Ep 5. The Railroad Job

As the fifth episode in the second season of "Hell on Wheels," "The Railroad Job" is a suspenseful and action-packed installment in the series. The episode begins with Cullen Bohannon, the protagonist of the show, still reeling from the revelation that one of his workers, Elam, is in love with Eva, a former prostitute who is now working as a cook in the community. While Bohannon is trying to navigate his own complicated emotions about the situation, he is also faced with a major challenge: the theft of hundreds of pounds of blasting powder from the railroad worksite.

Bohannon quickly realizes that the theft was an inside job, and he enlists the help of two of his most trusted workers, Mr. Toole and Psalms, to investigate. Their search leads them down a dangerous path, as they come up against a group of outlaws who have stolen the powder and are planning to use it to rob a train carrying a payroll with $50,000 on its way to the town of Cheyenne.

As the tension builds, Bohannon and his team must work quickly to prevent the robbery and protect the lives of the innocent people aboard the train. The outlaws, however, are determined to see their plan through, and they launch a fierce attack on the train as it travels through treacherous terrain. The resulting chaos puts Bohannon and his crew in grave danger, and they must use all their skills and cunning to outsmart the criminals and save the day.

Meanwhile, in the town of Cheyenne, other characters are dealing with their own struggles. Lily Bell, the widow of the railroad's chief engineer, is coming to terms with her husband's death and trying to find her place in the new community. Thomas Durant, the ruthless businessman behind the railroad, is dealing with pressure from the government and trying to keep his empire afloat. And Joseph Black Moon, a Native American who is struggling to reconcile his own cultural identity with his desire to be accepted in the wider world, is faced with a difficult decision about his future.

With its thrilling action sequences, complex characters, and beautiful cinematography, "The Railroad Job" is a standout episode in the second season of "Hell on Wheels." As the series continues to explore the forging of the American West and the struggles of the people who built it, this episode is a reminder of the intense challenges they faced and the sacrifices they made to create a new world.