Air Date: February 12, 1989
Thomas Stories: A Big Day for Thomas, Trouble for Thomas
As the episode begins, the phone rings. Since the station is empty, Mr. Conductor answers the phone. After giving a snarky remark on how the phones don't answer themselves, the voice on the other end asks to speak to Stacy. Since she isn't there, Mr. Conductor asks to leave a message. The phone call is from the Indian Valley Railroad main office; the local from Leaky Park will begin stopping at Shining Time Station that day. Stacy walks in to the station, overhearing the call. When Stacy hears the news, she is excited, happy that their hard work finally paid off. After asking when the train is arriving, Mr. Conductor asks if she wants to write the schedule down, but Stacy indicates she can remember it. Mr. Conductor starts to write it down anyway, and disappears.
Stacy realizes that the timetable has to be posted on the new schedule board, which hasn’t been put up yet. She opens a carton and but instead of the board, music comes out. That gives her an idea: a band to play music when the new train arrives to entertain the passengers and make them feel welcome. Mr. Conductor disagrees, saying that she instead needs to post the new schedule. Mr. Conductor then asks what happened to the regular train. However, it turns out that Stacy forgot the new schedule. A passenger comes into the station and asks Stacy what time the regular train to Mount Careful departs. Stacy, thinking from the top of her head, says it leaves 20 minutes before the hour. The passenger asks for a one-way ticket and quickly leaves.
Harry brings out the schedule board from his workshop and Stacy quickly tries to arrange the schedule information from memory. Unfortunately still can't remember. Mr. Conductor appears handing Stacy a note containing the schedule information that he written down himself while Stacy was on the phone. Stacy has successfully assembled the schedule from Mr. Conductor's notes. Schemer and the passenger from earlier enter the station, and look at the schedule board. Finding it contradicts the information Stacy gave earlier. Stacy attempts to give him an explanation, but Schemer interrupts, claiming that since Stacy gave out wrong information, the passenger should report Stacy to the railroad.
Harry explains to Matt and Tanya that Stacy cares so much about the station, she simply got carried away when the good news about the train came in. Deciding to do something to cheer Stacy up, Tanya mentions Stacy's earlier idea of having a band meet the new train. Harry latches on to the idea, and together they create makeshift musical instruments out of various objects around the workshop. The kids show their musical instruments to Mr. Conductor, who says that he's all hands with musical instruments himself. After the story, Mr. Conductor disappears as Harry comes out of his workshop and asks Stacy if she put the schedule together from memory. She admits she had help from Mr. Conductor, which Harry still finds difficult to believe.
The passenger then comes back and takes a closer look at the schedule. When Stacy confirms that it is correct this time, he happily says he won't be late at all. He then sees the kids and asks about their instruments. Matt and Tanya explain that they're playing music when the new train arrives, and he asks if he can join. Turns out he's attending a one-man-band convention at Mount Careful and apologizes for being upset with Stacy earlier. Harry announces the arrival of the new train. Accompanied by the Jukebox Band, the one-man band plays his way out to the platform, followed by Matt, Tanya and Stacy. Harry then finds a tiny piece of paper on the bench next to him. He begins to wonder if Mr. Conductor really exists, who appears just behind him.
Tropes featured in this episode:
- Deus ex Machina: Averted. When Stacy has trouble remembering the schedule as she's putting up the schedule board, Mr. Conductor appears with the new schedule he wrote down while Stacy was on the phone. While it comes out of no where, earlier we saw Mr. Conductor starting to write it down before disappearing.
- Mistakes Are Not the End of the World: This episode features a song called "Learn from Your Mistakes", which is about how mistakes can be fine because you can learn from them. It also teaches the audience how to avoid certain mistakes.
- One-Man Band: The passenger. He even said that he's going to a One-Man Band Convention, and he's the only participant.
- Scaling the Summit: Mr. Conductor states that he has mountain climbing lessons, which he leaves for after finishing "A Big Day for Thomas". He appears later with his equipment to give Stacy the schedule he wrote down. When Stacy asks if there's anything she can do in return, he asks if the station has a map of Mt. Everest. The station doesn't, but Mr. Conductor states he can do without one.
- Squee: Stacy's reaction to hearing that a new train is arriving at the station.
- Tempting Fate: Stacy tells the Indian Valley Railroad office that she won't get the schedule wrong, and she won't make any mistakes. Both of which happen later
