Editing The Great Hellbound Railway

{{Object|image1=railway.png|caption1=The Great Hellbound Railway|location=[[The Hinterlands]]|alias=The GHR<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Involved_in_a_Railway_Venture|Involved in a Railway Venture|Fallen London|}} ''"The GHR can begin laying track"''</ref>|related=[[The Tracklayer's Union]]}}<blockquote>''"The line will run west, following the Stolen River to the edge of Hell. Your advisor unrolls a map, showing the stations to be built. Ealing Gardens. Jericho Locks. The Magistracy of the Evenlode. B—. S—— VIII. Burrow-Infra-Mump... The names grow less familiar."''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ask_a_present_investor_about_the_benefits|Ask a present investor about the benefits|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>

The '''Great Hellbound Railway''' is a massive project by [[London]] to construct a railway to [[Hell]] through the [[Hinterlands]].

''You can view a fan-made map of the GHR [[Map:Map of the GHR|here]].''

== An Enormous Undertaking ==
<blockquote>''"While Lord Mayor, Virginia made it possible to build west. London is taking advantage!"''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Involved_in_a_Railway_Venture|Involved in a Railway Venture|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>
[[File:Lordship.png|alt=A jovial man with a red beard.|thumb|[[His Amused Lordship]]]]
In 1898, during her term as [[Lord Mayor of London]], [[Virginia]] brokered a deal with [[Hell]] to allow [[London]] to begin developing the [[Hinterlands]]. She also founded the '''Ministry of Upper River Development''', which distributed [[Hinterland Scrip]] as the region's new currency.<ref name=":0">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Advertisements_of_a_New_Venture|Advertisements of a New Venture|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] Virginia became Lord Mayor. [...] she announced [...] a deal brokered with Hell, a whole stretch of land opened to London development. She founded the Ministry of Upper River Development, [...] Constables and other worthies started handing out Hinterland scrip in place of Echoes."''</ref> [[His Amused Lordship]] used this opportunity to found the '''Great Hellbound Railway Company''' alongside friends and investors.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Advertisements_of_a_New_Venture|Advertisements of a New Venture|Fallen London|}} ''"Seeing opportunity, His Amused Lordship joined a few friends to form the Great Hellbound Railway Company."''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ask_a_present_investor_about_the_benefits|Ask a present investor about the benefits|Fallen London|}} ''"There are opportunities! Who needs dividends?"''</ref> He envisioned a railway<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ask_a_present_investor_about_the_benefits|Ask a present investor about the benefits|Fallen London|}} ''"The line will run west, [...] to the edge of Hell. [...] the stations to be built. Ealing Gardens. Jericho Locks. The Magistracy of the Evenlode. B—. S—— VIII. Burrow-Infra-Mump... The names grow less familiar. [...] "We hope to take the track to... places of value to the Empress and the Masters."''</ref> that would run from [[Moloch Street]] in London to [[Marigold Station]] in the Hinterlands, upon which it would merge with the [[Moloch Line]] to cover the remaining distance to Hell.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/All_aboard!|All aboard!|Fallen London|}} ''"Your train now serves points west of London."''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Head_to_Marigold_Station,_the_end_of_the_line|Head to Marigold Station, the end of the line|Fallen London|}} ''"Where the Great Hellbound Railway meets the Devils' own lines."''</ref>
[[File:Furnace.png|alt=A woman wearing rugged clothing and a massive metal helmet.|thumb|[[Furnace Ancona]]]]
The [[Brass Embassy]] tried to block His Lordship's plans, as they saw the GHR as competition to their Moloch Line,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Disagreements_at_Moloch_Street|Disagreements at Moloch Street|Fallen London|}} ''"The Brass Embassy has applied for an injunction [...] against the Great Hellbound Railway Company. There is already a railway service running from Moloch Street to Hell!"''</ref> only reneging on the condition that [[Virginia]] serve on the company's new board.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Place_a_bribe_in_the_right_hands|Place a bribe in the right hands|Fallen London|}} ''"They have just one other requirement: a Deviless on your Board of Directors. "You'll have heard of her," [...] Virginia has become a member of your board. "''</ref> The [[Church]] also demanded representation, as the railway would run through consecrated ground.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Settle_this_Issue_of_Representation|Settle this Issue of Representation|Fallen London|}} ''"Then the Church [...] remind you that part of any route out of London will take you through consecrated ground, [...] you must accept representation from one of their candidates [...]"''</ref> Finally, the [[Bazaar]] placed the [[The Efficient Commissioner|Efficient Commissioner]] on the board of the GHR to oversee the project and prevent any mishaps.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Meet_your_fellow_board_members|Meet your fellow board members|Fallen London|}} ''"The second board member is the Efficient Commissioner. One of the investors explains [...] "The Bazaar wouldn't let us lay [...] track in a Westward direction without her. Something about a bad incident a few centuries ago. Not To Be Repeated." She will scrutinise the Board's [...] to make sure it is unlikely to cause any further mishaps.""''</ref> After the board was set up, the [[Tracklayer's Union]], led by [[Furnace Ancona]], were commissioned for their services.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Submit_forms_in_triplicate |Submit forms in triplicate |Fallen London|}} ''"[...] "I'm 'Furnace' Ancona, I run the Tracklayers' Union, and if you want to put down any rail out of London, it's me you need to be dealing with. [...]"''</ref>

As the line continued west, its presence brought many changes to the Hinterlands. Some places, like [[Station VIII]], welcomed the GHR,<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Accept_an_invitation_to_dine|Accept an invitation to dine|Fallen London|}} ''""Being able to use your railway to send things to London – an inspired idea. [...]"''</ref> while others, like [[Jericho Locks]], saw it as a threat.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Return_to_London_(from_Jericho_Locks)|Return to London (from Jericho Locks)|Fallen London|}} ''"The tracks east of Jericho are subject to hazards: aggrieved gondoliers afraid for their livelihoods [...]"''</ref> The new oversight from [[London]] also impacted other existing communities, such as [[Ealing Gardens]]<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ministry_Enforcement|Ministry Enforcement|Fallen London|}} ''"[...] 'Property of the Ministry of the Upper River – Severest Penalties for Squatters.' [...] a tentacle draws a curtain at the window, then flicks it back into place."''</ref> and [[Moulin]].<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/The_Exiled_Antiquarian|The Exiled Antiquarian|Fallen London|}} ''"Ahead of your construction [...] the Ministry of Public Decency erected a barrier around our town."''</ref>

==Main Stations==
<blockquote>''"Your train now serves points west of London. Where would you like to visit?"''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/All_aboard!|All aboard!|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>

<gallery widths=100>
File:Ealing.png|[[Ealing Gardens]]
File:Rowboat hinterlands.png|[[Jericho Locks]]
File:Evenlode.png|[[The Magistracy of the Evenlode]]
File:Balmoral.png|[[Balmoral]]
File:StationVIII.png|[[Station VIII]]
File:Burrow.png|[[Burrow-Infra-Mump]]
File:Moulin.png|[[Moulin]]
File:Hurlers.png|[[The Hurlers]]
File:Marigold.png|[[Marigold Station]]
</gallery>

==Railway Steel==
{{spoiler}}
<blockquote>''"You should know: you've been driving your railway over the faces of old powers, and hoping that they do not mind. The Justificandes offer a kind of apology. You learned that from my recipe for the steel, when I allowed it to come into your hands."''<ref name=":1">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ask_it_about_the_Hillchanger_Tower_(Furnace_Abandoned)|Ask it about the Hillchanger Tower (Furnace Abandoned)|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>
[[File:Railsteel.png|alt=Metal bars.|thumb|Railway steel.]]
The Great Hellbound Railway's tracks were manufactured using a recipe developed by [[Mr Fires]]: an alloy of steel and Justificande coins.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ask_it_about_the_Hillchanger_Tower_(Furnace_Abandoned)|Ask it about the Hillchanger Tower (Furnace Abandoned)|Fallen London|}} ''"You learned that from my recipe for the steel, when I allowed it to come into your hands."''</ref><ref name = "alloy">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Make_tracks|Make tracks|Fallen London|}} ''"Steel, hot fire, and a tiny alloy of the metal of Irem, to teach the tracks the shape of things-to-come."''</ref> The coins were supposedly added to "teach the tracks the shape of things-to-come;"<ref name = "alloy"/> consequently, the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martensite martensite crystals] in the steel always point west.<ref name=":2">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Rely_on_her_knowledge_of_chemistry|Rely on her knowledge of chemistry|Fallen London|}} ''""Steel is fascinating. [...] this iron has such exotic impurities." [...] the martensite crystals are all in rows, pointing in the same direction?" She gently rotates the slide. The crystals shift in place. "See how they always point towards Hell?""''</ref>

A very long time ago, the [[Echo Bazaar]] incurred an enormous debt to the [[Creditor]], the entity that rules the [[Hinterlands]]. Justificande coins mandate forgiveness from those who receive them, and the Creditor is a being of earth. Accordingly, by laying tracks infused with Justificandes across the Creditor's "face," Fires hoped to settle, or suppress, the issue.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Justificande_Coin|Justificande Coin|Fallen London|}} ''"ONE DAY YOU WILL FORGIVE is stamped on the back. It is a commandment as much as a promise."''</ref><ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Ask_it_about_the_Hillchanger_Tower_(Furnace_Abandoned)|Ask it about the Hillchanger Tower (Furnace Abandoned)|Fallen London|}} ''"Fires' eyes gleam. "The Bazaar owes a debt to its Creditor in the west, a debt that has not come due but that we would find very difficult to repay. [...] it is an earth power, and I hoped that laying [...] tracks made of Justificandes across its face would either constitute either repayment or the means to silence.""''</ref>

==References==
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