#Jobs in Railway

[muddyoveralls90]

[cerenemuxse]

my 2x5 ramble because of this post

"Even though you weren't the engine on the poster, you are still really useful." - Edward didn't have to tell him this, YET HE FUCKING DID. Other engines wouldn't DARE say anything because all they think is "This'll only rub his ego," but Edward doesn't. He sees the layers of complexity that make up James and addresses it so subtly. He KNOWS that somewhere within that vain red engine, James feels guilty for what happened and he's quick to express that.

Others would brush it off or take his apology and move on, but Edward doesn't. He "gives" James a space where the latter can also be satisfied with how he was able to make up for his mistakes.

And do you know where ELSE Edward says something of this degree, of this reassurance, to James?

"All in Vain"

"You do look splendid tonight, James!" - He didn't HAVE to tell him this. No one asked him to. James didn't even prompt something to say this. No one prompted Edward to say it.

Had Edward not said something, James wouldn't be in this spot. I've talked about this before but because its so important to these two, no matter the type of relationship they have, platonic or romantic. (To me, this is very much platonic but it provides a starting point for these two.)

Both of these instances come off as "See? Everything turned out okay! You're still a really useful engine!" (JtSB) and "Oh, everything turned out okay! This is great! I'm happy for you" (AiV) respectively. The tones are different but the intentions are the same. These compliments are hidden reassurances, and James understands them. He appreciates them.

I say that the tones are different because of previous context within both episodes, coming down to how James is able to make up for his mistakes.

"James the Second Best" - James was present and the one to ask for a chance to make up for his mistake.

"All in Vain" - James was not present when Edward told the Mayor and Sir Topham Hatt about James' predicament. He doesn't know how the conversation went down. He doesn't know what exactly was said. So when Sir Topham Hatt says, "But! Edward told me all about what happened," James looks reasonable frightened. And when James leaves to go to the works? Edward just... stares at James, as if he's rethinking whether or not telling Sir Topham Hatt about James' situation was such a good idea.

(His expression is hard to tell because of the shit quality. That's just what I'm able to make out.)

English translation is in the parenthesis. It's a direct translation.

CLIP 01

JAMES: Lo siento, senor... (I'm sorry, sir...)

SIR TOPHAM HATT: Pero- Edward me dijo todo lo que paso. (But- Edward told me all about what happened.)

CLIP 02

JAMES: Si, senor. Lo siento, senor. (Yes, sir. Sorry, sir.)

And here's the kicker: They're both unaware of what they're feeling respectively. James doesn't know that Edward meant well. It FEELS out of place but when you think about how often James was in a situation where he gets in trouble because others told on him, it makes sense.

In that SAME season, the same thing happens in Pouty James, where Sir Topham Hatt finds out about James' attitude towards others BECAUSE the other engines told him.

(And what if Edward was one of those engines? A bit of a stretch considering Edward was assigned James' passenger work, but its plausible. And again, James doesn't know who exactly told on him like we do, but unlike us, he has an idea of who it was, thinking they all had the same intention: getting him in trouble and reprimanded. Keep in mind, Edward's said nothing to James when the latter returned to the sheds, absolutely pissed off, when James was being made fun of, and the following morning, so its possible that this gave him the idea that Edward could possible be the same way as the others.)

Meanwhile, Edward left in a spot where he starts to wonder if telling Sir Topham Hatt about James' situation was such a good idea. He has good intentions, but now he wonders if James knows that. Sir Topham Hatt clearly does. The other engines might or might not. But what about James? What about him? When the other engines start laughing as James leaves and knowing how James takes in that sort of reaction, the way the problem was handled was now something Edward was beginning to regret.

Edward had good intentions. He didn't mean for James to get into trouble or be laughed at. Yes, the situation was silly but to James, it meant a lot. Being given the chance to transport an important passenger has always been something James enjoys, more than most other engines.

So for it to all go down hill over a small inconvenience is heartbreaking. Even after James tries to make up for the mistake, he has to wait to see if his "make up" did something. But when he gets his answer, its too late. Could he have let his thoughts consume him during the long hours of waiting for Sir Topham Hatt's reaction to the situation?

James is a character who will do what he can to make up for his mistakes, and that's something Edward wants James to know that is valued of him. Edward knows that the best he can do is to provide a space for James to be able to do so, or in this instance, agree to help out.

Final Note: Oddly enough, most of their (on-screen) interactions are in James-centric episodes/stories.

(RWS) James and the Top Hat

(RWS + TVS) Troublesome Trucks

(RWS + TVS) Trouble in the Shed

(TVS) James Goes Too Far

(TVS) Keeping Up with James (also Edward-centric)

(TVS) James the Second Best

(TVS) James Works It Out

(TVS) Tickled Pink (implied tho. this is what made me think about their interactions in the first place)

(TVS) James in the Dark

(TVS) All in Vain

(TVS) James and the Trouble with Trees

(TVS) Pouty James

(TVS Annual: 1985 + 1994) James' Rest Cure

Stories that aren't James-centric but are Edward-centric.

(RWS + TVS) Old Iron

(RWS + TVS) Edward's Exploit

(RWS + TVS) Edward and the Cabbages

(TVS) Edward the Great

(TVS) A Shed for Edward

There's episode I haven't added since its like- 1 second of interaction or not Edward or James centric. but here's a list anyways (i also need it for reference hsagjk)

(TVS) Edward the Really Useful Engine

(TVS) The Beast of Sodor

(TVS) Hero of the Rails

(TVS) Misty Island Rescue

(TVS) Journey Beyond Sodor

Thomas Noisy Book: Edward's Fire

there's definitely more that i haven't mentioned but these were just the main ones i could find and remember

(from here on out, this is my HC so feel free to just disregard)

this snippet is more HC heavy. for context: Edward wasn't exactly the best engine at the time of James' arrival. stuff happened that led to mistrust and tension between the two until 1931, when my version of "Pouty James" takes place, where Edward starts to understand James, and vice versa. Emily's also involved but she's not important rn.

The second time James took Edward to the works was after the events of "James the Second Best," which they talk about aomething thats bothered James. "Why exactly are we friends?" and "But we're so different." are what's been bothering James since Old Iron. James: "Does it not hurt?" Edward: "…Pardon?" James: "Does it not hurt when… What I've done?" Edward: "To think about… yes…, it does. I'd ask you the same thing." James: "You haven't hurt me-" Edward: "You know well I have, dear."

just something about this episode makes me think that it got James rethinking their relationship. Like, are they really friends? Considering how James is, I think he's the type where he needs the status of a relationship to be clarified but that's just me- :p

the following is my timeline

from 1925 to 1930, it was a rocky start.

1930 had a ton of stuff going on in general but basically:

James: "you're picking favorites!" Edward, in denial and a bad mental space because the last of his baby sisters was scrapped: "No im not!" (they're talking about Thomas. Edward is picking favorites but isn't picking up on it. He is struggling. James wishes Edward would've treated and cared for him the same way he does to Thomas.)

1931 is the first piston rod breaking incident where james is present

(1931) they began to understand each other (Pouty James rewrite) but aren't necessarily friends

(1952) Old Iron is what sets off the beginning of their friendship (or at least fixing it)

Keeping Up with James follows right after.

(1953) James the Second Best

(1962) Cold Iron is when James finds out Edward lied about Glynn. Also when edward reveals some of his pre-NWR history to him and Emily.

(1963) "He Squawks!" James discovers that Edward does in fact squawk. ("Haha, seagull," James.)

Edward fell first. All in Vain 1968 but realizes in "Like Snowflakes in December"

because of my HC, these two are in a limbo of sorts from "Pouty James" to "Old Iron." "Keeping Up with James" is an example of what their dynamic was after "Old Iron"

They start getting along but they haven't exactly defined that they're friends. it's a weird spot that neither addressed but they were both aware of it. "Old Iron" was just the spark that was needed to get the ball rolling for these two. "James the Second Best" gave them the chance to address it.

that's my two cents on these two surrounding "James the Second Best," but it turned into a convo about "All in Vain." Had i not thought about this episode, I don't think I would've noticed the similarities in my first point about the hidden reassurance thing.

[thegreatyin]

all that is standing between the scoundrel and their bat midwife era is exactly 3 more levels in watchful. they're about to get so intimately acquainted with their woesel

[the-dye-stained-socialite]

thinking about how elias went from learning how to take care of themself and exist as a person from the neath's servants, to becoming a paramount presence and London's Adored Regent in a few short years

[weirdowithaquill]

Traintober 2023: Day 24 - Odd Jobs

Rusty's Duties Have Always Been Odd Jobs:

Rusty’s duties have always been odd jobs.

It begins, as always, with Rusty being started up early in the morning by their driver, with Mr Hugh close behind. The little diesel is not the first out of the shed – that honour goes to Duke, who always pulls the first train of the day. Rusty quietly wonders if it’s so the others get some extra rest. Whatever the answer is, the heat from Duke’s boiler always warms the shed wonderfully, meaning the little diesel’s engine turns over on command, rather than coughing and spluttering in the cool of the early morning.

From there, Rusty’s first job every morning is to help Mr Hugh inspect the coaches and trucks in the yard. They check that they’re all in their proper places, that the brakes haven’t frozen solid (especially in the winter), that they’ve recently had their joints greased. It’s not a difficult task, nor is it a long one – but it’s enough to help Rusty wake up. The little diesel can’t drink coffee after all, so this has to suffice.

After the trucks and coaches have been checked, the pair inspect the points, and then Rusty is free to shunt trains until the track crew call.

The little diesel doesn’t always pull maintenance trains – it’s just not needed – but that’s alright. There are plenty of other jobs that need doing. Rusty’s roll on the railway – when the little diesel isn’t working on the track – is to act as the ‘relief’. This is a very important job. Whenever one of the other engines breaks down, has an accident, or is delayed, the ‘relief’ is called to cover for them. Rusty takes this job very seriously. It means that the little diesel has to be prepared at any moment to race up the line to help.

But Rusty loves the maintenance trains the most. These trains run up and down the line, and fix the track before there can be a problem. Rusty thinks there isn’t a job in the world more rewarding! Maintenance trains run most often in the autumn and spring – in the winter, it’s almost impossible to see the trackbed for the snow that coats it, and in the summer every engine is needed for the tourist trains. This leaves just the cold, wet month of November for maintenance trains in the autumn, and windy, wet March for maintenance trains in the spring.

Which was rather annoying, for the amount of rain that could fall and cause issues everywhere. Snow melted into torrents that threatened to wash away the line, but that never deterred Rusty. The little diesel dutifully trekked up and down the line, keeping their friends safe in their own way.

When not pulling maintenance trains or acting as the ‘relief’, Rusty could be found shunting trucks and coaches, or delivering coal to the villages in the mountains, or working the inclines. The little diesel did a million things in a day, and they wouldn’t have it any other way.

And as night fell, as the stars began to illuminate the night sky with their twinkling light, Rusty returns to the shed. The little diesel is not the first to return – Sir Handel came off the rails earlier after yet another argument with the coaches – and the little diesel is certainly not the last to return – Rheneas has the mail run – but everyone agrees that Rusty deserves a place in the shed beside Duke. Because in the morning, Duke will be the first engine to get up steam, with his boiler warming Rusty’s engine so the little diesel can do it all again, continuously doing the odd jobs behind the scenes to keep the Skarloey Railway running.

Back to Master Post

[yorickish]

reading theodore streleski's wiki page again

[mean-scarlet-deceiver]

Not one man on the ex-G.&.S.W. section was ever sat down to watch "Little and Often."

[jobskingdom]

what is On Site HR Administration???

[house-of-mirrors]

Echo Bazaar Publishing: NOW HIRING. Independent, family owned publishing house seeking passionate and driven employees for our creative team. We offer flexible hours, paid training, and a highly competitive benefits package. No degree or experience needed. Applications are being reviewed on a rolling basis. Urgently hiring. Click here to APPLY NOW.

In which the Bazaar is a modern publishing company. A tale of tragedy, triumph, and uncountable unethical and illegal business practices, told from the perspective of one of its board members.

This idea has been in my head for years. I interned at a publishing company recently and it was time to write this up and post this

[naurasweetarudesu]

The Centennials!

Art trade with @skarloeyspa . I drew their Skarloey and Rheneas because I love these two silly old men 🥹

I love how they made these two changes outfit that based on the eras where they get overhaul. Love the 1958's Loey and 1961's Neas because idk but I feel that kind of outfit gave classy but casual vibe.

Without background:

[very-evil-bubbles]

🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 GUESS WHAT MOTHER FUCKERS!!! 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉

https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/president-biden-announces-82-billion-new-grants-high-speed-rail-and-pipeline-projects

✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️😍😍✨️✨️✨️✨️

8 BILLION IN FUNDING FOR RAILWAY SYSTEMS

[thegreatyin]

the scoundrel has decided to cope with all of this Everything in the worst way possible (running away to sit at the hurlers until they stop feeling bad)

[stahl-tier]

I have a small but growing photo collection of Railway Vehicles With Names, which I take whenever I spot one at work. Some of them are "regular guests", others I only see seldomly and don't have the chance to take a photo.

[starryserenade]

Finally got a chance to get a good look at the queue of MMRR and now I’m crying thank you

[echoesaythglen]

It's been some time since I showed my face on this site. Let me show you who's new. You know Daniel, but now he's joined by Ivan, Idowu, Idihi and Imara. Then of course, there's Imani, Zuna and Rufaro. They're the Gwinyai family!