A wild storm rolled across the fields. It was a summer night about 150 years ago. Kate Shelley was 17, and she lived on her family’s farm in Iowa. She watched as huge raindrops crashed against her window. 

Suddenly, Kate heard a loud “Squeak, squeak!” The barn was flooding. Piglets were trapped in there! 

Kate ran out to the barn. She grabbed the piglets and saved them from the rising water. But the piglets weren’t the only ones in trouble that night. 

It was about 150 years ago. It was a summer night. It was storming. Kate Shelley was 17. She lived on her family’s farm in Iowa. She watched as huge raindrops hit her window.

Suddenly, Kate heard a loud “Squeak, squeak!” The barn was flooding. Piglets were trapped!

Kate ran out to the barn. She grabbed the piglets. She saved them from the rising water. But the piglets weren’t the only ones in trouble that night.

Approximately 150 years ago, a wild storm rolled across the fields on a summer night. Kate Shelley, 17, lived on her family’s farm in Iowa. She watched as huge raindrops crashed against her window.

Suddenly, Kate heard a loud “Squeak, squeak!” The barn was flooding, and piglets were trapped in there!

Kate ran out to the barn, grabbed the piglets, and rescued them from the rising water. But the piglets weren’t the only ones in trouble that night.

The storm kept blowing. Water rushed through Honey Creek, a creek near Kate’s house. Kate could see that the bridge over the creek was getting weaker. A lot of trains crossed that bridge. In fact, a big train called the Midnight Express was coming that night. 

Kate was worried. Would the bridge hold out?

Late that night, Kate was in bed. She heard a loud crash. She knew what had happened. The bridge across Honey Creek had collapsed.

It kept storming. Water rushed through Honey Creek. It was the creek near Kate’s house. Kate could see the bridge over the creek. It was getting weaker. A lot of trains crossed that bridge. A big train called the Midnight Express was coming that night.

Kate was worried. Would the bridge hold out?

Later, Kate was in bed. She heard a loud crash. She knew what had happened. The bridge across Honey Creek had collapsed.

The storm kept blowing, and  water rushed through Honey Creek near Kate’s house. Kate could see that the bridge over the creek was getting weaker. A lot of trains crossed that bridge. In fact, a big train called the Midnight Express was coming that night.

Kate was worried. Would the bridge hold out?

Late that night, Kate was in bed when she heard a loud crash. She knew what had happened—the bridge across Honey Creek had collapsed.

The Midnight Express was still coming. But what would happen if the engineer driving the train didn’t know that the bridge was broken? The train could crash. The 200 people on board could die.

Kate jumped out of bed. She had to stop the train before it crashed. But how She knew the train would pick up more people at a station before the bridge. If she could get to the station, she could warn them. But there wasn’t much time!

The Midnight Express was still coming. The bridge was broken. But what if the engineer driving the train didn’t know? The train could crash. People could die. There were 200 people on the train.

Kate jumped out of bed. She had to get the train to stop before it crashed. But how? She knew the train would pick up more people. It would stop at a station before the bridge. She could warn them. She had to get to the station. But there wasn’t much time!

The Midnight Express was still coming, but what would happen if the engineer on the train didn’t know that the bridge was broken? The train could crash, and the 200 people on board could die.

Kate jumped out of bed. She had to stop the train before it crashed. But how? She knew the train would pick up more people at a station before the bridge. If she could get to the station, she could warn them, but there wasn’t much time!

To thank Kate, the railroad company gave her family flour to bake bread and coal to keep them warm all winter. 

Newspapers across the country wrote about brave Kate. A street and a train were named after Kate Shelley. 

Later, when Kate grew up, she became a railway station worker. She worked at the very same station that she had raced to on that stormy night long ago.

The railroad company gave Kate’s family gifts to thank her. They gave them flour to bake bread. They gave them coal to keep warm all winter.

Newspapers across the country wrote about brave Kate.

A street was named after Kate Shelley. People even named a train after her.

Kate grew up. She became a railway station worker. She worked at the very same station that she ran to on that stormy night. 

As a way of thanking Kate, the railroad company gave her family flour to bake bread and coal to keep them warm all winter.

Newspapers across the country wrote about brave Kate.

A street and a train were named in honor of Kate Shelley.

When Kate grew up, she became a railway station worker, and she worked at the very same station that she had raced to on that stormy night long ago.

Storyworks 2: Where are you from?

Meg: I am from Iowa, just like Kate. 

Storyworks 2: Did you like Kate Shelley when you were a kid?

Meg: Yes! I used to play a game about Kate Shelley. My friends and I pretended to crawl across a train bridge.

Storyworks 2: What do you like about Kate Shelley now?

Meg: Kate was brave! Her story can remind us to be like her.

Storyworks 2: Where are you from?

Meg: I am from Iowa, just like Kate. 

Storyworks 2: Did you like Kate Shelley when you were a kid?

Meg: Yes! I used to play a game about Kate Shelley. My friends and I pretended to crawl across a train bridge.

Storyworks 2: What do you like about Kate Shelley now?

Meg: Kate was brave! Her story can remind us to be like her.

Storyworks 2: Where are you from?

Meg: I am from Iowa, just like Kate. 

Storyworks 2: Did you like Kate Shelley when you were a kid?

Meg: Yes! I used to play a game about Kate Shelley. My friends and I pretended to crawl across a train bridge.

Storyworks 2: What do you like about Kate Shelley now?

Meg: Kate was brave! Her story can remind us to be like her.