00:23Hello out there, Peabody here, along with Sherman, the wayback machine, and oil can.
00:27Why the oil can, Mr. Peabody?
00:29We are going on a train ride, Sherman, and it is my motto, always to be prepared.
00:34I thought that was the Boy Scouts' motto.
00:36It is. They got it from me.
00:38Be that as it may, today the wayback will take us way back to the year 1830.
00:42Our destination is the city of Baltimore, and our host is Peter Cooper.
00:46Who's he?
00:47He, Sherman, designed and produced the first locomotive engine in the United States.
00:51He called it the Tom Thumb, and we will be aboard as it races against a horse and carriage.
00:56In the hands of the wayback, the transition to Baltimore was unbelievably swift.
01:00Before we knew it, we were in Peter Cooper's roundhouse.
01:03I suppose you've come to take my engineer's license from me.
01:06Engineer's license? We're here to help you win the race.
01:09There isn't going to be any race.
01:11Why not?
01:12Well, you see, I constructed the Tom Thumb, then I built the roundhouse around it.
01:16The problem is I neglected to provide an opening so that the Tom Thumb could get out.
01:21You mean there isn't any door?
01:23What's a door?
01:24I showed him by building one.
01:27There you are, Mr. Cooper. You now have an exit for your locomotive.
01:30Sir, you're a genius.
01:33You're so right.
01:34We assisted Peter Cooper in rolling the Tom Thumb up to the starting line of the race.
01:38It was then the judge announced the rules and regulations.
01:41Gentlemen, 50 miles due south is the town of Neutral Corners.
01:45The vehicle that gets there first will be the winner.
01:47While the judge loaded his pistol, I appraised our opposition.
01:51That horse looked as though he could run for a month without stopping.
01:54And as far as the driver was concerned, I was sure he would not only be a poor loser, but
01:57a bad winner.
01:58Wait till that fool Cooper tries to run that iron horse.
02:01He doesn't know I greased the tracks.
02:04This ought to be a real slick race.
02:07At the sound of the gun, we were off.
02:09Off to a very poor start.
02:12Something's wrong, Mr. Cooper. We're not getting anywhere.
02:14Where? That's simply an illusion caused by excessive speed.
02:17Oh, come on, right. Get up. Push the thing.
02:21Poor Mr. Cooper. Can't we do something?
02:23I spied a small group of nine-year-olds playing in a sand pile, and this, of course, gave me
02:27an idea.
02:28Twenty-five cents later, I was the proud owner of a toy shovel and a bucket full of sand.
02:32Here, Sherman, dirty up the tracks.
02:34Huh?
02:34The sand will give us traction. Just keep throwing handfuls.
02:38Sure enough, the wheels stopped slipping, and in no time, we were eyeballing along.
02:43Well, if we can maintain the speed, we'll catch up with that horse and buggy.
02:47That is, if we can get through the 50% tunnel.
02:50Why do they call it 50%?
02:52Because it's only half finished.
02:53Before I could inquire as to the exact location of the tunnel, we were in it.
03:00I suppose they'll change the name of the tunnel now.
03:03Tell me, sir, are there any other obstacles ahead that you're aware of?
03:06Only the 50% bridge.
03:08I see. Is it called 50% bridge for the same reason as 50% tunnel?
03:11No.
03:12Oh, that's fortunate.
03:13They call it the 50% bridge because only the plans are half finished.
03:17As he spoke, I could see a wide chasm in the not-too-distant distance.
03:21The brakes, Mr. Cooper, apply the brakes!
03:23What are brakes?
03:25The chasm was a near 30 yards away, or else I would have filled him in on the sagacity of
03:28having a brake along.
03:29Instead, I boosted the acceleration to its maximum point, forcing the tom-thumb to surge ahead at a brake-neck
03:35pace.
03:35Runs beautifully, doesn't she?
03:37She not only ran beautifully, but jumped as well.
03:42Inside of a quarter of a mile, we had not only caught up with the horse and carriage, but were
03:45slowly pulling ahead.
03:47We're beating him! We're beating him!
03:49But strangely enough, the driver was wearing a smile, and for a good reason.
03:54Well, well, looks as though the 502 from Denver is right on schedule.
03:58Yes, and it's also right on our track.
04:01The head-on collision appeared to be in the making, and that's when I saw a side track just ahead
04:04with a switch by it.
04:05A quick, Sherman, hand me a piece of wood!
04:10Nice work, Mr. Peabody!
04:12Would have been terrible if the 502 had gone off schedule.
04:16By now, we were well ahead of our opposition, and neutral corners lay just ahead.
04:19In fact, the finish line was a scant 100 yards away, and that is when I turned the supply of
04:24steam off, causing the tom-thumb to roll to a stop.
04:27But we haven't crossed the line yet, Mr. Peabody!
04:29We'll cross it, Sherman, after the horse and driver.
04:32You mean we're going to lose?
04:34We have to, Mr. Cooper.
04:35You see, according to history books, you lost this race.
04:39I did?
04:40That's awful!
04:41But history must always be truthful, Sherman.
04:44And by stopping the locomotive, we did give rise to one lasting expression.
04:48What's that, Mr. Peabody?
04:49Haven't you ever heard of Honest Engine?
04:59What's that, Mr. Peabody?
05:01What's that, Mr. Peabody?
05:01What's that, Mr. Peabody?
05:01What's that, Mr. Peabody?
05:01What's that, Mr. Peabody?
05:01What's that, Mr. Peabody?
05:01What's that, Mr. Peabody?
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