The Crazy 8s incident 17 years later

it was a heart-stopping event 1 million tons 100,000 lives and a hundred minutes and it was one we all know well almost unstoppable no not that but you're close this is the story of the Crazy Eights incident [Music] on May 15 2001 a CSX engineer and conductor we're going to switch a string of freight cars from track k12 to track the ten-four departure on another train at Stanley yard in Walbridge Oh Ohio the Train consisted of CSX St 40 - 2 88 88 and 47 freight cars 25 of them were empty but 22 were fully loaded including two tanker cars loaded with molten phenol a toxic ingredient used in glues paints and dyes that is very harmful if inhaled or if it hits your skin the air brakes however weren't connected as this was just a short switching maneuver within the yarn which makes sense it's not illegal the Train moved north out of k12 passing the conductor who is positioned on the ground as the cameras which the conductor advised the engineer by radio of the number of the cars that had passed him and the engineer acknowledged with eight cars to go the conductor notified the engineer by radio to prepare to stop no replied the conductor tried again when four cars remain still nothing the then ordered the engineer to stop but again there was no response meanwhile the engineer noticed a misaligned switch and concluded that his train although moving slowly would not be able to stop short of it he decided he was going to climb down from the Train correctly aligned the switch and reboard the locomotive sounds silly right that's because it is before leaving the cab the engineer applied the independent air brakes for the locomotive and attempted to apply the dynamic brakes as well but failed to do so but applying the independent air brake also disables the Deadman switch rendering it useless he then set the throttle at knotch 8 or a full throttle if the dynamic brakes were selected as intended this throttle setting would have caused the train to slow down a lot thanks to the electric generator however since the dynamic braking was not engaged the setting only caused the train to accelerate therefore the only functioning brake was the air brake and this was not enough to counteract the engine power the engineer climbed down from the cab aligned the switch and then attempted to reboard the accelerating locomotive he was unable to do so slipped and fell and was dragged about 80 feet from the Train receiving minor cuts before he had to let go now with no one on the train it becomes a runaway escaping the yard and onto the main line accelerating faster and faster the engineer quickly ran to another employee who had a radio and he called the yard master and promptly notified the stanley tower block operator and the train master the Toledo branch train dispatcher located in Indianapolis was also notified the train was now proceeding southward on the Toledo branch also known as the Great Lakes division at Glen 'ya siding at approximately 1:35 p.m. the Train dispatcher remotely operated a switch with a train to enter the site affordable DD rail was there ready to derail the train and stop this runaway however it was thrown clear from the track by the force of the train passing over it and the Train sped on like nothing had happened along the tracks then local police come up with an idea shoot to kill the idea use a buck shot on a rifle to hit a fuel shutoff button near the fuel tank but guess what don't work has to be held in to actually do anything rather than pressed for a millisecond by a bullet so crazy eight speeds on a little bit a few brave locals try jumping onboard the locomotive but they chickened out as they realize she's going much faster than intended meanwhile northbound train q6 36:15 was directed by the dispatcher into the siding at Dunkirk Ohio the crew was instructed to uncouple their engine sb 40 - 280 392 from their train and wait until a runaway past that location sure enough had approximately 2:05 p.m. the runaway train roared past the siding and after the switches were realigned 83 ninety-two chased after the runaway [Music] [Music] another engine a GP 38 was primed and ready ahead of the runaway to couple up to 88 88 and push her back the idea seemed dangerous but was carried out nonetheless eventually 83 92 finally couples up onto the run away at Kenton going 51 miles an hour and carefully applied the dynamic brakes hoping the couplings won't rip apart from the force the efforts pay off and the train slows down till 11 miles an hour and positioned at the Route 31 crossing was CSX train master John Haas filled he runs alongside the crawling locomotive and climbs aboard there he immediately shuts down the engine and finally the Crazy Eights comes to a gentle halt after nearly two hours and 66 miles of running the whole thing was finally over and the GP 38 further ahead wasn't really needed anymore 88 88 brake shoes were completely burned off and it was found that the air brake on the locomotive was in full service braking mode and that dynamic brakes were working but not set to braking mode in the end the unnamed engineer who was first hired by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1966 promoted to engineer by Penn Central in 1974 and a check ride with a supervisor in January 2001 with CSX and a clean job record was fired from CSX 8888 had its brake shoes replaced and continued service for years sadly several museums attempted to preserve the locomotive for its historical significance but CSX stated themselves that the engine just wasn't worthy for preservation and unfortunately in 2017 it was rebuilt into an SD 40 - 3 re numbered as CSX 43 89 which still operates to this day with that weird spongebob square cab [Music] it's been 17 years since this incident and since then it has inspired the 2010 film unstoppable and Runaways happen less frequent over the years but the krazy-8 incident will never be for God [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] the throttle setting would have caused the train to slow down a lot thanks to the electric and this had Littleton not enough POW and and this was and this was motorcycle oh but guess what no work has to be held in not tapped so crazy eight speeds on a few brave locals even try jumping aboard the engine but checking out as they realize she's going much faster come on at approximately two point and at approximately 2.2 point no it's two o'clock you [ __ ]

Channel: Thunderbolt 1000 Siren Productions

Views: 1,622,908

Rating: 4.8499999 out of 5

Keywords:

Id: Tsyl5HGhtHM

Length: 9min 37sec (577 seconds)

Published: Tue May 15 2018

Reddit Comments

[u/[deleted]]

Good story. Ridiculous video.