Unstoppable 2010

As the camera pans over the idling diesel locomotives, the sounds of industry hum to life beneath the opening credits. The story begins in two rail yards, separated by the rolling hills of Pennsylvania, both owned by the Allegheny and West Virginia Railroad (AWVR). In the Fuller yard, nestled in northern Pennsylvania, a group of children arrive for a school field trip focused on the intricacies of rail safety. Meanwhile, in the southern town of Stanton, Will Colson’s day begins like any other - with a quiet moment to himself as he watches his wife prepare their son for school before rushing off without answering her call.

Colson, a seasoned conductor, reports to work and receives his orders for the day, only to learn that he’ll be working alongside engineer Frank Barnes, a man with whom he’s never shared the rails. As Colson makes his way to punch in, he encounters a group of veteran workers who aren’t shy about expressing their disdain for him - a product of union connections rather than hard work and dedication. Amidst the animosity, Barnes stands out, his weathered face a testament to 28 years spent on the tracks.

In the Fuller yard, the yardmaster’s voice carries across the landscape as he barks orders at two idle hostlers, urging them to get moving and clear the way for an excursion train filled with schoolchildren. One of the hostlers, Dewey (Ethan Suplee), grows reckless in his haste, neglecting to connect the air hose between the locomotive and the rest of the train. His colleague reminds him that without functioning air brakes, the train poses a significant risk - but Dewey is confident they’ll have time to hook everything up once they’ve parked on another track.

As Barnes and Colson meet by their assigned locomotive, the tension between them is palpable. For Barnes, it’s clear that four months out of training isn’t exactly ideal, especially when paired with a seasoned conductor like himself. He offers words of wisdom: if there’s anything Colson doesn’t know, he should just ask. The two take to the rails, crossing a bridge as they attach their train for the day. But beneath the hum of machinery and the rush of wind, Colson’s mind is elsewhere - consumed by the morning’s court hearing, which failed to lift the restraining order that continues to stand between him and his family.

In the Fuller yard, Dewey expertly manipulates the locomotive’s throttle, engaging the dynamic brakes as the train approaches a critical switch. Despite the reservations of his colleagues, he takes a calculated risk and leaps from the slow-moving train to adjust the tracks, ensuring a safe passage. As he attempts to reboard the 777, however, it has suddenly surged forward under its own power, leaving Dewey scrambling to keep up.

Meanwhile, as Colson navigates the yard with inexperience, they unwittingly take on an additional load of cars beyond their scheduled orders, causing slight delays and minor complications. The duo eventually departs Stanton bound for a zinc plant, but it’s not long before they’re faced with a more pressing concern: a runaway train heading into opposing traffic on the main line.

Yardmaster Connie Hooper (Rosario Dawson), alerted to the situation by her hostlers, quickly springs into action, informing Ned, a welder and trusted railroad associate, of the crisis. With instructions to meet the crew at a designated location, Ned will join them in their quest to intercept and stop the out-of-control train.

However, upon arriving on the scene, Connie and her team realize that the train is traveling at an alarming speed, making it impossible for them to catch up. In a bid to mitigate the situation, Connie coordinates with dispatchers to clear every train on the main line into sidings, narrowly avoiding a catastrophic head-on collision between two trains carrying schoolchildren.

As the crisis unfolds, Oscar Galvin (Kevin Dunn), Connie’s superior, calls her, demanding an explanation for the chaos and asking what measures are being taken to rectify the situation. With no clear solution in sight, Connie begins calling the state police to secure grade crossings along the affected stretch of track, given the hazardous materials – molten phenol – on board one of the tank cars.

As Barnes and Colson navigate their own train, they receive a dispatcher’s order to pull into a designated siding. However, with their train exceeding the maximum length for that particular siding, Barnes suggests an alternative: checking if a RIP track further down the line is clear, allowing them to divert the train and minimize potential damage.

As Galvin overrides Connie’s suggestion to divert the train through a sparsely populated rural area, citing cost concerns and the possibility of still stopping the locomotive, a flurry of high-level decision-making unfolds behind closed doors. The railroad executives convene in an emergency meeting, approving an alternative plan that remains shrouded in secrecy from Connie’s prying eyes. Meanwhile, the runaway train’s odyssey becomes a media spectacle, with helicopters hovering overhead and television cameras capturing every twist and turn as reporters swarm across small-town crossings.

As the train gains momentum, it unleashes a devastating impact on a horse trailer stuck on the tracks at one critical junction, leaving its occupants shaken but alive. The company’s initial plan to deploy a lash-up of two locomotives ahead of the runaway and slow it down proves disastrous, resulting in the tragic loss of veteran engineer Judd Stewart as Ryan Scott, a former U.S. Marine, attempts to board the runaway train from a helicopter.

Undeterred, law enforcement attempts another strategy, aiming to trigger the safety switch on the locomotive’s side with close-range shotgun blasts at a grade crossing. However, they quickly realize the proximity of the switch to the fuel tank and halt their efforts. As the situation intensifies, Barnes and Colson manage to infiltrate the RIP track mere moments before the runaway train crashes through the back of their consist.

As the train barrels through Stanton, its speed reaching a heart-stopping 71 miles per hour (114 km/h), according to a state trooper’s radar gun, Barnes spots an opportunity. He decides to put his locomotive in reverse and attempt to catch the runaway, convincing Colson to join him. Galvin, meanwhile, insists that Connie intervene to stop them, but she refuses to comply.

The next attempt to derail the train in a small town ends in failure due to its sheer weight and speed. As evacuation procedures begin, the train hurtles towards Stanton, where it will traverse an elevated curve at high velocity, threatening to derail and potentially plunge into a fuel oil tank farm, sparking a catastrophic environmental disaster.

In a desperate bid to halt the train’s trajectory, Barnes and Colson successfully couple their locomotive to the runaway. After Colson suffers a severe foot injury in the process, they begin slowing it down using their own brakes, but it soon becomes clear that they are not making enough progress. Undeterred, Barnes ventures onto the train, manually setting each car’s brakes one by one as they slowly but surely bring the locomotive under control. Their own brakes eventually fail, allowing the train to regain momentum once more, leaving them with no choice but to continue their valiant efforts against time and gravity.

As Ned expertly maneuvers his truck into position, Colson (actor name) leaps into the back, their adrenaline-fueled camaraderie propelling them towards a daring rescue. With the train now within grasp, they burst onto the locomotive’s cab, where Colson finally secures the brakes, bringing the massive machine to a halt. As emergency responders converge on the scene, paramedics rush to treat Colson’s injured foot, while his wife and young son arrive, beaming with joy as they’re reunited. The air is electric with relief and gratitude as Connie appears, her warm smile acknowledging Ned and Colson’s valiant efforts.

Meanwhile, behind-the-scenes machinations unfold. Barnes, once a key player in the crisis, rises through the ranks to secure a well-deserved promotion, ultimately retiring with a comprehensive benefits package. Colson, still basking in the joy of his growing family (another child is on the way), undergoes a successful recovery and continues to play a crucial role within AWVR. Connie’s hard work pays off as she assumes Galvin’s former position, while whispers hint at Galvin’s downfall - his poor handling of the disaster likely led to his departure from the organization.

In the aftermath, Ryan makes a triumphant comeback, his determination and resilience inspiring all who witnessed his ordeal. Dewey, however, faces the consequences of his actions, receiving a pink slip as punishment for his role in the chaos that unfolded. As he transitions into a new career, serving up burgers at a fast-food joint, one can’t help but wonder what other challenges await this former railway employee turned fry cook.