05x13 - Railroad Men

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Announcer: Previously, on AMC's "Hell on Wheels."

I would like you to have this...

Piece of silver don't buy back what you took.

I hope you're not looking for an apology.

There is no way... Durant gives up Ogden.

Get Grant to give us Ogden, and it's millions of dollars worth of coal.

This contest... hadn't ought to end in a room!

Bohannan: Ogden should go to the man who gets there first.

Bohannan? Hardly the adversary I expected.

Mr. Bohannan, tell me: do you plan to stay with the Central Pacific until the end of this race?

♪♪

Louise: Between the pounding of that first spike in Council Bluffs, and the last, yet to be struck, here in North-Eastern Utah...

Thomas Durant, Collis Huntington and their mighty railroads have bamboozled and brow-b*at Congress into paying for their splendid blue-ribbon franchise...

(TYPEWRITER CLICKING)

Over-budget and behind schedule, progress at every turn on the great Transcontinental Railroad has been bedeviled by labor unrest, calamity of nature, God, and man.

Having followed the loose and turbulent population that over the last four years has built this monument to folly...

I can report no happier visage than the two railroads laying down of iron within striking distance of one another.

The line of workers stretches like an army between Promontory and Weber Canyon...

The Central Pacific to the west...

(TYPEWRITER CLICKING)

The Union Pacific to the east...

Each company racing toward the prize that lies between Ogden...

Its rich mineral deposits promised by President Grant to whomever lays track there first.

(NEIGHING)

I shall be glad after the last spike is driven, to contemplate the bond of iron which is to hold our beloved nation in one eternal union.

For it is, at last, no longer a question of "If the road will be built?", but of who will cross the finish line first...

(DISTANT CHATTER)

(HORSE NEIGHS)

Will it be Doc Durant, the financial rascal with a burning desire for wealth and fame?

Or Collis P. Huntington and his Chinese workforce, led now by America's great railroad man, Cullen Bohannon?

The answer, dear reader, will be decided in the coming days on the plains of Utah, "at or near Ogden" as prescribed by Congress, and blessed by the Almighty above.

(THEME MUSIC PLAYING)

(HORSE NEIGHING)

Collis: As you can see, Governor, our depot is under construction, and we have already drawn up plans to turn this flyspeck into a functioning railroad junction.

It's just a matter of 14 miles which...

Our track is 12 miles from Ogden, that is two days' work and two miles closer than the Central Pacific's and that is having laid 300 miles more track since the railroads broke ground...

Without contending with the California Sierras or the Great Nevada desert, sir.

The Union Pacific's grade arrived here first...

Ogden belongs to me!

Gentlemen!

The President's decision in Salt Lake was clear.

Ogden belongs to no one until someone lays track through it.

Durant: Grant made you Deputy Secretary of the Interior to make judgment calls, not to...

You'll get your judgment, Mr. Durant, but not today.

(HORSE NEIGHS)

This is the mark!

The first one who lays rail to it...

Ogden is yours.

(HORSES NEIGHING)

(SIGHS)

Seven-mile day ahead and you're burning my daylight, Mr. Ming.

(CLANGING)

White man offer, China man go.

Half kutu, half work.

Mmm-hmm.

(HORSE SNORTING)

(NEIGHING)

(NEIGHING)

Eva: Figured somebody might have k*lled you by now.

Handsome animal.

He ain't for sale, if that's what you're thinking.

Somebody nearly did k*ll you, didn't they?

I ain't surprised.

What was it over, love or hate?

(STRAPPING)

I hear Mickey's working for Durant.

He ain't out on the cut, try the saloon.

Obliged.

Durant tell you to poach my men?

Jesus Christ Almighty.

I heard you made it out the desert.

My workers. Right now.

I got no use for rat-eaters, Mr. Bohannon.

My workers got poached same as yours.

Dutch.

He speaks true.

Rail crew's down 200 men just this morning.

Lured away by a man who works for the Six Mile Canyon Mine.

They call him "The Pirate".

"The Pirate." In Utah.

No match for us, sure.

(HORSES NEIGHING)

This mine within riding distance?

(MEN GRUNTING)

(HORSES NEIGHING)

Get out the way, Chinaman!

Oi, out of my way boy.

Missed you on the cut this morning, Mr. Lee.

Railroad almost done, men need job.

Pirate offer long job.

We're looking for the one who calls himself "The Pirate"!

You found him!

God damn, Jim.

Good to see you too, Bohannon. You looking for work?

Looking for the man who poached my workers.

Hired, you mean.

You know this gobshite?

He used to be my friend.

A railroad that cannot safely convey goods and souls is no railroad at all, Governor.

And when you build a track with lies and bribes and every shortcut a devious mind can machinate, what you leave behind is a dangerous and a bumpy ride.

Were we riding on Union Pacific track, our laps would be drenched right now, for a fact.

God himself would break his back trying to build 14 miles in two days.

And while Bohannon is a formidable railroad man, I... I need assurances that you'll see to it that the Central Pacific wins Ogden and the two and a half million dollar left in government railroad bonds.

Mr. Huntington, if you want Ogden, you will make it your business to be there first.

I might think your time better spent swinging a hammer than trying to hoodwink me with a glass of water.

Look, you give me Ogden, and I will reroute the five southern railroad lines I own from Promontory to Cheyenne.

Your majestic city will sit as the most important railroad junction in the country.

Can Thomas Durant give you that?

(EXHALES)

I see...

(LAUGHS) I thought you would!

You're every bit the snake he is.

This is a new day, Mr. Huntington.

Unlike his predecessor, President Grant has vowed to keep his administration free from corruption.

He cannot be bought, sir.

And neither can I.

(EXHALES) Thanks for the water.

(TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS)

Cullen: I'm surprised to find you here, Jim.

(SIGHS)

Everybody got to be somewhere, Bohannon.

No, I mean down in the hole.

Thought you was afraid of the dark.

The only reason I stayed away from the tunnel was Hannah didn't want me tracking dirt into the house.

She's in Vermont with the kids.

You here, family back East, that don't seem like you, Jim.

Mining has helped me figure things out, Bohannon.

Life is simple down here.

Cut a vein, bleed it dry, scrape away until there's nothing left.

That's a real shame about Hannah and the kids.

Don't cry for me.

I need my workers, Jim.

What you need is work.

The railroad's done.

Those men know it, that's why they're here!

All I'm asking for is two days. That's it.

(EXHALES)

As far as the railroad figures go, I'm skint, Mr. Bohannon.

Mr. Strobridge.

Mickey: I know you need long term work.

And I have plans for it.

What do you say to San Francisco, boys?

There's demand for skilled workers and I have it already arranged.

I'm saying we've jobs here.

You had a job on the railroad, Paddy.

You had a warm bed when you were cold, a full whiskey when you were thirsty and even fuller woman when you were lonely.

(WORKERS SNIGGERING)

I provided the same to every loyal man with an understanding...

We ain't scared of you, Mick.

Not now Johnny Shea's gone.

I'm trying to help you.

(GROANING)

(COUGHING)

Anyone else prefer mining to railroad work?

Cullen: Mr. Lee, I need these workers.

Just until we get to Ogden.

Whatever the mine's paying you, I'll match it.

Plus a bonus if you get us there before the U.P.

Bring these two.

I'll see to it they get home.

Anyone who wants to leave here is free to go.

You are not indentured to me like you were to Chang.

(SPEAKING CANTONESE)

But know this, if anyone leaves here, even for an hour, you ain't got a job when you get back. Is that clear?

Mr. Lee, you been with the Central Pacific since Sacramento, you got us through the desert. You're gonna want to see it finished.

(SPEAKING CANTONESE)

Chinaman need long work, Bossman.

Railroad done.

Mine is good. We stay.

All right.

Load these bodies up on the wagon.

But we stay.

My offer stands either way, Mr. Lee.

We'll get him home.

Thank you, Bossman.

(SPEAKING CANTONESE)

Mickey: When you get to Ogden, look me up, Bohannon, I'll buy you a drink.

(MEN LAUGHING)

(HORSE NEIGHING)

Come on. Like that.

Offer a hand?

Ain't you got a race to win?

(HORSE NEIGHS)

Come on.

Can't win with no workers.

(HORSE NEIGHS)

Oh, oh.

And can't train a horse that don't want to be trained, but I keep trying anyways.

They call him Bucephalus.

But I call him... (SPEAKS OTHER LANGUAGE)

It means Free Spirit. (CHUCKLES)

How'd you come by him? (HUSHING)

He was lost.

Then he found me.

It was love that nearly k*lled you, wasn't it?

Wasn't lost.

She ran.

I done it, too.

I ran from my Mojave family.

Soldiers came to the camp, found out the Indians had a white girl living with them.

Swore they'd att*ck the village unless they handed me over.

Me staying meant their death.

Sometimes the loving thing to do is run.

This'll get you two, not three.

Two bottles of the good stuff then.

Save your money, Mr. Jackson.

(SIGHS)

Here.

Knew I smelled me a traitor.

(CHUCKLES)

Here you are.

I can buy my own whiskey, Mr. Bohannon.

No.

When I come through Cheyenne, with a wife and baby and no way to provide weren't necessary for you to hire me neither.

Gave you a job slinging rock.

I was glad to have it.

Buncha big wigs be here for the finish.

Mmm-hmm.

Reckon history won't remember the hand ol' Psalms play in building this railroad.

One day some young man'll ride them rails to see his fiance and he'll get himself married.

Rancher in Omaha sell his cattle to New York, fisherman, his catch from San Francisco to Chicago.

Some daughter will need to go home, bury her daddy, them rails right there'll take her.

You done that.

(CHUCKLES)

We done that.

But...

To the best g*dd*mn railroad man I know.

Couldn't sleep.

Take less water with your whiskey.

That's barkeep's advice. You're a shareholder now.

Not bad for an Irish bumpkin.

(CHUCKLES)

It's a long way from a magic lantern show, I know that.

Never thought I'd end up a railroad man.

Careful it don't k*ll you.

Railroad job got me out of the saloon, same as it'll get me to San Francisco.

Sze Yup company controls labor there, I'd steer clear.

I ain't afraid to tangle with the Chinese.

Whole lot of Irish'll be looking for work come sundown tomorrow, I'll secure their futures as well as me own.

If you're in need...

(EXHALES)

Right.

I ain't thought past the first rail laid tomorrow morning.

After that?

Second rail.

Last rail gets laid tomorrow. Win or lose.

I prefer to win.

Central Pacific would be the betting man's choice.

Mick. (SIGHS)

We laid four mile of track today.

That leaves us 10 tomorrow to your six.

And no man ever laid 10 mile of track in one day before.

After all this time, I've learned never to bet against Cullen Bohannon.

(SCOFFS)

Well... I don't believe in miracles, Mick.

Me neither.

See you tomorrow.

Yeah.

Hey, Mick.

Good luck.

Thank you.

(CRICKETS CHIRPING)

(SIGHS)

(GROANS)

(EXHALES)

(CHATTERING)

(SPEAKING CANTONESE)

Bossman. Finish what we start.

10 miles in a day.

Ain't never been done.

That is what they say about the Great Wall.

Tell the men to listen up.

(SPEAKING CANTONESE)

We have moved mountains.

(SPEAKING CANTONESE)

It's been an honor, gentleman.

(SPEAKING CANTONESE)

M'ghoi?

(SPEAKING CANTONESE)

Grab the rail!

(SPEAKING CANTONESE)

Set the pace. Don't slow down.

And drumroll.

(SPEAKING CANTONESE)

(SPEAKING CANTONESE)

(CLATTERING)

All right, move on. Next rail! Next rail!

Pick it up, boys. Pick it up.

(MEN GRUNTING)

Them's the rail, boys! Them's the rail!

And next rail!

(SPEAKING CANTONESE)

Moving out of line!

(SPEAKING CANTONESE)

Cullen: Ho!

Ho!

Okay!

(SPEAKING CANTONESE)

(SHOUTING)

The bastards are gaining on us, McGinnes.

Mickey: If it's faster you want, pick up a bleedin' hammer.

Mr. Psalms.

Uh-huh.

Half-spike the rail from here on out.

That ain't safe, Mr. Durant.

Thank you, Mr. Psalms.

Paddy, Dutch, half-spike the rails here on out.

It's double time, let's go.

Pick it up, lads!

If we wrong now, that's our asses.

Lord look out for the righteous, Paul. Hurry up now.

Hurry up, now. Let's get it, boys.

Louise: Central Pacific, seven miles, stop.

Three to go, stop.

Union Pacific, four-and-a-half miles, stop.

One and a half to go, stop.

Exhaustion setting in, stop.

Workers on both sides dropping, stop.

Race will be won by feet, not miles, stop.

By heart, not man power, stop.

Men. Listen to me.

There ahead lies the finish line, less than one mile away.

I have worked tirelessly and endlessly to get you here in the name of this great endeavor.

Now, you must return the favor.

Work! Work like there's no tomorrow.

Get me to that finish line!

Psalms, where are you going?

(HAMMERS CLANKING)

Mr. Bohannon...

(PANTING)

What?

Half on spikes, half on rails.

(SPEAKING CANTONESE)

You heard Matt.

Come on, let's get it, boys.

(SPEAKING CANTONESE)

Cullen: May clear!

(SHOUTING IN CANTONESE)

♪ Won't you ring, old hammer? ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ Won't you ring your hammer? ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ Broke the handle on my hammer ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ Broke the handle on my hammer ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ Broke the handle on my hammer ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ Hold hammer in my Bible, ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ Got the hammer in my Bible ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ Won't you ring your hammer? ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ Won't you ring your hammer? ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ Won't you ring your hammer? ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ Well, God told Noah ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ Won't you help me in the timber ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ Won't you go in the timber ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ You argue some Bible ♪
♪ Hammer ring ♪

Double-time, McGinnes.

Double-time!

♪ Won't you ring your hammer? ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ Don't you want do you want it ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ What you want with the timber? ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ What you want with the timber? ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ Won't you build me an ark, sir? ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ Won't you build me an ark, sir? ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪

(SINGING FADES)

(LAUGHING)

(ALL CHEERING)

Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey! Hey!

♪ Won't you ring your hammer? ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ Won't you ring your hammer? ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ Broke the handle on my hammer ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ Broke the handle on my hammer ♪
♪ Hammer ring ♪
♪ Hold the hammer in my Bible ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ Got my hammer in my Bible ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ Kept my hammer in my Bible ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ Well, the God told Noah ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ Well, the God told Noah ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ Who's goin' in to timber ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ Won't you ring your hammer? ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ Won't you ring your hammer? ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ Gotta talk about Noah ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪
♪ Gotta talk about Noah ♪
♪ Hammer Ring ♪

(SINGING FADES)

Hold!

(MEN SHOUTING AND CHEERING)

(ALL APPLAUDING)

(PANTING)

(ALL SHOUTING)

Hey, man, why aren't you celebrating, huh?

No work tomorrow.

Oh, man, tomorrow you worry about tomorrow.

Tonight we celebrating!

(LAUGHS) Come on, with me.

(MAN SINGING INDISTINCTLY)

(LAUGHS)

Hey, it's done.

The whole thing is bloody finished.

(LAUGHS)

(SHOUTING)

(ALL CHEERING)

(WOMAN YELLS AND GIGGLES)

It's quite a thing we bear witness to tonight.

On that much, we agree.

Mmm.

Well, we agree on more than that.

We agree that a deal is indeed a deal.

(CHUCKLES)

(LAUGHS EXCITEDLY)

2.4 million dollars in the coal fields of Ogden.

Let's get this done.

President Grant's recent amendment to the United States Railroad Act.

A glass of champagne, Thomas.

Let's celebrate what we've accomplished tonight.

Stating expressly that bonds are not to be issued until government inspectors have deemed the road worthy.

All travel on the line is to cease immediately until said inspection has taken place, and it is determined which railroad has a rightful claim to Ogden.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

All right.

All right?

Read for yourself.

Another stunt, Governor Campbell, for which Mr. Durant is very well famous.

Stunt or not, in the event of a dispute, an inspector needs to verify.

You seemed plenty confident in your track's integrity yesterday, Mr. Huntington.

I can't imagine there'll be a problem with it today, or with your records.

g*dd*mn it!

Thomas, the fact is, and cannot change, it will read about in the history books, I b*at you, sir.

I b*at you to Ogden.

I win. You lose.

It's over, sir.

Only if your rail stands up to inspection, Collis.

Only then.

Louise: Congratulations, Mr. Bohannon.

Cullen: Mmm.

(LOUISE LAUGHS)

You did it.

Man: (YELLING) Hey! Hey! We did it!

They did it.

How are you feeling right about now?

For the record, of course.

Like it's over.

Does that make you happy or sad?

The cost was high.

Well...

You did the impossible, the unimaginable.

Is any cost really too high?

(CHUCKLES)

Them's is questions for presidents and poets to answer.

Mmm.

History will not forget you, Mr. Bohannon.

Or what you did.

Yeah...

(SIGHS)

You say so.

So what's next?

For America's greatest railroad man?

The Chinamen got a saying...

(SPEAKING CANTONESE)

Make friends with change, it's the only thing you can count on.

(GRUNTS)

Your absurd little plan won't work.

You think I'm scared?

You think I'll hand you Ogden to avoid a government inspection.

Thomas, I won.

When those government inspectors order you to rip up and rebuild half the shoddy track you laid either side of the 50 miles you buttered up for Campbell, it'll cost you a hell of a lot more than Ogden.

And when those very same inspectors look at your track, half-spiked, half tied, held together with a prayer, they're gonna ask some very tough questions, including what the hell have you done with all their money?

You'll land in jail over this.

I've been there before, Collis. I'm willing to go back.

Are you?

You're mad.

Good night, Collis.

I'll give you half a million dollars.

I don't want the money.

Three-quarters of a million dollar.

Enjoy the festivities.

Oh, for Christ's sake, take it!

Take Ogden.

If that will end this, Thomas, by all means, take it.

But the ceremony happens at Promontory, on C.P. soil.

And I keep all the government bonds.

All two and a half million dollars' worth.

It's a pleasure doing business with you, Collis.

Go to hell!

(DOOR SLAMS)

(PEOPLE CHATTERING)

Boy.

(ALL CHEERING)

I won.

Mmm.

Wine?

You may have gotten here first, but I own it.

All of it.

I made a deal with Huntington.

Mmm.

I b*at you.

All right.

All right, Doc.

You win.

You win.

I b*at you, Bohannon!

You lost!

(DOOR CLOSES)

(EXHALES)

(GROANS)

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

(CONTINUES GROANING)

(PANTING)

(GROANING)

(PANTING AND GROANING)

(SOBBING)