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184:, was pulling a train of 47 cars, including possibly two cars loaded with hazardous chemicals, specifically molten phenol, a substance used in dyes and glues, and ran uncontrolled for just under two hours at up to 51 miles per hour (82 km/h). It was finally halted by a railroad crew in a catch locomotive, which caught up with the runaway train and
242:. During mainline operation, he would also have applied the automatic air brake, which would set the brakes in each of the train's cars. But, as is normal for intra-yard movements, the air brakes of the train were disconnected from the locomotive and thus were not functional. Furthermore, applying the locomotive's brakes disabled the train's
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failed; the portable derailer was thrown off the track by the force of the train when struck. Police officers attempted to engage the red fuel cutoff button by shooting at it; after three shots mistakenly hit the larger red fuel cap, this ultimately had no effect because the buttons on former
Conrail
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where the crew uncoupled its locomotive, CSX #8392 (another EMD SD40-2), and waited for the runaway train to pass. #8392 had a crew of two: Jesse
Knowlton, an engineer with 31 years of service; and Terry L. Forson, a conductor with about one year's experience. Together they chased the runaway train.
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was set at notch 8. If the dynamic brakes had been properly engaged as intended, the locomotive would have used the motors against the momentum of the train as generators, causing it to slow down. Instead, the train began to accelerate. Therefore, the only functioning brake was the air brakes on the
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The engineer climbed down from the cab, aligned the switch, and then attempted to reboard the accelerating locomotive. However, he was unable to do so and was dragged by #8888 for about 80 feet (24 m), receiving minor cuts and abrasions. The train rolled out of the yard and began a 65-mile
227:, a toxic ingredient used in the production of many things including plastics, epoxies, nylon, numerous pharmaceutical drugs, detergents, and paints. It causes severe chemical burns upon direct skin or eye contact and is exceedingly harmful when ingested.
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system does in a hybrid/electric automobile, which slows the train. However, the engineer "inadvertently failed to complete the selection process", meaning that he in effect set the train to accelerate, not to brake. Using the power throttle handle, the
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and concluded that his train, although moving slowly, would not be able to stop short of it, as the tracks were damp from rain. He decided to climb down from the train, correctly align the switch, and reboard the locomotive.
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SD40-2s like CSX #8888 must be pressed for several seconds before the switch is activated, causing the engine to starve of diesel fuel and shut down. A northbound freight train, Q636-15, was directed onto a
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Knowlton and Forson successfully coupled onto the rear car and slowed the train by applying the dynamic brakes on the chase locomotive. Once the runaway had slowed to 12 miles per hour (19 km/h), CSX
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to slow the train to a crawl; dynamic brakes dissipate momentum (kinetic energy) by using the momentum of the train to drive the traction motors, generating electricity exactly like a
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as part of a refurbishment program carried out by CSX in 2015, although its number is now #4389. It was delivered as
Conrail #6410 in September 1987.
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CSX never made public the name of the 35-year veteran engineer whose error caused the runaway, nor what disciplinary action was taken.
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219:. The string consisted of 47 freight cars; 25 of them were empty, but 22 of them were fully loaded, including two
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Jon
Hosfeld ran alongside the train, climbed aboard, and shut down the engine. The train was stopped at the
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279:(105 km) journey south through northwest Ohio unmanned. Attempts to derail the train using a portable
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On May 15, 2001, a CSX locomotive engineer was using
Locomotive #8888 to move a string of
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As of 2021, the locomotive is still in service, having been rebuilt and upgraded into an
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from track K12 to track D10 for departure on another train at
Stanley Yard in
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594:"Pennsylvania man lived the drama that inspired 'Unstoppable'"
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Before leaving the cab, the engineer applied the locomotive's
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locomotive, similar to the locomotive involved in the incident
387:. Michigan's Internet Railroad History Museum. Archived from
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locomotive, and this was not enough to counteract its power.
617:"Disaster avoided during hours of panic, 66 miles of terror"
441:"Canadian Railway Observations: South of the Border News"
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The engineer also attempted to apply the locomotive's
653:"Hollywood widens truth gauge in runaway train flick"
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Accidents and incidents involving CSX Transportation
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414:"Runaway train stopped after uncontrolled 2 hours"
16:2001 runaway train incident in Ohio, United States
615:Feehan, Jennifer; Lecker, Kelly (May 16, 2001).
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502:"CSX #8888: The Real Story of "Unstoppable""
223:containing thousands of gallons of molten
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753:Railway accidents and incidents in Ohio
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733:Transportation in Hancock County, Ohio
683:"Human error blamed for runaway train"
543:from the original on December 14, 2007
738:Transportation in Hardin County, Ohio
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320:The incident inspired the 2010 movie
178:on May 15, 2001. Locomotive #8888, an
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773:May 2001 events in the United States
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51:The train's path highlighted in blue
758:Transportation in Wood County, Ohio
629:from the original on August 4, 2021
573:from the original on August 5, 2020
508:. November 12, 2010. Archived from
416:. CNN. May 16, 2001. Archived from
188:their locomotive to the rear car.
174:freight train in the U.S. state of
651:Patch, David (November 12, 2010).
230:The engineer noticed a misaligned
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592:Worden, Amy (November 12, 2010).
352:"CSX 8888 Runaway Investigation"
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445:canadianrailwayobservations.com
439:Lambert, Jason (June 1, 2016).
689:. May 16, 2001. Archived from
93:66 mi (106 km) South
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385:"Station: Stanley Yard, Ohio"
563:"Train Movies - Unstoppable"
478:. WVNC Rails. Archived from
305:crossing, just southeast of
708:WUPW FOX36 Toledo story on
472:"CSX 8888 - "Crazy Eights""
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748:Railway accidents in 2001
598:The Philadelphia Inquirer
533:"CSX 8888 - Play by Play"
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768:Runaway train disasters
110:Toledo Line Subdivision
77:12:35 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
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67:; 23 years ago
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240:independent air brake
164:Crazy Eights incident
420:on February 11, 2006
362:on February 26, 2023
255:regenerative braking
162:, also known as the
693:on October 5, 2010.
391:on November 1, 2015
303:Ohio State Route 31
274:A portable derailer
213:classification yard
716:2013-02-03 at the
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172:CSX Transportation
170:event involving a
120:CSX Transportation
604:on June 16, 2013.
244:dead man's switch
160:CSX 8888 incident
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65:May 15, 2001
24:CSX 8888 incident
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691:the original
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665:. Retrieved
661:the original
657:Toledo Blade
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631:. Retrieved
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602:the original
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510:the original
506:Rare Mileage
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484:. Retrieved
480:the original
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470:Robie, Dan.
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453:. Retrieved
449:the original
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424:February 24,
422:. Retrieved
418:the original
395:December 17,
393:. Retrieved
389:the original
366:February 18,
364:. Retrieved
360:the original
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307:Kenton, Ohio
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205:freight cars
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90:Kenton, Ohio
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710:Unstoppable
486:January 20,
323:Unstoppable
299:trainmaster
727:Categories
667:August 21,
455:August 16,
330:References
291:EMD GP40-2
181:EMD SD40-2
144:Statistics
72:2001-05-15
37:EMD SD40-2
633:August 4,
622:The Blade
577:August 7,
547:August 4,
516:August 7,
221:tank cars
714:Archived
627:Archived
571:Archived
541:Archived
281:derailer
262:for the
260:throttle
199:Timeline
166:, was a
116:Operator
82:Location
316:In film
186:coupled
98:Country
70: (
57:Details
537:Kohlin
356:Kohlin
286:siding
232:switch
225:phenol
217:Toledo
193:SD40-3
149:Damage
35:A CSX
136:Cause
669:2011
635:2021
579:2021
549:2021
518:2021
488:2024
457:2018
426:2007
397:2015
368:2015
215:for
176:Ohio
158:The
152:None
106:Line
62:Date
687:CNN
289:An
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88:–
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
