The Train Job

The Train Job is the second episode of US science-fiction television series Firefly created by Joss Weldon, although it was the first to be shown. The pilot, Serenity, was not shown until nine other episodes had been aired. According to the DVD commentary, Weldon and Tim Miner had only two days to write the script.

The crew of Serenity takes on a train heist commissioned by a sinister crime lord. The cargo they are after, however, is worth more than they know, Mal knocks out the Fed before he sees what's happening, and then Mal and Zoe use the smoke as cover to re-enter. 

When Mal and Zoe board the train, they discover that an entire regiment of Alliance troops are also aboard. Mal reasons that because the Feds are showing no interest in the cargo, they can not only pull off the job as planned but make the hated Alliance look all manner of stupid in the process, however Zoe is hesitant. 

After they break into the locked train car and secure the cargo, Jayne is lowered on a winch from Serenity. While they attach the cargo to the winch, however, a curious Fed trips a smoke trap at the car door. In the resulting melee, a wounded Jayne is hoisted back to the ship the passenger car.