The Railroad Job

Lore & Background

The episode follows Hawkins and his bandit gang as they plan to rob $50,000 in payroll from the railway office. Hawkins informs the gang that Cullen now works for the railroad. Hawkins is surprised to learn his friend is alive. Meanwhile, the Swede continues to prepare Reverend Cole for his prophetic 'war,' chaining him to an anvil and tossing away a liquor bottle. The Swede suggests Cole finish his manifesto. Hawkins and his gang ride into town, and Elam recognizes a bandit's Griswold pistol, warning Durant of the coincidence that the payroll arrives the same day as the strangers. Durant tells Elam to arm every man in town and send for Cullen, but the armory is empty. Elam recruits Psalms, who is coughing up blood from a previous fight, to cover the road. At the railway office, Hawkins and his cohorts force Lily to open the safe. Durant shoots a bandit, and Hawkins shoots Durant in the gut. Cullen arrives to find the town under siege. Cullen and Elam team up. The Swede hears the gunfire and calls it 'trumpets' announcing Cole's prophecy. Psalms kills the bandit carrying the payroll but falls in pain. A prostitute grabs floating money, and Nell is shot pulling her back. The McGinnes brothers gun down Nell's killer. Inside the office, Lily shoots Hawkins as he struggles to reload. Hawkins staggers into the street and is shot by Cullen. Cullen tortures Hawkins into revealing the location of the stolen payroll, then leaves, telling Elam to lock Hawkins up. Eva helps Lily tend to Durant's wound. Elam throws Hawkins into the prison car. Cullen finds Doc at the bandit camp and orders him back to town. Doc tries to extract the bullet as Durant screams. Lily tells Cullen she felt relief that Durant might not live. Doc says Durant needs a more qualified surgeon but a train ride to Chicago would kill him. Cullen pulls Doc aside, upset that the group never went to Mexico. Elam and Cullen take Hawkins to the cemetery, kneel him before an open grave, and Elam shoots him in the head. Cullen kicks the body into the grave. Doc tells a semi-conscious Durant the bullet is lodged in his spine, then tells Lily he thinks Durant might be strong enough to risk a train ride. The Swede shaves Cole's beard and leads him to a coffin containing rifles from the armory, quoting the Bible: 'A great sword is given unto you.' At the saloon, the townsfolk honor Nell and Cullen.

Reader's Guide

The Railroad Job is notable for achieving the season's highest ratings to date among viewers aged 18–49, with a 0.6 rating and 2.62 million viewers. However, the episode received unfavorable reviews. Alasdair Wilkins of The A.V. Club gave it a C+ grade, criticizing the show's long-form storytelling as 'ponderous and, worse, seemingly pointless,' though he noted the shootout taps into 'goofily lurid fun.' Ross Bonaime of Paste gave it a 6.0 rating, stating the episode 'points out the largest flaws in Hell on Wheels' and 'looks like it won’t have much influence in the long run of things except as another distraction from the railroad building.' The episode's plot involves a heist, a shootout, and the ongoing preparation of Reverend Cole by the Swede, but critics found it lacking in narrative momentum and consequence.

Did You Know?

• The episode was watched by 2.62 million viewers and received a 0.6 rating among viewers aged 18–49, the season's highest ratings to date.
• The A.V. Club's Alasdair Wilkins gave the episode a C+ grade, criticizing the long-form storytelling as 'ponderous and, worse, seemingly pointless.'
• The Swede quotes the Bible, saying 'A great sword is given unto you,' after revealing rifles hidden in a coffin.