Movie "Unstoppable"

[Spade5]

I recently watched this on DVD and really enjoyed it.

Hey I know it is Hollywood but I was wondering if there were any members with real life railroad experience that could comment on the reality of it.

When I think about the mass of a moving train and how long it would take to stop it, it just blows my mind.

 

[Nightowl]

I don’t have any real railroad experience, but I do like trains. This is one of my favorite movies not only because it was entertaining, but for some distant connections to the film. I have read this movie is based on an incident that took place east of Toledo, Ohio around 2001 or close to that time frame. I was living outside of Toledo at time and remember the incident.

When the movie was being filmed in North West and north central Pennsylvania Denzel Washington and several other actors stayed in my original hometown of Bradford, PA. And my wife and I could easily recognize many of the landmarks in the movie, particularly road signs and intersections.

As I mentioned previously the movie is base on a true event. I read an interview with the railroader who Denzel Washington played in the movie. He is retired and living in the Harrisburg, PA area. His comments were that it is a movie, and the real life incident was not as action packed. I think his most interesting comment was that everything that was shown in the movie was possible BUT not very likely to actually happen outside of the movies.

One more comment. The folks back home said Denzel Washington was a really good guy and spent a lot of time talking with the locals and just walking the streets being very friendly.

 

[Dr. Dolittle]

I think his most interesting comment was that everything that was shown in the movie was possible BUT not very likely to actually happen outside of the movies.

Unfortunately, this is why most disasters happen. We've convinced ourselves that we're so technologically superior that when we build or design something, we think of everything. Amazing how small events can begin a chain reaction and cause results the designers NEVER considered.

I still loved the movie, though!

 

[Breeze3at]

After 90 minutes of hi tech attempts, like dropping from a helicopter, they ended up driving up next to the train and jumping on. I may have tried that 1st.:22: Oh, they didn't get to that part of the road until the end of the movie. :small3d018:

 

[Spade5]

Breeze, I can't stop laughing at you comment.

I still wonder why the guy who jumped off to throw the switch and then couldn't catch the front engine did not get on the second engine.

 

[robermv32]

Breeze, I can't stop laughing at you comment.

I still wonder why the guy who jumped off to throw the switch and then couldn't catch the front engine did not get on the second engine.

I read somewhere about the actual incident that the hostler who is referred to here did attempt to regain the front of the engine but was dragged about 80 feet when he lost his footing, thereby preventing him from taking any further action. Also, he wasn't the idiot depicted in the movie but rather a 35 year veteran with a pristine work record. Unfortunately for him, this incident DID cost him his job.

Sometimes I wish I didn't look into things so much.....But I did enjoy that movie. I can't think of any movie with Denzel Washington in it that I didn't enjoy.

 

[mc2]

I spent some formidable years living in a train depot, main line was my front yard. Grew up to work as a Hog Head (Engr) for one RR and as Conductor for another. Resigned after 10 yrs. On call 24/7 going east or west on the north and south rail, lots of pay & benefits, but not for my life. Look forward to my pension though!

The movie: I do not know the story of the real event, but hollywood knows how to tell a story and entertain. Yeah, the longer and heavier, the more distance you need to stop. They were making some great improvements in dymanic braking and train control before I left.

The hostler plugged the deadman feature (which was a common practice back then), but ya never leave the cabin of a loco with it in place. See movie for reason why!
Been some time since I saw the movie, but if they really got behind the train I wonder why they just didn't open the angle cock at the rear. You dump the air and the brakes on every car set up. Or a shotgun blast to the air hose between the last two cars would do the same thing. Easy for me to say lots of what could have been done, but I don't know the whole story.

The Hog Head (Engr) made a lot of good true statements about what could or would happen, but hollywood changed some of it.
But the scene of the train rounding the curve on elevated rail was a bit much. Locomotives and loaded tankers are heavy.
Enough momentum to lift wheels off a track like that would surely end in a pile up.
But it added to the suspense. Whatever, glad it ended the way it did.

 

[Dr.Evil]

Sorry to get off track, Ha Ha, but I saw a semi tractor do a wheely in a Bond movie once. It looked like they put hinges in the frame in front of the duals. Had to be one of the dumbest stunts I have ever seen.