Season 1 (Pride of the Southern Pacific)

The first season of Pride of the Southern Pacific, the spinoff series to The Stories of Southern Pacific. The first episode first aired on May 15, 1997 in the US and Canada. Thirteen episodes were aired from May 1997 to December 1997 in the US/Canada.

## Production

Filming took place at Orland Studios in Orland Park, Illinois from December 1995 through March 1997. All episodes were intended to be at least 15 Minutes in length, just like most episodes from The Stories of Southern Pacific, except for Eric and the Signal, Nathan in a Mess, The Sunset Limited and 4th of July, which were 20 Minutes in length. The Sunset Limited was originally going to be 40 Minutes in length, but it was shortened to keep the viewer’s interest.

The 15 Minute versions of the 20 Minute episodes were never released on American-Canadian DVD/VHS, although the 15-minute versions of the first two episodes were released on DVD/VHS releases in Belgium, while the 15 Minute versions of The Sunset Limited and 4th of July were released on DVD in Japan.

## Episodes

### 1. Eric and the Signal

A new shunter steam locomotive named Eric joins the Southern Pacific fleet, however, he causes mischief with the engines. They get back at him by making him believe that there is a new “reverse signal” on the Bakersfield Branch. When he gets spotted by Mark, he gets embarrassed and runs away, only to run off the tracks and derail.

### 2. Nathan in a Mess

Nathan doesn’t like Elizabeth and Grayson, who are two express diesels. He doesn’t like Westley the Maintenance Diesel either. Later the following night, lots of freight has came from the outside world, and Frank, Eric, Addison and Mark were assigned to pull freight trains. Nathan also has to pull one. However, the next morning, he crashes into some tankers and gets himself ruined. The one taking him to the works is Frank and… Grayson.

### 3. The Missing Cars/The Missing Trucks

One day, Frank has to help the bigger engines with a shipment of coal to a far away power plant. While Frank is trying to find some cars, he finds that most of them are gone. It is soon revealed to be a small tank engine who has been brainwashed into stealing freight cars in order to keep some Thieves from scrapping his uncle.

### 4. The Sunset Limited

Mr. Hunter is riding the Sunset Limited, and the locomotive hauling it was a snobbish, arrogant and rude diesel who didn’t have a name. His name was No.6018. One day, he gets into a heated argument with Nathan and Chris after No.6018 says that diesels are revolutionary. One day, on No.6018’s return trip from New Orleans, he derails and is replaced by Chris.

### 5. Relations

One day, Nathan was hauling a freight train past the Union Pacific Yard until two Union Pacific Diesels try to block him from passing, as they assume he was trying to “trespass”. The next day, Nathan saves Fred from an accident after Fred’s throttle got jammed, causing a runaway, and Fred befriends Nathan, which sparks controversy within their comrades. Not only Nathan had to deal with the Unionies, but Addison had to deal with Brandon and Geoff poking fun at her. Finally, Mr. Hunter finally does something about this.

### 6. 4th of July

It is the 4th of July, and a huge Rail-Parade is expected to travel through Los Angeles by both fleets. However, Lily has an accident on the mainline, threatening to cancel the parade. However, the wreck was cleaned up and she was repaired in record time. The Parade begins with Nathan in the lead.

### 7. Whistles and Bridges

One day, tons of freight have arrived. Chris has to take the express from Los Angeles to El Paso again. However, his whistle is jammed, but it also would absorb the sound around it. Not only that, but Bernard and Fred also knock down a road overpass with huge cargo. This made the Southern Pacific win the Steel Contract.

### 8. Train Master/Trainmaster

A rude and arrogant Fairbanks-Morse Trainmaster named Kenny arrives. He wants everything to go his way. He was going to haul a heavy freight train one day, until he broke down. To add insult to injury, his train is taken over by Hudson and Westley.

### 9. Work Zone

The Santa Maria and Bakersfield Branchlines were all undergoing repairs, which meant that bigger engines can’t go on these lines. Mark doesn’t like this, and when he has to take a train to Oakland, he and his trailing unit No.4463 go on the Santa Maria Branchline, causing him to crash into the work zone and derail.

### 11. Ghost Train/Ghost Railway

Chris sees a Ghost Train pass him at night during the fog. He tries to tell it to the other engines, and the engines make fun of him for believing in a ghost story. The following night, the other engines see the ghost train in the fog as well. The next morning, they find out they had hallucinations.

### 12. The Great Storm/Great Storm

Easton and Eugene are two gangster-like criminals, and they are waiting for the right moment to sneak into Los Angeles and go out hiding. He sees the railroad police try to stop him, only to ram them. He later blackmails Bernard into placing him into a hiding spot, a dark, old shed. Later, Chris, Zachary and AT&SF No.3751 were assigned to pull a special train to Chicago and back. During their return trip, they have an accident, and Bernard decides to help out.