Rails Into Laramie

Sgt. Jeff Harder storms into a Wyoming casino and starts a brawl that erupts within minutes. The melee draws in gamblers, workers, and soldiers as Jeff's temper flares. Just as he is pitched through a window, the troops Gen. Augur sent to fetch him arrive to take him back to the fort.

Back at Fort Laramie, Augur explains that a blockade could halt the railroad outside Laramie. Shanessy, who runs the town, wants the crews to stay and gamble away their wages. Jeff agrees to take the assignment only under the promise of full authority.

Graham, Pierce, and Logan greet him with suspicion, expecting him to bring troops. He is warmly welcomed by Shanessy, his childhood ally, who offers free board at the hotel. The contrast between old loyalties and Jeff's new authority quickly sharpens the town's tensions.

Shanessy introduces Jeff to Lou Carter, his glamorous partner, but Jeff rejects Lou's advances and returns the bribe money. Shanessy remains friendly despite Ace's threats and continues pursuing Jeff's cooperation. Jeff's lingering feelings for Shanessy's wife Helen complicate his judgment.

Jeff visits the railroad work site with the promised authority and promptly knocks out the foreman. The men fall back as Jeff asserts control and shuts down the makeshift saloon. He posts notices firing the workers and suspending construction.

Graham calls a council meeting to decide Jeff's fate. Shanessy blocks workers' credit and engineers a mob to resist Jeff's plan. Jeff arrests Shanessy, triggering a fragile two-week trial over his authority.

Lou invites Jeff to her room and offers to help, warning that no local jury will convict Shanessy. Jeff remains wary of her motives. Meanwhile Shanessy pressures Jeff to visit Helen, and Jeff's wandering affections lead to a night confrontation that ends with him being beaten and dumped into a railroad car.

The next morning, Jeff's absence leads to a mistrial as crooked juries dismiss his arrests. Shanessy orders the camps burned and the town descends into chaos. He cuts the telegraph and engineers a landslide that blocks all traffic, thwarting Jeff's ability to respond.

Graham, Pierce, and Logan send Orrie to Cheyenne to secure a court-martial against Jeff, but Orrie is killed on the trail. Lou explains that Shanessy's guilt can be proven only by a jury drawn from Wyoming's newly enfranchised women. Jeff agrees to pursue this unorthodox route despite his skepticism.

Jeff confronts Shanessy and shoots Ace when he pulls a gun, arresting Shanessy once again. Lou serves as forewoman on the all-woman jury, and they convict Shanessy, shocking the town. The verdict marks a turning point in Jeff's struggle to restore order.

The night before the hanging, Helen slips Shanessy a gun; he knocks out Jeff and heads toward Lou's room. He shoots Lou in the back, but Jeff revives and gathers a posse. Shanessy commandeers a train to Cheyenne in a bid to escape.

Jeff rides onto Shanessy's train, fights his way to the front, and reverses the locomotive just as a passenger train bears down. The collision is narrowly avoided and railroad construction resumes in the aftermath. Jeff tells Lou he will return to the Army for six months but regards Laramie as his home.