#you're keeping this locomotive in.... motion

[wanderingcas]

title: paradigm

pairing: dean/cas

tags: apocalypse au, angst w/ a happy ending, slow burn, h/c

CHAPTER 3

The roadside motel, barely one star on a good day pre-apocalypse, stands in the gloom and rain like a shimmering oasis. The lodge style, with each room having its own entrance and therefore just one door to barricade, makes for the perfect quick escape.

And, better yet: the vending machine outside the abandoned check-in office is full and waiting to be purged.

Both Dean and Cas wordlessly complete their tasks: Dean locks the windows and draws the curtains while Cas shatters the vending machine’s glass with the butt of his shotgun. Dean waits until Cas is through the door with an armful of snacks before settling the heavy dresser against it.

Dean whistles in appreciation as Cas dumps the contents of the vending machine on the table: chips, candy, mints, mini energy shots. Everything a starving man in the middle of the apocalypse could want. “Geez, Cas. How’d you know about this place?”

Cas shrugs, settling himself on the faded pink flower comforter of the only bed in the room. “I saw this motel when I was coming into town. I assumed it had a vending machine of some sort.”

Dean shakes out his wet hair, droplets flying every which way. “Yeah, but a full one?”

“It was a lucky guess.”

Keep Reading on ao3

taglist!

@looney888 @themininthemoon @gyokujyn @pissy-lissy @queerdeancas @plutoisaplanetfightmebro @bloodydeanwinchester @raggednorth @jamesverusaum @lavenderleahy @nsilvers-personal-treasury @babygirlstiel @supernatural-case @cyncity @reasonsweweresinging @rayraywillis @shallowseeker @there-are-no-gods-here @thembo-cowboy @friendofcarlotta @dochollidayed @markofcastiel @staticcas @kalia-taylorsversion @saturny27 @ravensofthewood @tired-crow64 @deweys-posts @happyhappygirl @mishasmokingrass

[rottenpumpkin13]

ACGSZ (as kids) board the Polar Express. What happens?

Sephiroth:

First time outside the lab. Clutching his standard, white lab pajamas like a security blanket.

He takes a seat and keeps looking around the train with suspicion, "The physics of this locomotive are impossible. Also, why is no one concerned about a strange man collecting children at night?"

Refuses the hot chocolate at first because "Professor Hojo warned me about sugar and foreign substances." Ends up trying it out of peer pressure and immediately falls in love. His eyes widen at the first sip—it's his first taste of chocolate.

Tells the other kids he never got presents, not even for his birthday. Genesis looks horrified.

Accidentally ends up on the roof and has a philosophical conversation with the hobo about the meaning of life.

Genesis:

Bounces onto the train in festive red pajamas and a little robe, all big smiles and boundless energy. He's missing one front tooth and can't stop grinning because his mom isn't here to worry about appearances and tell him to close his mouth.

He gulped down his hot chocolate eagerly, then began theorizing how he could replicate the recipe. "I bet it has nutmeg! Angeal, do you think it has nutmeg?"

"Genesis, sit down," Angeal groans, tugging him back into his seat for the third time.

Gets into a heated debate with the conductor about the train being a metaphor for "the journey of life."

Is a walking mini dictionary/ encyclopedia combo, is eager to tell everyone all about the fun facts he knows, and tells other children stories.

Horrified to learn Sephiroth doesn't believe in Santa. Spends the rest of the ride trying to convince him and tells him all about how Christmas is magical.

Angeal:

Only here because Genesis dragged him along. Begrudgingly sits down but ends up lecturing the other kids about train safety. "Hold the rail, Genesis. Don't hang your head out the window, Zack. Cloud, are you feeling okay? You're looking pale."

Keeps pulling Genesis back into his seat, which becomes a full-time job.

Lowkey guilty about enjoying the hot chocolate because his parents don't get to try it. "They'd love this." Feels even guiltier when he accepts a second cup.

Tries to help the staff maintain order, which the conductor finds both helpful and annoying. The conductor repeatedly tells him to "take a break, kid."

Gets emotional over the broken toys in the back of the train.

Zack:

Becomes best friends with every kid on the train in under five minutes. "What's your name? That's a cool name! Wanna play a game? What's your favorite Christmas carol?"

Organizes a "Guess That Christmas Carol" competition. Ends up singing too loudly, which makes Sephiroth laugh for the first time.

"GUYS, WE'RE ON ICE! WHY ARE WE DRIFTING? THIS IS AWESOME!"

Convinces the conductor to let him touch the controls and to drive the train.

Cloud:

Cloud is the last child to board, running through the snow with his little scarf trailing behind him. He almost missed the train, but the other four pulled the emergency brake.

Shyly accepts Zack's excited ushering and sits in the corner. Gets motion sick almost immediately.

Slowly warms up to the group, tells them he doesn't receive much presents because his mother can't afford them, Sephiroth nods in solidarity and the two bond over their lukewarm feelings about Christmas.

Tries the hot chocolate but drinks it too slowly and it gets cold. Zack swaps cups with him. In fact, Zack has made it his mission to make sure Cloud has the best time ever.

At the North Pole

When Santa arrives, Sephiroth is picked to receive the first gift. Everyone else cheers, while Sephiroth looks very out of place.

Santa asks him what he wants. Sephiroth thinks of asking for his mother back but pauses. He looks at Genesis excitedly ranting about Santa, Angeal trying to stop Zack from terrorizing an elf, and Cloud shyly smiling and giving him a thumbs up.

"I… I want our paths to cross again someday," he says instead, looking at his newfound friends.

Santa smiles knowingly. "Consider it done."

None of them remember the night when they wake up. But when they meet again years later, it feels like fate.

[trainsinanime]

ASF!

That's not a short key smash, but my newest model railroad locomotive. Well, sort of.

ASF stands for "Akkuschleppfahrzeug", "Battery tractor vehicle". More than 500 of these little guys were built in the GDR as shunting tools between 1966 and 1990, both for the railroads there and industry, plus quite a few got sold to other eastern bloc countries (in particular Poland) as well. Nowadays they've spread around more, with some even appearing in Italy and Sweden.

The ASF is designed to push and pull single rail cars or sometimes entire locomotives within workshops and industrial sites, a job that it has been doing well for decades now. The diminutive size (about 3 meters long, wide and tall) means it'll fit anywhere, and in places where daily journeys are often measured in hundreds of meters at most, its 6 kilometres per hour top speed (4 mph) is not really an issue.

Technically, it's not a locomotive but a "device", which means it's subject to far less strict requirements for maintenance and for operator training. With all of that, it should be no surprise that it will never be seen on the mainline; even shunting in stations is an extreme rarity. The job is more to pull something into or out of a workshop. Modern devices for that are typically all remote controlled, but plenty of places also just use an old ASF.

And now it's also available in N scale. And it's just incomprehensibly tiny.

This is produced by Arnold, a brand name of Hornby's, and it actually came with DCC preinstalled. It's adorable and I love it.

But how does it run? Actually way better than you'd think.

The loop of track is a "JokeTrack", hand-made from Japan, that I want to use for something eventually one of these days. As you can see, minimum radius is not really a concern for this locomotive.

Two axles really close together and almost no weight means that electricity pickup isn't great; it'll basically only run on freshly cleaned tracks. But it's way better than it has any right to be, since the decoder comes with two relatively beefy buffer capacitors that are stored in the top of the cab. Still, it's really great at finding whatever particles you have on your tracks and stopping for them.

The top with factory decoder settings is really, really low. Probably exactly the 6 km/h walking pace translated to 1:160 scale. I may bump that up, because realism is one thing, but it takes forever to get anywhere.

The weird hooks are the end are what Arnold has given it instead of normal N scale couplings. They look horrible against a white background, but visually disappear entirely once you're on the actual layout.

If you don't like them, purely decorative replacements that look like the original weird coupler thingies are included in the tiny box. I suppose you could install one of them on one end, and have the other end to haul a car if you want. For me that's too much planning.

Speaking of, it can haul more cars than you'd think in a straight line, but once you get to a curve, it quickly drops down to just one, if at all (also heavily dependent on the car). Sadly the tiny coreless motor in it can and will stall at times, which can damage it if you keep it going for too long, so it's better to keep an eye on it while in motion.

There is no sound, the only function is the marker light. Historically locomotives engaged in shunting were supposed to only turn on the right headlight in every direction as a marker. Nowadays mainline locomotives will turn on all three lights on both ends while shunting, but the ASF was built before that, and since all it can do is shunt, it just received the marker light. F0 turns it on in the direction travel, F1 turns on the opposite end.

Anyway, a really great fun little toy that makes me happy whenever I see it, because it just looks so goofy, and it runs way better than it has any right to.

[fantasy-anatomy-analyst]

I've an anthro tiger character who can walk/run/etc both bipedal and quadrupedal. Within the scope of the story he also becomes an amputee - so now hes missing his entire left arm and his right leg up to the knee. I've figured out that bipedally he mostly uses a crutch. but is there anything i can do for him that'll still let him scamper around? I've not been able to find reference for animals missing limbs in a similar configuration.

alright this one was fun. mobile aids for non-human bodies can be tricky, but it's cool and important!

the first step of course is making sure you can keep a character design relatively consistent in both a bipedal and quadrupedal stance.

(image description: simplified sketches of a feline character standing on all fours as well as upright on two legs. their left arm and right leg have also been colored over in red to note that these limbs are missing. there is also a note on the image stating that the arms and legs should be roughly the same length. end description)

keeping the limbs similar in length is important for quadrupedal motion, if you want the spine to be kinda parallel to the ground. otherwise, you get sloped backs which are not the best for smooth motion. but the more important part of this ask is the matter of mobility aids for a character that moves between bipedal and quadrupedal motion! so let's talk about that.

for one thing, if your character is not using a leg prosthetic, they'll need two crutches when they walk upright. one crutch is helpful when you have two legs but one of them is weaker, and in that case you'd use the crutch on the strong side, actually.

I previously reblogged a post about proper cane usage, but it can apply to crutches as well! and from what I've seen, the crutches that have a forearm brace are the most popular for comfort and ease of use. your character happens to be missing an entire arm on the same side he would be using a cane or crutch if he had a leg prosthetic on. so that does make things tricky. alternatively, he could use a leg prosthetic and not bother with a cane or crutch. but! you don't have to do that. you can still give him crutches, leave his right leg without a prosthetic, and even give him a versatile prosthetic for upright and quadrupedal motion!

conveniently, cats are well documented to manage just fine with three legs, whether they are missing a back leg or a front leg! there's even at least one cat out there missing both front legs and doing fine! so, your tiger fella really only needs one prosthetic to do both kinds of locomotion, I think. here's what I've got:

telescopic/collapsible arm prosthetic-crutch-combo and a collapsible or folding forearm crutch that can be carried on a belt when not in use.

(image description: the same feline character sketched upright and on all "fours", this time with added mobility aids. the notes on this sketch say "one leg, no prosthetic, requires two crutches. cats get along fine with three legs." the mobility aids drawn on the character include a folding forearm crutch and an arm prosthetic strapped to the left shoulder that can be extended into a tall crutch for walking upright. end description.)

play around with it until you're satisfied! if you just want a leg prosthetic instead, no crutches, then I think he could use the exact same prosthetic both upright and on all "fours" without the use of an arm prosthetic.

(image description the feline character again, this time showing a simple leg prosthetic that attaches at the knee, has a small thick piece bending slightly back, and then a longer straight rod ending in a foot pad. end description.)

you'll have to adjust the exact proportions and design to better match your character, of course, but these are the options i thought could work for your idea. I hope that's helpful and gives you more ideas for how you want to draw him! good luck!

[antiquatedsimmer]

As the women engaged in pleasant conversation in the parlor, Eddy and Daniel made their way out of the kitchen through the side door, embarking on a leisurely stroll across the sprawling expanse of the property.

Eddy's eyes widened with intrigue as he absorbed the news. "Well, I'll be damned! A full-fledged Railsystem right here in Henford? "

Daniel, standing tall with a rugged demeanor, nodded with a sense of authority. "Yep," he replied, his voice resonating with confidence. "It's going to be a grand undertaking, my friend. We're still in the early stages, mind you. We're busy mapping out potential routes and acquiring the necessary parts to ensure the steam train functions flawlessly."

"It's going to be a grand undertaking, my friend. We're still in the early stages, mind you. We're busy mapping out potential routes and acquiring the necessary parts to ensure the steam train functions flawlessly."

Eddy turned his head towards Daniel, "Do you happen to know why they decided to begin construction through Henford? It seems rather distant, and the community is very close-knit. "

"We're nearing the end of our Western Expanse, Edward," Daniel said with a tinge of melancholy in his voice. "The days of the wild west are fading away, giving rise to a more civilized era. "

Daniel's countenance shifted to one of resolve as he spoke, "Out here in Henford, my friend, we witness the seeds of a promising future. The vast expanse of land holds great potential for a blossoming community. There's ample room for the construction of factories, bustling businesses, and stately homes. The men I've had the privilege of working with, esteemed businessmen who helm locomotive companies, are fervently seeking to establish extensive trade routes connecting cities near and far."

Eddy squinted his eyes, using his hand as a makeshift visor to shield them from the piercing sun. "You know my sentiments 'bout them overconfident industrialists. Them fancy men with their top hats and deep pockets, struttin' 'round like they own the world, noses high up in the air."

"Seems to me, this is nothin' but a bunch of wealthy folks gone mad, chasin' after more gold. They wanna tear up this land in Henford, disruptin' the natural order of things. Ain't sound thinkin', if you ask me."

"Ya know, Daniel, I've witnessed it all before," Eddy remarked, "These grand plans of progress, tearin' up the land, buildin' tracks, and hopin' that shiny locomotive keeps chuggin' along. But what happens when that contraption breaks down? You're stranded, dependin' on a hunk of metal rather than a trusty horse."

He paused for a moment, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "A good horse, now that's somethin' reliable.

"These young folks today, they're all caught up in this newfangled technology. " he scoffed

Daniel turned to Eddy his voice carrying a hint of amusement. "Well, Edward, I must say I didn't expect you to be such a skeptic. But hear me out." He motioned towards the vast horizon, his hand gracefully sweeping across the landscape. "This train system, it's not just about the fancy inventions and speed. It's about progress, about opening up new avenues for hardworking folks like yourself."

Eddy let out a hearty laugh, his voice tinged with a hint of skepticism. "Well, I reckon I'll believe it when my eyes behold it, Daniel."

[whumpster-fire]

A couple notes:

Like there's been some experimental nuclear reactors that don't use water, they use molten salt. But steam keeps getting used for a lot of reasons, primarily:

Molten salt reactors, as well as molten metal cooled reactors, still boil water in most designs. They work on the same principle as a Pressurized Water Reactor: the primary coolant moves heat from the fuel to the secondary coolant while remaining in liquid form, the secondary coolant is water that boils and spins a turbine. In pressurized water reactors the primary coolant is water that's kept at such high pressure it doesn't boil, which has the disadvantage of the reactor pressure vessel needing to be extremely high pressure. Molten metals or salts as primary coolant can remain liquid at temperatures hot enough to serve as the heat source for a steam turbine with little or no pressure. Molten salt fuel also has some potential advantages but again isn't the main working fluid. Some designs may use a gas turbine instead of a steam turbine, using either air or a closed loop of some other gas such as helium.

There are some other advantages steam turbines have that aren't listed.

Heat engines are pretty efficient, actually. They're less efficient than electric motors or fuel cells, but if you want to turn energy from a form that's not already either electricity or a really convenient chemical form that you probably had to manufacture into motion or electricity, a well-designed heat engine tends to be much more efficient than trying to convert heat or light directly into electricity. They're more efficient than most solar panels (around 20% efficient IIRC) and WAY more efficient than thermoelectric generators (<10% efficient IIRC). The reason we use solar panels instead of solar thermal turbines, and RTGs instead of nuclear reactors, on spacecraft is because they have few or no moving parts and/or because they work at small scales.

Heat engines become more efficient the higher temperature the working fluid reaches in the "hot" part of the cycle (and the colder it gets in the cold part of the cycle, but this tends to be limited by the ambient temperature). Gas turbines can reach a higher efficiency than a steam turbine, but only with very high temperatures: steam turbines can still reach pretty good efficiency at relatively low temperature. This is great because while superheated steam is not exactly a benign substance, a turbine that works at, say, 300 degrees celsius is a lot easier to make work from a materials science perspective than one that works at 900 degrees celsius. Not only do materials lose strength at high temperatures but metals under continuous load at high temperature can gradually deform and fail through a process called Creep, and gas turbine blades may need to be manufactured as single crystals, use exotic alloys with ceramic coatings, and so on to have a practical service life. Gas turbines are very high-tech, expensive pieces of equipment.

With that said, the most efficient heat engines usually have multiple stages, cooling the exhaust of one stage with the working fluid of the other. E.g. combined cycle power plants that use the still very hot exhaust from a gas turbine to boil water for a steam turbine. So far I think all of these are chemical-fueled but there are some designs for nuclear ones being considered IIRC. These can reach thermal efficiencies of more than 60%!

Steam turbines can use an arbitrary fuel source, including solid fuels, because you're not trying to run whatever goddawful exhaust it produces through your high precision turbine blades. Gas turbines generally require liquid or gaseous fuels. Union Pacific experimented with making a coal-fired gas turbine locomotive, which was promptly retired because it didn't work. Solid-fueled gas turbines can sort of be done by burning wood gas or coal gas given off by the fuel as it's heated, and amateurs have made "engines" like this using surplus turbocharges (AFAIK none of these produce usable mechanical output power: the turbine just forces more air into the combustion chamber to burn fuel as fast as possible), but that's an extra step and I'm guessing there's a reason coal-fired power plants have continued to use steam turbines.

Internal combustion engine generators: no need to boil water if you're a car engine: just spin the generator instead of wheels! (fun fact: some Electric vehicles have ICE range extension: they're built like an EV, but they have a small gasoline engine included, but it's not connected to the wheels; it just generates power to recharge the batteries)

Additional fun fact: nearly all diesel locomotives work this way, just without the batteries part. Trains need to produce full torque at zero or near zero wheelspeed, and it's impractical to do this with anything but a low-speed switcher/shunter with a purely mechanical powertrain. Diesel-hydraulic transmissions use a torque converter which lets the engine's mechanical advantage effectively change as it "slips" and moves faster than the output shaft IIRC, but these were still pretty much phased out.

nuclear power is impressive until you get up to why. "we use the most precisely engineered machinery ever created to split atoms to release energy" oh yeah how come? "boil water to turn a fan" get the fuck out

[kaneinstitute]

All Aboard the Adventure: Exploring Iron Horse Park in Airdrie, Alberta

Iron Horse Park offers visitors a chance to travel back in time—to a golden era when steam engines ruled the rails and trains were the kings of transportation. This isn’t your ordinary city park. It’s a place where childhood dreams, historical fascination, and engineering wonder collide. At Iron Horse Park, miniature locomotives pull smiling passengers through tunnels and across trestles, bringing the magic of the rails to life for people of all ages.

More than just a ride or a weekend outing, Iron Horse Park stands as a symbol of Canadian heritage, community spirit, and hands-on learning. Whether you're a train enthusiast, a curious tourist, or a family looking for a fun and affordable day out, Iron Horse Park is a must-visit destination that delivers charm, history, and excitement with every chug of the engine.

A Miniature Railway with a Mighty Impact

The highlight of Iron Horse Park is undoubtedly its 1/8th scale miniature railway, a fully functioning railroad operated by the Alberta Model Engineering Society (AMES). This group of dedicated volunteers and rail enthusiasts have spent decades building and maintaining a railway experience that mirrors the journey from Airdrie to Vancouver, complete with mountain vistas, tunnels, bridges, and authentic railroad sounds.

Riders hop aboard small but surprisingly powerful locomotives that pull open-air passenger cars. The approximately 1.6-kilometer loop takes you through carefully designed landscapes, from prairies to mountain passes, all created with incredible attention to detail. It’s a 15-minute ride that feels like you’ve traveled much farther—especially in the eyes of the children whose imaginations take them on grand adventures.

Whether it’s your first visit or your fiftieth, the excitement of that first whistle blow and the rhythmic motion of the train never gets old.

A Park for All Ages

While children are undoubtedly enchanted by the train ride, Iron Horse Park offers an experience that resonates with visitors of all ages. For adults, it’s a nostalgic trip that rekindles memories of old steam trains or past travels across Canada. For teens and young adults interested in mechanics, engineering, or modeling, the park is a fascinating display of craftsmanship, precision, and problem-solving.

Many of the locomotives and cars on display have been handcrafted by AMES members, some of whom spend years perfecting each model. These aren’t toys—they’re complex machines built to scale, powered by steam, gasoline, or electricity, and engineered with impressive accuracy.

For visitors curious about the trains, members are always happy to chat, explain the engineering behind the engines, or even give a glimpse into the workshop area where the magic happens.

The Alberta Model Engineering Society: Passion in Motion

Iron Horse Park wouldn't be what it is without the dedication of the Alberta Model Engineering Society. This non-profit organization, founded in 1971, is made up of volunteers who are passionate about trains, engines, and educating the public about Canada's rail history.

AMES members maintain the park’s infrastructure, build new tracks and trains, and keep everything running smoothly. Their love for the craft is infectious, and it’s clear from their interactions with visitors that they’re just as excited to share the experience as people are to enjoy it.

If you find yourself inspired, the society is always open to new members—whether you’re an engineer, a hobbyist, or someone who just loves trains.

Education on the Rails

Iron Horse Park is more than just entertainment; it’s also an educational tool that introduces children and adults alike to the fascinating world of engineering and transportation.

Many school groups and youth organizations visit the park to learn about:

Railroad history in Canada

Steam and diesel engine mechanics

Track design and safety

The importance of rail in national development

It’s a chance to experience history hands-on, rather than through a textbook. Plus, it can be a gateway into STEM learning—many kids leave Iron Horse Park dreaming of becoming engineers, conductors, or mechanics.

Events and Seasonal Fun

Throughout the year, Iron Horse Park hosts a variety of special events that draw crowds from Airdrie and beyond. From summer family fun days to holiday-themed train rides, these events add an extra layer of magic to an already captivating experience.

Popular events include:

Canada Day Celebrations

Engineer for a Day, where kids can wear conductor hats and learn how trains work

Pumpkin Train in October

Christmas-themed rides, complete with lights, cocoa, and Santa visits

These events often sell out quickly, so it's a good idea to check the park’s website or social media for updates and ticket availability.

Practical Information for Visitors

Iron Horse Park typically operates on Sundays and holiday Mondays from May through October, with special events outside of that range. Admission is free, and train rides are offered at an affordable cost—just a few dollars per person. Proceeds go back into park maintenance and future improvements.

The park is located at: 820 Railway Gate SW, Airdrie, Alberta

Amenities include:

Free parking

Picnic tables and grassy areas

Restroom facilities

Gift shop (seasonal)

It’s a great spot to bring a picnic, spend a few hours, and take in the scenic views and happy faces.

A Local Treasure Worth Celebrating

In a world where digital distractions often take center stage, Iron Horse Park offers something refreshingly different—a space where mechanical ingenuity, imagination, and community come together. It’s a park built not just from steel and wood, but from passion, teamwork, and a shared love for Canada’s rail legacy.

For locals, it’s a point of pride. For visitors, it’s a hidden gem waiting to be discovered. Whether you’re five or seventy-five, the thrill of hearing the whistle blow, feeling the gentle lurch of the train, and watching the landscape roll by is something that sticks with you.

So next time you’re near Airdrie, make a stop at Iron Horse Park. Hop on the train, tip your conductor’s cap, and enjoy the ride.

[allthemusic]

Week ending: 21st December

I was just saying we got no Christmas songs this year, and look what happened. Better late than never, I guess? Though, with Christmas songs like this, maybe best not to count your chickens before they hatch...

Poetry in Motion - Johnny Tillotson (peaked at Number 1)

Before we get to the Christmas novelties, though, this. The first thing I thought, honestly, was that wow, this is some pure rock and roll sleaziness. The whole thing's just a shot of concentrated thirst, after all, as Johnny sings about how when I see my baby / What do I see? I don't know, Johnny, what do you see? Poetry in motion, apparently. You see, her lovely locomotion / Keeps my eyes open wide. She's like poetry, see her gentle sway / A wave out on the ocean / Could never move that way. Translation? He's watching her butt as she walks, and damn, that girl's butt is fine.

That said, there is something pretty wholesome to it, in a way you don't always see in more modern songs - it's not just about Johnny ogling his girlfriend, you know? He's trying, in his own way, to affirm her, you get the sense, hence the lines about how there's nothing I would change, and how she doesn't need improvement / She's much too nice to rearrange . You could imagine that she maybe has some self-image issues, but Johnny loves her just as she is, and is keen to tell her - along with the rest of the world! And even if that's not the backstory you're meant to read into this, there's also something pretty cute in the lines about how much he loves to see her dancing - not because she's hot, this time, but because she's dancing alongside him, a flower of devotion / For all the world to see.

And on top of some genuinely cute lyrics, just the most 1950s / early 1960s accompaniment, lots of whoah-oh-oh-oh doo-wop touches, some lovely, lazy saxophone accompaniment, rifle-sharp drumming and of course, that hammering piano beat. The players, here, are some top-level talent, too, with Boots Randolph on sax and Floyd Cramer on piano. I've not gone too far into looking at session musicians, in the rest of this project, but both of them are names I've seen on other tracks, and Floyd Cramer's about to hit the charts in his own right. Them - and the bass player, one Floyd Chance - are rightly seen as legends in the industry, and part of the so-called "Nashville A-Team", a loose grouping of players who appeared accompanying everyone from Elvis to Bob Dylan. They typically came from a country music background, but as you can hear here, they ended up playing all sorts of stuff, including a lot of huge rock and roll and rockabilly tracks, and they really make this track. Not that Johnny doesn't have a clean-cut charm of his own, either, but there's just a lot going on here, beyond just what he's bringing - and it's all pretty great, so kudos to the producers and audio engineers, I guess?'

Lonely Pup (In a Christmas Shop) - Adam Faith (4)

Meanwhile, what to do with this? I feel like the obvious point of comparison is Tommy Steele's Little White Bull, from the previous year, as a cute, Christmassy bit of fluff. Except at least that song had the dubious honour of coming from a film. This one, as far as I can see, didn't - somebody just thought that hey, we could sell a song about a dog in a pet shop at Christmas, waiting for an owner. And clearly it worked, because this got to Number 4, but still. It feels flimsy, emotionally manipulative and just kind of twee.

The other obvious point of comparison, 1952's How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?, at least had the thing going on where the singer's man is going away, and she wants a pet who can keep him safe, in a fun flip of the typical gender-roles. This, meanwhile, is a "please buy a dog" song at its most "route A", in its most basic, uninteresting form. I mean, soft brown eyes that seem to say, / Stay a while, I want to play? Lines asking Mister Santa, if you would / Send him someone, oh so good? Lines straight out telling the listener, pity him, he's got no pop? Urgh. I've already told you, I'm not buying a dog!

Musically, it's definitely Adam Faith, lots of strummy guitar and background strings. We've added some jingling sounds and xylophone, to make it more Christmassy, though, and we've oomphed the strings up to almost Mantovani levels of drippy excess. Plus, there's the children's choir. Because of course there's a children's choir. There are very few songs that actually benefit from the addition of a children's choir (off the top of my head, I can only think of One More Brick in the Wall) and this is no exception to the rule. Not wholly unlistenable, but definitely not something I'm going to be seeking out. Apparently all this was orchestrated and managed by John Barry, of all people, who I really thought would have more taste, but there you go. Merry Christmas, I guess.

And thus 1960 rolls to an end, with a song that sounds, to my ears, very 1950s. This isn't a huge shock, as it usually does take a while for a decade to "find its feet", as it were. It'd be weirder if the 1960s arrived fully formed, honestly - especially when so many of the artists involved, especially session musicians, stayed the same. The names on the singles change, sure, but at the end of the day, half these songs feature the same 20 or 30 people on most of the instruments you're hearing - and the other half are trying to sound like the first half, with avrying degrees of success. Or they're singing about lonely dogs in a Christmas shop. You know, as you do.

Favourite song of the bunch: Poetry in Motion

[tactful-kind-daedra]

With her demonstration given, Daedra let her own fingers slip away, her heels coming down back to the floor. She was right in the process of sitting down again, when the train gave a bump as it slowed down, hitting a small split in the rails. Daedra's bottom hit the seat a bit harder than intended, making her squeak a bit in surprise. When she turned back to Emmet and Ingo, so just caught sight of the lighter clad brother doing a strange stretch, while the darker coated man was more verbally direct.

Daedra's cheeks flushed a light shade of pink as she chuckled, rather sheepish from the mild reprimand. "Oops~ I'm sorry! I normally always keep to the lower rails," the redhead explained. "If I have to, I usually hold onto one of my friends' arms if I can't reach one! They're much taller than me so they can grab on easily." It was usually a funny sight to see, but when it was the only available option, it's what one had to do! It was Unovan policy to be adaptable!

Unlike Daedra, Pendra had no trouble with balance on the moving train. With an extra set of legs and a decent weight, it was hard to topple her normally, but as a Scolipede, she was naturally built for excellent equilibrium keeping. Being able to coil into a ball and spin about as she like, of course~ So while her middle and head occasionally bounced and moved to follow the motion of the locomotion, her legs always kept solid and firm; great for withstanding annoying ground moves!

The larger bug was more than happy to forget the uninteresting people hangy rings, opting to watch as Galvantula had her chance to move about.

Pendra would have made zip-zoop noise(zipper) for you! But, it was not that--oh well~ You have good legs now! Pendra dooted-- Very springy! Do you run fast? Pendra is very fast; it's fun to be fast! Yess!! But you're fuzzy- like peoples! Is it fun to be fuzzy? Pendra is smooth, but can be round instead! It's a very good bug shape! Yes-Yes!!

Daedra was happily watching the two bug Pokemon 'converse', pleased to see Pendra enjoying herself. She was glad to see the Scolipede make a friend, but that was pretty easy for her~ The train car steadily slowed to a halt, lurching the car forward as the breaks too -- oh, the first stop~ "Remember, Pendra, if someone comes on and Mr. Emmet says; we have to move out of the way," she reminded, similar to a mother reminding their child to come from playing.

Pendra gave out a small noise in acknowledgement, letting Daedra turn her focus back to Emmet. "I do," she declared with a smile. "I also have a Lucario named Lulu! She was my first Pokemon; as a Riolu. She's gotten to ride the subway a number of times already though! She used to be able to fit in a bag easily!"

... There had been one more, but Daedra supposed he wasn't her Pokemon anymore, technically. So she kept that to herself. Daedra gave little hint of such a thing, though, and merely smiled.

"I may only have two on me, but Pendra and Lulu have always been more than enough~"

Emmet was grinning to her as she congratulated them again, "sure is, Emmet's sure of it!" After all, how could it not be true after all their hard work finally paid off! Thankfully no one entered the car yet during the celebration time so he could fully give his attention to congratulating his beloved Pokemon and it not get cut off by work. Sure, he would miss being able to carry her in his pocket or under his hat but he was sure she'd want piggy back rides like his old Galvantula had as well. Good thing he was used to toting larger Pokemon around... Aside from his beloved Durant. Poor thing was just too heavy.

For her own part, Galvantula was scuttling about, seemingly trying to get used to her size. She was very very verrrry happy but it was still a lot to process now that she was done getting pets. She was of course being watched by both Emmet and Ingo to ensure she didn't accidentally get into trouble but she was a good girl who knew train etiquette. Though she pauses her adventures when she notices that Pendra has taken notice of the hand holds hanging from the top railing. She made curious little clicks and chirps while watching Pendra before she made happy buzzes when the Scolipede succeeded in grabbing one!

Ingo watched in confusion as Pendra tried to tug upon the handhold until Daedra said zipper. While still wondering why the dear bug Pokemon was seemingly excited to open a zipper but couldn't help but smile at the display. At least, he thought he was smiling. It was more just a lessened display of his perma-frown but regardless, he watched with concern as Daedra tried to show that it was in fact a handhold. He watched carefully to ensure that the petite woman wouldn't accidentally lose balance and poised to catch if she did, almost deciding to take it upon himself to demonstrate when she finally managed to just barely hold it. "While I'm glad you managed to do so perhaps next time you can let one of us show this off? I would hate to have seen you lose balance during that." After all, the pair were just over 6 feet tall.

Emmet too had been watching Daedra, likewise ready to step in and catch her should the poor woman lose her balance. However unlike Ingo he had no qualms about getting up to demonstrate, half-way up when she did make it. He then adjusted it to look like he was grabbing it to stand up and stretch, yup, totally natural thing to do. Though he did nod in agreement with Ingo's statement and then braces himself with one hand and uses his other to carefully help her brace as the train bing bongs and slows for it's first scheduled stop to let anyone that didn't get far into far into the challenge off.

"Oh! Emmet didn't realize we were so close to the first stop! Normally it's after this stop that we start to get challengers so please be prepared." The lighter clad twin couldn't help but grin in excitement at the idea that there might be a challengers this time. The train spends a few minutes at the stop before it bing bongs to show it would be going again and does so. Emmet remains standing while holding the handhold after the train starts moving, apparently just wanting to stand now. "So Daedra, do you have any other Pokemon partners?"

[gabbythegoosequeen]

I'm not going to pretend to be an engineer, so take what i'm about to say with a grain of "maybe she's talking nonesense"

You could design a more effective way to transform the motion with 2 gears (like a steam locomotive) but you would need one extra perpendicular axle, and you would need to offset the piston. Which depending on what you're trying to achieve might not fit in your space constraints.

But an issue with this compact system would be wear. The central piece moving like a lever has 3 different bearings, on which you apply non rotation forces. So they need to be designed to withstand those lateral forces. The rotating axle is also cut in half to fit this "lever", weakening it. This means that, especially if this is meant to run for long periods of time, you need to carefully build these parts to make them as durable as possible. And/or make maintenance of these parts easy. And let's not talk about the vibrations this thing would cause if it goes fast...

Non rotation forces being applied also means that the system creates a lot of resistance, which implies two things : 1- i hope your piston provides enough thrust to move that thing at all. 2- you NEED inertia in the axle to keep it going, otherwise, like you said in your previous tags

It WILL get stuck.

So that's an edge case system to use when you can't fit a simpler, more durable gear system.

ROTARY_PISTON