Engine Trouble

Engine Trouble is the pilot episode of the 2013 American Rail series. It was uploaded in early 2014.

Plot
Angelica is being overhauled after offscreen events, and Terry and Desmond are resting in the engine shed. Desmond tells Terry of his recent engine trouble whenever he takes long trains, and fears that he may be returned to the BNSF. The "Large Controller" brings a work order for Desmond, who promptly sets off.

Desmond finds the train he is meant to pull. He breaks down shortly after setting off, and Terry is sent to rescue him. He finds Desmond halfway between Dallas and Denver and promptly clears the line for an AMTRAK train. The inspector takes a look at Desmond's engine and tells him that next time, he should tell the Large Controller.

Characters

 * Terrence
 * Angelica (mentioned)
 * Desmond
 * The Large Controller (not seen)
 * An Inspector (not seen)

Locations

 * Dallas Station

Production
The episode was filmed on a small, basic layout in KeeperofToast's bedroom. Buildings were made using LEGO bricks and cardboard. The camera used was that of a Nintendo 3DS handheld game system, and the microphone used is unknown. No music appears in the episode.

Two model locomotives were used, both made by Bachmann Trains. A Baldwin Consolidation lettered for the Durango & Silverton Railroad was used for Terry, and a BNSF GP40-2 was used for Desmond. Terry's model had a face made using white Play-Doh and expressions were edited in Microsoft Paint. Desmond's model did not have a face. Additionally, several freight cars appeared, inconsistently having faces. A model existed for Angelica (a USRA 0-6-0 lettered for the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway), however it was not used as it was inoperable.

The episode was edited using Microsoft Movie Maker and uploaded to YouTube on an unknown date (it was soon removed and reuploaded on Aug. 8, 2014).

Trivia
Title sequence
 * This is the only surviving episode from the original series. The second was finished and uploaded to YouTube but the file was lost.
 * A title sequence was made for later episodes, but went unused due to the series being cancelled. It featured an orchestral TTTE theme by Michael M.
 * The station at Dallas is constructed using multicolored LEGO bricks. It is portrayed as a small platform just long enough to fit two coaches with a building, and is in unrealistically close proximity to the shed and workshops.
 * In this version of American Rail, the Dallas and Northern Railroad is a heritage railroad that also provides some freight service. However, the line is stated to run between Dallas and Denver, an unrealistic route length for any heritage railroad. Additionally, it is implied that AMTRAK uses the route.
 * Desmond, unlike Terry, does not have a visible face in this episode.
 * The sheds are made using cardboard boxes. These buildings are the only scenery on the small layout used for filming.
 * Angelica was written out of early episodes due to her model being inoperable, and thus was only mentioned in the episode.
 * She did, however, appear in the later title sequence. Her face was pulled directly from TOMY's Plarail Emily toy.
 * This episode marks the only appearance of the "Large Controller" to date.

Original Episode