Discovery

Discovery is the first chapter of the book, How it all began.

Knoxville, Tennessee K&A yard, September 30th, 1992.
3 children were sitting on a hill near the old railroad yard in the city of Knoxville, Tennessee. One of the children, a little girl no older than 12 and with hair which was as red as a rose, looked over to the railroad yard and sighed as she looked at the old railroad yard nearby. "Now isn't this a beautiful overlook" she said. Another child, a girl who had very dark purple hair and tan skin, looked over to her best friend and asked why. "Because not only is this spot good enough to have picnics and look at the clouds, it's also near my house and close to the railroad yard" the redheaded girl said as she looked over to the railroad yard where its track where filled to the brim with boxcars, flat cars, tank cars, hoppers, stock cars, Gondolas, auto-rackers, and many other kinds of railroad equipment to could find. The children also looked over to the middle of the yard and saw the old roundhouse, the building had seen better days, now it served as a storage era. It just stood there, old and eerie. The third child, a boy whose belly was big as a spare tire, sat up and also looked at the railroad yard. "I remember my dad telling me that the railroad used to have a Steam Program" he said. The girl with the very dark purple hair looked at him. "What's a Steam Program?" "It's a program hosted by the railroad whenever they used to run steam trains for excursion runs. I remember one big steam locomotive called-" Suddenly, the children noticed something. A small line of locomotives which consisted of a small fleet of steam locomotives and a few diesels, roll into the yard with a few freight cars and coaches, and some other railroad equipment. "That's odd, I wonder what's goin' down there?" the red haired girl asked. At that very moment, the red haired girl's dog, picked up a scent and began to chase after a squirrel. "Roscoe! Get back here!" shouted the Red Haired girl as she and her friends got up and went after the old Bloodhound.

They chased after the old dog to the bottom of the hill, across the railroad tracks, nearly getting hit by a passing diesel switcher who shouted a remark which they didn't hear, and continued to follow the dog into the old railroad yard. When they finally got the old Bloodhound who was tiring from chasing the little varmint, the trio found themselves near the old roundhouse. The boy whistled in amazement "Dang!" said the boy, "this place is huge!" "Yep" said the Red Haired Girl as she held onto her dog's collar, "My grandpa and my dad used to work on this very railroad. They used to work on a big steam locomotive, daddy was the fireman, grandpa was the engineer". "Whatever happened to the trains that used to work here?" asked the other girl. "I dunno" said the Redheaded girl. "I'm afraid they've all gone, but I'm planning them a comeback", said a voice. The children turned a man in a light blue shirt with red tie, brown khaki pants, with matching blazers, black shoes, thick brown hair complete with mustache and sideburns, and a brown fedora. "Hello honey, surprised to see ya here. I don't recall invitin' ya down here". "Oh, uhhh Hi dad. We...we can explain". "Don't worry honey", said her father, "I saw everything, even when you nearly got hit by Marcus the diesel switcher. Try to be more careful next time. Your mother would have a fit if she found out you were pancaked by a train". "Yes sir", said the red headed girl, "So what's goin' on here daddy?" The girl's father was about to explain when he heard a holler from a yard worker. "I'll tell you later, I've got some business to take care of, why don't you and your friends look around. You might find something interesting". With that, the red haired girl's father turned on his heel and left.

"What was your dad talkin' about?" asked the boy. "I dunno", said the red haired girl, "It must be something important, after all, he is the president of the railroad". Then at that very moment, the dog, who was well rested, saw a raccoon at the end of the turntable and then began to chase it. "Not again!" shouted the redheaded girl as she and her friends went after him again, "Get back here you crazy dog!". The raccoon scurried into a small hole in a roundhouse stall door and the bloodhound soon crawled through the hole after the critter. However, the red haired girl and her friends couldn't get through. "DAGGUMIT!" shouted the red haired girl, "Roscoe! Get back here right now!" The girl tried her best to squeeze under the door, but to no avail. "Well that's knackered then. Now how am I gonna get that crazy mutt, he'll probably hurt himself in there!" "It's alright, hon" said a voice, "This ol' dog is fine". "Really? Then I'll just find a way in an- HOLD ON! W-W-W-Who said that?". "Just find the door and you'll see kiddo".

The red haired girl and her friends soon found a door near the end of the roundhouse. It was boarded up so the boy used all his strength (and his spare tire) to break it down. The trio then walked inside. It was dark, dusty, and there were lots of cobwebs. "Sheesh, haven't you ever heard of Spring Cleanin'?" asked the tan skinned girl with the purple hair. "Well that's kinda tough considering that I don't have arms and hands. Not to mentions fingers" said the voice. The children were confused "Huh? What're you taking about?" "Just flip the switch and turn on the lights and you'll know" said the voice. The red haired girl found the light switch on the wall and with the flip of the switch, the lights came on. The children gasped at what they saw. Inside the old roundhouse where lots of old railroad equipment such as a few cabooses, a boom crane, a rotary snow plow and a few boxcars, but the most interesting of all was that, there in front of them, was an old steam locomotive. He was big and had huge driving wheels. He had 2 small wheels in the front, 8 big driving wheels in the middle, and 2 small wheels in the back which were holding the weight of his firebox. The old locomotive was a little bit rusty, was covered in dust, spider webs, birds nests, and some raccoons had even made their home in his cab. His face was also covered in wrinkles and his mustache had haired from a light to a darkish grey verity, which made him look like he had aged for quite a while.

The old steam locomotive smiled. "Hello there" he said kindly, "My name is Old Smokey, but people 'round these parts used t' call me 'Smokey' fer short. What's yer names?". "My name is Katy" said the red haired girl, "And these are my friends Avery and Luke". "Katy? As in Katy Hartford?" "Uh why yes." "Ah, you must be Lucas' kid. L'il Katy Hartford! It's been so long child." "You know my dad? Scratch that, you know me?!" "Sure do. Yer papa was my fireman during' the old days and your granddaddy was my engineer" said Smokey, "Heck, they introduced me to you when you was an itty bitty l'il thing, I hadn't seen ya since you were only 2 years old." "Hold on....Smokey! Of course! Now I remember. Grandpa and dad told me stories about you!" Katy said, "You were the first locomotive bought by the Knoxville & Asheville Railroad!" "Heh, Aw shucks, it was nothing' really." "Say Smokey? Why are you here, alone in this old roundhouse?" "Well kiddo, that's a bit of a long story" said Smokey, "Care to listen?" The trio nodded. "Alright then, better find a comfy place, this could take a while" Smokey said as he began his story. "It all began when I was first built..."

I was built by Baldwin Locomotive Works on April 3rd, 1905 for the Knoxville & Asheville Railroad Company. Not only I was the first engine bought new by the line, but I was also the prototype locomotive for the Southern Railroad's Ms class 2-8-2s. I ran the line for many many years hauling freight, passengers, mail, coal, iron ore, livestock, and many other things. I also had several friends on the railroad. Many locomotives have came and went, but I outlasted them all. I survived it all, World War 1, prohibition, the depression, WW2, the dieselization era, the Missile Crisis of '62, the Oil Crisis of the 70s', the works. Alias, my days working on the railroad couldn't go on forever. In 1960, the railroad was losing money and to get the customers attention, the board of directors pressured Cornelius into a dieselization plan. They began to retire the other steam locomotives and replace them with newer diesel locomotives, however the K&A still kept me workin' and on August 29th, 1962, I was the last steam locomotive on the railroad. Not only that, I was also one of the last steam locomotives to run in full revenue service in the good ol' USA.

Around that time, Steam passenger excursions were beginning to become popular, so instead of putting me in storage, the railroad started up a new Steam Program so that me and many of the other fellow steamers would haul passenger excursion trains and sometimes help out on the line in case a diesel went down. There was a few times when I ventured out onto the mainline. Heh-heh I also remember the time you was born. Your daddy brought ya over to the railroad yard and showed ya to me. Good golly, you were such a small thing back then, and now look how big you've grown. Boy, those were the happy days.

However, the fun couldn't last for long. In 1982, the Southern was planning to merge with the Norfolk & Western to become the Norfolk Southern Corporation. The early 80's was a bad time fer the K&A, it sure was. During the railroad's dark era, I was sometimes used in revenue service when some of the other diesels were being sold off or scrapped. In August 1982, the maintanence costs of the steam program went so high, that the railroad had no choice but to shut down the program. The line's other steam locomotives were sold off to private collectors and museums, but no one wanted to buy me since I was too worn out. Your Grandpa who was the manager at the time didn't want to scrap me, so he told my crew to leave me in the roundhouse for storage. I've spent a decade in this old place, hoping that one day, I will return to steam and once again run on the mainline. And now thanks to my closest friend, that dream will come true.

"Your friend? Who's your friend?" asked Katy. "That would be Me" said another voice. Smokey and the kids turned to see Katy's father standing in the doorway. "Hi dad" said Katy. The man smiled back. "Hey Lucas" said Smokey, "What've you've been up to?" "Oh I'm fine. I see that you've met my daughter and her friends. I've come here to tell Katy the great news." "What is it?" "Yep. Tomorrow, an engine is coming to take you to the Sevier Yard where another train will take you to Chattanooga for your restoration." "Restoration?" asked Katy. "That's right sweetheart. I've made so much money over the years and I've decided to re-commission the Knoxville & Asheville Railroad's Steam Program, not only for excursions, but as a heaven for antique locomotives, steam and diesel alike. Where they can also pull revenue freight trains!" "That's great dad!", said Katy as she turned to Smokey. "Didja hear that Smokey!? You're being restored, you'll run on the rails again! You'll see!" Smokey smiled the biggest smile he made in 10 years as Lucas began to leave to make the arrangements. Katy and her friends followed.

"Hey dad, is it okay if me n' my friends had a little sleepover here in the roundhouse to keep Smokey company" asked Katy. Lucas can see the smiles on their faces and smiled. "Aw heck, why not?" he said with a smile, "Just be sure you tell your mother". So it was arranged. Katy got her supplies from the house and headed down to the roundhouse. Avery and Luke also asked their parents and they said yes. That night, the pre-teen trio cooked their dinner of chicken and boiled eggs in the ash pit next to Smokey. Then after dinner they told stories. Smokey also joined in on the fun.

"Did you ever feel lonely while you were cooped up in here?", asked Katy. "Sometimes, but luckily, your dear ol' pa and your grandfather visit me from time to time," said Smokey, "Plus I have Derreck and Snowy here to talk to". "Who're Derreck and Snowy?" asked Avery. "That would be us", said a booming voice. The trio turned to see an old railroad derreck crane and a steam powered rotary snowplow in the stalls across from Smokey. Both of them had a megaphone sticking out of their windows. "As you can see here young'uns", the old boom crane said as his megaphone bounced up and down", Smokey here don't feel lonely whenever he talks to us". "Wait! Megaphone's can't talk! That's im-" "Oh ho no no no darlin'", chuckled the rotary snowplow, "We're not megaphones. We're just steam engines talking through the megaphones". "Oh I see", said Katy. "We used t' get that reaction all th' time when we used o be in service", said Derreck, "We don't see much action nowadays either". "Why not?" asked Luke. "Well sonny, as you can see", said he old derreck crane, "I'm a steam powered derreck crane. Hence my name. Nowadays, railroad's use them new fangled diesel cranes so I was placed in storage in case if a diesel crane breaks down". "And I'm only needed for clearin' snow off of the track", said Snowy, "So most of the year, I'm stabled in here. Heh-heh, we don't know much on what's happenin' outside most o' th' time so me, Snowy n' Smokey here usually talk about the old days". Smokey smiled. "I remember the good ol' days when I roamed the rails" he said, "It was a grand era, back in the days when steam locomotives used to rule the railroads. Our line served several railroads" "Which ones?" asked Katy.

"Well there was the Southern Railroad, the Louisville & Nashville, the Seaboard Air Line, the Atlantic Coast Line, and the Clinchfield. We knew a lot of steam locomotives and diesels on all of those railroads. We had a lot of locomotives on our line too, both steam and diesel alike". "What were their names?" asked Avery. "Well there was Louis, my best friend, he was the express passenger engine on the K&A. He pulled the 'Smoky Mountain Limited' our most famed express train. There was Teresa, she was a mixed traffic locomotive. There was Tom, Dick, and Harry, the 'Chattanooga Triplets' we called them because they worked as station pilots at Chattanooga for the Southern Railroad before being sold to the K&A. There was Cooper, he was me and Paul's little brother. I was the oldest, Paul was the middle, and Cooper was the youngest. Although we did have some siblings that were younger than him. He arrived on the line to avoid being scrapped by the Southern".

Then there was Rufus. He was mostly seen pulling the mail train from here to Asheville n' back. And there were also diesels on the line, my two favorite ones were Rose, Marcus, and Mikey. Rose was a freight diesel built by the Electro Motive Division in 1949. Mikey was a former Army diesel switcher who the Army sold to us in '46. n' Finally there was Marcus, he was the youngest, he was a diesel switcher and worked in this very yard shirting freight cars around. Also there was Simon, another freight diesel from ALCo. He was kind of like a nerd, but we liked him all the same. He was the same way, thank goodness. Not all diesels were kind to their elders".

"Were there any other locomotives?" asked Luke. Smokey then started to yawn. "Tell you what kid" Smokey yawned, "I'll you guys more stories another time. I'm startin' to feel a bit tuckered out". The pre-teen trio then climbed into their sleeping bags and drifted off to sleep. Smokey also drifted off and smiled, knowing that he will soon be back in operation.

Characters

 * Katy Hartford (debut)
 * Luke Walkerson (debut)
 * Avery (debut)
 * Old Smokey (debut)
 * Derrek and Snowy (debut)
 * Lucas Hartford (debut)
 * Louis (debut and does not speak)
 * Teresa (debut and does not speak)
 * Tom, Dick and Harry (debut and do not speak)
 * Cooper (debut and does not speak)
 * Rufus (debut and does not speak)
 * Rose, Marcus and Mikey (debut and do not speak)
 * Enos Hartford (not named and mentioned)
 * Virginia Pike (not named and mentioned)

Trivia

 * This is the first chapter of How it all began.
 * The events of this chapter takes place in the autumn of September 30th 1992.
 * Katy Hartford was the first character to speak.