It's the early days of the railroad in the US, it only existing as far west as Chicago. Any freight moving west of Chicago usually makes its way up the Missouri by steamship as far as Habersford, with 'Pipestone' Ross and Ben Santley, friendly rivals, owning and operating the two oxen-pulled wagon train freight services between Habersford and Omaha. Seeing that he knows how to handle himself, Mr. Vane hires easy-going drifter Pat Candel to lead a wagon train to haul a locomotive from Habersford to Omaha, Vane's goal to start building a rail line from Omaha west which would force the big rail companies to expedite building from Chicago to Omaha. Pat agrees only in an effort to impress Julie Santley, Ben's sister with who he has fallen in love, she accustomed to the finer things in life which her fiancé, Pipestone, can offer. Pipestone is planning on building a lavish home in Omaha where they would live. With Pipestone and the Santleys on this wagon train, Pat unknowingly has his hands fuller as Pipestone will do anything, include kill, most specifically Pat, his romantic rival, to ensure the locomotive never makes it to Omaha, it which would mean the end of his business.
—Huggo