Words and Actions

"Words and Actions" is a story written by Loco123456.

Story
James was feeling cheerful; he had been washed to perfection, his fire was burning nicely, and he'd be pulling a passenger train. It'd been a good week and a half since he'd pulled one. "Better get my coaches to the platform before I get there," he called to Charlie as he took on water. "You can shunt your own coaches! I don't do things for others." "You can start now; or else just let the passengers get cross." Charlie glared at James as he left to find some coaches suitable for James' journey. At last he was speeding along the Main Line. He was pulling a stopping train, which meant that he stopped at every station. He also got right-of-way at signals. "Looks like another unimportant engine and it's train waits for me to pass through," he boasted to anyone he saw in passing loops. After he'd finished his journey he was ordered to oull another goods train. "At least it's an express goods train," said James' driver, trying to cheer him up. "Rubbish! How can a goods train be called an express?" "Goods trains can also be labelled as express if it's important or slow goods, if, er- it's not needed immediately." James' crew were wishing that they hadn't explained express goods trains to James. When they arrived at Tidmouth Harbor he was boasting to the others. "Come on, come on! I need my tender filled with water! Pulling an express goods train, more important than any of your trains!" The engines werer cross. "We won't let you cut through the line!" they exclaimed. But James did; the second his tank was filled he got a big shunt from the next engine behind him. Now James' mood changed. "Get my goods train coupled up to me at once!" he ordered. "You can fetch it youorself!" said Rosie firmly. James decided not to; he just stayed put. Soon the Harbor Master arrived. "You're late! Because of your bad behavior, you can go and help tidy up Tidmouth Sheds!" James puffed angrily away.

If James had thought his day was going horribly wrong, you should have seen Molly. She was going down the Main Line with furniture for the furniture stores at Kellsthorpe Road. She was doing her work during the grouped trains, which were the fast express passenger and goods. She got switched into four passing loops. Each engine that raced by had nothing but nasty words to say. "Only good for mixed traffic work!" called Gordon. "Useless engine!" added Spencer. "It's not fair. It's not fair," she puffed sadly into Kellsthorpe Road yard. "I know it isn't, but we're doing a fine job. Once these flatbeds and vans are uncoupled we'll be able to deliver the coal trucks to Tidmouth Sheds. Speaking of which, you need a boiler washout. For now though, don't let those words get the better of you." This was easier said than done. She raced through green signals before reaching Tidmouth Sheds. James was already there. "Shunt your own trucks, you horrid lemon on wheels," he hissed rudely. Molly raced backwards and didn't realize that the points were switched. Her trucks smashed through the buffers. "I'm very sorry," she said sadly. "Never mind Molly, we'll clean it up," sighed thw workmen. Molly's crew took her to the sheds. "You better think of how you'll do better. You can't run away from others; it only makes things worse."

Once the derailment had been cleaned up James continued to angrily help clean the ash pits. "Why can't Harvey do this job?" "You were assigned the job James," said Harvey as he shunted the coal trucks into another siding for him. James' paintwork was soon filthy. "I need a hosedown." "You won't get one until you've completed all of your jobs," said a cleaner sternly. "Now, we need your help. In a fewe hours Molly's boiler will be cooled down to use a steam hose to blow out the ash after we run a rod through the pipes, but the steam sprayer is broken. Plesae collect a new one." "And we need paint to repair the shed doors," complained the workmen. "A boiler washout is more important than the doors!" Soon the men were arguing over the matter, causing the Shed Foreman to arrive. "James shall collect both the steam sprayer and the paint from the Harbor." James puffed away, and soon returned. "There wasn't a steam sprayer available. It won't arrive until Wednesday." "But we need it today. Tell you what, we'll use your steam." "I'm not helping out a useless engine like Molly; she's only good for pulling slow goods and empty stock trains." Molly could feel the urge to run away, but she knew she couldn't. "I'm actually very useful," said Molly, trying to have courage. "And you're not going to control my emotions. I'm proud even if I'm pulling empty stock." James had had enough. As a workman came closer to him to attach the hose he began to back away. "James, go forward," demanded his driver. James fought against his driver's controls. Outside the workmen were repairing the turntable. It wasn't set for James' line. "STOP!" shouted the workmen and they blew their whistles. James didn't listen until it was too late. The Tidmouth Breakdown Train had to come to his rescue, and it was pulled by none other than CHarlie. "You look more like a rusty red lump of scrap iron," he teased. "Serves you right!" The rescue operation was difficult, but they were able to rescue him. Then the turntable was cleaned up from the spilled coal from James' tender. Charlie helped him to the coal hopper, where he got fresh coal, and left for the Steamworks. When he returned he found himself in the sheds for a long time, and when he returned to work he was more careful about what he said or did because he knows that words and actions are more powerful than he'll ever be.