The Rescue of the Brakeman's Children (1915)

• 75%
• 1915
• Thriller
• J. Gunnis Davis
• Helen Gibson
• Franklyn Hall
• Robyn Adair

Discharged for drinking, Coleman attempts to get even by releasing the brakes on an empty boxcar, to which is coupled a flatcar, allowing them to run wild down the main line on which he knows the president's special is coming. Coleman does not know that his children, Helen and Paul, are playing on the flat car. Mrs. Coleman misses them and, filled with anxiety, approaches the track just in time to sec the children on the wild cars that flash by. Frantic, the woman informs Helen of the children's peril. Knowing that the special is due shortly, Helen commandeers a freight engine held on a siding. Accompanied by Mrs. Coleman, the girl sends the locomotive speeding down the parallel track and overtakes the runaways. Throwing the throttle, Helen lets the engine coast at the speed traveling by the cars and then stations the frightened mother at the air lever. Mrs. Coleman faints, however. Cutting the bell rope free, the telegrapher fastens one end to the air lever, holds on to the other and then jumps from the engine to the flatcar. Thus she can stop the locomotive from the latter. This she proceeds to do, after which she turns her attention to setting the brakes on the two cars. By this time, the special comes into sight. The engineer sees the cars and sets his brakes. Thanks to Helen's work, the runaways are halted in time. Coleman, learning what has occurred, vows never to touch liquor again. At Helen's request the man is not prosecuted.