Charley West, a lineman, complains about his rickety old hand-car, and is given one that is up-to-date. He tries it out and finds he can send it sixty miles an hour. The train dispatcher, forgetting an oncoming special freight, allows a passenger train to leave the yard before he discovers his mistake. The trains are rushing toward each other, and there seems to be no way of avoiding a collision. Charley hears of this from the line operator, and decides to catch the passenger train. After a thrilling chase, he catches up with the train, twists the shutoff of the air line at the rear of the last coach, brings the train to a standstill and averts the imminent tragedy.