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honey-dont · 7 months

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@umlexis sorry for writing a whole essay about stex pfjslk i love trains <3

so the basic plot is engines from all the world are coming together to compete to see who will be the new champion and rusty the underdog steamer wants to enter to prove that steam is still relevant and also impress his crush. things go off the rails (pun intended). the main antagonists are elvis, a nonbinary bisexual drag queen in a polycule, and a trucker-slash-clown-slash-conman. train god is there. a brick gets thrown into the audience.

stex originated in london and ran there from 1984-2001, but there's a revival happening next summer! it's also been running in germany since 1988 in a special custom-built theater (i got to see it there last spring it was so so cool<3), so there were 2 separate versions of the show happening at the same time for a while. it's also been through MULTIPLE rewrites, the most recent was in 2018. there's supposed to be a new cast recording for the update coming out soon and i'm just. staring impatiently.

a lot of videos/recordings got scrubbed recently which is honestly such a bummer, pour one out for the 1988 bochum concept album </3

ENGLISH RECORDINGS:

the 1984 original london cast recording is a good place to start imo! it's not a full recording so there are some bits of the story missing, but the actors are all fantastic

the 1987 music & selections album is actually not a cast recording, it's just contemporary artists singing (modified) songs from the show, but i still enjoy it a lot

the 1993 new starlight london cast recording is for the 'new starlight' show rewrite in 1990. also not a complete recording but it has some of my favorite versions of the songs! the stretch from freight to crazy is just chef's kiss

GERMAN RECORDINGS:

the 1989 bochum cast recording is a complete recording, a lot of the songs on the internet archive are out of order/mislabeled tho :(

the 1991 bochum cast recording is also not a complete recording, has some versions of songs that aren't on any other recordings

the 2013 bochum cast recording is a full recording of the show! it's in german and just fantastic all around. it got scrubbed from youtube a few years ago sadly but the internet archive still has it

SPANISH RECORDINGS:

the 1997 mexico city cast recording isn't a full recording and the quality isn't a bit crunchy, but it's still good! there was supposed to be a professionally released album but it never happened :(

the 2000 amateur spanish cast recording is also not a full recording but tbh it slaps and the quality is great

this channel on youtube has clips from various versions of the show that's a good place to start watching! i also have a pretty big boot collection so you're free to shoot me a message if you want any :)

posting some misc vids i like a lot too!

youtube

#this is so long i was possessed by the spirit of the starlight express itself #hope this is helpful!!#stex #david.txt

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whistlingstarlight · 7 months

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I swear I was SO normal about Starlight Express between 2020 and 2022....

Was rearranging my bookshelves and that involved sorting my musical programmes, and uhhh

As you can see, I really like Starlight Express😅

This is a mix of souvenir programmes and little cast booklets, most of which were obtained online. Newsies, Matilda, Bonnie & Clyde, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Tour and the 2018 update of Starlight Express (the ones that say "Live Dabei") are the only shows I actually saw and purchased programmes at. One of my StEx programmes from the original London run is from a signed performance, and I'm lucky enough that the ticket was included when I bought it!

Looking forward to adding a programme from the new London run next year!

#also B&C and hopefully hopefully hopefully the A Chorus Line tour!!#musicals #stex #clyde rambles

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finleyforevermore · 10 months

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2023's StEx Appreciation Month!

Day 5: Electra the Electric Engine

Anthony T. Perry in the first picture, Andreas Wolfram in the second and fifth pictures, Matthew McKenna in the third picture, and Leon Maurice-Jones in the fourth picture.

Favorite Actor(s): Jeffrey Daniel (Original London cast, 1984-1985), Mykal Rand (multiple productions from 1989 to 2015), Jaime Rojas (Mexico, 1997-1998), Anthony Frazer (Bochum, 2001-02, swing), Richard Woodford (Bochum, 2016-2018), and Liam Tamme (2017 Off-West End Workshop).

Face Claim/Voice Claim: Leon Maurice-Jones with Andreas Wolfram's 2007-2011 wig (face), Mykal Rand (voice)

Favorite Song(s)/Scene(s): AC/DC and No Comeback

Favorite Costume(s): Broadway/pre-2018 Bochum costume!

Favorite Ship(s): Frozen Lightning (Electra x Volta), Electronents (Electra x Components), and while I'm not crazy over it, I have a soft spot for Electraboose.

Headcanon: Because of the heart monitor on his chest, Electra pretty much can't lie, because his heart rate will give away if he's being honest or not.

Unpopular Opinion: Electra is canonically genderfluid so the idea of just making him exclsuively female or feminine presenting takes that aspect away from him. Same with making him exclusively male or masculine presenting. Electra's supposed to be all over the gender spectrum, you know? /lh /nm

#starlight express #starex #stex #stex appreciation month 2023 #stex electra #electra the electric engine #electra #electraboose #electronents #frozen lightning #electra x volta #volta the freezer truck #cb the red caboose #stex components #joule the dynamite truck #wrench the repair truck #krupp the armaments truck #purse the money truck #queued

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i-may-not-be-first-class · 10 months

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StEx Appreciation Month Day 11: Belle 💤

Janet Williams-Adderley (Broadway 1987, first cast)

that’s my gal

Favourite Actor: Janet Williams-Adderley I guess

Favourite Songs/Scenes: I loveee Belle’s Song, but also Belle (Reprise), Hey You! (The Rap) and Light (omg it’s all so amazing aaa)

Favourite Costume: Broadway of course 🥀

Favourite Ships: Belle × Poppa I guess

Unpopular Opinions: sooo many - I would love to have her back. I imagine her singing I got me in Act 2. Also I would have loved to have her in the original Bochum production. Imagine her song in German aaaa - she would probably race with Poppa/Momma in Race 2

i don’t wanna stop talking about her :(

#starlight express #stex #starlight express belle #stex belle #belle #belle the sleeping car #stex appreciation month #stex appreciation month 2023

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starburst2000 · 9 months

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StEx Appreciation Month 2023!

Day 28: Original Characters!!!

Today, I give you 4 Prusty fankids: Ray & Aurora the Steam Engines, Coral the First Class Carriage, and Shelley the Observation Car! Aurora and Coral were born before Rusty got fixed, Ray is the only boy of the bunch, and Shelley goes by They/Them pronouns. (Also, both are named after Ray Shell, who originated Rusty's role in the original London cast!)

#starlight express #stex #stex appreciation month #stex Appreciation Month 2023 #stex oc #my art #traditional art #original character

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1010neveragain · 10 months

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STEX Appreciation Month Days 6 + 7: Buffy and Ashley

doing them together because my silly ass forgot to do buffy yesterday. also they are a pair do not seperate. this ones gonna get long so under a cut it goes

Buffy

Favorite Actors: Carla Pullen!!

Favorite Songs/Scenes: Gotta love Girls Rolling Stock. I've also always been fond of her og intro in A Lotta Locomotion. the way she says boigas on the cast recording is so silly i love it

Favorite Costumes: 2010s Bochum!! Love a blonde buffy, and her thigh highs were shimmery!!! Also something about her colors was just so pleasant

Favorite Ship: Smoked Hotdogs is literally the only ship i could ever see for these two. like i said, bonded pair do not seperate

Headcanon: Buffy is very affectionate with everyone she likes. Some have misinterpreted her as being a flirt but that's just how she is.

Unpopular Opinion: a lot of people seem to like the more structured dramatic hairs for buffy (eg in late london) but im more of a fan of her with the loose, fluffy bangs and bun. idk i just think its cute. also i Am a blonde buffy truther but i honestly think she rocks every hairstyle and also that any characters wig should match their actor's complexion!!

Ashley

Favorite Actors: Stacia Goad, the way she plays her in the bway boot is so fun

Favorite Songs/Scenes: Obv Girls Rolling Stock and A Lotta Locomotion. But also there's a moment in the bway boot where she gets fed up with Espresso and kicks him and it always makes me laugh.

Favorite Costumes: I ADORE Ashley's Vegas/tours costume. Love her little skirt and the very warm browns. However the fluffy wigs she had in Bochum were so so good

Favorite Ship: Smoked Hotdogs

Headcanon: Ashley was originally built as a women-only smoking car. She does eventually "give up smoking" and get refurbished as a lounge car :)

Unpopular Opinion: Not really sure I have any for her other than the fact that I love her Vegas costume. She's the only coach who's Vegas redesign works imo.

#starlight express #stex #stex appreciation month 2023 #stex appreciation month #buffy the buffet car #buffy stex #ashley the smoking car #ashley stex #also ashley day is on my birthday!!! so honored to have one of the lesbians as my day

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bunnyjoyce-blog · 2 years

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Using Train Facts for StEx Fics and Headcanons

Even if you eschew real-train AUs and have them be toys, StEx characters *think* they are real trains and reference real-life railroad culture. Familiarizing yourself with some railroad facts can enrich your story and give you a new understanding of characters. The following is some of the things which have helped me.

1) Establish the “truths” of your fanfic.

A common tactic I use in research is to establish what is true in my story — whether real-life facts or what is canon — and use those pillars to filter information. For example, suppose I want to write a story based on the Old London show. I begin by setting down “rules” which I, as the writer, must adhere to.

A) I want this to be set in 1984, so any information or media references after this point of time can be ignored (unless I have a good reason for the anachronism or I plan to foreshadow the future).

B) StEx is supposed to be set in America, so my worldbuilding will be (mostly) focused on America in the 80s.

C) Greaseball is a Union Pacific engine, so Control’s yard must be close enough to UP territory for Greaseball to see Dinah regularly.

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D) The yard is likely in or near a mountainous area, since the original set for the Apollo Victoria Theater had so many levels. Therefore, the characters live in a mountainous area near UP lines.

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Even though I haven’t pinpoint the exact location of the yard, I’ve plausibly narrowed it down, so now I can filter information relevant to my story. I *know* they can’t live in Miami, Florida or New York City or anywhere along the east coast. That’s not to say I can’t have them travel east or have characters who used to live east. In fact, the east coast will play a key role for certain characters. (More on that later.) Even so, I’m not going to have Greaseball drinking an egg cream or have Rusty spotting a Floridan crocodile on his way to work (unless I have a good in-story reason for this).

2. Pick a character, research them, then work your way through the cast — not JUST your favorites

Fun leads to creative flow, so it’s understandable to start with your favorite characters. However, neglecting or ignoring train details because you’re not interested in a particular character can cause you to miss out on enriching details.

For example, I’m not particularly interested in Flat-Top. That’s not to say I hate the guy, but compared to my favorites, he’s typically not on my radar. However, flat cars serve an important role in railroads, so if I failed to research them, I would not be able to understand rolling stock as I do now.

Did you know that flat cars are used to transport new trains from the factory? If I wanted to do a fic about Electra’s earliest memories, or a fic about Rusty and Pearl nervously waiting for their “newborn” child to arrive, then I would likely need to have a flat car carrying a “baby” train in my plot at some point. If I had ignored Flat-Top altogether, my story would have been lacking. I might have even made the mistake of having the newborn rolling on their own wheels!

As for how to start researching, my process was to focus on one character at a time. The very first StEx character I seriously researched was Volta. As a newbie, I was genuinely surprised that she was Electra’s coach. ELECTRA, the narcissistic, hard-hearted bully, had a deeper relationship with one of his components, not just treating them all as staff to exploit and mistreat? Curious, I looked up freezer trucks/refrigerator cars, and I discovered Volta would have been diesel powered. ELECTRA is in a relationship with a DIESEL vehicle??

You can imagine how I wanted to understand more about these hints at character depth for our electric villain.

Volta is a freezer truck from the Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe Railroad? That led me to discover the Santa Fe Reefer Dispatch, which was completely gone by 1988 (as in, the final 4 reefers were sold off that year). So, Volta is an outdated vehicle when she’s portrayed as a Santa Fe car. And Electra, the ageist engine of the future who hates antiques, still has her on his train? Whoa!

(Furthermore, in 1995 the railroad itself was merged with Burlington Northern to form Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, so this makes the Santa Fe costumes more antiquated.)

From Volta, I moved onto CB. Fortunately, a wealth of information has been written about cabooses, so it was comparatively easy to research him. (Admittedly, I used to be a big Dinaboose shipper, so I found many interesting facts regarding the pair.)

Cabooses have kitchens? Then he and Dinah could cook together!

Cabooses used to have whistles before radios replaced them? Interesting!

Cabooses stopped being used as brake vehicles once air brakes were introduced in the 1800s? What does that say about CB’s character?

Since I had a character to associate information with, it became easier to retain the facts and recall them when needed. When I began to branch out into train facts that aren’t related to the show’s canon, I had accumulated a lot of foundational knowledge.

3. Cross reference characters

What it says on the tin. This can help you understand how different characters and their histories interconnect, thus making your fanfic world feel more real.

For example, you might decide to look up James Watt’s steam engine (not a locomotive, by the way). In doing so, you discover that James Watt is the namesake for the watt (electric unit of measurement). So, in your fanfic world both steamers and electric vehicles might respect Watt as a historical figure. Then you might take it a step further and have Poppa use this common ground in order to talk to Electra about converting to steam.

Another example, the Union Pacific and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe were rival companies, and their respective territories ran through a lot of the same areas. Since Wrench and Volta are from the Santa Fe, you might decide that one or both of them have crossed paths with Greaseball years ago, and this is why they leave Electra to flirt with Greaseball during “Pumping Iron.”

4. AVOID CHERRY PICKING

This may seem to contradict what I said about filtering information and knowing Rusty wouldn’t see a crocodile, but there’s a difference between saying “Oh, I don’t need this” and saying “I don’t need this right now.”

Regarding Rusty and that crocodile, while the likelihood of him seeing Floridan wildlife is slim, it is never zero. My hypothetical story takes place in the 1984 London show, and I know for a fact that before Joule was a dynamite truck, the canon had her as Electra’s animal truck. Ergo, I could have a part in the story where Electra illegally imports a crocodile if I want to show how decadent, spoiled and arrogant he is.

A big part of the problem with cherry picking is how much you miss of the big picture. For example, have you ever read a fanfic for an anime where the writer did not bother researching anything about Japan except for a few aesthetic details? The writer might have good intentions, but if they don’t know fundamental truths, such as how Shinto and Buddhism shaped (or at least influenced) many aspects of Japanese culture, then the writer might accidentally show the characters doing things which would be offensive or taboo (e.g. sticking chopsticks directly into a bowl of rice, which is reserved for religious offerings and ancestor worship).

“Um, well, uh, I’ll just have all the canon characters be atheists! Now I don’t have to research as much.” Except, even if the characters were atheists, they would still be influenced by religion because of how much Japanese culture has descended from it. Sumo wrestling? Influenced by Shinto. Manzai comedy? Influenced by Shinto. Fairy tales? Influenced by Shinto and Buddhism. Amezaiku candy? Originally an offering to Shinto gods. Street performers rolling a ball on top of a paper umbrella? I’ll give you three guesses.

Getting back to railroads, I am by no means suggesting you have to be an expert or have to know copious amounts of railway culture before you can start writing. One of my favorite StEx fics has a glaring flaw about how electric locomotives work, but I still enjoy it because it’s a cute read. What I’m getting at is this: don’t discount information just because it’s not relevant to you right this second. Store it away for later.

5. Fundamental truths to get you started.

A) Railroads are businesses, first and foremost. Profit and PR will typically influence major decisions. Why were steamers and electrics replaced by diesels on American railroads? Money. Why were cabooses replaced by end-of-train devices? Money. Why were all the characters built in the first place? Money. Why were Rusty and Belle allowed to become dilapidated? Money.

B) Profit is often why there are so many varieties of vehicles, especially for passenger trains. The parlor car was invented in the US because rich people didn’t want to ride in the same car as poor people. Smoking cars were originally exclusive to men, back when women generally didn’t smoke, and when women started wanting to have a place to smoke, some railroads started adding women-only smoking cars. Amtrak had the arcade car to attract gamers. Ski trains in Europe appeal to vacationers, and murder-mystery trains provide a fun, unique experience to patrons. The three McDonald’s dining cars (McTrain) in Germany and Switzerland were part of an experiment to see if they could make money.

When whole trains or individual vehicles fail to make profit, they are often quietly removed, refurbished, and/or scrapped.

C) Even so, some vehicles have been retooled for non-profit purposes. Hospital cars and other medical-related vehicles have been used to provide services to people. The Merci Train, which France sent to the US out of gratitude for the relief provided to them following WW2, were old boxcars filled with presents.

D) Steam locomotives are basically giant kettles with pistons — okay, not literally, but the design is so simple that many people have made working toy locomotives. Essentially, the firebox heats the water in the boiler, and the steam moves the pistons. This is why it’s such a big deal when Poppa’s boiler is cold after he wins the race.

E) Electric vehicles need to be connected to a power source. Some versions of Electra’s race helmet will show a pantograph on top, so he has to be connected to overhanging wires in order to go fast. Third-rail electrics comparably must be in contact with the, well, third rail, in order to move.

F) Most of the Nationals are electric vehicles, so Electra being electric isn’t that special.

G) Greaseball is an electric-diesel engine. Similar to how an automobile needs both gasoline and a car battery to work, Greaseball’s diesel powers his electricity. The Prince of Wales is also a diesel despite most of the UK using electric passenger trains. If a blackout hits a railway, the Royal Train isn’t trapped or stranded.

H) Dieselization has affected both steam and electric railroads in the US. Most electric railways are confined to the northeastern region of the country, with exceptions. The most common place to find electrics is the Northeast Corridor.

Link

I) CB began life as a boxcar. The fact that his cupola is on his head means he’s likely from the Eastern US originally because eastern cabooses typically had their cupolas in the center of their roofs. Western cabooses typically have their cupolas on one end.

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J) Racing with rail cars is likely to show how well the racer can carry weight, since an engine has to be strong as well as fast. This is probably why Flat-Top wears bricks on race night, since he would be too light to meet the weight limit otherwise, and he was originally hoping to participate.

Now, go and write.

#starlight express #stex

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queenladonna · 2 years

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Ray Shell, P.P. Arnold, Michael Jackson, and Stephanie Lawrence backstage at Starlight Express (1984)

#ray shell #pp arnold #michael jackson #stephanie lawrence #starlight express #stex #stex 1984 #stex original cast #1980s #from the decade #stills

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dinahdoeeyes · 2 years

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I really like “No Comeback,” but I also like Electra staying. Here’s a thing: There are pictures from the original production where the components are in the finale, but Electra isn’t. So... they stayed while he left? Can we have “No Comeback” and Electra throwing his tantrum, but he does come back because his crew decided to stay? 🥺

#Volta: ''Babe can't we stay? I like it here.'' 🥺#Electra: 🙄 ''...Fine.'' 😒#electra the electric engine #stex #starlight express #stex original london cast #original london cast #commentary #text post #stills #1980s

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outlawssweetheart · 2 years

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What’s your favourite StEx picture? What do you like about it?

Probably this one:

Because it’s the only photo of original GreaseDinah (excluding groups shots), and I’m such a simp for both GD & the OG cast/production.

#greasedinah #greaseball x dinah #starlight express #stex #GreaseDinah my loves 💕#stex tag #my answered asks ✨

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suppenzeit · 8 months

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#stex #starlight express #tobys democracy simulator #this is tough because i do think new stex is more energetic and the songs go really hard #but. olc has a lot of content i like thats only in the olc (like wide smile and olc rap and he whistled at me and no comeback)

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captainmvf · 1 year

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Dunno how this works but ahgjfbakjhsagk I AM actually curious as to if your Stex x Fossil Fighters crossover art has any crossover stories since I see some story bits in the descriptions of your artworks? How would vivosaur battles work if they're trains? Would the dino stex characters actualy race?

Dssddfggg First off- I am so sorry this is late-

Second- I do not have a story planned for this. Everything I’ve been putting out has been very on the spot and I’m just typing out thoughts as they come along.

And third! I actually do have idea for world building:

FF x Stex Crossover Meta 1: Same Universe or Two

When this first started I only thought that the paleontologists as trains and the trains as dino aliens would stay in separate universes with plots similar to the game and activities based more in the musical. The Fossil Fighters as trains would get to race but still do plots similar to their games (I’m still figuring out the Guhnash situation and what the Dinurians would race for) and the Starlight Express cast would be scouting other planets (unsure of a Guhnash-like being to match anything from the musical so their original planet is still intact and they’re known to be intergalactic traders and movers of goods who also love to race).

I thought it would be easier at first to just keep the plots of each series away from one another but I find myself having more and more fun with both knitting themselves together.

FF x Stex Crossover Meta 2: Vivosaur Battles on the Rails

This is actually very funny to think about since Fossil Fighters is very known for its vivosaurs (and any monster taming game for its monsters). I didn’t want any vivosaurs to be in this crossover at first but if the plot itself is racing then it can be a little boring. Placing the characters themselves as trains into the Starlight Express narrative works without vivosaur battles but placing dinurian Starlight Express characters into the Fossil Fighters narrative doesn’t work without vivosaurs. Also we’d have to work in how revival technology exists since Dinurians were the ones who made stone sleep and revival possible before Dr. Diggins made vivosaur revival possible from a crashed Dinurian ship.

But if both Stex dinurians and Fossil Fighter trains exist in the same narrative then vivosaurs must exist. So vivosaurs battling would be a little hard to add to the racing activities itself but it is doable since that just makes two activities that the characters can interact with AND we can combine both to create racing battles (think YuGiOh! 5Ds).

Trains racing would have to watch their surroundings and one another with the added danger of Stex train racing antics going on. Vivosaurs would have to race another or stay stationary in the center of a circular arena while their tamers have to command them on the rails.

Dinurians would also get the chance to race in their own vivosaur forms (yeah it’s canon that only three characters have that unique ability in the original series but this canon says every dinurian gets a full vivosaur battle form) and thus they get the chance to attack their fellow dinurians on the tracks or even take a swipe at a train.

This is also a little funny but the original Fossil Fighters manga predates this little idea:

FF x Stex Crossover Meta 3: The Meet Up

Since this is now one world where everyone’s swapped species/forms- How would they meet up?

Like I’ve mentioned before- I still haven’t figured out a way to add Guhnash or a similar event to this and Guhnash is very crucial the Dinurians in the original first game. I think the only way I can go about this at the moment is just the Stex dinurians scouting Earth in human disguises (oh boy I gotta make a human disguise for Rusty and the freight for later) and eventually would meet up with the FF trains upon realizing they do similar jobs and activities to them.

This would kind of evolve into weird vivosaur battles until the Stex dinurians reveal that they’re actually aliens but the FF trains are unbothered by this since it just makes them go ‘Wait. You guys could have been battling dinosaurs this whole time and never did? UNFAIR! We need to battle FOR REAL now!!’ and life would go on.

I’ll just figure out revival technology stuff later.

#mvf responds #fossil fighters x stex crossover #not sure if it’s clear but that’s Dahlia in the last sketch #haven’t made a design for her yet but she’s an electric #merry crismus here is a good response finally!!#sorry again for the late reply;;;;;;

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