Although the "aired" program is missing, the 09/26/52 rehearsal of this show is in circulation.
Plot line written by Steve Smith and printed with his permission.

Gunsmoke 52/09/27 Gunsmoke (023) The Railroad
Written by David Ellis
With Jeanette Nolan as Libby Sager, Tom Tully as Mr. Williams, the railroad representative, John Dehner as Sam, the railroad surveyor

Twenty five years ago, Howard Sager and his wife, Libby came to the prairie to settle. They built a farm and worked hard.
When Indians raided their ranch the two held out for two days before Howard is fatally wounded by an arrow. He made Libby promise “to hang on to the land.”
For a total of three days and three nights, Libby held out and the Indians gave up. Howard has been long dead and buried.
Now a new raider has come to try to push Libby Sager off her land in the form of the Trans-Continental Railroad.
The railroad means progress, at least that’s what Mr. Williams of the railroad company says.
They have a federal court order to put Libby off the land, but she will not budge. She has run the railroad agents off her land by force.
Now Mr. Williams has come to Dodge to enlist the aide of the US Marshal. Matt knows Libby. He tries to reason with Libby but she cannot be deterred.
When Matt and Chester return on noon of the next day to enforce the court order, they are met by Libby and her lead. Matt and Chester are forced to take cover.
Neither man will shoot back at Libby. In Dodge, Sam and Williams talk about Libby Sager. They have drunk too much.
Sam admires the woman. Williams frets that the railroad is being made a fool of. Williams and Sam decide to go to the Sager house.
Meanwhile back at the stand off, Chester is caught by Libby trying to out flank her. When Sam and Williams arrive, Libby shoots and wounds Sam.
As a reflex, Sam shoots and fatally wounds Mrs. Sager. Libby dies on her front porch telling Matt that maybe they will think of her every time ….
<She dies> and Matt finishes her sentence “every time that train whistle blows.” Chester is distraught. Matt says, “You know Chester sometimes progress is hard to come by.”

Note: It is the “Takings Clause” of Amendment V of the US Constitution that prohibits the taking of property without just compensation.