goldie

Free old time radio — transcripts, sponsor breaks intact, open catalog for listeners and builders.

Listen

  • Shows
  • Calendar
  • Search
  • Halloween
  • Genres
  • Moods
  • Themes
  • People
  • Sponsors
  • Upcoming series

Builders

  • Developers
  • Goldie for AI (MCP)
  • api.goldie.fm
  • mcp.goldie.fm
  • llms.txt

Company

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Goldie Pro

Audio from Internet Archive · Logs from the Old Time Radio Researchers. Goldie does not own the recordings.

Privacy · Terms · Contact · Developers · Catalog API api.goldie.fm · MCP mcp.goldie.fm · AI / MCP docs

goldie
ShowsCalendarAIPro
  1. Home
  2. /Shows
  3. /X Minus One
  4. /The Roads Must Roll
← All X Minus One episodes

Countdown for blast off. X minus five, four, three, two, X minus one, fire. From the far horizons of the unknown come transcribed tales of new dimensions in time and space. These are stories of the future. Adventures in which you'll live in a million could be years on a thousand maybe worlds. The National Broadcasting Company in cooperation with Street and Smith, publishers of astounding science fiction, presents X minus one. Tonight's story, The Roads Must Roll by Robert He…

Transcript

Loading transcript…

Synopsis

In The Roads Must Roll, set in a future where mechanized roads are the backbone of transportation, the automotive age faces its demise. As cities become congested and reliant on these moving roadways, the engineers responsible for their operation find themselves in a precarious position. With the Transport Commission dictating terms and conditions, the engineers feel undervalued and overlooked, leading to a brewing discontent among them.

Host

Fred Collins

Cast›

A

Al Jazzbeaux Collins

Bob Hastings

Joe DeSantis

John Larkin

Mercer McLeod

Featured in playlists›

Goldie Originals that include this night

Sci-Fi Starter

Rocket-age wonder without the deep cut homework.

24 episodes

You might also like

Shared stars, moods, and themes across the catalog

Dimension X

The Professor Was a Thief

A peculiar little man claims he can make buildings disappear, starting with Grant's Tomb, and seeks recognition for his genius. A newspaper editor, facing career setbacks, sees a chance for redemption through this bizarre phenomenon.

Ep 28 · Sunday, November 5, 1950 · 30:21

Suspense

Yuletide Miracle

A man encounters a mischievous ghost named Sir Benjamin while trying to escape a parole officer during Christmas, facing a dilemma to fulfill a dying boy's wish to deliver Christmas presents to his family.

Ep 905 · Sunday, December 17, 1961 · 23:39

21st Precinct

The Neighbor

A woman reports a burglar in her apartment, prompting the 21st Precinct officers to respond quickly. They discover a complex situation involving a polite but deceptive suspect.

Ep 139 · Thursday, May 31, 1956 · 26:37

The Shadow

Revenge Is--Murder!

A stolen diamond, a dying gangster and strange visitors from beyond.

Ep 452 · Sunday, September 19, 1948 · 29:29

Casey, Crime Photographer

The Miscarriage of Justice

A woman reappears after being presumed dead for ten years, leading to the potential release of her husband, wrongfully convicted of her murder. The stakes rise as the truth behind her disappearance and new life complicates the case.

Ep 205 · Thursday, October 2, 1947 · 29:44

The Adventures of Superman

Left to Die

Clark Kent faces a perilous situation when his plane crashes near the North Star Mine, where he aims to confront goldmine swindlers. With time running out, he must navigate danger to save June Anderson and uncover the truth.

Ep 15 · Friday, March 15, 1940 · 11:04

More from X Minus One

Same series — shared cast and standout nights

X Minus One

To the Future

A couple travels back to 1955, seeking escape from their troubled future. However, they soon realize they may not be as safe as they thought.

Ep 29 · Wednesday, December 14, 1955 · 28:50

X Minus One

Tunnel Under the World

In Tunnel Under the World, Guy Burkhart wakes up screaming, haunted by a recurring nightmare of an explosion. As he navigates a strange day where familiar faces seem absent, he uncovers a chilling truth about his reality.

Ep 42 · Wednesday, March 14, 1956 · 27:59

X Minus One

The Outer Limit

In The Outer Limit, a test pilot embarks on a groundbreaking space mission with dire stakes as he risks drifting into the void of space. With only ten minutes of fuel for the return trip, he must navigate the unknown while facing unexpected challenges.

Ep 25 · Wednesday, November 16, 1955 · 28:08

X Minus One

C-Chute

A group of passengers aboard the spaceship Starfire faces a dire situation when they are attacked by a Chloran battle cruiser during the Second Interstellar War. As the crew fights for survival, the passengers must confront their fears and the reality of their predicament.

Ep 37 · Wednesday, February 8, 1956 · 28:46

X Minus One

The Man in the Moon

An S.O.S. is received from the Moon, prompting a frantic investigation into the mysterious disappearance of a renowned physicist. As authorities scramble to understand the bizarre signal, the stakes rise with the possibility of a hidden truth.

Ep 6 · Sunday, May 29, 1955 · 28:08

X Minus One

$1000 a Plate

Astronomers on Mars face a crisis when fireworks disrupt their research. They must convince local casino owners to stop the displays before it's too late.

Ep 43 · Wednesday, March 21, 1956 · 27:24

← PreviousA Logic Named JoeNext →Time and Time Again

Credits

  • Audio from Internet Archive (OTRR_X_Minus_One_Singles). Curated by OTRR. Goldie does not claim ownership of this broadcast.
  • Cast and sponsor data from RadioGold Index (J. David Goldin / UMKC Libraries).
  • Historical context from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).

XMinusOne56-01-04032TheRoadsMustRoll.mp3

X Minus One, Episode 32

The Roads Must Roll

Wednesday, January 4, 1956 · 27:43

X Minus One, Episode 32

The Roads Must Roll

Wednesday, January 4, 1956 · 27:43

Summary

In a future where mechanized roads are essential for transportation, engineers rebel against their control by the Transport Commission. As tensions rise, they contemplate the consequences of stopping the roads.

Sponsor breaks

Santos Ortega

Network›

NBC

Network

Fifties Fade

When TV took the living room (1950 and after).

24 episodes

Latest Air Dates

The newest broadcast dates in the archive.

24 episodes

Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar

The Skidmore Matter

Ep 786 · Sunday, April 22, 1962 · 24:37

Inner Sanctum Mysteries

The Unforgiving Corpse

A railroad stationmaster sees ghosts and gets messages from a man who's been dead for ten years.

Ep 508 · Monday, May 28, 1951 · 29:42

X Minus One

Nightfall

On a planet orbiting six suns, a reporter investigates a prophecy of doom as darkness approaches for the first time in over two thousand years. The impending eclipse threatens to unleash chaos among the populace, who are torn between science and superstition.

Ep 28 · Wednesday, December 7, 1955 · 28:52

X Minus One

Junkyard

A crew of spacemen lands on Planet Nine, where they discover alien junk that causes them to forget how to operate their spaceship. As they struggle to remember, they face the terrifying possibility of being stranded forever.

Ep 39 · Wednesday, February 22, 1956 · 29:28

That night in history

Headlines

  • 1956 — The Greek National Radical Union is formed by Konstantinos Karamanlis.
  • 1956 — A fire damages the top part of the Eiffel Tower.
  • 1956 — Sudan achieves independence from Egypt and the United Kingdom.

On the air that night›

  1. Ranger BillMrs Kane Wins The WarEpisode 166
  2. X Minus OneThe Roads Must RollCurrently listeningEpisode 32
  3. Yours Truly, Johnny DollarThe Caylin Matter - Ep 3Episode 298