Ranger Bill, Warrior of the Woodland!
Struggling against extreme odds, traveling dangerous trails,
showing rare courage in the face of disaster.
In the air,
on horseback,
or in a screaming squad car.
Ranger Bill, his mind alert, a ready smile, unswerving, loyal to his mission.
And all this in exchange for the satisfaction and pride of a job well done.
Hello there boys and girls, this is Ranger Bill.
That's a sound you may never have heard before.
One of the most mournful, lonesome, and yet friendly sounds in the whole world.
It's a locomotive whistle.
The old-fashioned kind that was part of a coal-burning steam engine.
There are a few in active service here and there, but for the most part,
they've been replaced by modern electric or diesel engines.
There was always something exciting and romantic about those old locomotives,
huffing and puffing, blowing off steam, then whistling for the crossings.
Did you know that the locomotive had more to do with the expansion of our country
than any other one thing?
Well it did, opening up new territory as fast as the tracks were laid.
Today I'm going to tell you a strange tale about one of the last of those old locomotives.
I call it the Runaway Railroad.
Well there it is.
We've climbed uphill and downed Dale for ten days to get here,
and now all there is to see is a bunch of old falling down shacks and shanties.
This is a ghost town, ragweed, end of the line.
Who lives there?
Nobody, nobody except you and me, and we just moved in.
You just moved in, I'm moving out.
You planning to walk back where we came from? It's a long way.
Walk? I forgot that.
You old time railroad boomers hate to walk.
Stick around with me and you'll ride back in style.
How you figure?
Told you I had a surprise for you. Come along.
There's a sign that says hotel in another general store,
and there's one that says barber shop, but nobody around anywhere.
Makes me uneasy.
Forget it. A couple of hard-bitten railroaders like us aren't spooked by a ghost town.
Now wait till I smash this old rusty padlock.
Hey, what's in here? This is the only big building in the whole town.
You'll see.
There. Now help me open up these big doors.
Why, why, it's a...
It's a railroad, that's what it is.
A locomotive, a coal tender, a combination baggage car and day coach.
All that's left of the old rim rock, rawhide and ragweed railroad.
Yeah, the old R, R and R.
I've heard about it all my life, and I've been a railroader for 40 years.
The three R's is what they called it. The railroad without a single mile of level track.
Right.
That rolling stock must be 60 years old.
Wrong, 76 years old.
Well, now that we've had a good look at this here railroad train, what are we going to do about it?
Well, we're going to take it.
Come all you ramblers if you want to hear the story about a brave engineer.
Casey Jones was the rambler's name on a six-edged wheeler, he won his face.
Henry, you don't sing good, but you sure sing loud.
Let's have another verse.
Sure.
Think you can remember the tune?
The call, the call, Casey I'd half-passed for.
He kissed his wife at the station door.
He mounted to the cabin with his orders in his hand and took his farewell journey to the promised land.
Casey Jones and his ungrottled Casey.
Boy, I'm all out of breath.
You don't wonder, you sure were hollering.
I had to holler to drown out that music.
Boy, I sure do like that song though.
You know, I've never seen a locomotive or a railroad like the one Casey drove.
Ain't many left, if any.
I know.
Boy, I sure would like to ride on one.
Boy, smoke billowing out of the stack and steam hissing, those big driving wheels pounding along.
Them days is gone.
Yeah, I suppose.
All we can do is read about them in books.
That ain't the same as seeing them or riding them.
Of course, the ladies in their white summer dresses used to get powerful discombobulated.
Cinders, you know.
The old D.L. and W. had a poem about it.
You see, Phoebe Snow, all set to go upon a trip to Buffalo, all dressed in white, she is a sight upon the road of anthracite.
Good for Phoebe.
Say, what became of all those old locomotives, Stumpy?
Sold for scrap iron, I reckon.
Guess I'll never get a chance to ride on one.
Ain't likely.
Them real old stackers is gone.
If ever I could find one, though, it'd be worth plenty. Sure, plenty.
You off your rocker, an old locomotive like this ain't worth a nickel.
On the contrary, Boomer, I never made more sense in my life.
We're going to steal this locomotive.
Why? And by the way, how?
Why? Because if we can get this train just as she is, down out of these mountains and near the mainline tracks of any modern railroad, I can sell it for plenty.
Sell it? To another crazy man?
John Farmer, that's me. John Farmer keeps his eyes and ears open.
I know two or three multimillionaires that collect these things.
Fact, if we get this rig down to the mainline, I'll just let those gentlemen know it's there and I can name my own price and sell to the highest bidder.
But who owns the railroad?
I suppose the mining company. This was a lead mining town. That's why they built the railroad.
Thirty-seven miles of track, all mountain grading.
We're about four miles higher than Rimrock, which is the town at the other end of the line, where it joins with the big railroads.
But the company owns it.
Ah, they've forgotten about it.
Now look, we're both railroaders. We'll tinker with this locomotive, get her to running, take a look at the track and zoom down the mountain slick as a whistle.
Here morning mail, Bill. Only one letter.
Oh, thanks, Ray. Well, New York Postmark.
Probably some tourist complaining because the bears in the national park area aren't as big as the ones he expected.
Ah, that's a funny one.
Funny how?
This letter, it's from some man back east. And the letterhead looks as though he was a big railroad executive.
He says, I understand there will shortly be an antique locomotive up for sale in your territory. As a collector, I would appreciate having an opportunity to present a bid.
Would be glad to wire you $5,000 as an option if...
Maybe a joke.
No, I don't think so. I've heard of this man. He does buy old trains as collector's items. But we don't have any old locomotives lying around loose, do we?
All diesel now. Iron horse gone for good.
Sure. I'll drop him a line and tell him he must be mistaken.
You remember old 3Rs?
Yeah. That tooted his last toot about 1910, I guess. The lead mines were finished. It was finished.
Quite a railroad in this day, though. Steepest gradient of any line in this country.
Ah, need good break.
I'll say.
A railroad may be what rich men want.
Oh, the old 3Rs has either been junked or scrapped, Grey Wolf, for just plain rusted away to dust long before this.
I can't believe it. Hardly a speck of rust on it.
It's this dry mountain air. No moisture, no humidity. We'll have this stacker moving in a couple of days.
Well, as long as the beans and bacon hold out, I suppose we're okay.
Hand me that spanner.
Right.
Boy, they don't seem to leak now.
How much steam you got on?
Full head. Even left us a storage bin full of coal.
Faultful of them, was it not?
Yep. Only one thing worries me, though.
What's that?
Them rails. How do we know they're still there and not rusted out?
I walked the whole 37 miles of track before I teamed up with you.
I carried a butterfly net, let on I was a knapsulist.
Those tracks are quite adequate. Little wobbly here and there, but they'll hold.
I thought you hired me as a fireman.
I did. This is a two-man job. I can't take this traveling foundry down those mountains all by myself.
I need you to do a coal and help with the breaking. You scared, boomer?
No, I ain't scared of any stretch of track that was ever built.
It's just that, well, I don't like this stealing idea.
I told you.
I know what you told me. A boomer wanders around and does any kind of a job there is on a railroad, but, well, stealing...
Hand me that Stilson wrench.
Here.
You just shovel that coal next week and let me do the worrying.
When you cook supper tonight, be sure to use dry wood.
Dry wood, you understand? I don't want any smoke.
My grandfather told me his father tell him.
When iron horse first come, so many buffaloes, sometime train have to stop.
That buffalo go by.
Maybe the buffalo were bigger then.
No, buffalo same size, but many more.
Well, boy, the engineer must have had a dangerous job.
That's right, Henry. Sometimes Indians shoot arrow at locomotive. Try to stop train with arrow.
But the trains kept going.
Say, Grey Wolf, are there any old trains still running? Around here, I mean?
No, all gone. Last old train around here called Three R's.
Three R's? Reading, writing and arithmetic?
No. Rimrock, rawhide and ragweed.
Hey.
Train run from mining town of ragweed, we up in mountains, down through town of rawhide to town of rimrock,
where railroad stop and join big railroad. All winding track, all steep, Grey.
Must have been fun to write on that.
You're right, Henry.
But you said that the Three R's isn't in existence anymore.
All finish.
Well, where did they keep the train when they weren't using it?
Railroad yards up at rawhide, I think.
Do you suppose it's still there?
Mining company on railroad tracks, town behind everything.
Mine were out, company go up a new mine some place else.
Ragweed only goes town now, nobody live there.
How far is it from here?
Well, maybe one day, two day hike across mountain, all uphill.
Oh, just the same. I think I'll ask Bill if he'll let me hike over there.
I'd at least like to see an old train like that.
All you find is rusty tracks.
Probably. But if there is a locomotive there, I ought to be able to find it.
You got the grease cups all packed?
Sure.
Looks like in another day or so, we'll be ready to roll.
You got a nice hit of steam up. I can see you kept it busy while I was gone.
Nothing else to do.
I got those letters mailed, those rich dents, airmail specials.
They'll be waiting for us at Rimrock, and we can make a deal and be on our way before anybody knows what's up.
Anybody get suspicious when you walk into rawhide?
No, I took that butterfly net along. I think I'm just another goofy naturalist.
I did one thing while you were gone.
What?
Well, it seemed like to me if we were going to run this train, we might as well run it right, so I fixed the whistle.
No harm in that. We might want to shoo a stray cow off the track.
Want to hear it?
Go ahead.
Sure you can go, Henry. You're old enough to take care of yourself in the mountains.
Follow the trails, read your map frequently, and if you strike cross country, use your compass.
I will.
It's good weather now. Little dry, but pleasant days and cool nights.
Be sure and put out your campfire thoroughly.
Okay.
Don't eat any berries. You can't identify as edible. And be sure and allow yourself plenty of rest every night.
I will.
Don't be disappointed if you don't find any old locomotivator, as Stumpy calls it.
And we'll expect you back in about five days.
Oh, one other thing, Henry. Have a good time.
I will.
Explain to me again how them there brakes work. It'll make me feel better going down them there hills.
Nothing but curves and switchbacks and bends and turns and every inch of it downgrade.
Well, you see these big curved pieces of metal?
Uh-huh.
Now, those are the brake shoes. When we want to slow down, we just turn those iron wheels up at the sides of the cab,
and that gradually tightens these shoes, and there's your brakes. Works wonderful.
You mean they did work wonderful the last time this here engine was used, but they must get...
It's a cab.
Yeah. Hello, young man. What do you want?
Well, I heard that maybe there just might be an old locomotive up here,
and since I happen to be interested in old locomotives, I hiked up to see for myself.
Well, go ahead and take a look.
Thanks. I was sure hoping I'd see a locomotive. Everybody kept saying I wouldn't.
This sure is an old timer, isn't it?
Yeah, she's what's called an old stacker.
How long ago was she built?
Oh, maybe 75, 80 years ago.
Do you mind if I climb up in the cab?
Uh, no, no, go ahead.
Thanks. What are we going to do?
It's me. What'd that kid have to come up here for?
I don't suppose he's spying.
Him? No, he's too innocent.
Why, this is awful interesting.
What are you, uh, what are you doing? Getting this thing ready for a museum?
How are you going to get it down from here?
Hey, look, uh, kid, what'd you come up here for?
Just to look for a locomotive.
Is that the only reason you came?
Well, sure. I...
Who came with you?
Nobody. I came alone.
Do your folks know where you are?
Well, sure. My guardian said it was all right for me to come.
Who's he?
Forest Ranger.
The Ranger?
The law.
Well, I guess you men are busy working on that engine, so I'll...
Well, I'll just go on back home.
Yeah, go home and tell the Ranger we're fixing to steal this here train.
Boomer, Boomer.
So long. I ought to be getting back.
I'll be.
Gotcha.
I tried to run away.
What are you going to do with me?
Well, one thing we're not going to do is to let you go home and spill the beans.
Well, Boomer here let the cat out of the bag.
Now we don't dare let you get away.
You take off his shoes. He won't go far.
He can use you to do some cooking.
Here another letter from the same man who wrote before.
Big railroad man. See, name here on corner of envelope.
Oh, sure. You're the one with the good memory, Graywell.
I answered that first letter, told him I didn't know of any locomotives for sale.
Now let's see what he has to say this time.
Beg to differ.
I've received a letter with definite offer of antique locomotive.
Please investigate. See if offer is genuine.
Locomotive to be on display at railroad siding near town of Rimrock.
Graywell, if he says there's to be a locomotive on sale tomorrow over at Rimrock,
we'd better take a ride over there.
Certainly sounds crazy, but it might be worth looking the situation over.
Now, I've got to keep a level head and try to figure a way out of all this.
I can't get my shoes, that's for sure.
You know, I've got to get word to Bill somehow.
Now let's see. Those two men are over at the shop, not paying attention to me.
That's good. Here I am in the cookhouse cooking their beans and bacon.
Hey, that fire gives me an idea.
Distilled day or up high here.
I need some green branches, the kind that make a lot of smoke when they burn.
Yeah, plenty on these bushes right outside the window here.
Now I'll just stuff them in the stone.
There. Now I'll use a damper to stop and release the smoke.
See if I can send a smoke signal for help.
Now if I can only remember what Grey Wolf taught me, let me see.
One small puff, another small puff, and then...
North, northwest, north, northwest. You've been standing on this porch for five days now.
Every chance you get, stare north, northwest, north, northwest.
What ails you, Grey Wolf?
Henry go that way on the hike. Should come back from the same way.
I watch Henry do back today.
He'll make it.
I watch just the same.
He never got lost yet.
He'll do back today. Should be here now.
Maybe stop to go fishing, maybe just sky-locking.
Henry do back today.
Sure. Well, he got a mighty pretty day for a hike.
Not one single solitary cloud in the sky, nearly one.
Nope. Not a cloud in the sky.
Except for them teeny weeny little ones way, way up there by the top of that mountain.
You see him, Grey Wolf? Straight over northwest.
Hey, what you got an arm for?
They're not clouds. Not smoke signal. It's a... in danger, need help.
Oh!
I hope somebody sees these signals. I've been setting them for over an hour now.
So that's what you're up to, trying to send some sort of message, huh?
Well, I don't think anyone would see it, but I've got to play it safe.
I was going to give you back your shoes just before we took off in the locomotive,
but now that you've pulled this trick, there's only one thing I can do.
What's that?
Take you with us.
Ready, Boomer?
Right.
I will be as soon as I tie this more than pipe.
Yeah, all right. You ready with the brake wheel?
All right.
Here we go, down the mountain.
Runs like a breeze. We'll be going downhill in another minute.
Hey, boss, back there. Three men on horseback. They're yelling at us.
Hey, Bill! Grey Wolf, stop him! Bill! Hey, Bill!
He picks them. A locomotive cannot run a horse any day.
We'll be down the hill and gone before they can get started.
Here we go!
Two minutes too late! We're not beaten yet. Henry's on that train, remember?
Looked like he tied there.
Yeah.
What do we do now, Bill?
Well, we can't chase a train along the tracks on horses, but there's one thing we can do.
What's that?
This train has to wind around and around to get down the hill.
What's that?
This is the train that's going to get us down the hill.
What's that?
That's the train that's going to get us down the hill.
What's that?
That's the train that's going to get us down the hill.
What's that? This train has to wind around and around to get down the mountain.
But on horses we can go straight down.
And that's what we'll do to get ahead of the train.
Yes, sir! Let's get going!
How's the coal?
Plenty.
Water and steam?
Okay.
Good.
That posse, those friends of yours, they must be 20 miles behind us by now.
They haven't gotten this far yet.
You see, the rust on those old tracks is undisturbed.
Now throw some brush on that pile, Stumpy.
An old brush pile on tracks? No stop train?
Of course not.
We don't dare erect a real barrier.
We can't run the risk of wrecking the train.
That brush pile is to serve as a warning to let these men know that we mean business and want that train stopped.
Here she comes!
Wave your hats.
See if we can make them come to their senses and stop this train.
No! Watch!
Straight down the mountain this time, all the way.
Down to Rimlock.
We can beat that train there by ten minutes.
Yes sirree! Ride them cowboys! Let's get!
Well boy, we sure made fools out of your pals.
They look mighty silly waving their hats there beside the track, trying to scare us with their little brush pile.
Boss, she's picking up a lot of speed.
No, the grade gets steeper and steeper from here on.
She's going fast.
Now, okay, let's turn those brake wheels.
Alright.
Now turn your wheel.
I am, I am.
Turn it harder, she's not slowing down.
I'm turning it as hard as I can.
Well turn it harder!
Boss, I can't see.
Look boss, the brakes, they're smashed.
They're going, we ain't got no brakes, we ain't got no brakes.
We made that curve, but we'll never make the next one boss.
Not at this speed.
Shut up.
I'm gonna jump.
At this speed you're crazy.
Oh well, here comes another curve.
I can't look.
Well, we made that one.
But we'll never make the next one.
Here it comes.
Ain't you driving?
Nothing to drive with no brakes, what can I do?
You can pray.
I don't know how.
Pray for me kid.
Me too.
You know what Jesus, if it be your will, guide this train safe down the mountain.
Keep it from being wrecked.
These men have done wrong.
I think they're willing to pay the penalty for their wrong.
Amen.
I say amen too.
So be it, I will, Lord, save us all.
Amen.
You can see the town down there, far below.
Yeah.
I'm going to blow the whistle.
What good will I do?
Well, I can at least blow the alarm.
People can get out of our way.
Yeah.
We're going faster than ever now.
Yeah, yeah, faster than ever.
Blow the whistle.
It's coming on to the main line.
You love to travel, you're mad at our mission.
You love to travel, now here's your help.
Henry.
Oh, oh.
Glad to see you, boy.
I thank the Lord I can see you alive and well.
The Lord brought us down that mountain.
He sure did.
Hey, where are we?
Out on the main line.
When we saw how you were tearing down that mountain, we realized your brakes were gone.
I wired both ways and had the track cleared on the main line.
Set the switch and you had to clear track to coast down until you came to a stop.
You, Ranger Bill.
Yes, I am.
Well, my partner and I here, we want you to take us to the sheriff.
I guess we have something to tell him.
And that's that, boys and girls.
Only God's hand could have brought that runaway train safely down the mountain after the brakes were smashed.
John Farmer and Boomer learned a lesson they'll never forget.
And Henry, well, Henry managed to get his locomotive ride after all, even though it didn't turn out the way he quite expected.
Well, see you next week for more Adventure with...
Ranger Bill!