Timetables

Timetables is the first episode of the first season.

Plot
At a big station in North Carolina, an Eastern & Atlantic express locomotive named Frederick is backing down onto his train. Frederick, a young, inexperienced locomotive, stops next to another passenger locomotive, Lennox, who is older and more experienced. Frederick complains of the new, stricter timetables that have been handed out recently, and how difficult it is to keep close to them. Lennox agrees, though reminds Frederick of the reason for the new schedules - competition from other railroads, and other forms of transportation. Just then, Clarence - an express locomotive from another railway, the Southern - pulls into the station with his own train. He is polite to the Eastern & Atlantic locomotives, though it is clear there is rivalry between the two railways. Clarence's tender, not so courteous as his locomotive, riffs on the two locomotives for 'sitting idly around'. Frederick's tender, Chester, is indignant, though Lennox's - Toni - ignores the Southern tender's jeers. Frederick then departs from the station with his passenger train.

Once out on the line, Frederick is able to work up to his full speed, running comfortably with his limited train. However, his driver begins to get worried and increases his speed beyond what is normally allowed. Frederick shows some concern, but he has to do what his driver commands him to. He now flies along the line at a very high speed. Frederick then remembers that he is due to pass a train soon, and that going at such a high speed is dangerous through points. Frederick tries to tell his driver but the driver is distracted by trying to read a signal.

The train flies past a signal tower, and the signalman, concerned about the high speed of the train, telephones ahead to the next signal tower telling them to warn the slow freight train that Frederick is due to pass. Unfortunately, the train does not reach the signal tower in time to get the message.

Frederick continues trying to slow as the two trains get closer and closer. He is able to reduce his speed significantly, but it is too late. As Frederick rounds a curve, he sees the conductor from the freight train walking back to throw the switch. Seeing Frederick, the conductor runs forward and throws the switch at the last second, with Frederick thundering through the crossover onto the other track, barely staying on the rails. He manages to pass the other train, but only barely.

The locomotive of the freight train, Harry, is quite surprised when Frederick passes him, since Frederick was not supposed to meet him until later. Chester yells an apology to Harry as their train thunders past.

Later, Frederick arrives at the end of his journey, very shaken up. His passenger cars complain about the rough treatment they received as Frederick delivers them to the coach yard, but Chester manages to console them somewhat. As Frederick goes to refuel and get water, Chester himself reprimands him for going so quickly, but his driver takes most of the blame.

The next day, Frederick returns to the yards at Raleigh, the station he set out from the day before. Once there, however, the Road Foreman, Alfred McKenzie, comes up to Frederick. He is afraid that the foreman will tell him off for speeding, but, rather, he is kind to Frederick. He says that the speeding was his fault for keeping schedules too tight, and he will recommend that the schedules be loosened up. Frederick thanks him and goes off to his next assignment, a wiser engine.