Parker (episode)

## Parker

Mike Studioz

**Parker** is the first episode of Season 1.

## Synopsis

When Parker suffers amnesia following a devastating accident, Jake takes advantage of this and inadvertently gets him a job at the Galston Valley Railway.

## Plot

The episode starts at Nurragingy. Parker is complaining about the heat, much to Russell's annoyance. Their quarrel is interrupted by Jim, who starts mocking Parker's concern about bushfires by flaring his motor. Russell tries to intervene, but ironically flares his motor and sets a tree on fire. Parker's engineer manages to put out the fire using the water in his tender. The engines are relieved, until Parker blows up since he has used up all his water.

Parker wakes up at the turntable surrounded by the others. To their shock, he doesn't remember who he is; he suffered amnesia from the explosion. After a heated debate about the situation, the engines agree to leave Parker to rest. At the same time, Jake arrives with a flatbed of sleepers, taking out his frustration of not getting a day off. When he sees Parker, he gets the idea to manipulate him to do his work. The other engines refuse to let him and leave to their work, while Russell is assigned to watch over Parker. Jake manages to trick Russell through some lies that he is trying to help.

Later, Jake gives Parker a brief tour of the Galston Valley. While there, he meets the haughty express diesel named Paul, the dimwitted heavy goods engine named George, and a proud celebrity steam engine named Sue. He first shunts Paul's coaches, and then takes Jake's grain train. Meanwhile, Russell cuts Jake's day off short and interrogates him on Parker's location. The two fight on the mainline, holding up several trains behind them.

At Martinsville, the yardmaster reveals to Parker that he is actually from Nurragingy, but has arranged a transfer to Galston because of his performance. Parker is so excited and begins to sing, until Russell and Jake inadvertently push him into a goods train during their brawl. Both engines are initially distraught until Parker wakes up with his memory restored. Jake lies that he was taking care of him while he blacked out, which Parker accepts.

Back at Nurragingy, Noah and Mavis are still waiting for Russell and Parker to return.

## Characters

* Parker *(debut)*
* Jake *(debut)*
* Paul *(debut)*
* Sue *(debut)*
* Russell *(debut)*
* George *(debut)*
* Noah *(debut)*
* Mavis *(debut)*
* Jim *(debut)*
* Yardmaster
* Russell's Driver
* NSWGR #6080 *(cameo)*
* Lion *(cameo)*
* Rocket *(cameo)*
* SP #4454 *(cameo)*
* BNSF #3266 *(cameo)*
* GNR #2 *(cameo)*
* D&RGW #488 *(cameo)*
* NSWGR #3812 *(cameo)*
* Amtrak #814 *(cameo)*
* Amtrak #106 *(cameo)*
* QR #738 *(cameo)*
* Austin *(inadvertently mentioned)*
* Nancy *(mentioned)*
* Charlie *(mentioned)*

## Locations

* Nurragingy
	+ Nurragingy Crossing
	+ Nurragingy Turntable
* Galston
	+ Galston Station
	+ Galston Yard
* Eveleigh
	+ Eveleigh Workshops
	+ Eveleigh Train Wash
* Banksia
	+ Banksia Grain Silo
	+ Banksia Viaduct
* Martinsville
	+ Martinsville Yards
	+ Martinsville Sheds

## Cast

* D.O.O.MGarrett
* Mike Studioz
* RichmondCityRailfan
* Spo0derGwen
* NSWSteamFan
* ETS2Fanatic4581

## Trivia

### Fun Facts

* It's place as the first episode was initially supposed to be Loading Gauges.
* A rough cut was privately released for AllosaurFan's online friends.
* Train #1705 shares the same number as Rhyon from *The Port Ogden Rail Chronicles*.
* Mike Studioz and NSWSteamFan improvised some of their lines.

### Cultural References

* The "outer space being" Jim mentions is the Marvel supervillain Thanos.
	+ His intentions to "snap half of us out of existence" references the Marvel film *Avengers: Infinity War*.
* Russell's rant about bushfires references an anti-nuclear war protest in the 1984 movie *Threads*.
* The scene where Russell repeatedly bumps Jake while shouting "Where is he?" references a scene from *The Dark Knight Rises*.
* Russell's warning to Jake at the end references a scene from *Ice Age*.

### Goofs

* Some of Parker's lines are almost inaudible.
* When Russell pulls up next Parker, he abruptly stops moving in the next shot.
* When Parker's engineer runs in between his tender and the train, the camera goes through the buffers.
* During the whole turntable scene, the background construction equipment keeps changing position between shots.
* Russell bumps Jake so far that he should've derailed, but he doesn't.
* When Sue and Parker almost collide, the two engines keep changing position between shots.
* When the yardmaster introduces Parker to he new coaches, the following shot briefly interrupts.
* Spo0derGwen is credited for her roles as Sue and Mavis, but is left uncredited for her role as Russell's driver.