A Tragedy of the Rails - Production & Contact Info

A Tragedy of the Rails (1915)
Short | Short, Drama

Primary photo for A Tragedy of the Rails

A Tragedy of the Rails (1915)

Short | Short, Drama

Belle, a telegraph operator at a small railroad station, notices an announcement of a coming masquerade to be given by the railroad employees. She decides to attend the affair with Bob Hillman, an engineer. When they part at her house ...See moreBelle, a telegraph operator at a small railroad station, notices an announcement of a coming masquerade to be given by the railroad employees. She decides to attend the affair with Bob Hillman, an engineer. When they part at her house after a ride down the tracks on a handcar, he tells her he will call for her at eight o'clock. She takes her brother's clothes, leaving a note to the effect that she has borrowed them, and asking him to bring her the boards he has promised her to be used as shelves at the station. Bob dresses as a monk, and they arrange to attend the ball together. Arrayed in men's clothes and a long black mask, Belle is dared by the other girls who helped her to dress, to go into the men's smoking room. She opens the door and enters without hesitation. The men slap her on the back and laugh at the frail physique, wondering who it is. Someone pushes a cigar into her mouth, and she puffs vigorously on it. She soon becomes ill and collapses. The mask is withdrawn and Bob sees who it is. He reproaches her for wearing men's clothes and walks away angrily. He snubs her the rest of the evening, and she goes off with Tony Maline, later in the evening giving an exhibition of dancing with him. She leaves the hall with him, while Bob, who really loves her, waits in the hall. The next day, Tony, who accompanied her home, enters her station and makes advances to her. She repels him and after a scuffle, he tells her he will tell Bob that Belle is unfaithful to him and that she permitted a practical stranger to kiss and embrace her. He mounts the engine which Bob is preparing to take out and tells him exactly as he threatened. Bob is enraged by his statements and there is a battle which results in Bob being thrown to the floor or the car senseless. The engine is started by the victor, who is fatally wounded, however, when a cocked revolver goes off in his pocket during the struggle. Belle gets a message that No. 33 is running wild against a fast express, and realizing that something must be done immediately boards a gasoline hand car and starts it down the track parallel to the derelict engine. She lets it overtake her and boards it, finding Bob on the floor. The huge superheater is brought to a stop, and started in the opposite direction. The express engineer sees the engine on the same track and is unable to stop his train until it has proceeded past the spot where the engine had been reversed. Being unimpeded by cars, the engine accelerates quickly and gets out of the way, the express coming very close to it, however, before the single engine pulls out of danger. Bob is revived and the lovers are reunited. Written by Moving Picture World synopsis See less

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Cast	+ Add Cast
5 cast members

Name	Known for
Gertrude McCoy Belle - a Telegraph Operator Belle - a Telegraph Operator See fewer	Nelson (1926)
Augustus Phillips Bob Hillman - an Engineer Bob Hillman - an Engineer See fewer	The Gates of Eden (1916)
Carlton S. King Tony Malone - a Section Boss (as Carlton King) Tony Malone - a Section Boss (as Carlton King) See fewer	Just a Song at Twilight (1916)
Edward Lawrence Belle's Brother Belle's Brother See fewer	Her Father's Gold (1916)
Julian Reed Actor Actor See fewer	The Parson's Button Matcher (1915)