Nightscaler

> "I've said it before and I'll say it again, a train of this scale should've been built for the rich, the idle, pink gin and sunsets over Sorrento. And so was I..."
> -Lead Engineer Foxley
>
>

# Nightscaler

Nightscaler is a large industrial train constructed and operated by Lewiston Pharmaceuticals.

It runs on a global track that connects 90% of the facilities.

The main purpose of the train is to transport residents between facilities, another function is to transport goods to the facilities such as: medicine, medical equipment, IV bags, bedding, clothing, and other necessities.

The train is comprised of an engine car and ten freight cars.

Nightscaler only operates late evening or night to avoid being seen, due to the secrecy of the operation that the train engages.

## History

Originally conceived in 1979 as a twenty-carriage freight train that carries out supply runs to the American Lewiston Pharmaceutical Laboratories and/ or delivers supplies to hospitals and pharmacies.

Due to budget cuts, the proposed idea was scrapped and the idea was untouched for several decades.

In early 2005, the idea was revisited, and later funding was secured and the plans were redrawn and construction commenced shortly after. The original plans were meant to connect the two main facilities in the southern United States and South America.

The main purpose of the train now was to transport residents and supplies in safety and security to the various facilities.

Nightscaler brought safety and comfort to its Russian residents during The Quiet War of 2017. In mid-2018, Nightscaler was converted into a troop-hospital train. Nightscaler brought aid and comfort to European soldiers and provided transport and medical amenities onboard.

Nightscaler’s black and dark grey appearance was switched to a light grey paint scheme with red crosses and green bands covering the exterior and her military certification number was painted underneath the control room window.

* The first five cars were retrofitted to carry the maximum amount of troops, extra bunks were installed.

* The next three cars were retrofitted to have bright white and sterile med bays to carry out medical procedures.

* The last two cars remained the same, carrying supplies to military bases, due to their temporary contract with the UN.

Two anti-air guns were installed atop car 5, this was only installed for defense purposes and was seldom used.

In early 2019, Nightscaler was handed back to Lewiston Pharmaceuticals and converted back into a freight train and carried out regular runs to the facilities.

However, due to mistreatment from the troops and the operators, the carriages and engine was worn down and falling apart. Broken doors, rusted plates, worn brakes, ripped electrical lines, wheels out of alignment, popped rivets, chipped paint, smashed windows and overall the train was holding on by a thread.

A major overhaul was commenced that lasted six months.

Wheels were replaced, new windows, new doors, new lights, new wiring, improved ventilation and better quality suspension.

A new paint scheme was designed with new elements of white and grey lines across the hull.

To this day, Nightscaler has resumed regular and ordinary supply runs throughout the globe, transporting residents and supplies to many facilities.

## Design

### Exterior

Nightscaler’s exterior has a dark grey paint scheme and is adorned with bright yellow caution stripes and light grey stripes that outline the windows.

The engine car is large and boxy, similar to a modern diesel locomotive, and is extremely powerful and ridiculously large compared to a regular gauge train.

It is also adorned with large Lewiston Pharmaceuticals logos in various places, such as the front of the locomotive. As well as a giant text on either side of the locomotive's hull saying “Lewiston Pharmaceuticals” which is illuminated using small red lights.

At night, Nightscaler is illuminated with red lights at the front and back ends of the carriages, the large sliding doors have warning red lights beside them.

    The aft car has a bright red tail lamp to indicate the end of the train.

On the engine car, a giant headlight is used to mainly illuminate the track, however, it is only used during fog or on darker nights.

The smaller spotlights on the lower portion of the engine are more often used to illuminate the track.

Bright white lights are placed on the side of the hull to illuminate the sides of the train for aesthetic purposes. Every carriage has two small hull doors on each side painted light grey and has foldable staircases to load residents and crew aboard. Car 1, 5 and 10 have large sliding cargo doors on each side.

### Interior

The interior is not much different, most of the carriages are dark with a utilitarian design and atmosphere, favoring purpose rather than style. The cars have no windows and cars 1, 5 and 10 have loading doors that slide open to load cargo aboard. Each carriage has small vents on the roof for fresh air.

The dimly lit hallways are painted dark grey with the bare metal ribbing of the hull exposed. The bunks in which the residents sleep are quadrupled and are comparable to coffins. They are extremely cramped and hot. The sides of the bed have hooks to hang IV bags, one for food and the other for anesthesia. Metal grates are also placed on the sides of the bed to stop the residents from leaving their bunks. The only lights are from the ceiling lights which barely light up the interior. The engine car and the aft car have windows but every other car is completely sealed.

## Layout and Descriptions of Carriages

Nightscaler is built on a wider rail gauge than any other train, Nightscaler is much larger and taller than any train ever built. The train is 7.4 meters wide, 10.3 meters tall and 60.4 meters long per car (70.2 meters at the engine).

This would make the 10-car train under the length of 674.2 meters (0.418 miles) 0.6742 kilometers)

The engine has two levels. On the first level is a corridor on the left side of the car with a series of doors, two at the front, one at the back leading to a secure door behind which is a set of stairs that leads to the second level and a compartment, containing the engine. The engine can be entered through a giant secured door.

Directly above the engine on the second level, there is a corridor on the right side of the train. On the left side of the corridor, there are two cabins for the engineers, a navigation room and a chart room.

The living quarters are compact and utilitarian with one cot bed, a desk and chair and a door that leads into a small bathroom.

The corridor then turns left and ends with two huge sliding doors. The doors lead into the control room.

The control room is a rectangular room with a large forward-facing window, two large windows on either side and the control panel for the train.

The control room is usually occupied by one engineer during the day and a single engineer during the night. The pilot has an unrestricted view and access to numerous control systems ranging from speed control and diagnostic panels that range from the entire train.

The control room also serves as an information hub for the entire train. If the train detects a breach or mechanical malfunction, it will alert the control room operators. There is a pneumatic tube system that allows messages to be sent back and forth between any car. There is also a handle for the whistle overhead.

The control panel has two screens, a microphone for the PA system, switches for the headlights, a telephone, and two levers that control braking and the accelerators.

There are two TV screens on the sides of the room, a central overhead screen, two smaller screens next to the window and two screens on the control panel. The two chairs beside each other can only move forwards and backward and this is where the engineers can sit and monitor the controls.

* Car number one is a cargo car, it has two loading doors on each side. There are large shelves that are stocked with cargo. The dark interior and dark grainy walls are dimly lit and there are movable ladders to easily retrieve cargo from the top of the shelves.
* Car number two is a resident car.  There is a central corridor with quadruple bunk beds on either side for residents. The doors that lead to the other carriages have guards by them.
* Car numbers 3 – 4 are resident cars.
* Car number five is a cargo car with loading doors and shelves.
* Cars numbers 6 – 7 are resident cars.
* Car number nine is a crew car with similar bunk beds as the residents but they are larger with reading lights and monitors inside the bunks and no IV bags or metal grates.
* Car number nine is a crew mess hall, which is comprised of a small kitchen and a mess hall with small tables and chairs, this is where rationed meals for the crew are served. There is a TV screen on the back wall for entertainment. The color scheme is bland with beige and grey.
* Car number ten is a cargo car with loading doors, shelves and is the only carriage with windows besides the engine and the aft section of the car has a streamlined appearance and is adorned with a Lewiston Pharmaceuticals logo.

The maximum amount of residents that can be transported is 250 residents.

The maximum amount of crew that can be transports is 32 crew members.

## Timeline

* January 2005

The plans for the track and the train are approved and preparations for construction begin.

* March 2005

Railway track begins construction, the design connects the two main facilities in the southern United States and South America.

* April 2005

Nightscaler’s engines and carriages are starting to be constructed.

* November 2005

Locomotive and carriages are completed.

* April 2006

Railway construction is completed.

* June 2006

Nightscaler completes her first run.

* September 2007

An extension to the railway from America to Asia starts construction.

* April 2008

Construction is halted due to an economic crisis.

* February 2009

Construction continues.

* December 2010

Construction is completed and Nightscaler engages runs on the new track.

* August 2013

An extension to the railway from Asia to Europe starts construction.

* October 2013

Nightscaler gets a new paint job and an engine replacement.

* November 2015

Construction Is completed and Nightscaler enganges runs on the new track.

* May 2016

Nightscaler gets a carriage overhaul.

* January 2017

A massive extension to the railway connecting Europe and Africa together.

* July 2018

Due to the Quiet War, Nightscaler gets converted into a hospital-troop train. A new paint job and becomes armed.

* December 2018

A giant avalanche damages the train, which cripples the train.

* February 2019

Nightscaler gets handed back to Lewiston Pharmaceuticals and turns back into a freight train.

* March 2019

Due to the terrible treatment of the train, a major overhaul commences.

* September 2019

The overhaul is completed and gets a new paint job.

* March 2020

Nightscaler serves fewer runs due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

* April 2023

The extension of the railway is completed.

## December 2, 2018 Incident

At 20:28 on December 2, 2018, Nightscaler is on a dangerous track in the Carpathian Mountains.

A massive thunderstorm was passing over the train and Nightscaler was traveling at 56km/h.

A lightning strike struck a mountain on the left side of the train, and a massive avalanche started. Lead engineer Foxley spotted the, at first slowly moving, avalanche through his binoculars. He immediately sprung into action ordering Junior Engineer Kingsley to bring Nightscaler to full speed to try and outrun the avalanche.

The train started violently speeding up to dangerous speeds. The train wasn’t designed for such speeds and the carriages started to shake and jolt aggressively and sparks from the wheels flew. Foxley enabled the alarm and said on the PA to brace. Alarms blared across the train and all the troops started heading into muster stations, the doctors and nurses started helping the injured troops to muster stations. The sparks from the wheel turned into flames. Kingsley began to panic and begged to slow down, Foxley shouted down the order as the train started to bounce and rattle. The avalanche began to speed up and grew in size. Cars 6 and 5 began to derail and jump off the rails.

The engine started to overheat and Kingsley threatened to slow down. At 20:34 and traveling at 119 km/h, the avalanche struck the left side of the train and everyone was thrown to the walls. The cars rocked to the right side, threatening to fall off the rails. Lights flickered and sparks and flames erupted at the wheels. Windows were shattered and chaos ensued on the train. Snow and ice piled on the tracks and Nightscaler battled to plow through it. After a few minutes, Nightscaler pierced the avalanche debris and she slowed down back to normal speeds. This event damaged many essential parts of the train and was one of the reasons that Nightscaler couldn’t go further for much longer as a hospital-troop train.

## Trivia

* Nightscaler was originally called "Nighthawk"
* The train design is heavily inspired by Big Alice from TNT's Snowpiercer
* Nightscaler has a pinboard
* Nightscaler was originally intended to have 40 cars
* The engine car was originally intended to have a streamlined design
* Was modelled in Rolling Line
* A stormworks model is coming soon!