11-04-2010, 05:04 PM
tetters Wrote:Catching a train which is a missle the size of the Chrysler Building and gunning it in the opposite direction...
Believe it or not, in the real runaway scenario that this movie is based on, this is how they slowed the train. Well actually, they didn't "gun it in the opposite direction".
CSXT 8888 was involved in switching in a yard, and the engineer noticed a switch ahead of him lined against him. He threw the independent brake to full, threw the dynamic brake to full, then proceeded to jump off his moving engine and run ahead to line the switch. Unfortunately he did NOT put it in full dynamic, but rather full THROTTLE. Needless to say the train rolled off into the sunset. An hour later a crew in a locomotive chased it down, coupled up, and put their loco in full braking, slowing down the train enough that a road foreman of engines was able to swing about the 8888 and shut her down.
In the preceding time, the railroad had tried to derail it twice by placing portable derails on the track, both were knocked off the rails when the runaway hit them. Also, at least one police officer tried to shoot at the red emergency fuel cut off switch.
-Dave