Billy's Runaway Train is the ninth episode of the third season and overall the fiftieth episode of Shining Time Station.
Plot
The station organizes a play about Casey Jones, with Felix as director, Dan as the Narrator, J.B. King as Casey Jones, Stacy and Becky as his wife and daughter, Midge and Ginny as passengers, and Schemer on sound effects. Despite from friction between everyone during rehearsals, the play goes off (mostly successfully) that night.
Meanwhile Billy (accompanied by Mr. Conductor) is driving the non-stop Express to Snarleyville, but (while the play is underway), his controls become stiff, not allowing him to regulate the train's speed. It becomes serious when the train approaches Shining Time Station, as there is another train parked on the same track, and the train will crash, unless an automatic switch is manually thrown. Mr. Conductor swiftly notifies Stacy to throw the switch manually, which she does. As the play nears its end, Schemer accidentally trips a breaker, making the lights in the station go out, and Billy's train roars past the darkened station, adding an unplanned, but exciting special effect to their play. Afterwards, while the cast takes it bows, and starts to dismantle the set, Billy phones in, to announce he got his train back in control, and can proceed to Snarleyville without incident.
Cast and Characters
Main Cast
- George Carlin as Mr. Conductor
- Didi Conn as Stacy Jones
- Tom Jackson as Billy Twofeathers
- Danielle Marcot as Becky
- Ari Magder as Dan Jones
- Brian O'Connor as Horace Schemer
The Flexitoon Puppeteers
- Jonathan Freeman as Tito Swing
- Olga Felgemacher-Marin as DiDi
- Craig Marin as Rex
- Peter Baird as Grace
- Kenny Miele as Grace
- Alan Semok as Tex
Guest Cast
- Barbara Hamilton as Ginny Johnson
- Mart Hulswit as J.B. King
- Bobo Lewis as Midge Smoot
- Aurelio Padrón as Felix Perez
Thomas Story
Jukebox Band Segment Song
- Freight Train Blues
Trivia
- It is revealed that Tex and Rex used to work in a music box.
- This is the only regular half-hour episode that features scenes taped outdoors.
- The train that appears in this episode appears again in "Billy's Party" as well as two Family Special episodes: "Queen for a Day" and "Second Chances".
- Rick Sigglekow appears as an audience member during the play.
| #01 Becky Makes a Wish | #10 Schemer Goes Camping | #19 Mysterious Stranger |
| #02 Schemer's Alone | #11 Mr. Conductor's Evil Twin | #20 Dan's Big Race |
| #03 Bully for Mr. Conductor | #12 Bad Luck Day at Shining Time Station | #21 Mr. Conductor Gets Left Out |
| #04 Stacy Cleans Up | #13 Mr. Conductor's Fourth of July | #22 Mr. Conductor's Big Sleepwalk |
| #05 Schemer's Robot | #14 Stacy Forgets Her Name | #23 The Mayor Runs for Re-Election |
| #06 Billy Saves the Day | #15 Schemer's Special Club | #24 Stacy Says No |
| #07 Billy's Party | #16 Mr. Conductor's Movie | #25 How the Station Got Its Name |
| #08 Fortune Teller Schemer | #17 The Joke's on Schemer | |
| #09 Billy's Runaway Train | #18 Dance Crazy | |