A Certain Scientific Pair Of Railgun Aces

Chapter 40: Just For The Record, It Is Aluminium, Not Aluminum!: A Head On Collision, And The Story Behind The Lickey Banks Lickey Banker!

"Hello viewers. Keiko here, now, though I did say, that I was going to proceed back into the action in this chapter...

I was only sort of half telling the truth when I said that. As due to current events popping up. I thought that I would go ahead and get some housekeeping done, so to speak. And only after this chapter, will we then get back into the action...

But don't worry nor fret viewers...

As like the chapter before this one...you once again, have my absolute full permission, to just skip past this chapter...

And onto a more telling subject now viewers, and, as you can probably tell, from the chapter title...I think that you know exactly, what I am about to go into detail about in this chapter...now then, shall we proceed?...

Now, let me first start off, by saying, that while many do in fact, incorrectly pronounce Aluminium, as Aluminum...

I am going to say right from the off, that it is in fact, definitively pronounced, as Aluminium...so let's just get that straight out of the way...And as for the most obvious of reasons viewers?...

Well, I think that you will all find, that has more to do, with the words origin...then most other things...

And going into further explanation, the name was originally given to the element by British chemist Humphry Davy, who discovered that aluminum could be produced from alumina (aluminum oxide) in 1808. Davy originally called the element "alumium," but later changed it to "aluminum."

Around the same time, another term, "aluminium," emerged, which was intended to make the name sound more like other elements with names ending in "-ium," such as calcium and magnesium...So viewers, as you can see, it is pronounced Aluminium, and not, as other berks have brashly called it, Aluminum...okay?...*I say this, while smiling with both eyes closed, and my head titled to one side, in a cute manner*...Now, moving onto the other part of this chapters title...

And as you are all probably wondering viewers, just what is the 'Lickey Incline,' correct?...

Well viewers, let me put it to you all in much more simpler terms...

In the United States, more specifically, in California's San Gabriel Mountains, is the grueling stretch of track, known, as the Cajon Pass...

It is so well known...partly, because in 1989...1994...and...1996...there were three...three!...Separate runaway train related incidents...On May 12, 1989...Southern Pacific freight train #7551 East...with four engines up front, SD40T-2 #8278, SD45R #7551, SD45R #7549, and SD45T-2 #9340...69...fully loaded...100-ton open top hoppers...filled to the brim with Trona...

And a further two banking helpers behind...front banking helper...SD40T-2 #8317, and trailing banking helper unit...SD45R #7443...derails on a curve at the bottom of the Cajon Pass at a speed of about 110 mph...and yes viewers...that number is not fake...

And as for the crew that was in charge of SP #7551 east?

Well, Engineer Frank Holland, was the man in charge of the 8900 ton freight...

#7551 Easts conductor was one Everett Crown...

Head end brakemen Allan Reiss was riding two engines back from lead head end unit #8278...

In head end unit #7549...

And usually viewers, the brakemen, like CN Rail brakemen Mark Edwards, on CN freight train #413, that wound up slamming head on, into VIA Rail's Super Continental #4, at a speed, of roughly, 59 mph...or, 95 kph.

The resulting force of the head on collision, just outside of Hinton Station, wound up destroying the head end lead unit of CN 413, derailed, 70 of CN 413's 113 freight cars...

And, destroyed the lead engines of VIA's Super Continental #4, and completely destroyed most of the #4s passenger consist as well...

In total, 23 people were killed, including the two crew members, Engineer Jack Hudson, and Brakemen Mark Edwards, in the head end lead unit of CN 413...

And, both crew members in the lead engine of the VIA Rail #4....

Along with a further 19 passengers in the head end carriages of the VIA Rail #4...

And a further 71, were injured...

Anyway viewers, back to the 89' Cajon Pass Runaway Incident...

The banking helper crew, one Helper Engineer Lawrence Hill, and His Brakemen, one Robert Waterbury...were the ones in charge of the two rear banking helper units...#8317, and #7443...

But unfortunately viewers, and as the investigators from the NTSB, would later realize, that out of the six locomotives on Southern Pacific #7551 East...

Only lead head end unit #8278...and rear trailing banking helper unit, #7443, had fully functioning dynamic brakes...

Second head end unit #7551...was dead, and was therefore, unable to provide any type of braking force...

Third head end unit #7549...had fully inoperative dynamic brakes...

Fourth head end unit...#9340...had only sporadically functioning dynamic brakes...

And finally...lead banking helper unit...#8317...like that of third head end unit #7549...also had...fully inoperative dynamic brakes...

And to make matters that much worse?...The true weight of the train...with a combining weight...regarding the six engines...and all of the 69...fully loaded...100-ton open hoppers...was roughly...8900 tons...

While the wrongly estimated combined weight...was well under, at just 6151 tons...a horrifyingly underestimated differential weight, of about 2749 tons...which...when factoring in the six locomotives, and their operative...or inoperative dynamic brakes...

Trying to hold a mandatory maximum restricted speed, down the Cajon Pass, of about 29 mph...is not, and was not possible...

And, the resulting accident, killed both conductor Everett Crown, and head end brakemen Allan Reiss...

Both of which wound up being crushed to death, in the crushed nose sections, of their respective engines...

Now viewers, onto a more lighter note...As I am quite sure, that all of you, are in well need, of a bit of a break...correct?...Now, onto the part regarding the famed Lickey Incline...which believe it or not viewers...is even steeper then the Cajon Pass...as the Cajon Pass, is estimated at 2.2%...And yes viewers, I am well, and fully aware, that the Saluda Grade, is far more steep...But that, in my quite honest opinion, and in my mind, doesn't really matter...as the Saluda Grade, has been shuddered, for quite a while now...Now, getting back on topic...the Lickey Incline, at a 1 in 37 gradient...or in conversion to US measurements...is roughly a 2.65% grade...But anyway, the reason as to why, the Lickey Incline, is as well known, as it is...has to do in part...to an engine, who served its time on the Lickey Incline for 37 years...I am of course, talking about...Big Bertha...or Big Emma...depending on who you talk to...Now, Big Bertha...built in 1919...by MR Derby Works...was an 0-10-0 tender engine...who, as her nickname...'The Lickey Banker,' quite justifiably suggests...she was in fact, built for a single purpose, to bank trains...up the 1 in 37 gradient of the Lickey Incline...and she did so, right up until the end of steam on the Lickey...when in May 19, 1956...she was withdrawn...and then in September 1957...she was scrapped...And as for her running numbers?...Well viewers, she was delivered to the Lickey in 1919, sporting the number 2290...and she kept that number, while being owned, by the LMS...or the London Midland Scottish Railway...but she was renumbered to 22290 in 1947 to make room for the numbering of a Fairburn 2-6-4T. And only a year later, she was renumbered to 58100 by BR...So viewers...this does now in fact end, this current chapter...But rest assured...as we will be getting right back into the action, in the next chapter. And I look forward, to seeing you lot there, okay?...*I say this, while smiling with both eyes closed, and my head, tilted to one side, in a cute manner*"

Chapter 41: When The Past Comes Back To Haunt You!: The Not So Silent Party! (Part 3)

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Okay, so proceeding forward a little bit from the last chapter. Things currently were...well...

"Hey viewers, Keiko here. Now, before we proceed forward with the the chapter..."

"Hey Keiko?...Just do away with the fourth wall break for now, alright?...We have a bit of stuff in the following chapter to get to here...*Misaka says this to me with a somewhat weary looking expression...to pretty much let me know, that in this case, it is better to have the viewers, read the chapter for themselves, rather then me, doing another immense fourth wall break, like back in the last chapter*"

"Oh...right Misaka, my bad...*I say this while giving a close eyed sheepish grin, with one of my hands behind my head, in a somewhat embarrassing manner*...Anyway viewers, by Misaka's request...what do you all say, that we get on with the chapter now...hmm?...*I say this, while now smiling with eyes closed, and my head, tilted to one side, in a cute manner*"

Okay, so going off from the last chapter, only a bit further forward, after the whole run-in withe Misaka #10032. Me and Misaka, were currently walking down, one of the busy streets, of Academy City. Only thing was, that I was sort of divided regarding my attention. As I was currently, using my Telepath Ability, to sort of peer in, to Misaka's thoughts. And when I say that, I mean what she was thinking about at this very moment, and not, anything else.

"So viewers. Sorry, Keiko here again. So, just don't be going, and making any sort of unecessary assumptions, alright?...Anyway, back to the story."

So, as I was listening in, to what Misaka was currently thinking about. This was her current line of thought.

"She may or may not be involved...But now I need to focus on the information that me and Keiko do have...According to what Kongo said...the people behind the robot attack, were upset...because they had failed to retrieve Febrie...'retrieve,' implies getting her back...So does that mean...that Febrie...may have runaway from them at some point?...Whatever the case, the best way to obtain more information...is to find out who these people are, and ask them questions...and if it turns out that The Underworld, really is involved...we can't drag Kuroko, or any of the others into this..." Misaka thought to herself, while I listened in with my Telepath Ability.

And once I had cut the connection, and had stopped listening into Misaka's thoughts. It was then, that a thought of my own, then made its way into my mind.

"Okay...so I now get the sinking suspicion, that when Misaka was thinking, that 'she may or may not be involved'...why do I get the obvious realization, that she is talking about a certain someone...and that 'she,' implies to a certain former leader of MAR...*I sigh deeply*...Well viewers, it would appear, that if I am in fact right about Misaka thinking what I think she is...then we may...or may not...being paying 'her,' a little visit...very soon," I thought to myself, while I had turned my eyesight, as well as my attention, slightly to the left of me, to briefly address the viewers.

And as for why I was able to do my fourth wall break in this manner? Well, that was because partway through me, listening into Misaka's thoughts, she had stopped walking down the street. And as for me, I had followed suit.

"Which was why viewers. Sorry, Keiko here again. Anyway that was how, I was then able to address all of you...you know...without running any sort of risk, of possibly running into something...or something else along those lines. Now then viewers, what do you say, that we get back to the story now...hmm?...*I say this while smiling with both eyes closed, and my head, tilted to one side, in a cute manner*"

Anyway a little later on. After me, Misaka, and everyone else, had had a sort of a...run in...yea..let's call it that...with one Mitsuko Kongo...and her...massive Boa constrictor.

"And yes viewers...sorry, Keiko here again...and in the words of one Indiana Jones...'snakes, why'd it have to be snakes?'...see what I did there viewers...*I now clear my throat*...Now then, what do you say...that we get back to the story now...hmm?...*I say this, while smiling with eyes closed, and my head, tilted to one side in a cute manner*"

Anyway, fourth wall breaking aside, at least for the moment. After the whole...run in...with Kongo and her Boa constrictor. We were both, at the current moment, entering into a prison complex of sorts.

And as for the reason as to why? Well, about an hour or so back, during a quick talk with Heaven Canceller. After wanting to figure out more about 'The Underworld,' as Misaka, had said. The tail end, of the conversation, went as follows...

"If you want to learn more about The Underworld, then you will need to talk to someone who knows about it. And if that is what the both of you wish, then I will setup your meeting. There is however, something you both should know. The person whom you are both meeting, is already someone, to whom you are already well acquainted," Heaven Canceller had said.

And, upon walking into the complex, past the many vault like prison doors, and finally, through a sliding metal prison door, at the end of the long hallway in question. We both, then came up, to a much larger cell. And as for who was inside? Well...

"Well, it is so nice to see the both of you again...Railgun...Lucky Strike?" One Therestina Kihara Lifeline, said to both me and Misaka, in what was quite possibly, one of the most disdainful sounding, and yet, also smug sounding, tones.

And upon letting out a somewhat depressed sounding, and yet also, frustrated sounding sigh. I then decided to try and speak up. The only thing was, Misaka, sort of beat me to it...

"Well the feeling isn't mutual...Especially not after the pain that you caused to the both of us," Misaka said, with a sort of disdainful sounding tone, that even I, wasn't expecting from her.

And to be perfectly honest, I didn't blame Misaka in the slightest, for responding in such a manner. However, that didn't mean that it was any less surprising, when she had spoken up in such a manner.

"Okay viewers. Sorry, Keiko here again. So, this now marks the end, of this particular episode. Which, now brings us one chapter closer. To yet another encounter, with the rest of The Four Aces. So viewers, with that in mind, I will see you lot in the next chapter...okay?...*I say this, while smiling with both eyes closed, and my head titled to one side, in a cute manner*"