#stex freight

Take the freightlings doodles to make up for it 💔

Now back to being dead/j

Rusty and the freight trucks clearly represent the working class. Their original costumes were designed to resemble worn-in work clothes. Even in the current Bochum production, Dustin still has that same blue collar aesthetic.

While Rusty being terrorized by Greaseball and his gang is often discussed, what gets far less attention is how the coaches treat the freight trucks. In Freight, the trucks introduce themselves with a song/chant, similar to other character groups. But immediately, the coaches start insulting them by calling them “dumb trucks,” saying “the lights are on but nobody’s home,” and mocking them as “40 tons of empty chrome”, etc. These insults rely heavily on tired stereotypes about blue collar workers being unintelligent or crass.

Later versions of the show even add complaints about the trucks being “too loud,” despite the fact that their volume isn’t noticeably different from any other group. Dustin is arguably the most soft spoken character in the show, Flat Top speaks gruffly, the Rockies speak in rhythm, and Caboose speakers in a friendly, charming way to feign innocence. The coaches’ comment about them being “loud” is a thinly veiled way of policing working class expression, which is something that often happens in real life too.

What’s often missed is that Freight isn’t a two-sided argument, the coaches instigate the fight. In the original lyrics, the trucks never insult the coaches or passenger work, they only talk about how they think that “freight is great.” In The New Starlight Express they push back with a line about passengers being too noisy, and even then, it comes across more as a response than a direct attack.

The coaches’ classism is also evident in their treatment of Rusty. In Call Me Rusty, it’s evident that they don’t respect him the same way they do other engines. They openly mock him when he talks about his dream to race and end the song by beckoning him childishly (“come on Rusty, good boy Rusty”).

pearl is obviously a girl they have a crush on. maybe shes a new neighbour , a new kid at school. maybe if we’re getting sentimental she wears a pearl necklace which gave control the idea of naming her pearl.

greaseball could be controls older sister , maybe shes a little mean to him sometimes , as siblings often are , maybe thats how she manifests as a big bully in their dream.

dinah is controls older sisters girlfriend , she probably thinks hes cute and tells controls older sister to lay off of them and stop being so mean. control probably thinks that dinah is too good for greaseball since shes so nice to them.

the other coaches could be their sister’s girlfriends friends maybe? they come round sometimes to hang out and are often pretty nice to control as well. i like to think their personalities manifest as their own type of train , like yes the irl dinah gives them snacks sometimes so shes a dining car , irl tassita is always telling irl greaseball to shush so hes a quiet coach , the irl belle is always having sleepovers so shes a sleeping car. etc. etc.

electra could be a new kid at school , a bully perhaps , the comps are their little posse. irl killerwatt could be a kid who gets in a lot of fights , irl wrench is someone who is always hanging around the medical bay , irl joule is a misbehaving child who maybe set something on fire once (dynamite truck) , god knows why irl volta is a freezer truck.

the irl freight are just the class clowns. a bit annoying to control but they’re still his friends.

momma obviously represents his mum.

the engines are maybe a couple more bullies , maybe theyre in the year above , control doesnt like them very much. they hang around with their older sister and are always teasing him.

Made a small speedy piece for the Halloween art contest in the ever wonderful Starlight Station discord server (of which should 100% join if you’re 18+, genuinely such a great server!!) and figured I’d post it here too!!! Went with Humber instead of Jumber just bc I kinda forgor Jamie is principle for Lumber now 😭