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Runaway! (1973 film)

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Runaway!
GenreThriller
Action
Written byGerald Di Pego
Directed byDavid Lowell Rich
StarringBen Johnson
Ben Murphy
Ed Nelson
Music byHal Mooney
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producersJay Benson
Harve Bennett
ProducerDavid Lowell Rich
Production locationDenver
CinematographyBud Thackery
EditorDouglas Stewart
Running time73 minutes (Cut version), 85 minutes (Uncut version)
Production companyUniversal Television
Original release
NetworkABC
ReleaseSeptember 29, 1973 (1973-09-29)

Runaway! is a 1973 American made-for-television thriller film directed by David Lowell Rich. It is an action thriller involving skiers trapped on a runaway train speeding down a mountain. The film was produced by Universal and originally aired on ABC on September 29, 1973. It was re-titled The Runaway Train when released theatrically abroad.

The Denver & Rio Grande Western's Ski Train equipment and Rio Grande locomotives were utilized in the filming. The Ski Train served the Winter Park, Colorado ski resort area west of Denver, Colorado. Rio Grande locomotives were re-lettered for fictional Sierra Pacific.

Plot summary

After departing the station at a ski facility, a passenger train begins descending a long downhill grade, only to discover that the brakes don't work, apparently frozen while at the mountain station. The train continues to gain speed, and one brakeman is lost trying to kick the frozen moisture off one section of brakes. It is anticipated that the train will derail at a sharp curve once it reaches level ground, and emergency crews stand by there. The train survives the curve and continues on toward the terminal station, where the tracks abruptly end.

A last desperate measure is tried: a locomotive will join the line after the runaway train passes, chase and latch onto the end of the train, then pull the train to a stop. Meanwhile, a young woman has decided to jump from the speeding train, and a young man tries to talk her out of it.

The chase locomotive nearly catches up as it is noticed by the conductor, but the train passes the "point of no return" at which point it should be impossible to stop the train, and the dispatcher orders it to back off. Travis, the rescuing engineer, slows, but won't sit still for abandoning the runaway. Travis pushes his engine beyond safe limits, comes very close to latching but missing, then latches on and applies the brakes. Symbolically, at the same moment as Travis hard latches, the young woman about to jump takes the hand of the young man.

With full brake power by the chase engine, the train comes to a halt some 65 feet (20 metres) from the block at the end of the track, and the family members of the passengers rush out of the station to greet their once-imperiled relatives.

Rail equipment

Most equipment in the film was owned by the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad. This can be seen in the paint schemes of the locomotives and coaches. The two engines were freight units, while the coaches were used for the D&RGW's "Ski Train" out of Denver. The lead locomotive of the passenger train is an EMD GP30, while the trailing unit is EMD GP35. Most likely, the units have been sold off to a leasing company or shortline railroad by D&RGW successor Union Pacific.

Cast

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