A train arrives from New Jersey to New York, but a ghostly engineer appears. Everyone runs away, and the ghost flies into the train and howls. Meanwhile, Peter is playing with his new train set until Slimer eats the toy train. Then, the Ghostbusters get a call to Central Station.
When they get there, an elderly security guard tells them about the ghost, who he thinks is Casey Jones. The Ghostbusters split into pairs and search around until Peter and Winston come across an old-fashioned train, while Egon and Ray find Casey in the breakroom. They try to fire at him, but he leaves and they chase him. Meanwhile, Peter goofs around in the locomotive and tries on a hat, angering Casey, who kidnaps Peter and drives the train away, making Peter his fireman.
As the train goes toward New Jersey, the rest of the Ghostbusters follow in Ecto-1. The guys first try to jump aboard, but they can't, then after a struggle, they try to block the train's path, but it won't stop, forcing them to give up on that plan. Eventually, they board the train using a ramp. Then, they trap Casey, but there's another train about to crash into the one they're on.
Peter then decides to free Casey, so he can stop the train. Seeing as preventing the train wreck was his unfinished business, he then passes to the afterlife.
This episode provides examples of
- Artistic License – History: Jonathan "Casey" Jones was indeed a real person, and he did indeed die in a train crash, but Peter's assertion that it was one of the worst in history was wrong — Jones was the only one who died.
- Episode Tagline: Casey keeps shouting, "More coal!".
- Glass-Shattering Sound: At the beginning, Casey roars, which breaks some windows.
- Hero Antagonist: Casey didn't mean any harm, and he just wanted to prevent a train crash, but he's still the antagonist because he kidnapped Peter.
- Idiot Ball: Apparently, Peter once studied engineering without realising it had nothing to do with trains.
- I Don't Think That's Such a Good Idea: Egon describes the train-boarding plan as "dangerously stupid".
- Jacob Marley Apparel: Since Casey Jones died driving his train, he wears an engineer's uniform.
- Let's Split Up, Gang!: Upon arriving at Central Station, Peter and Winston go one way and Egon and Ray go the other.
- Literal-Minded: Peter is revealed to have once thought engineering was something to do with trains.
- Mistaken for Prank Call: When Peter answers the phone (since Janine has already gone home), he thinks it's Egon pranking him.
- Musical Chores: Peter sings while scooping the coal.
- Pun: When Ray asks why Casey kidnapped Peter, Egon suggests, "To get to the other side?" (as in, the other side of the line), Ray says, "That's what I was afraid of" (fearing that Casey would take Peter to "the other side", as in the afterlife).
- Rail Enthusiast: Peter is revealed to have loved trains since childhood and wanted to be a train engineer until college.
- Say My Name: Winston yells, "PETER!" when Peter gets kidnapped.
- Unfinished Business: Casey Jones' reason for coming back as a ghost was because he wanted to prevent a train wreck.
- Woken Up at an Ungodly Hour: Happens twice, since the episode takes place at night:
- First, Peter is loudly playing with his toy train, and Egon walks in in his nightshirt and complains about the noise.
- Then, when they get a call, Winston yawns and complains of the late hour.
- Your Answer to Everything: Peter complains that all Casey does is ask for more coal.
