Billion Dollar Limited

Later, a few of the robbers board the train from the back, climb to the middle, and separate several cars carrying guards from the front, leaving them stranded. Two other robbers attack the locomotive, throwing the engineer and a guard overboard, but falling off themselves as well. Lois, hearing the commotion, climbs to the engine's cab and is immediately machine-gunned from the robber's car, keeping pace with the train to the side. Lois grabs the machine gun and returns fire, only to have the bullets bounce harmlessly off of the armored car. The train continues to speed down the track, completely out of Lois' control and continually followed by the robbers. A stationmaster notices this when the train does not stop at the next station, and sends out a telegraph as signalmen change the warning lights to red, and for a railroad drawbridge to close. Finally, Clark hears the news report through the Planet's telegraph, and discreetly enters the building's storage room, changing into his Superman costume.

He arrives on the scene just as the robbers have forced the train onto a track leading to a boxcar filled with explosives. Superman manages to rip the track from the ground and guide the train back to its main course. The robbers then demolish a bridge further ahead, causing the train to fall. Superman catches the train and places it back on the track. Finally, the robbers had thrown a massive, dangerous silver-colored, rocket-shaped bomb into the steam engine's boiler. Superman manages to pull Lois out just before the boiler explodes and both the locomotive and its tender car derail and crash to the ground below the bridge. Superman catches the lead car as it begins to roll backwards, and pulls the train up the hill himself, only to have the robbers toss several cans of tear gas at him. Coughing and choking, Superman momentarily loses control, but regains it, marching steadily up the hill despite the robbers' continued machine gun fire.

Superman pulls the train at full speed over several miles before bringing it to a safe stop at the US Mint. The Daily Planet reports the successful delivery of the money and the capture of the robbers. Reading the article, Clark says, "Uncanny how Superman turns up just when you need him". Lois replies, "I didn't even get a chance to thank him". Clark smiles.^[2]

Cast

• Bud Collyer as Clark Kent/Superman, Conductor, Gangster
• Joan Alexander as Lois Lane^[3]
• Jackson Beck as the Narrator

References