The Abandoned Island

Starting the Trip to Crovan's Gate

The following morning, Zeph would groan awake. Although she was excited to start fixing up the railway, she wasn't excited about wripping up the old rails and sleepers and replacing them. If she wanted to make any progress on them, she'd need to get back to Crovan's Gate and get the breakdown train and even Kevin to help her start replacing them.

With her thoughts in order, she sat up and got dressed, had some breakfast, and headed outside. She couldn't help but smile as she saw everyone still asleep. Well, everyone except Salty. She saw the Class 07 looking off at the horizon where the sun was rising. She walked over to him and smiled, "I'm guessing that is something you all miss."

Salty smiled, "Aye. I'm sure every engine misses it, and I am very happy to be able to see it and the ocean again. Thank you." Zeph smiled a bit, "Well we have a lot of work to do and will have a long trip ahead of us." The diesel looked puzzled at this. "A trip? what do ya mean by that?"

She chuckled and sighed, "We have to make our way to Crovan's Gate." Salty looked very surprised. "Why do we need to go so far?" Zeph turned and smiled in the direction of Crovan's Gate, thinking about the friends she had made a few years prior. "To fulfill a promise or two I made." She said with a warm smile. Salty saw the look in her eyes. One of missing people, but also that of adventure. He smiled and chuckled, "Then we better be off as soon as possible."

She shook her head and sighed, "It'll take us a day or two to get there, at least. I have to check every sleeper and rail from here to there and mark which ones need replaced immediately. We'll also have to take some trucks with us full of supplies... a lot of supplies. It will be a long journey, and I hope you are up for it." The diesel grinned at the girl, "Aye. I'm ready to get back to work, Ma'am."

She smiled and walked along the tracks and switched the points, allowing Salty to pull forward and get on the far inside track, then switching them back, allowed him to back up to the trucks on that line. She jogged over and made sure to oil them all again as they all started to groan and wake up from all the noise. She carefully reached in between the engine and cars and hook them together. "Ok, Salty, inch forward a little bit. They are probably very stiff like you were."

"Aye, can do." He let himself slowly ease forward. She watched the chain tighten, and then the first car groans as it begins to move. As they moved forward, Zeph would dart around, looking over the cars one after another. Checking them for hidden damage, oiling them again, and similiar stuff. When she was confident they were fit for service, she let Salty pull them all out. It was a line of three Seven Plank wagons and a boxcar, all of which were non-faceless. She walked beside the consist, to the points before changing them over and letting Salty back onto the line he started, in front of Cranky, Carly, and Big Mickey.

"Think you two can help me unload my ship?" Zeph asked up to Cranky and Carly. Both of them smile at the girl. "We'd be happy to help," Carly called down before rotating to face the barge. Cranky similarly turned and faced the ship itself. Zeph smiled and climbed aboard the ship and attached the ropes to one of the pallets of goods to Cranky's hook. She then climbed onto the special made barge and did the same to one of several bundles of rails. She watched as the cranes took it nice and slow, getting used to doing work again, but steadily, the goods were lifted out and onto land. The rails would be set down alongside the rails, while the other goods were set in the trucks. After making sure everyone involved was ok, she would work with the two cranes for over two hours, unloading everything that was needed from the ship and barge. This included all the rails, the paint and loads of parts, her tool chests full of tools, some of her food and water, oil, gas, diesel, and a small crate of books on various engines and locomotives. With the help of Carly and Cranky, she was able to get the 7 Plank wagons filled, and she loaded the van by hand. All of which were happy to be filled again.