Basically, the sequence of events was: 1) Engineer (Al) puts the lashup into Notch 8, pretty much max throttle, to get the aged old units moving. This wasn't uncommon practice; the intention is to overcome the dead weight and then "notching down" once the lashup was at speed. 2) Before that can happen, he has a heart attack, which immediately begins to choke oxygen flow to his brain. 3) Suffering hypoxia and groping for the throttle, he slams the loco brakes into emergency instead. *This overrides the deadman pedal.* 4) He falls off the train and dies. The yard workers, understandably concerned for their fallen comrade, miss their single chance to hop aboard the lead unit and null the throttle. You now have an unmanned lashup at *max throttle* and with a useless deadman pedal. It quite quickly burns through the brakes and runs away. Manny may not have been any kind of a train expert but he was dead right - wild acceleration through yard territory AND with brakes fully engaged means nothing good.
Except that when you do an emergency application a pressure valve will trip and negate the throttle position and stop the train. You need to move the throttle back to idle and the reverser to neutral to reset it.
@@kleetus92 Quite possible that that interlock wasn't present on these old units. One of the plot points (though not really highlighted) was that the runaways were ancient old units that were barely half-working, and would have been retired had not Al been pushing to keep them as yard switchers. That comes back to bite them all when they go rogue.
@@ArchTeryx00 I hear your point, but those units aren't that old. Oh, and no engineer would go run 8 with 4 units and no cars from a stop. You'd either burn a hole through the rail, or be in the next state before your second blink....
@@kleetus92 You'd be surprised, but he leaves it in Notch 8 a *LONG* time, the one I knew that did that trick to ramp up the prime mover faster notched down *quickly* before, as you said, he either flattened his wheels or ended up reenacting Steam Speed right through the yard. I imagine the yardmaster would have been quite unamused at those sorts of hijinks.
I think single-man-crews were allowed at the time, maybe still are now, especially for yard movements. This and various real-life incidents (such as the CSX 8888 incident that has a lot of parallels to this) have shown why that's a bad idea, but two-man crews cost more money. The woman in the other cab I don't think was officially crew of this train, and when it ran away people didn't realize she or the prisoners were aboard, it was assumed the train was unmanned. They were about to derail it until she blew the horn.
(0:09)How the GP rises out of the Snow as the music intensifies, (2:00)And then the loco's being shown with the soundtrack being simolour to a growl,(2:53)after the music being a little forboading, The train,(3:40) a beast, a powerfull metal creature, easely out of control ,out off humanities hand and leash ...
This is a prime example of why trains usually have multiple people in cabs now as well as revamped dead pedals & even positive train control in some areas (Should be in all.)
@@fernandoqueirozpopovic7024 yeah and I pointed this out in a different comment but most likely the deadman’s switch was shut of with a old brake shoe or a toolbox since it was common practice back then because crews thought it was annoying
@@bobross4449 Him dying while applying the brakes instead of resetting the throttle to idle (or better yet, just doing nothing, but heck he was dying after all) _overrided the Dead man's switch._ The last thing you ever want is that switch shutting down your engine when going downhill with a fully loaded train and suddenly the unit powers down and you find you have no dynamic brakes (that happened with the San Bernardino '89 disaster). And Sarah was in the 2nd unit, but asleep so unaware the engineer's dead.
This movie wouldn't of worked without the freezing jaws of death snapping at their heels, damned if you do, damned if you don't, movement is life, until it isn't
Far better movie than that pile of nonsense. Unstoppable was probably the worst case I've seen of making shit out of something good. Extremely suspenseful true story, amazing cinematography (the behind the scenes is way better than the movie itself), all ruined by lousy acting, elephant sounds for no reason, and the desire for more explosions. Had they kept it true to the real incident that could have been an amazing movie. Actually this scene bears surprising similarities not with that movie, but to the real-life incident (CSX 8888) that inspired it. EMD something40-2 (SD40-2 in CSX 8888, GP40-2 here) moving through a yard, driver has an "Oh #@%$" moment, hastily tries to set controls to stop, jumps or falls overboard, train speeds away out of control.
@@quillmaurer6563 Wrong! Unstoppable (2010) is not a pile-of rubbish , it is a true real-life action-thriller classic that plays second to Runaway Train (1985) and kept close with the real-life CSX 8888 incident. the engineer left the cab to throw the switch and left the brakes untouched. The chemical freight train ran onto the mainline almost colliding with other incoming trains. Police held railroad crossings and kept drivers away for a short distance. The portable derailer was nudged off the tracks by the force of the engine. Police shot at the fuel switch, which was not Hollywood and people onboard another locomotive slowed the runaway down for the tight curves and an employee jumped aboard and threw the engine to a crawl. Runaway Train might have been based on an earlier incident with four locos in NYC and had gained a nostagic following, but Unstoppable had gained many fans and became a cult following due to it's close details to the true story.
@@lennoxschannel7484 I know Unstoppable was based on a true story, but in my opinion (which we're all entitled to) the movie makers added a lot of typical Hollywood nonsense to what was a very compelling and thrilling story as it was. Extra explosions, extra deaths, the wrong sound effects, and so on. As though some director or producer felt the story wasn't exciting enough as it was and needed to add some extra stuff.
...And that folks, with the exception of the "Crazy 8s" incident in 2001 and the Lac Megantic disaster in 2013, is why there are few real-life documented modern-day runaways...
2:22 the bottom selector is in neutral while it should be in the forward position. When putting notch 8 he's going nowhere unless you pull it forward or backwards
This movie is "some people say" possibly base of the real life event happen in NYC Railroad, which is called NYC Runaway 1962 The incident is near exactly the same as the movie 4 locomotives lash-up, the engineer fell of the locomotive beacuse of a heart attack, etc Unfortunately the locomotives that invlove in NYC Runaway 1962 is still unknown, some say its a GE U25B's and some say its a EMD GP20's
Las 4 maquinas solas se salen sin control cuando el maquinista cae de la GP40-2 , le puso potencia 8 y aplica el freno de emergencia cuando comienza a darle el infarto . Los reos fugitivos no se dan cuenta que algo esta mal con ese tren . Runaway Train 1985 es mi pelicula favorita , Atomic Train y Final Run tambien son mis favoritas .
The Original basis for Runaway Train is from a real runaway that happened in 1962 on the New York Central Railroad with the runaway units being 4 EMD GP20 locomotives.
It did come close to the true story of 2001, You are just blind to the truth and how hard Scott's team put into the awesome and slightly underrated Unstoppable film.
@@remoobko8440 Because it's showed realistic graphics, had an excellent choice of acting, amazing score and powerful locomotives, based on an acutal event.
Ohh how funny. Throttle to off position and train takes off. Dumped in emergency and it burns its brakes away and keeps going. When you go into emergency, the PCS opens and your not going nowhere till reset.
Perhaps they meant to have him hit the dynamic brakes instead of the throttle? The throttle was "sorta" explained in the script that the old engines were sluggish and not responding, so the engineer kept playing with the levers and reverser until it moved.
There are a lot of inconsistencies in the movie. In real life this would have not happened and the train would have derailed before "blowing the caboose to hell" as it went past the switching junction on the tracks. If it was real we wouldn't have the premise for the movie.
@@jewllake Depends on the points. But one thing that would definitely send the train into emergency was uncoupling the lead locomotive from the rest of the engines.
Usually you shouldn't use super-dramatic music when there's no reason for it yet. But the director can afford it because he knows it's for the obligatory second viewing. Incredible self-assurance.
Am I the only one who sees a decent comparison between this movie and unstoppable there are a lot of scenes in unstoppable that appear to be paying homage to this
The only slight flaw with this scene is the engineer only had to take 1 extra step to back off the throttle, instead of just going for the emergency brake. But i guess you don't think so well during a major heart attack. Aside from that, great scene
He probably just grabbed the first thing he could. A more realistic scenario I suppose would be for him to apply the brake (disabling the dead man's switch), then attempt to set the dynamic brake but in his haste not select it properly, then set notch 8 for what was supposed to be full dynamic brake but was actually full power, before exiting the cab. I say that's realistic because that's what happened in the real-life CSX 8888 incident quite a few years after this movie was made. That was an SD40-2 while this movie has a GP40-2, so I would assume the cab controls would function the same so the exact same thing could happen. That probably would have been too complicated to depict here (distracting from the plot), the driver might not have had the time or functionality to do that, and at the time this movie was made this scenario might not have been known to be possible.
The movie should be remade with a big SD70MAC in the lead, an F40PH power car (for the sole purpose of blocking access to the lead unit), and two GP40s. Units were just being moved around the yard with the MAC giving all the power when Al has a heart attack. Danny Trejo is the prison elder, Jon Voight is the warden, Eric Roberts takes Voight's old role IF HE CAN HANDLE IT, and some young guy and girl replace Roberts and De Mornay. Same movie with higher budget and some cleanup. Probably should have been done in the earlier 2000s with this aging cast :(
Though it probably would have made more sense to have the GP40 on one end, the F7 on the other, and the GP7s in the middle. For visibility for switching, not for the movie.
Un accidente ferroviario ficticio es cuando un tren con 6 locomotoras Southern Pacific, y 200 carros-tanque con 800,000 galones de gasolina embistió a un tren del circo desatando un infierno. Runaway train es mi película favorita. GP40-2. F9. GP9 nariz alta. Conseguiré esos modelos en escala N para echarlos a rodar en mi maqueta. Con vagones o sin vagones.
No actually it was confirmed they were the same locomotives and pretty much all of the filming spots were in Alaska and there are alot and I mean alot of railroads in alaska cause it's harder to travel there in a c ar so more people use train travel to get around or walk.
Yes , mainline locomotives have been fitted with vigilance control systems for many years , predating the films release date . There is nothing too new about them . This system requires positive acknowledgement from the driver by depressing a button at regular time intervals . Modern electronic systems take manipulation of some controls as a acknowledgment . Depending on the system , failure to make a acknowledgment of the vigilance control system to results in any combination of , but in order : a warning light and/or bell ; warning whistle , horn or electric buzzer ; penalty brake application which acts to give a irrevocable full service application of the automatic brake ( acting on all vehicles on the train ) by dumping the brake pipe to atmosphere .
I believe setting full brake disables that function. And we can know with 100% certainty that this is realistically plausible because years later the CSX 8888 incident happened. Very similar situation - yard movement, driver has "Oh #@%$" moment, tries to set locomotive to stop, jumps or falls overboard, train runs away with nobody able to stop it. This movie shows a GP40-2 while that incident was an SD40-2, I would assume the cab controls work the same way.
Lot of comments on how unrealistic this is, thinking that in reality there would have been a second crew member, or the brakes would have stopped it, or setting the brake would have shut off power, or whatever else. CSX 8888 begs to differ. Real life situation quite a few years later, almost identical premise. EMD 40-2 series locomotive (SD40-2 in CSX 8888, GP40-2 here, presumably same cab control functions). Single crew member on yard movement, has "Oh #@%$" moment, tries to set controls to stop before jumping or falling off locomotive. Brakes set to emergency disables dead man control. Brakes burn up, train runs away out of control. Railway company and others involved are powerless to stop it.
@@lennoxschannel7484 Because in my opinion it isn't, and you'll never convince me otherwise. You love it, I don't, we're each allowed to have such opinions. Some of the cinematography in Unstoppable is amazing, and the technical details of how they filmed it is really cool, but the movie itself - in my opinion which you're welcome to disagree with - left a lot to be desired.
@@lennoxschannel7484 Actually on second thought I think I see why we disagree. Unstoppable was made as an action movie, with deaths, explosions, jumping across railcars, and so on, these elements included for the action even if it wasn't all realistic. You enjoy that, while I think it would have been better made as a drama, with less "action" that gets excitement on the big screen but more suspense and realism. Perhaps I'm looking at it wrong, looking at it for what I wish it were instead of what it was intended to be. Still doesn't mean I'll think it's any good, but it wasn't made for me. I'm the sort who thinks Apollo 13 was a nearly perfect movie - no added action or explosions, very true to the historical events, well done drama and suspense. You'd probably not be as into that. Meanwhile the "Runaway Train" movie here is a different sort of drama, not really action focused but not so much about the train itself either, it more served the setting for the characters' drama. The conflict is as much about the escaped criminals' fight for freedom and against their own inner demons as much as about surviving the runaway train predicament they're in.
There is an "alerter," but I believe setting emergency brakes disables that. Everyone thinks what happens here is implausible, but long after this movie was made there was the real life CSX 8888 incident, which involved a similar locomotive (SD40-2 vs. GP40-2, I'm guessing identical cab controls and control functions) where almost the exact same thing was done, and the train ran away out of control, went many miles before anyone managed to stop it. So based on that, what happened here is 100% possible.
This movie would have been over real quick if actual railroad logic was in play.... the emergency brake dumps all the air out of the train... train dumps. Brakes fully apply, train can’t move until the air is reset manually...
CSX 8888 begs to differ. That was a very similar situation, with a similar locomotive (SD40-2 rather than GP40-2, I assume same controls and functions).
Quill Maurer emd locomotives are set up the same, the difference between csx 8888 and this is csx 8888 had the independent brake applied. That wouldn’t dump the train, also with the independent applied, the alerter(deadman’s break) will not activate and would not cause an emergency brake application.
It does. But by throwing the train into emergency it overrides the dead man switch. And since the throttle is a notch eight it’s essentially riding with the brakes and throttle on full. Eventually the force of the throttle will burn off the brakes and then you have a run away.
No due to the brake man is asleep and the engineer died and most likely but not confirmed but a conductor was probably getting some cars ready for the train and off the consist
1) Why would there be a smokescreen for the train to pass through IRL? 2) Based on the last known direction of the train before it stopped they entered the FRONT engine (which had the engineer aboard for all they knew) even though they were fugitives and were supposed to be hiding from people. They had no way of knowing the train was going in reverse at the time. 3) Why was the engine door unlocked?
You Know I learned The doors that are a part of a Locomotive That Allow You To get inside The Cab is called a Cab Door And I think [Al] was To lazy to Lock The cab Door
I guess because Al was shunting around the yard, he might be frequently moving from end to end. So he found it easier to leave the doors open. Just a theory. _A Train Theory!_
It could have been blowing powder snow, or steam from the railyard for keeping stuff unfrozen. In operation locomotive doors are never locked. In that era many locomotives did not even have working or used locks. Probably still don't.
One of the Dumbest movies ever made. It was made up here in Alaska. I know where most of the filming was done. Just Bad acting. Hollywood can’t get railroad movies correct.
I am truly sorry but, l am not enjoying this version of the 1985 runaway train, at all! Great sound effects, but, l simply cannot get into this one. It is rather boring!🚂🚇😂😘
Perhaps if they stuck more emojis in it , you'd be able to enjoy it. Don't mean this in any insulting way , but I genuinely feel sorry for anyone who can't enjoy this movie. I was doing railroad work cleaning up train wrecks at the time this movie came out, I really enjoyed it.