R&W Industries' Phoenix, an experimental safety vehicle (insured for five million), was stolen complete with the train car it was riding on en route from Middlefield to Boston. The train never stopped rolling the whole way, and it happened under the nose of guards and the usual train crew on duty.

Horizon Engineering, who's head is Andy Cole, which had another experimental car (the A20G) in development and had pirated away employees from R&W. Christine Verdon who used to work at Horizon, then went to R&W, and then was fired for industrial spying. Ruddermond and Wexler themselves because they could have wanted to get the insurance money for a prototype that didn't work.

Banacek, saves cigars because they're expensive. Actually explains a Polish proverb. Likes to say "drill press." Poses as a reporter for an auto safety magazine. Is nice to hobos. Has trouble with toy trains. Flies back and forth to southern California in a day. Drinks a lot of coffee. Not afraid to mix it up with two thugs at the train yard. Wears an unfortunate neck scarf / light blue shirt combo. Impersonates W.C. Fields.

There was a problem with the Phoenix's compensator (onboard computer system to correct skidding) too close to the deadline R&W had with Concord Motors who they were making the Phoenix for.. R&W framed Christine to get rid of her so she would not find out the problem when the car was due for testing before it shipped out. Through a dead hobo, some new bolts on a track, suspicious noises, and a submerged train car, Banacek is able to figure out how the Phoenix was stolen. Before the Phoenix was loaded onto the flat car, R&W men hid out on the train in a box car ahead of the flat car holding the Phoenix. After the Phoenix was loaded and while the train was in motion, they ran a strong cable from a winch in the forward car across the flat car carrying the Phoenix to the box car behind it connecting the cars. R&W men had also quickly replaced a section of the track along the way to incorporate a switch which led away from the main track. While the train was en route, they uncoupled the flat car the Phoenix was riding on so they could take it off at the switch. The Phoenix was then hoisted up by a crane and removed. The switch area (which was made out of light titanium) was later taken away and the track was restored to it's normal appearance. The R&W people on the train then started the winch in the box car which pulled the cable and connected all the cars together again.