September 15th, 882.
Two people gazed out of the carriage window, taking in the scenery as they made their way toward the Axelsen & Nielsen Air Brake Company headquarters. They noticed the apartment buildings lining the street, each one with its own style and character. As they approached their destination, they could see the pale blue two-story house that served as the company's headquarters. Its design was not grand or ornate, but rather simple and unassuming. Despite its lack of glamor, they knew that this building held great importance for their business, and they stepped out of the carriage to begin their meeting.
The two men straightened their suits, adjusted their top hats, and brushed off the dust from their canes. They exchanged a quick nod, silently acknowledging the significance of the meeting they were about to have. They approached the door and were greeted by a female clerk who welcomed them with a polite smile. Her sharp gaze took in their attire, noting their formal wear and well-kept appearance.
"Good afternoon, sirs. My name is Amelia Weiss, the executive secretary for the CEO and the COO of the Axelsen & Nielsen Air Brake Company. You must be the gentleman from the German Empire who scheduled an appointment with us?" she said fluently in German.
"Yes, that's correct," the taller of the two replied, impressed by her fluency in German. "We are here to meet with Herr Axelsen and Herr Nielsen."Amelia nodded, then gestured for them to follow her. "Right this way, please," she said, leading them to the living room.
The two Germans looked around and were astonished that the house was already electrified, with light bulbs illuminating the room. They had heard about this new technology, but it was still rare in their own country. They were even more surprised to see a phonograph in the corner, playing music that they had never heard before.
As they took in the furnishings and décor of the living room, Amelia informed the industrialist duo inside.
"The Germans are already here," Amelia informed, and immediately after, Poul and Jonathan straightened their postures and set what they were doing aside.
Poul rapped his finger on the table and smiled. "So, they have come huh? Our first clients from overseas."
"That is correct, would you like me to serve as an interpreter?" Amelia asked, her eyes lit up with excitement.
Poul and Jonathan exchanged a quick glance. They can speak German fluently but they have a cover to follow. They are Avalonian orphans. If they spoke German, that'd betray the fact that they are orphans, because the language taught there was English. Though there are instances where the German language may have been taught there, it's a rare case. So, they agreed."That would be most helpful, thank you, Amelia," Poul said. "You may tell them to come now."
"Understood, Mr. Nielsen," Amelia bowed politely before turning to her heels and exiting the office.
Poul and Jonathan hummed a tune to themselves as they waited for the Germans to arrive. Last week, they received a call from the Germans who are interested in their air brakes. Seeing that it was a business opportunity, the industrialist duo accepted.
Moments later, the Germans entered the room, and Poul and Jonathan stood up to greet them.
"Guten Tag! My name is Poul Nielsen, the CEO of the Axelsen and Nielsen Air Brake Company."
"And I'm Jonathan Axelsen, the COO of the Axelsen & Nielsen Air Brake Company," Jonathan spoke in English, shaking the German's hand.
"I'm Peter Mueller, a safety committee member from the Reichseisenbahnamt."
"He said they were from the Imperial Railway Office," Amelia translated.
"I'm Markus Braun, a safety committee member of the Reichseisenbahnamt."
"A pleasure to meet the two of you, welcome to Avalonia. Please take a seat," Poul gestured to the chairs in front of them.
Markus and Peter sat down in the chairs arranged in the tastefully decorated living room. As they settled in, Poul and Jonathan followed suit, taking their respective seats across the table. The air was charged with a sense of anticipation and excitement, as they awaited the commencement of the business discussion.
"So, Mr. Nielsen and Mr. Axelsen, we are interested in your air brakes," Markus began, his thick German accent filling the room. He looked around curiously, taking in the surroundings.
Amelia, the executive secretary, translated Markus's words to Poul and Jonathan, who nodded in response. Poul replied, "Of course, we are glad to hear that. Our air brakes have been proven to be highly effective in ensuring the safety of trains, and we have already installed them on several railways in Avalonia. We would be happy to provide you with more information about our product and discuss the possibility of implementing them in your railway system."
Markus leaned forward, a concerned expression on his face. "That would be much appreciated, Mr. Nielsen. You see, our government is getting worried about the steam locomotive accidents in our country because of an ineffective braking system our trains have. Have you heard of the Eschede train disaster that occurred on October 12th, 882?"
Poul and Jonathan exchanged a glance. "I'm sorry, but we haven't. Have you, Jonathan?" Poul asked, turning to his partner.
Jonathan shook his head. "Unfortunately, no. But since it was brought up, we would like to know what happened."
"An express train traveling from Berlin to Cologne derailed near the town of Eschede in Lower Saxony, killing 25 people and injuring many more," Markus said somberly. "The cause of the accident was attributed to a broken axle on one of the locomotive's wheels, which caused the train to veer off the tracks and crash. It was a disaster. The investigation into the train disaster revealed that the locomotive involved in the accident was an older design that lacked some of the safety features of newer locomotives, such as the ability to automatically apply the brakes in the event of an emergency."
"What braking system does the train involved in the accident have?" Jonathan asked.
"Vacuum brake," Peter answered.
Poul rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It was an express train, right? Well, vacuum brakes are not as efficient as our air brakes, especially at higher speeds."
Peter looked intrigued. "How so?"
Poul began to explain, "The vacuum brake system is less reliable and less efficient at higher speeds because it relies on maintaining a vacuum in the train pipe. As the train travels faster, the air resistance on the train becomes greater, which makes it harder to maintain the vacuum. If the vacuum is lost, the brakes will apply automatically, which can lead to inconsistent braking and longer stopping distances. Additionally, if the vacuum pump on the locomotive fails, there will be no vacuum, and the brakes will apply automatically, which can be dangerous, especially at higher speeds. In contrast, our air brake system uses compressed air to apply the brakes, which is more reliable and efficient at higher speeds. Since the air brake system relies on compressed air, there is no risk of losing the vacuum, and the brakes can be applied more consistently and quickly, which results in shorter stopping distances."
"I see…so that's how it works, huh?" Peter said, looking impressed. "We tried studying it from the magazine to learn more about it. I also looked at the statistics of steam locomotives in your country, and I have seen a decline, especially after the railroad companies started using your system."
"Well, what did we say?" Poul said, grinning. "Our system is effective, we are constantly improving it so that it can continue to stop trains and save lives."
"Indeed," Markus nodded. "But we would like to know more about the installation process, and how much it would cost."
Poul leaned back in his chair, considering the question. "The cost of installation would depend on the size and type of locomotives you have, as well as the specific needs of your railway system. However, we can provide you with a detailed estimate after a thorough assessment of your system. Rest assured that our installation process is efficient and streamlined, and we are committed to ensuring minimal disruption to your operations during the installation process."
Markus nodded. "Very well. We will need to discuss this further with the higher-ups in our organization."
"Oh, by the way, we are thinking of expanding our business abroad. This is a great opportunity for us, don't you agree?"
"You intend to build a facility in our country to produce the air brakes? Is that what you are saying?" Markus asked.
"Yes," Poul confirmed.
"In that case, we can help you with that," Peter interjected. "But you are going to visit Berlin first."
"No problem," Poul said, glancing at his partner. Jonathan nodded, it was their plan after all.
