As both research for The Future is Still Silver and Black and just general enthusiasm for the subject, I ve become a collector of unique and interesting Museum of Science and Industry Chicago merchandise so I bought a trio of MSI View Master reels off eBay. Now I didn t have a View Master to look at them with, but since eBay now thought I had a deep and enduring love of vintage View Master reels,…
999 was feeling charitable this evening. That was what she told herself at least. The conversation she’d overheard on Christmas Day had left her with a disquieted feeling and after some cursory introspection, she’d decided it was merely residual Christmas spirit compelling her to do a good deed. Seeing Pioneer and Pilot finally finally together… 999 wouldn’t go so far as to say it was U-505’s…
You got a leak, 2903 said, holding the can of Sunkist out to Mate. Mate sniffled and wiped his nose off on his sleeve. They re looking into it, he said and took the offered can. He didn t open it though. He just held it in both hands while 2903 helped himself to the space next to him and cracked open his own can. So how dya like Pioneer? 2903 asked, getting right to the point. He s wonderful, Mate…
Diesel didn’t much like working in the shunting yard these days. Half the sidings had sad steam engines sitting idle in them. They made him uncomfortable with their long faces and longing looks. When he rolled by to arrange his trucks, they would try to talk to him and ask about the goings on at the station. “I can’t sit around here with you,” he’d say snidely. “I have work to do.” He did have…
2903 wasn t sure what possessed him to accompany U-505 up to the roof. On any other night, he would have suspected a trick or trap of some sort. Not that he thought U-505 would actually do anything to him no one wanted to make trouble for the museum but there was no reason why U-505 should want to invite him to the roof and it would be foolish not to be wary around an enemy. He didn t think U-505…
Clang! Duck winced as the rock flew up past his face and struck his funnel at an angle. This wasn t an altogether unusual occurrence, except this was the first time he felt cool air whistle through to the inside afterwards. Oh dear, he said. That didn t sound good, said his Driver. It doesn t feel good, admitted Duck. We ll take a look at it once we get back to the Shed. Duck hoped it wasn t…
The rest of the mountain engines teased Lord Harry all night for coming off the rails and jamming the points. “Old Harry,” chuckled Culdee, “can stand on the points twice as fast as any of the rest of us.” “And he does it in perfect safety!” added Wilfred. “In fact, the whole line is perfectly safe if no one else can move on it either.” None of them thought it was funny when they came back from…
Duke had been surrounded by fitters and people from the Railway Board all morning. He was tired of being inside. “My pistons are stiff,” he groused. “I’ve seen enough of the indoors for a lifetime. I want to feel the sun on my running boards.” “We can let you into the Yard,” agreed his Driver. “But you’ll have to stay put while we finish the safety checks. Can’t have you breaking down tomorrow on…
“Diesel told me the silliest story today while I was helping him get his trucks back in order,” said Percy. He backed into the Shed next to Edward. “It was about you,” Percy told him. “Really?” said Edward. “Why are you listening to Diesel about anything?” scoffed Henry. “Because,” said Percy, “Diesel lies and his stories are funny when you know that. Like today, he said that Edward told this…
"Your steam engines are splendid," said the Duchess of Boxford. "Don't ya like them?" asked Sir Topham Hatt. "I do. That's why they don't make 'em anymore. They found out I like 'em. That's the way it is with everything. They find out I like it, they stop makin' it." --- "The winds be calm," said Salty sagely. "Well, if they're calm," said Cranky, "they're not really winds, are they?" Salty…