Dear Pioneer Zephyr,
I missed your October letter. It may be that one of our replies got lost in the mail. The volunteers told me these things happen. If so, I’m sorry and I hope you don’t mind me reaching out again. I figured it was worth sending an update since a lot has happened since my last letter anyway.
I mentioned that my test run in September went well and that I’d be out for one more before Members Day. To make a long story very short, one of my valve springs broke. I wasn’t able to pull the train for the event. They still served lunch in Ceres, which I think softened the blow at least, but it wasn’t the same. Looking at it another way, it’s good that it happened a week before and not the day of. That’s why we do safety checks, I suppose.
It’s no one’s fault, of course. I’ve been outside since the scrapyard and have suffered some minor damage, but nothing so bad that it stopped me from being able to do my job. Left alone, a broken valve spring could lead to more serious problems, so until it’s fixed the Goddesses and I are functionally static displays.
And I’ve been reassured that it will be fixed, as well as other repairs I need. So that’s good. A lot has to come before that though. There are other engines who are in more dire straits than myself that need their repairs first. Though the Goddesses and I are static for now, a full trainset makes for nice pictures on the wye still.
Hoping to hear from you soon.
Your friend,
Silver Pilot