Vaihteissa : $b Veturinkuljettajan romaani

A hulking figure strides onto the rail yard, his broad shoulders and heavy steps marking him as a man built for the iron road. Karhula, a veteran locomotive engineer, performs his morning ritual with exacting care—checking every bolt, adjusting each valve, and listening to the hiss of steam as if it were a living pulse. His reputation for precision has turned him into a quiet legend among the yard workers, who watch his methodical movements with a mixture of awe and nervous respect.

Today a fresh graduate from the technical school, Erkki, joins him as a fireman, eager but raw. The seasoned driver eyes the newcomer skeptically, measuring his skill against the unforgiving demands of the locomotive. As the train prepares to leave the station, a sudden mechanical fault threatens to derail the routine, putting both men’s mettle to the test. The tension builds as Karhula must decide whether his relentless scrutiny will save the day or expose a deeper flaw.