The document summarizes the 2001 CSX 8888 incident which inspired the film Unstoppable. A runaway train traveled 66 miles through Ohio without a conductor at the controls. It was carrying thousands of gallons of the toxic chemical phenol. Attempts to derail it failed and shooting out the fuel valve also failed. For two hours the train sped up to 51 mph until a second train coupled and slowly applied its brakes, allowing a trainmaster to board and shut it down just southeast of Kenton, Ohio, avoiding injury.

1. Unstoppable

2. • Unstoppable was inspired by the 2001
CSX 8888 incident, in which a runaway train
ultimately traveled 66 miles (106 km) through
northwest Ohio.
• Led by CSX Transportation SD40-2 #8888, the
train left the Walbridge, Ohio, rail yard with no
one at the controls, after the hostler got out of
the slow-moving train to correct a misaligned
switch, mistakenly believing he had properly set
the train's dynamic braking system, much as his
counterpart (Dewey) in the film mistakenly
believed he had properly set the locomotive's
throttle.

3. • Two of the train's tank cars contained thousands of
gallons of molten phenol, a toxic ingredient of paints
and dyes harmful when it is inhaled, ingested, or
brought into contact with the skin. Attempts to derail
it using a portable derailer failed, and police were
unable to shoot out the fuel release valve, instead
hitting the fuel cap.
• For two hours, the train traveled at speeds up to 51
miles per hour (82 km/h) until the crew of a second
train coupled onto the runaway and slowly applied its
brakes. Once the runaway was slowed down to 11
miles per hour, CSX trainmaster Jon Hosfeld ran
alongside the train and climbed aboard, shutting
down the locomotive.
• The train was stopped just southeast of Kenton, Ohio.
No one was seriously injured in the incident.

4. Message
• We should not loose our hope until we
succeeded in life