this special year,” Robert reminded the old Porter.

  “Yeah, 70 years, has it been that long?” Roger chuckled a bit, “It’s going to be a wild year.”

  “Also, a reminder of your trip to the Hutton Steam Company,” Skylark reminded the old Porter, with a wink in her eye.

  “Touche,” Roger laughed.