The St Paul Runaway Train 28 years later

[@AidenYang-m3j]

The strange thing about 1996 is that there were 5 train wrecks in a row in America in February and March. The 1996 cajon pass runaway, the Secaucus train colli, the St. Paul runaway, the 1996 Maryland collision, and the weyauwega derailment. And you have made a video about all those crashes.

[@busfan9874]

Yeah. Also in 1996 was TWA flight 800

[@EricKNYShinzoOCHudson]

6 disasters, 1 Major Airline Crash and 5 known Train Wrecks. And all this time a railroad with an airliner‘s name was not on the wreck charts (I think)

[@jimmyhook4852]

Man... and the insane thing was: I was born in that year. O_O

[@matthewpowell2429]

Sounds almost like 1996 was a bad luck year.

[@thedesigner00]

2 collisions,2 runaways and a broken rail

[@DaimosZ]

As a Minnesotan in the Twin Cities area, I'm excited to see this forgotten accident be reexplored.

[@georgemurphy2579]

How do we donate?

[@PhyllisAncelet]

IDK

[@RandomEmergency392]

"minasouta"

[@Driftking0311]

I don't blame on the conductor Richard Vitek of not liking trains after his terrible experience with the incident. Also, I remember I did record the St Paul wreck in runaway trains 2 bc I can hear the 911 call of my TV at the time, I'm glad I'd still had that even though it was kind bad. It wasn't my video I got inspiration by someone who does that kind of content back then. This incident was very tragedy and shouldn't have happened. At least in this incident, no one was killed. Which it's a miracle. But Runaway Trains are still an engineers' nightmare. It's extraordinary about how no one knows about this incident. Great video.

[@MegaBrokenstar]

Yeah I imagine he’s probably just afraid of being near rail equipment now. Rail equipment is huge, heavy, and intimidating in its viscerally uncaring industriality in the best of times. I love trains, but I think I would find it hard to stand near the tracks again after seeing all of those tons of steel flying at me and barely surviving by luck.

[@railfandepotproductions]

*tragic

[@kentkearney6623]

❤No fire

[@TSR-b7i]

It is because trauma took his interest in trains out, due to him being literally buried underneath the wreckage as the train derailed.😓

[@Arturobrito0502]

Ive been waiting for you to make this one for YEARS. The lord has awnsered my calls! 🎉🎉

[@barefoot3662]

Ya for the lord.

[@Shadowwolf-jg3ee]

i'm from Minnesota, and I had no clue that there was a runaway train in St. Paul Minnesota back in 1996 I was born in 98 so that would probably explain it but, wow This got fascinates me, because I was literally born in St. Paul Minnesota and pretty much raised near St. Paul

[@bodin1912]

I grow up in the Twin Cities area as well and I didn’t know about the crash either. Then again, my parents got married about a year and a half after the crash, years before I was born

[@lukechristmas3951]

And I was born in 2001 and have lived in the Twin Cities all my life. Overall, I can see all Twin Cities Minnesotans who like trains reuniting over this video!

[@louisjarzabek9959]

The man, the Myth, THE LEGEND, has returned to form! Very excited!

[@anotherHelldiver]

wake up babe, new Thunderbolt premiere.

[@awesome74eugene]

being a rail-fan and seeing a train crash makes me worried for the drivers (or passengers) but also makes me excited at the same time, its so much chaos but ends so fast

[@todddembsky8321]

So glad to see you making videos. I currently live 1 mile from the hump end of Pigseye in St Paul. I can hear the yard switching cars in the early morning. I also have a cabin on the Mississippi near Pepin WI. We had two trains derail just south of Pepin about 20 years ago. They derailed the same year in nearly the same location on the track. Thank you for making this video.

[@matthewpowell2429]

I recall this accident from a documentary on Reality TV, but I haven't been able to find a full-length documentary on the wreck till now. I can't wait!

[@railfandepotproductions]

It's on KZbin and I've seen it

[@matthewpowell2429]

@@railfandepotproductions What Channel?

[@railfandepotproductions]

@@matthewpowell2429 why trains crash

[@matthewpowell2429]

@@railfandepotproductions Thank you

[@jacobwatts202]

Spike tvs train wrecks has it

[@TrentonDominy]

My brother works for the railroad and first started with Canadian pacific in Iowa but on occasion went to Minneapolis for training courses. During a training course they talked about train disasters including this one and he talked with the engineer that was on the freight train in the yard.

[@Nitroispro]

Blud chose quality over quantity 🗣🔥 Awesome documentary.

[@railfandepotproductions]

Imagine him using blender to animate the crashes so he doesn't have to use a black screen

[@corneliusadeola7261]

Great Documentary as always. I am not sure if you are aware that cajon pass had a runway train last year when a UP Ore train broke away and derailed going around 118 mph.

[@Fynnegangrey]

Actually they figure the train was going around 150+ when it derailed. If I remember correctly, the last time it was clocked was a defect detector at 118 (the highest it can go) and that was several miles before it Actually derailed I believe. I talked to quite a few guys that worked/ work on the line.

[@KingOp0ssum_II]

When was this a thing? I never heard news about this

[@Indianawoodchuckjunior]

Ouch!

[@unclej2763]

Been looking forward to this one. Glad to see we’re getting back on track with the train wreck documentaries. Always found them very intriguing.

[@FinnishLapphund]

Yay, the accidents/incidents videos are my favourite type of content from this channel. Great video!

[@protosheep]

This looks sick! I'm sure the premiere will be great! Edit: it was great, awesome job Thunderbolt

[@Thefatkaylaproctucions256]

Protosheep

[@mrbluebelltrain55]

Btw how do you edit comments?

[@wiiungrant128]

😌

[@jackthedragon612]

Great work as always Thunderbolt, I, and a lot of other people, really enjoy seeing this series of yours.

[@spring626]

As a Minnesotan, this is very interesting. Didn't know this happened till today.

[@carrieslantern9224]

Thank you for this one. It was cool to know what happened to the equipment and some of the people. Looking forward to your next video.

[@newhavenrails1234]

this series coming back? no way

[@Thunderbolt_1000_Siren]

Perhaps

[@newhavenrails1234]

@@Thunderbolt_1000_Siren :o

[@FishBone911]

Any time you stop a train, especially in St. Paul, the chances of someone messing with it are high. People climb through your train and sometimes close angle cocks, set retainers or spin handbrakes. Happens more often than you think. Retired CP engineer

[@suzannej7237]

I live in St Paul MN all but half a year, i didn't know about this one. Thank you!

[@EricKNYShinzoOCHudson]

Came late into the stream due to connection issues, but hope you do more! Saw the 1996 Silver Spring video as the first out of this series, and I have been loving it!

[@Railfantastic]

I've been waiting for this moment for months and it's finally here! I'm so glad you were able to do a documentary on this wreck that happened in MY AREA! Great work and keep these coming! 💯 🔥

[@KUNYSZZ]

I remember seeing this on the Train wrecks documentary; Viteck talked about his experience during this wreck

[@spazman2644]

Across all the pictures of 8572 that I have taken, I never would have known it had been in such a horrific crash. It was such a clean LMX survivor before RJ Corman repainted it.

[@UnionPacificFan-cu3pt]

One I would like to see is the New York Central 1962 runaway train I believe

[@WMAC_Master]

Glad to see another upload! Hope you're doing well :)

[@vincentandhimi6990]

its always fun to watch these "documentaries" when they are posted

[@unclej2763]

Very nicely done, Thunder. Great job as always with the documentaries.

[@jonathangreenlees4772]

Hey Thunderbolt, good to see another well done video on a train wreck!😁 My condolences to you upon losing your mother. I'm sorry that happened.

[@jonathangreenlees4772]

I do want to make a note of a minor mispronounced name. At 15:55, you pronounced Ottumwa as "Ottoneuma". We Iowans pronounce it as "Ott-tum-wa". Keep up the good work! 😁

[@thomasweekley9209]

Unfortunately I won’t be able to watch this live because I’ll be working. I’ll try to see it at lunch break

[@colbywhitmore564]

A while ago in this game: Derail Valley Simulator, I was building up a long train in the food factory and town. I pushed a lot of cars back up a hill and applied hand brakes on one car but it was not enough to keep them from rolling down towards the switch I was supposed to merge onto with 3-4 locomotives. As soon as I saw the cars rolling down, I immediately started up the locomotives and tried to get ahead of the cars but it was a draw, I derailed the locomotives and few of the cars. Thankfully I loaded the auto save and put on more hand brakes on the cars to either make them roll down slower or better yet, keep them from rolling down.

[@Challenger3985Productions]

Your videos and train wreck documentarys always bring smiles to my face 😁😁😁

[@Rails-Of-Illinois]

15:41 Fun fact, CP 8737 has recently been repainted and repaired.

[@KaijuForceNeo]

It’s safe to say that 1996 was the worst year of Modern Railroading.

[@MegaBrokenstar]

TWA 800 was in 1996 too. The whole transportation industry was absolutely in shambles.

[@railfandepotproductions]

​@@MegaBrokenstarwhat about valujet flight 592 and the charkhi dadri mid air Collison

[@railfandepotproductions]

@@KaijuForceNeo TWA flight 800 ain't a train blud

[@Giratina575]

Glad to see you back man. Excellently done. Would love to see you tackle the 1993 longview junction collision

[@JNRC62fan]

Another great video from Thunderbolt, keep up your excellent work, you never fail to deliver quality

[@Thunderbolt_1000_Siren]

Thank you very much!

[@ExpressRailfan]

​@@Thunderbolt_1000_SirenSo uh, Thunderbolt, I see that your documentary has gotten around 137,655 views. Can I make a documentary of that, too. Please?

[@Denabella]

Always a delight to see you come across my feed.

[@tyrikuntamed4206]

@Thunderbolt 1000 Siren Productions another great video. So happy to see you make more train wreck documentaries.

[@JailTheDeveloper]

The GOAT! is back with more episodes.

[@theconceptualist8626]

Glad to see you’re back man! Hope you’re well!

[@SPRailfan4449]

Nice seeing this wreck finally getting the notice it deserves! Great video! 👍

[@Blanksta-rd1ht]

Good story to hear while traveling through the cities down to south east minnesota

[@TrainBoy2004-fkr8]

I've been waiting for this😎👍

[@davidstrawn9272]

Over Valentine's day? Instead of Happy Valentine's day, I'll call it "Tragic Valentine's day"!

[@beaversareinsane726]

I remember ppl talking about this at the railroad when I worked for Soo Line/CP. One guy was well known for not being at his desk when he was supposed to be, and when that train crashed into the yard office, the only reason he didnt get flattened was because he wasnt at his desk like he should have been.

[@AlexTrain5249]

I pass by this yard a lot and seeing that CPKC building there now, it’s so hard to believe a runaway train crashed there.

[@Stussmeister]

Nice to have you back, Thunderbolt :).

[@JCBro-yg8vd]

First time I've ever heard of this disaster, or the recent runaway you mentioned. Scary to think what's happening on the railroads today despite all the advances we've supposedly made.

[@strobelightbrian]

Great documentary! I did not even know this happened! I always enjoy your content!

[@jerichokane5880]

Welcome back dude

[@CommanderCalico]

As someone in the twin cities area, I gotta say, great documentary.

[@DCSk8er529]

It's great to see you back man.

[@lukechristmas3951]

How is it that I have lived in the Twin Cities for years and have never heard of this incident before now? It's crazy to think that a disastrous runaway train happened in St. Paul and on St. Valentine's Day. I have to agree that it's a miracle no one was killed! Once again, you delivered an amazing video documenting another rail tragedy and you gave me something new to look at for the CPKC and BNSF that runs through the radius of my home.

[@nelsonharrington9847]

thanks for sharing twin city native who was 2 at the time so great to learn some local history

[@emperorcharlemagne369]

That’s crazy. I grew up along the Seminole-Golf railway area and I never thought I would see anything on here that ever mentioned them. They never seem to do a lot…

[@nssrrailfan]

As a Minnesotan, I did not know this! I wish I had. Amazing documentary.

[@MontanaRose406]

I have always been curious about a runaway train that happened when I was a kid. It was really close to where I lived, and was derailed on purpose to stop it from reach heavily populated areas. Not sure of the year, late 80s early 90s. Train ranaway from Garrison Junction in Montana. It headed westbound. Was derailed just past the tunnel at Bevertail, in a field owned by a friend of my dad's. He had called to tell us, it was going to happen. I begged my dad to take me to go watch. Young and not quite understanding. We did go see the aftermath, rail cars in a huge tangled mass next to I 90.

[@JohnTWalker1900]

Glad to see videos from you, always love the videos

[@AhmearClayIombo-dj6di]

Amazing Train Wreck Documentary

[@everdreamcosplay]

Great job on this one!

[@VonWasHere13]

Waiting For The Thunderbolt Premiere While Playing TSW 4

[@thefencepost]

Just to help, it's generally pronounced Ah-tum-wa Iowa. Like others here I too live in Minnesota and have no memory of this incident. Strange what sticks in the mind and what is forgotten.

[@SidTheAmazingTrainKid]

I remember commenting on the Cayce Train Collision video. That took place in South Carolina, where I lived for a bit (As stated in that comment). And now here is documentary on a wreck that took place just a few minutes from my current home in Minneapolis. Wow. If I had a nickel for every time one of your documentaries took place in a place that I lived, technically I'd have 2 nickels (3 if you count the entire area of Japan). That isn't a lot, but it's weird that this phenomenon happened two times. - Sid

[@MNVIKESPRODZ]

I never knew about this so I learned something new thanks thunderbolt

[@HoosierDaddy_]

Always a great video from this channel!

[@LuchinoBruttomesso]

They just keep getting better

[@leecarlson9713]

Sorry, had to stop some 5 minutes into the video, just couldn’t watch the disaster. Been a rail fan for almost 77 years, since I was three, and waved to the Soo Line locomotives come down the tracks 100 feet from my grandmother’s driveway, in Eau Claire, WI. I was there so often, all the crews knew me, and acknowledged the tiny little girl waving madly, as the train went past. Great memories!🚂

[@Gail1Marie]

I did the same from my grandmother's porch in Royalton, Minnesota. (She lived on "the wrong side of the tracks"--literally.) We used to place our pennies on the track so they could be flattened (we didn't sacrifice our nickels, dimes, or quarters, though.)

[@minkie_pie]

Wow..I’ve only heard about this incident from that TV show “train wrecks” or something.. it was narrated by that guy who also narrated worlds wildest police videos..

[@Benthetrainkid]

​To those who want CPS' LMX B39-8s, you're gonna have to wait till JointedRail rereleases them

[@Thunderbolt_1000_Siren]

You sure the same guy made those? I know they were a small team of mostly younger guys and I think only 1 got hired at JR. If so that'd be great to get an upgrade on them even though the horn on the current models was really good

[@Benthetrainkid]

@@Thunderbolt_1000_Siren Yeah. (Audie (Amm4425) moved to JointedRail and is gradually working on reworking them and re-releasing them to JointedRail)

[@chandlerbranchrailfanprodu5928]

As freeware i'm guessing

[@Thunderbolt_1000_Siren]

@@chandlerbranchrailfanprodu5928 nope paid with upgrades like better headlight corona... whatever that means

[@Benthetrainkid]

Actually, it was payware during its release on CPS@@chandlerbranchrailfanprodu5928

[@GrandOvertureLaughter]

Another awesome video, though I still wish we could get a video covering the 1947 wreck of the red arrow. With your style of editing and storytelling im sure it would make for a great watch, since there was so much going on and the interesting stories that went along with it!

[@ChromolyCowboy]

My buddy worked the cp cleanup in 2021, those pictures were wild

[@AgentCelestia2]

Thanks for the new video! Can you please do a remake of the Camp Hill, Tangiwai, and Federal Express videos?

[@PD-L]

I feel bad for Richard, he still has bad and horrible memories of that night that still haunt him to this day, depending if he is still alive.

[@Canadian_Yoshi]

We becoming a runaway with this one 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🥶🥶🥶

[@f-1492]

Ok, LET’S GO!!!

[@AnimalsVehiclesAndMore]

St. Paul, Minnesota is also the birthplace of railroad legend Alfred Perlman, and where the Jackson Street Roundhouse is located.

[@DennisLora2001]

Great video well done man

[@silmarian]

I’m not surprised there was ice in the line, that February was brutally cold in Minnesota.

[@triggerbarPhD]

Fantastic presentation!!

[@jasperrocks9967]

I used to live in St. Paul, long after this crash happened. I never knew this happened

[@snowstorm9310]

You know, I wasn't sure exactly which crash this was. And then I heard "Richard Vetech" and that soundclip of John Walsh saying his name played in my head from "Why Trains Crash?" and it all came flooding back to me.

[@HSMiyamoto]

I was living in the Twin Cities in 1996, and I had never heard of this disaster until now.

[@NS6711]

These train crash docs are awesome to watch

[@Chiracingfan]

BRO WAKE TF UP! THUNDERBOLT POSTED

[@Akioo_YTT]

Beautiful music man! You never fail it!

[@saynotogamblingtoday]

As a minnesotan, i got excited watching this.

[@jonwhitzell4625]

I know one thing it was't sabotage it was slack in the air hose the same thing that happened with the manifest HBLT-31 SANTA FE that came off cajohn pass

[@MSN-e]

This is gonna be a good one

[@Amtrakkid642]

Just saying, for the next runaway train in the future im putting my bets on Cajon Pass again, idk why but i feel we haven't seen the last of it.

[@Thunderbolt_1000_Siren]

I'm thinking more on NS territory such as on the Pittsburgh line near Altoona...

[@corneliusadeola7261]

Well, you’re somewhat right as Cajon pass, had another runaway last year when 55 cars and two locomotives from a UP ore train broke away and lost control before derailing and embankment at a whopping speed of 118 mph.

[@Thunderbolt_1000_Siren]

@@corneliusadeola7261 That technically wasn't Cajon. More Mojave territory. it rode over Cajon yes but from what I read didn't run away and crash on it

[@ALCO-C855-fan]

​@@Thunderbolt_1000_SirenYeah. NS as in 'Not Safe'...

[@7reason]

Keep up the work thunder.

[@train4905]

Exellent documentary sir,well dine

[@Redmist-se7ld]

I love these videos

[@nursestoyland]

a thunderbolt upload in 2024?! awesome! :D

[@MrDiaz-nz1cb]

Today is the 28th anniversary of the St Paul runaway train accident. In loving memory of EMDX 6503 and both Soo Line engines 2408 and 4102.

[@railfandepotproductions]

They weren't people tho, it's 2024 now, the age of DeviantArt has gone by now

[@MrDiaz-nz1cb]

@@railfandepotproductions Who asked you to reply to me?!

[@railfandepotproductions]

@@MrDiaz-nz1cb that's not how reality works blud

[@MrDiaz-nz1cb]

@@railfandepotproductions Shut up you have nothing to do with this!

[@railfandepotproductions]

@@MrDiaz-nz1cb I'm a human being remember?(chill out buddy, how old are you?)

[@SPC.CA.2007]

This day also marks the anniversary of the 2005 Oxnard California semi truck versus Amtrak Pacific Surfliner Valentines Day mishap, when a lady and her dog were inside the semi truck until it got stuck on the tracks when the driver tried to escape the tracks when the traffic light a few blocks away turns green for a few seconds, but then it's turns back to the color red. It all caused the crash to happen since the traffic lights were not working properly during the time, just before the Amtrak Surfliner slammed into the semi at a speed of over 79mph, but the lady and her dog were alright since 1/2 of the truck was hit by the train, but not the nose of the semi truck. I guess another crash happened 9 years after the St. Paul mishap.

[@danbukstein6853]

Division Street crash was a near catastrophe. They hit the second unit on the UP train. Couple seconds earlier would've been a direct head on

[@darkadmiral106]

As a German Railroader, I have to say, that we run trains up to 1km in length with 1 man crews. And we don't have nowhere near as many incidents as the American Railroads. These Train lengths are insanity. They are literally killing people.

[@spencercorby4571]

I remember the thing in ottumwa (ah-tum-wuh) happening as I live a few hours from it in Iowa. It was scary for sure considering I also live right next to the cpkc mainline for the Davenport subdivision, and a couple years back around 20 miles down the line in leclaire, Iowa a Canadian Pacific train derailed in the downtown area (future video maybe🤔) and that was a reality check, thanks for the great video Thomas, amazing as always.

[@sturmovik1274]

Thanks for correcting his pronunciation. I wasn't quite able to make it out.

[@spencercorby4571]

@@sturmovik1274 no problem, if you're wondering where it's at it's in southern Iowa on the Des Moines river, amp d has Amtrak connection too. Cool place.

[@sturmovik1274]

Yes, I've actually been through there on Amtrak once or twice, just didn't recognize his pronunciation.@@spencercorby4571