Thomas was a little blue tank engine that lived on the Island of
Selkirk. His job was to haul goods on the 300 mile east-west main
line to Buffalo. Thomas liked this asssignment because he could go
fast on the double track line, and because he got more coal than the
other engines that went shorter distances. One day, Sir Toppam Hat
(the rotund Road Foreman) Came to Thomas and said "I need you to take
a train on the River Line. The other engines refuse to go!" "A trip
on another line WOULD be a pleasant adventure", Thomas thought to
himself, before saying "I'll go!". Thomas wondered why the other
engines refused to go, but Sir Toppam Hat had left before he could
ask him.

As Thomas was coupling to his train, he overheard his drivers talking
about meadows, bays and gardens. "What a lovely place me must be
going to!", Thomas said to himself. He soon started on his southward
journey, but soon came upon a yellow signal. "Oh Bother!",thought
Thomas as he was shunted into the siding to let other trains pass. As
thomsa was put into siding after siding, he could hear his driver
grumbling:"This is worse than when they painted that "Quality" logo
on the side of the engine!"

But the worst suprise was waiting for Thomas at the end of the line.
There were no gardens, islands or bays; only swamps, junkyards and
abandoned buildings. In order to put his train away, Thomas had to do
A LOT of shunting. He switched and shunted until his brakes were worn
and his buffers were sore. "We must be putting each car on a
different track!" Grumbled Thomas. Finally his guard and Driver
were "outlawed", and a jitney van came to take them away. But the
jitney van spoke a language Thomas had never heard before. Thomas was
left on a track between a fat rendering plant and a string of garbage
cars."Its enough to make you want to puke!", he moaned to himself.

After about 24 hours in the same spot, Thomas' drivers came back for
the trip home. Now Thomas had to do even more shunting to make up his
train than he did the day beofre, putting it away, but now he was too
tired and discouraged to complain. After many meet in many sidings,
Thomas was finally approaching home. "I'll never make THIS trip
again!", thought Thomas. When he arrived at the engine house for some
well needed rest, Sir Toppam Hat was waiting for him. "Thomas, you've
been bumped by Gordon, a much older engine from Buffalo!", he told
him."From now on you'll be working the River Line every day!" As
Thomas pulled into the roundhouse, he was very sad, indeed!

Courtesy "Tales From The River", #9

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