OPRRMS Wrote:
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> Where's Ben Johnson when ya need him . . .

OK, a couple people have asked me what the hell I'm talking about.

It's a reference (however obscure) to the infamous 1973 TV movie "Runaway!". The plot - such as it is - is that a trainload of passengers are trapped on a runaway train in the mountains with nothing to stop 'em until they (literally) hit the "end of the line". Ben Johnson play the grizzled, obnoxious, all-around A-hole engineer (and I can easily identify with that!) who comes up with a plan to use his special locomotive to catch the end of the runaway and stop it before disaster strikes. And he does, with just inches to spare. Only in Hollywood . . .

The movie was filmed on Rio Grande's Moffat line, at various places on the Front Range and in the Denver Union Station area. The ex-Northern Pacific ski train equipment was used. The runaway train's power consists of a relettered GP40-GP30 combination, while ol' Ben's engine is GP40 #3081, specially painted silver and red.

I think the movie's a hoot! Railbuffs will probably enjoy it, while railroaders will just roll their eyes (like, when the fireman hangs by his fingers from the outside window arm rest of the second unit so he can get to the cars, instead of just opening the cab doors). There are a lot of great shots of the train - although the ones where they speeded up the film give it the feel of a "Keystone Cops" movie - and the characters are silly enough to be quasi-interesting. Darlene Carr's in it, and I kinda had the hots for her back then, so maybe I'm a little biased.

Anyway, if you can find the movie (produced as a TV movie by Universal), check it out.