One of the most overlooked aspects of Starlight Express is its commentary on class. It’s not a theme that gets a lot of attention in the fandom, which is surprising, because the show actually explores it in subtle but very effective ways, especially compared to how other musicals handle the topic.
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”).
The purpose of this post isn’t to demonize the coaches, they are beautifully complex like all of the characters in the show. They are victimized by the male characters, mostly the engines. It’s especially evident in how Greaseball and Electra negotiate Dinah and Pearl as racing partners without including them in the conversation. However, the oppressed can be oppressors, and Starlight Express is amazing at representing that intersectionality.