Tootle, written by Gertrude Crampton (1909-1996), is part of the long-running series of Little Golden Books.
The title character is a young 4-4-2 locomotive attending train school in the fictional town of Lower Trainswitch, with aspirations of being the Flyer on the New York-to-Chicago route. Part of his lessons are stopping at red flags, coming around curves safely, and, most importantly, staying on the rails no matter what.
However, while playing with a horse while practicing his lessons, Tootle jumps off the track and quickly becomes fond of playing in the meadow and not staying on the rails. His friend and teacher, Bill, discovering this and not wanting to cause Tootle to lose out on his dream, concocts a plan with the mayor and the townspeople to set Tootle straight.
In the end, Tootle learns his lesson, becomes the Flyer, and, eventually, a mentor to new trains.
This book contains examples of:
- Cruel to Be Kind: It is mentioned early on that there is nothing that a locomotive hates more than stopping. However, locomotives have to participate in lessons on stopping for a red flag waving. Also, when Tootle starts jumping off the tracks, Bill, not wanting Tootle to lose out on becoming the Flyer, hatches a plan with the mayor, which involves the townspeople waving red flags to force Tootle to stop. Tootle is nearly brought to tears by having to stop every way he turns, and when Bill waves a green flag on the train tracks, says, "There is nothing but red flags for locomotives that get off their tracks." The townspeople then cheer for Tootle and award him the Flyer route when they see that he has learned his lesson.
- Forbidden Fruit: Young trains are taught that they must stay on the rails no matter what. Tootle, while racing a horse, jumps off to avoid losing, and quickly takes a liking to coming off the rails and playing in the meadow.
- Just Train Wrong: Played Straight and Deconstructed at the same time. Tootle takes a liking towards jumping off the rails and playing in the meadow, despite it being against the qualifications towards becoming a Flyer. No steam locomotive can ever leave the rails, and if they do, they'll leave behind a horrific mess as their weight and speed would tear up the ground into a twisted mess, yet Tootle can romp through the meadow like he's a prancing pony. Nevertheless, Tootle's off-the-rails antics get Bill's attention, and he has to remind Tootle that he can never be a Flyer if he keeps this up, so he ropes the townsfolk into waving red flags everyone the Atlantic Type goes until he gets back on the rails.
- Older and Wiser: Tootle, at the end of the story, is a mentor to the other young locomotives.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Bill, the head of the locomotive school.
- Serious Business: A locomotive can be perfect at stopping for red flags, going around curves safely, and even pulling dining cars so smoothly that they don't spill the soup, but can never be a Flyer, or other prestigious professional train, without perfection in staying on the rails, no matter what. Given the weight of locomotives and the lack of traction on typical train wheels, this is extremely justified.
