The St Paul Runaway Train 28 years later

Runaway trains are one of the scariest scenarios to occur on any railroad. Hundreds of tons rolling uncontrolled downhill into town is scary enough but a runaway entering a busy railyard? You're playing with fire! Was this accidental? Or something more sinister like sabotage?
Note: The Trainz LMX B39-8s from Control Point Simulations are no longer available. Please do not ask for them.
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[@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

[@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!

[@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"

[@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.

[@anotherHelldiver]

wake up babe, new Thunderbolt premiere.

[@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

[@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

[@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

[@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.

[@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

[@articshadowofficial]

this series coming back? no way

[@Thunderbolt_1000_Siren]

Perhaps

[@articshadowofficial]

@@Thunderbolt_1000_Siren :o

[@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.

[@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!

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@suzannej7237]

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

[@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

[@Challenger3985Productions]

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

[@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! 😁

[@Giratina575]

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

[@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.)

[@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?

[@unclej2763]

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

[@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'...

[@Blanksta-rd1ht]

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

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@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

[@robertmitchell1475]

Can’t wait! Thanks for posting this

[@tyrikuntamed4206]

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

[@Denabella]

Always a delight to see you come across my feed.

[@TrainBoy2004-fkr8]

I've been waiting for this😎👍

[@drowdaba1]

As a minnesotan, i got excited watching this.

[@nursestoyland]

a thunderbolt upload in 2024?! awesome! :D

[@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.

[@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

[@AhmearClayIombo-dj6di]

Amazing Train Wreck Documentary

[@Canadian_Yoshi]

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

[@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!

[@nssrrailfan6443]

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

[@LuchinoBruttomesso]

They just keep getting better

[@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.

[@VonWasHere13]

Waiting For The Thunderbolt Premiere While Playing TSW 4

[@CommanderCalico]

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

[@jerichokane5880]

Welcome back dude

[@f-1492]

Ok, LET’S GO!!!

[@nelsonharrington9847]

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

[@JohnTWalker1900]

Glad to see videos from you, always love the videos

[@everdreamcosplay]

Great job on this one!

[@BlakeLagani]

For the next documentary can you the shrewbury rail accident. Just a suggestion. Also sorry for your loss

[@NS6711]

These train crash docs are awesome to watch

[@olentangyriver1191]

This is intense❤ awesome writer and narrator❤❤ i love the in depth amount of detail you used❤❤

[@Thunderbolt_1000_Siren]

Espescially since they're the same person ;) glad you enjoyed

[@HoosierDaddy_]

Always a great video from this channel!

[@nball_gaming]

@Thunderbolt_1000_siren will you do the Rock Island rocket wreck of the 1940s when the Rock Island rocket collided head on with a freight train near Mason City Iowa and the cab of the emd unit was broken and they needed to put a board on the funnel of the steam engine on the frieght train to get to the driver of the Rocket

[@Chiracingfan]

BRO WAKE TF UP! THUNDERBOLT POSTED

[@davidheyneke6389]

The "EOT" End Of Train device called the "Telemeter" has a Sim Card installed in it so that it can connect with the Leading Locomotive front piece. In case of the 2 way "EOT" that is able to give the Engineer the opportunity to make an Emergency Brake application from the rear of the Train in case an Angle Cock has been closed by means of someone who shabbutase the Train. The Engineer will not be able to so if there's no Network between the Front EOT and Rear EOT devices. It works the same as the Network between 2 Cell Phones.

[@ForrestHanchar-dz8so]

Whew! Thank goodness nobody was hurt!

[@BNSF4799]

This is gonna be a good one

[@sturmovik1274]

I remember reading an interview a few years ago of a CP employee who'd been on duty for this. He was 18/19 yo at the time, and when he heard there was a runaway coming he ran up on some overpass that spanned several tracks to see it come. During the interview he was laughing at what a damn stupid kid he'd been.

[@clubbert76]

Oof the way he said Ottumwa. Its...OH-TUM-WUH. But I get that place names are tricky, and I think Iowa likes to make some different just to be difficult too.

[@HSMiyamoto]

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

[@Letitgobro12]

Strange thing is this reminds me of the flying kipper

[@triggerbarPhD]

Fantastic presentation!!

[@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

[@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.

[@Akioo_YTT]

Beautiful music man! You never fail it!

[@EvanPapineau]

I recommend doing the Rockport Train wreck from 1925 or the 1954 July 3rd Train Wreck in France

[@DennisLora2001]

Great video well done man

[@jasperrocks9967]

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

[@UnionPacific1943]

As a railfan is our job to case if there’s a emergency Jonathan Higgs Train Aficionado if there is a runway train we had to deal with that but thank god everyone the railroad employees they are injured no one is killed

[@csxtrainfan319]

Great document and I wouldn’t Richard vitek for not liking trains after this accident. I’ve actually seen 8572 as an RJ Corman locomotive back on thanksgiving of 2022

[@ryandun9232]

Are you sure it isnt called pigs eye yard, because stpaul itself used to be named pigs eye mn? They only changed their name when trying to become the capital of mn

[@ShadowWMVRR77]

That video of the cp train slideing back down hill there was also a coal train from that spot that was also rolling back few cars before stoping

[@Aviation129]

9:42 I like how the subtitles think your actually swearing

[@tbob8212]

16:37 Sounds like Chris Pine and Denzel Washington are going to be busy chasing down runaway trains...

[@Trainlover-ki4vg]

Small nitpick, 4102 would be a GP15c, rebuilt with a CAT prime mover. note the odd long hood compared to a regular GP15.

[@Thunderbolt_1000_Siren]

I did mention it being a GP15C. What I didn't mention what the CAT prime mover or the fact it came from an Ex CR GP9 7037 let alone the cab survives as a cab simulator.

[@crazypnut9260]

Luckily, no one was hurt

[@MustangsTrainsMowers]

If there had been any hazardous chemicals released there’s possibly 100,000 in population to the general eastward area of that yard up to 20 miles.

[@tim3172]

The past participle of shear is shorn. 6:40... had its rear radiator shorn off... The past participle of run is run. 8:19 ... had run away...

[@something2364]

CP just had another derailed train in their yard in Minneapolis Minnesota

[@something2364]

But you won’t find anything because it was in their yard kinda interesting to see you wouldn’t think containers can hold when they tip

[@lindickison3055]

More likely to disturb adults .. they know and understand all the implications. To kids, just another wreck. Stuff like that in movies, tv, etc

[@SteamIsntKing]

im well aware a documentary isnt meant to be hilarious, but i did the same thing in a friend's NG game and i freakin flung off a curve with atleast 23 cars behind me in a 4-4-0. barely made it to the yard though 😅

[@davidlemon9006]

At first i thought it was difrent but when i saw the crash my mind was like : yikes that escalated quickly

[@AmirFromNYC]

Im so glad that this didn’t happen on my dads birthday(yesterday)

[@jantzencase7524]

What was the animation from spike was it a tv show

[@javonbrandon]

Did he do a video of the Denver Colorado runaway

[@railfandepotproductions]

Hey thunderbolt, why you cut off the trainz footage right as the runaway train was about to go on the switch and hit the parked locomotives, also have you ever thought of using blender to make your own animations for your documentaries so there will no longer be a black screen

[@Triple7Productions806]

LMX 8572 looks a hell of a lot better in RJ Corman colors than in LMX colors

[@madducky7871]

Another great video!

[@AtlyswithaY-tv3iz]

8:30 how did you get the physics to do that? Is that TRS 19 or 22?

[@Thunderbolt_1000_Siren]

Old simulation from Trainz 12. Not sure how Conrailfan76 did it but it must of took ages.

[@railfandepotproductions]

You...don't know about trainz 12?

[@ALCO-C855-fan]

​@@Thunderbolt_1000_SirenWait, do you outsource a Trainz shote you ever use or have you also done it on your own in the past?

[@thestainmorephoenix8632]

Runaways happen for a number of reasons and until we have found a way to counter them, runaways will still happen. Remember, on a railway, anything is possible.

[@MissouriRailroadProductions]

A rail line runs by my house. I have never seen a derailment. I am fearful of the day I hear metal twisting and trees falling from the train tracks

[@deaddevilxd8473]

i want to be train driver

[@datguymiller]

Joined just in time