April 22nd, 1964

  Dante did quite well on the Roger Railway; the start of the 1964 season did well for the blue saddletank, and Roger was happy that Dante was comfortable with his temporary home, the months leading up to the start of the season went well as usual, but with the World’s Fair looming in the distance, everyone on the railway was getting ready for the big day, the news of the World’s Far has already made people already excited, and the railroad side of operations for the event was already ahead of the schedule. The 10-mile railway was built for the two-foot-gauge steam locomotives visiting from different countries. The engines from the participating countries were already here and were staying at the Juniata Shops before leaving for New York.

  Roger, Betty, and Dante received general maintenance at the start of the 1964 operating season to ensure everything was in tip-top shape, and the same went for their coaches, who received a little cleanup and work around them. The three engines left early in the morning on the 20th and arrived that night. Roger could see many different steam locomotives that he had never seen before; some had familiar features, but some were completely new to him. Betty and Dante were excited as well.

  The 21st was mostly general maintenance, which gave Roger, Betty, and Dante time to get to know some of the engines. There was one engine from Mexico, built in Germany, whose name is Alexandria, and she’s representing Mexico; she was nice to Roger and Betty. Two Australian engines were named Ivy and Kaima, both of which were built in America by Baldwin and Davenport. Both represented Australia, and were also nice to Roger and Betty, and Ivy brought along her coach that she used during her old days. Another tank engine that was visiting the World’s Fair was a small tank engine from South Africa, named Midget, and he was a 0-4-0t built by Manning Wardle.

  Roger also met another 0-6-0t Porter Locomotive from Finland, named Tampella, and she was the first steam locomotive in Finland to operate on a preserved railway, like the old Porter. Her railway is a short, one-engine operation, and mostly freight and passengers. The railway started operating heritage trains in 1958. Roger and Betty got along with the Finnish steam locomotive, Tampella, which also brought along her four coaches to the World’s Fair, which were beautifully made.

  Roger could see the All Small Steam Locomotive Society and their engine, which was a 0-4-0t tank engine with outside frames, side water tanks, and a black livery. There were so many different steam locomotives that the old Porter couldn’t keep track, but they were excited to operate passenger trains on this railway at the event. Speaking about the railway, the yard and engine shed were built to a high, professional degree, which is equivalent to a modern railroad yard, but in two-foot gauge; the yard had many points that led to different tracks, and the very beautiful station, and it also acts like a gift shop for the attendees. Roger was impressed by how Samuel and Diana, with the team that helped build all this from the ground up.

  The morning of the day of the World’s Fair, every engine was in steam, and every crew member of each engine was working on their engine to get them ready for the run for the start of the World’s Fair, which the attendees were in the yard, seeing the different engines, and exploring the World’s Fair. Roger and Betty were in the yard, with both of them representing America. Roger was coupled up to his coaches, giving the folks a chance to see the full Roger Railway passenger train.

  “I’m excited for today,” Dante told Roger, “Many different engines, and they even supplied the engines with coaches, I’m excited for the first day.”

  “I’m excited too,” Roger smiled, “Since I’ve heard that the mainline is operating through a scenic area.”

  “Being a former New York Central Branch Line, and converted to a hiking trail, I could see why the America Rail Society chose this location,” Betty told Roger, “I’m excited to haul my coaches through the tracks.”

  “I’m excited as well,” Roger smiled.

  “Our coaches are excited too!” Betty told the old Porter.

  Despite the excitement, Dante coughed a little, then he coughed hard.

  “You okay, Dante?” Roger asks.

  “I am, but I feel like I have a sore throat of some sort,” He told Roger, “It must be the coals.”

  He coughed again, which made Roger and Betty puzzled.

  “That’s strange,” Roger said with a concerned tone, “You did quite well with our American coal when you first arrived at the Roger Railway, no problems at all.”

  “Maybe it’s a bad sort of coal,” Betty suggested, “Happens to American engines as well.”

  “Maybe,” Dante sighed, “And on the day of the World’s Fair.”

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  “It’s not too bad,” Roger smiled at Dante, “You could be in steam in the yard and just be on display.”

  Then, Ben and Lizzy came to the old Porter, with Samuel and Diana following behind them. They were holding a few drinks and food, some of which were given to the volunteers who were in the yard helping get Roger and Betty ready as a thanks.

  “There’s so much goddamn great food out here,” Ben cried out happily, like a child, “Both American and international!”

  “The people who work on the engines that got invited get half price off,” Lizzy told Roger and Betty, “Pastries, desserts, savory foods, all options, good food, and especially when riding on a passenger train pulled by a steam locomotive, plus some Japanese food that we enjoyed with the All Small Steam Locomotive Society.”

  “I think Dad likes the food a bit too much,” Samuel chuckled.

  “Can you blame him? The food is pretty damn good,” Diana told her fiancé, “I never really tried Korean food until today.”

  “All in all, I’m liking this World’s Fair,” Ben smiled.

  Roger and Betty looked at each other, and they chuckled.

  Many people came to the yard to see the steam locomotives, despite the World’s Fair beginning today, the excursions won’t start until tomorrow, which gives everyone enough time to check their engines to see if there’s any problem, and give the public a look at the steam locomotives. Dante’s crew checked him all over him to see what was causing the issue that he was having earlier, but to their surprise, there wasn’t, and it must be the coal that was causing the issue, but the other engines weren’t having problems, so this was an odd case.

  While some steam locomotives brought their own coaches to the event, some didn’t, so the World’s Fair built 10-15 passenger cars that were built for the event. They were in a white livery, open from all sides except the top, and were easy to maintain. The coal was sourced from a mine in Maine, so it was an easy supply of coal that would last a whole year without spending too much money. While volunteers were allowed at the event, the World’s Fair only allowed 5-6 full-time engine staff, eight or seven if you include the engine drivers and fireman, to maintain the steam locomotives for the 7-month operation, that’s each of the country’s engines, which the Congress a year prior allowed foreign rail workers to stay in the United States during the World’s Fair to work on the respective engines of that country.

  While the great attractions and food brought many folks, it was the American Rail Society's contribution to allow steam to operate at the World’s Fair, not just the narrow gauge, but the standard gauge side as well. General, a 1855-built steam locomotive, was operating a few one-coach excursions during the World’s Fair. New York Central's first 4-8-4, No.800, was operating excursions during the World’s Fair as well. It was a big gathering of steam, and everyone and every engine was excited to be part of this historical event.

  It was the afternoon, and the World’s Fair was getting even more busy, with Roger and Betty moving around the yard, it’s mostly for the folks who are seeing the engines, Dante still doesn’t feel good, he was blowing black smoke, which didn’t make much of a difference because all the engines were all spewing black smoke, but his was a lot, and sparks was coming out.

  “I think you need a rest,” Roger told the blue saddletank, “Your face is red.”

  Dante was panting like a dog that wanted water.

  “Maybe,” He coughed a bit, “I need to tell my crew to check the coal I got.”

  As Dante backed into another track, sparks really did fly out of his funnel, which is common for most coal and wood-burning steam locomotives, but with Dante, not this much; it was quite bad. Many people wear clothing that can be flammable, which can cause another big problem. Then the two engines heard a person yelling.

  “Holy shit! This woman’s hat is on fire,” a man pointed at a very dressed lady.

  The lady’s hat was simple, but it did have flowers, albeit fake ones, which caused one of them to be ignited by Dante’s sparks. Luckily, the woman heard the man and threw her hat onto the ground, which somehow caused a small fire, which engulfed the hat. The lady stomped the hat onto the ground, and luckily, the fire was out very quickly. This whole thing only lasted a couple of minutes, which didn’t go too badly; in fact, it didn’t leave a mark on the ground, but Roger and Dante saw the whole thing.

  “Oh no,” Dante said with a scared look on his face, “I’m in trouble now.”

  “Wait,” Roger calmed the blue saddletank, “It’s an accident, and knowing that there’s trouble with you and the coal you're using, I’m sure you won’t be in trouble.”

  Though with an engine that was spewing smoke and sparks, everyone was looking at Dante like it was his fault, the woman with the burned hat came to the two engines. Dante could see that the woman wasn’t angry at him, which put a sigh of relief on his face.

  “Are you the engine with the smoke and sparks?” She asks Dante.

  Dante looks at Roger.

  “Yes,” Dante told the women.

  “I see,” She then turned to his crew and began talking to them.

  Both Roger and Dante looked at the woman, who was speaking to Dante’s engine crew, and they could see that she wasn’t angry at him at all. After the quick talk, the women looked at Dante, smiled at him, and walked off, which confused the two engines.

  “So she wasn’t angry?” Dante asks.

  “I think it’s because she knows that it’s an accident,” Roger told Dante, “Luckily, it was just a hat, but if it’s her dress, then it’ll be a big problem.”

  Then, David came to Dante with his crew; he didn’t look angry at all.

  “If you’re wondering, Dante, but no, she isn’t angry,” David told the blue saddeltank, “She knows that it’s an issue we’ve been dealing with, though, she did say that we need to take you out of temporary service, mostly because of the risk factor if this happens to her, it could happen to anyone.”

  Dante was concerned.

  “Holy shit,” He said, “I could be in serious trouble.”

  Though Roger was calm.

  “I still think it’s probably bad coal,” He assured the blue saddletank, “Maybe a deep examination would help, but I think you’ll have a chance to operate throughout the World’s Fair.”

  “I hope so,” He said with a hopeful tone.

  April 23rd, 1964

  After the incident, Dante wasn’t charged since it was an accident, and the woman was actually part of the Friends of the California Pacific Railroad volunteer group, which she suggested to David and his crew that Dante should get look through at a shop that has the equipment to make big repairs instead of the World’s Fair engine shop, which has simple equipment for simple repairs and maintenance, the Roger Railway volunteer to help since they’re housing the blue saddletank. Dante left the engine yard of the World’s Fair the next day, with Roger and Betty watching their friend leave the event site.

  “Well, that lady experienced Dante’s Inferno,” Betty joked a bit.

  “Yeah, but I think he’s going to be okay,” He told his significant other, “I knew the shop staff was doing a great job of finding the problem and the solution.”