CSX 8888 Runaway at Findlay, Ohio

On May 15, 2001, CSX 8888 escaped Stanley Yard in Toledo and went on a 70+ mile unmanned journey through north central Ohio. Here we see the train at Findlay and it would eventually be stopped at Kenton.

[@panhead537]

"No brakes." Possibly the most terrifying phrase that nobody wants 2 ever hear.

[@andrewoates_staff-fuquayva3470]

I lived in Findlay and was going to Kenton, Ohio (where they stopped the train) to see family. I remember my mom pulling up to a rail crossing near Kenton and there were police and other first responders blocking the road. Not knowing what was going on we watched the train slowly roll by without honking it's horn before the crossing. They were able to stop it a few miles down the track. That is the first and only time Kenton, Ohio has ever been on the national news.

[@BrandonWagner93]

I am very happy to see this today. I only hope more pictures and videos appear in the future from this day. I am obsessed with this event. I remember I was at school in the 2nd grade at Lemoyne Elementary in Lemoyne, Ohio while all of this took place. I have spent close to $1,000 worth of work in modelling the locomotive in HO Scale and now trying to get the train manifest to model all 47 cars and Locomotive 8392.

[@Morbid_Railfan]

unmarked cvp you can see this loco today irl they made it an sd40-3 and renumbered it 4389

[@PlayingwithPawz]

Good luck i hope you got it done

[@pixeled9683]

you and the uploader seem really into trains

[@RobDoGG2023]

Loco Number was #8888 as a YN2 SD40-2, Repainted and Rebuilt as an SD40-3 #4389....... fyi they called this the Crazy 8's Incident

[@kishascape]

Waste of money, man like you oughta be buying bad dragon toys instead.

[@jayryan7473]

This is real footage! Been looking all over for one of these videos. The movie exaggerated the speeds this runaway train reached at 70+ MPH when in actuality 51 MPH seems like the true max it reached. Thanks for the upload.

[@pacificproductionsofficial]

I’m pretty sure 70 or 80MPH is the max speed for a wide cab locomotive like 777

[@MattS_Filmography]

They're geared to run at 70 mph.

[@nicholaslokos7949]

@@pacificproductionsofficial I believe the AC4400 (the locomotive that was 777) is governed to 75mph, the SD40-2 (2016+8888) is governed to 70

[@nssteampunk4865]

20 years ago today, the Unstoppable CSX went on a wild ride.

[@Robloxity_News]

*Yes*

[@mywholepieceofaviation]

OMG STEAMPUNK

[@jamestropicals8262]

Over 23 years later

[@ScottTaipaleRail]

They say CSX "how tomorrow moves" well back then the engines weren't waiting til tomorrow!

[@BuckeyeNationRailroader]

Scott Taipale- I guess this proves trains can drive on their own

[@cincybus8744]

@@BuckeyeNationRailroader not anymore

[@aaronbishopp7612]

@@BuckeyeNationRailroader thats me skipping school

[@AWVR_777.]

They will in the future.

[@Michiganrailfanner23]

In my honest opinion csx shouldn’t be able to run like this again they literally hire autistic people who would not be the best for train operating

[@Cnw8701]

Can't believe this was over 20 years ago already!

[@Tengri30]

"Mom, can we have autonomous trains like they got in Europe?" "We have autonomous trains at home" *Autonomous train at home:*

[@PlayingwithPawz]

Great job this will forever be a piece of history. Im glad you made this and posted it.

[@davidng2336]

This was definitely scary. Thankfully no one was ever hurt. As for the SD40-2, it was rebuilt into an SD40-3 and now runs as CSX 4389.

[@sycho-blud]

Yea its sad 8888 didn't get preserved like it should've been.

[@BuckeyeNationRailroader]

@@sycho-blud I hate to be that guy, but why should 8888 have been preserved? A locomotive is a greatest money making asset that a railroad has as without them the trains don't move. There would be a certain criteria that a locomotive would need to make in order for it to make preservation, either severe damage or structural integrity that would be enough for me to want to invest in a replacement. A Runaway Train incident from 22 years ago isn't something that I think is a good enough reason to preserve a locomotive, especially when the unit still works as was intended, there are still parts available for the unit, and when I can get 30 or more years of service out of it. 8888 although it doesn't look like it did back in the day is still an active locomotive on CSX's System, doing the job it was designed to do which in my opinion is a better fate than a Museum group who would let the engine rot to the point it couldn't ever be used again like most of these groups do nowadays.

[@DansRailroad2011]

Do you have any more footage of the event?

[@iftheytakeyourgunsgiveemyo7057]

Kudos for posting this footage, this is awesome!

[@jdzonline5008]

DO YOU KNOW HOW *FREAKING LUCKY* YOU ARE?

[@K8DTI]

At the time, it was terrifying.

[@jdzonline5008]

I can understand why you saw it as terrifying, a runaway train carrying an explosive chemicals.

[@NOVARailandWeatherEnthusiast]

JDzOnline how tf was it terrifying!

[@jmtremane]

@@NOVARailandWeatherEnthusiast no one was driving the train it was out of control and it was carrying highly flammable toxic liquids that's how we would be scary

[@NOVARailandWeatherEnthusiast]

Jason Tremane it wouldn’t derail though.

[@cpttankerjoe]

I’ve been trying to look for this crossing for years and am still unable to find it

[@BenjaminEsposti]

OMG wow, it's not everyday you get a video of a runaway train!...

[@RascalTrainz]

All we had to do was follow the danm train CJ!

[@chequitatarver5363]

its unstoppable

[@psychiatry-is-eugenics]

Someone managed to get on the train , and stop it ?

[@Stev417]

CSX, we don’t wait to get your stuff delivered

[@harrisonofcolorado8886]

"What shall I do? I can't stop! Help!"

[@Jeremiah_Rivers76]

“We’re coming! We’re coming!”

[@zero-z4551]

Wow Nice footage

[@crashade690]

Listen to the radio chatter, ill finish the sentence they said at beginning "CSX to Findlay, CSX to Findlay there will be a runaway csx train Num. 8888 will be possibly in your area in about 5 minutes." so a guy interupts her near the end of the sentence and she says it again after a loud siren beep

[@crashade690]

Please read this IDK how to edit but i think she says "Paging Arlington to Sapphire, paging Arlington to Sapphire"

[@mrnorthwestohiodude7758]

@@crashade690 Its Fire Dept Dispatch, shes saying "Paging Arlington Fire" Arlington, Ohio was one of the many small communities along this line, the tones activate pagers cause all of their firefighters are volunteers

[@Primon4723Studios]

17 Years of that incident.

[@Trainman-rg8gr]

The Crazy 8’s himself.

[@up1943productions]

Runaway Train Unit.

[@wisconsinrebelhomes7587]

Earl: Damn it Randy!

[@DavidLopez-qi8hb]

Denzel and Captain Kirk will save the day.

[@boardman49]

I forgot about Chris Pine being in the movie LOL

[@andrewcrumb8027]

Did you know that the 2010 action/adventure movie, "Unstoppable", was based on that incident?

[@MrEldoradot]

Ah the good old days....

[@felixx321]

And here I thought it was going to hit that alien spaceship of a water tower

[@paulc7226]

Crazy train.....

[@victoresquivias7299]

Omg csx 8888 runaway train

[@qite291]

There a water tower up ahead

[@vuurvrproductions4656]

0:28 Jesus christ that looks like the place where i go to locust grove

[@wireflight]

Incredible there wasn't a helicopter anywhere nearby along the runaway's route.

[@thomasdupee1440]

There was. Video of the chase is out there. Do a search for csx 8888 runaway.

[@OhioRiverSubdivision-hs5xr]

I was the 1000th like

[@BAS19.6]

Poor sd40-2 just wanted to run away from csx bullcrap

[@Jackieism]

When they ask you when unstoppable 2 is coming out

[@JadenGGvam]

Always_nooby roblox Unstoppable 2 will never come out there’s no need for a sequel plus Tony Scott (the director of the film) Died

[@crashade690]

@@JadenGGvam Indeed R.I.P Tony Scott

[@panhead537]

@@JadenGGvam The movie needs no sequel.

[@_conrail_]

Csx was just testing their new, unmanned RCO engine.....

[@goingnowherefast1834]

no, it was a runaway. somehow the engine started with noone in the cab, either the throttle lever was moved before the driver exited the cab or the brake was released

[@_conrail_]

+FatFaceNo. 4 it was a joke

[@goingnowherefast1834]

k

[@BuckeyeNationRailroader]

FatFaceNo. 4- The engineer was assembling a train in Walbridge yard with engine 8888. As he was moving these final 47 cars into position, noticed that a switch was thrown against him as he was moving. Attempting to stop the train, he threw on his emergency but instead of grabbing his dynamic brakes, he grabbed the throttle and threw it into Notch 5. By the time he hopped off to throw the switch, the train was already rolling past him out of the yard.

[@crashade690]

@@BuckeyeNationRailroader Thanks for informing fat face that is correct

[@JadenGGvam]

*logs onto KZbin* *Finds this video* *reads title* SAY WUTTTT

[@每日一貼文]

👍

[@pauljoshuamanango5029]

Only in ohio

[@kadenrobinson7067]

Dead meme bro

[@pauljoshuamanango5029]

@@kadenrobinson7067 posted in 2022 💀

[@piktureit]

@@pauljoshuamanango5029 Nobody cares how old your comment is, it wasn't funny and you're a fool for making it.

[@cooperlowry986]

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