Disaster on the Coastliner (1979) - full transcript

Central Control,
Los Angeles.
Can I help you?

Yes, okay.

508 is 20 minutes
late from San Diego.

508 is twenty minutes late
coming out of San Diego.

You'll have to clear
that freight out of C-12
and let it by.

[SIGHING]

How's the job
going, Debbie?

Hmm? Oh, nothing to it after
the first couple of weeks.

That is, unless one
of your machines
breaks down.

Computers don't break down.
They just temporarily
malfunction.

[BUZZING]



Glad to have you
with us, Mr. Mitchell.
I'm Dr. Roy Snyder.

I was told six people,
Dr. Snyder. I see seven.

Oh, that's
Victor Prescott,

one of our
computer technicians.

He stayed on to check
on a fault prediction.

Fault prediction?

Nothing serious.
Everything's fixed now.

Thanks for
staying on, Victor.

VICTOR:
I'll see you tomorrow.

Six people.
For this whole section, huh?

This computer's fantastic.

It's programmed to do
a thousand items
in a split second.

It really does all the work.

We just program, monitor,
and provide a backup
system if it's ever needed.



What's its name?

Whose?

Well, you kind of people
usually give names

to your computers
and gadgets, don't you?

What kind are "our people"?

Eggheads.
Now, don't take offense.

I guess it just means
that you're smarter
than the rest of us.

You know, I've always heard
that to, uh, err is human

but to really foul things up,

you need a computer.

Fellow eggheads,
as you've been briefed,

the wife of the
Vice President
of the United States,

is scheduled to be
on board Southbound Three
out of San Francisco

for Los Angeles today.

Now, this is Al Mitchell of,

uh, believe it or not,
the Secret Service.

And he's here
to make sure we're all
friends of democracy.

I have a list of all
personnel cleared to be at
Central Control at this time.

All right, over there
on the desk, yeah?

Your name?Debbie Fox.

MITCHELL:
I have a Debbie Meyers.

That's her maiden name.

MITCHELL: Your name?

[MEWING]

If you'll just indicate
the general area

in which you'd
prefer me to remain,

I'll attempt to distract you
from your work
as little as possible.

Would the parking
lot be too far?

We don't usually have
anyone here the whole
time on these occasions.

I'm aware of that, Dr. Snyder,
but I prefer to anticipate,

not to be anticipated.

I feel like I'm back
in the '30s.

Nobody takes
trains anymore.

They do now.

That's only because
there's a strike. Tate.

WOMAN: Uh-oh.

Go ahead, lady.You need to see our tickets?

No, right over there
for tickets.

I just got the
tickets out of the...

Here's the tickets, sir.

It's quite all right.
Right over there for
the tickets. Thank you.

Need some
identification, please.

WOMAN ON PA:
Mr. Douglas,

please meet your party at
the railroad baggage claim.

[CHATTER ON PA CONTINUES]

Thank you, sir.

Paging Mr. Robert Florio.
Mr. Robert Florio,

please come to the white
courtesy telephone...

[MEWING]

Paging Debra Armstrong,
Debra Armstrong.

Please come to the white
courtesy telephone.

Trans-Allied Coastliner
nonstop to San Francisco,
now boarding Gate G.

All ticketed passengers for
the Trans-Allied Coastliner,
please proceed to Gate G.

Guess what? I love you.

MATT: Yeah, I... Me, too.
So do I.

PAULA: [LAUGHING]
You love you, too?
I always suspected it.

Come on,
you know what I mean.

Hey, I love you.
You know that.

You sound like
you're calling from
a phone booth.

Oh, Inspector Clouseau,
I am calling from
a phone booth.

You sound funny, baby,
are you alone?

Of course I am!

[SIGHING]

What are you doing
in a phone booth this
early in the morning?

I miss you so damn much,
I decided to hell with it,

I'm going to come up
and see you.

Honey, that would've
been a great idea,

but the airlines
are on strike.

Oh, isn't that too bad.

I guess I'll just have to
suffer the deprivations
of our forebears,

the pre-Boeing generation.

I'm taking the train up.

You know, we're...
drifting apart, you know?

Let's not lose each other.

Look, baby,
I want to see you too,
you know that.

But you know how
single-minded I get
at this point in negotiations.

It's just not a good time.

Well, that seems
to be most of the time
lately, doesn't it?

[SIGHING]

Can't we just drop it?
I'm not in the mood
for an argument.

Paula?

Paula?

No, operator.
I guess we got cut off.

WOMAN ON PA:
Trans-Allied Coastliner
nonstop to San Francisco,

now in final boarding
stages, at Gate G.

All aboard, please.

BOTH: Oh!

Excuse me.
It's all my fault.

It's all right,
but that...

Here we go, what, what...
I'm really terribly sorry.

What train are
you headed for?

I was going
to San Francisco but
I've changed my mind.

We better run, then...Oh, no.

We're gonna miss it.
Grab my bag,
will you, please?

No, I've changed my...You know what I've just done?

I'm not going
to San Francisco.

Have you got
everything there?

Can I have
my bag back?

You know, you better hurry.

Coming through, please.
Excuse me, we've got
a train to make.

PAULA: Can I
have my bag?

Excuse me. Come on,
quickly, quickly,
gotta make our train.

Excuse me, coming through...I'm not going on the train.

Come on!

How you doin'?
Do me a favor.

Keep an eye on that, will ya?Fine. What?

I forgot my lunch,
but I'll be back
in a minute.

Keep an eye on it.
Somebody might take it.
I'll be back!

[MUFFLED SCREAMING]

Hey, where's the
other engineer?

Davy, there you are!
Half the station's been
looking for you!

Come on, we have to board.But Mom...

Davy, get on
board right now.

Just wanted to say hi.

Mr. Talmadge?Ah, Mr. Simpson.

How are you?Nice to see you.
How are you?

Lobby's right this way.Okay.

Tell me, does the Vice
President's wife have any
special likes or dislikes?

You know, anything we can
especially do for her?

Well, uh...
They've been married
24 years today.

Well, that helps.Yeah.

Go right over here.Yeah.

What about privacy?

Ah, no, no, no,
we'll take care of that.

The seats we have
are just fine.

Well, if there's
anything else,
be sure to let us know.

Watch, it's slippery.

Now the engineer can
isolate himself totally,

from the rest of this train
with this safety door.

John, would you close
this for me please?
Thank you.

That's terrorist proof,
hijacker proof,

there's no way anyone
could get to the engineer
through that.

Very good.

John, you can
open it, please.
Thank you.

How you doin', John?

Sandy, fine! Just fine.

John Marsh,
Don Talmadge.

Hello, Don. Thank you.John. Nice to meet you.

Uh, Don's one of the
Secret Service men

assigned to the
Vice President's wife

on your trip to Los Angeles.

I met Bill Calvin last year.
Got to know him back then.

President had rented
the whole train
for his campaign.

We must've stopped
in every dink town between
here and Los Angeles.

Bill's assigned permanently
to the White House now.
I'll say hello to him for you.

John's been completely briefed
in all security procedures,
so there's no problem there.

Well, you saw
how the door closed.
This is the control.

Here is my radio.

That's tuned to a frequency
with the chief dispatcher
in Los Angeles.

That's where we got
the computer,
the board, all of that.

Then, right here,
this little microphone,

that lets me talk
to the conductor.

Well, very good then.

Talk to you later.

Thanks, John.

See you, Sandy. Right.

Acknowledged, Foxtrot.
Let me know when she's
all tucked in and secure.

Well, everything clear
in San Francisco.

There should be
no hold ups
from their end.

MAN ON PA:
Southbound Express
from Seattle, Tacoma,

Portland and Eureka
now arriving at track
number two.

Passengers may be met at
the Arrivals section adjacent.

Excuse me, do you mind?
I'm running late.

Ticket to Los
Angeles, please.

It leaves in five minutes.
Can you hurry?

[CHATTER ON PA CONTINUES]

Thank you.

MAN ON PA:
All aboard to Los Angeles
on Platform 9, please.

Whoa, whoa,
whoa, hold it.

I'mó What?

Hold it right there.
Just one minute, okay?

If I voted for her husband,
can I get on the train?

All right. Go ahead.Forget it.

Acknowledged, out.

The Vice President's
wife is now aboard
Southbound Three.

Does that mean
we have your permission
to start on schedule?

Show me which route
they'll take.

Just keep your eye
on that blinking
amber light.

That's the train.

[STARTING ENGINE]

There she goes.
Right on schedule.

[HONKING]

MAN:
Northbound 12 now leaving
Los Angeles, Dr. Snyder.

Excuse me. Coming through.
Sorry. Pardon me.

Could I get in
first, please?

Pardon me

Oh! I'm sorry.

Oh, excuse me, sir.
Have you met this
young lady over here?

She wants you.
She really wants you.
Come, let me show you.

Eh, the two of you've met?

Lovely young man.
You two should meet and
get to know each other.

Come on, sit over here.
Over here, it's really good.

Very nice...
Happy, huh?

[THANKING IN JAPANESE]

Sit down.

All right.

Tickets?

Excuse me. Did you see
anybody board the train
who looks like this?

No, sir.
I'll keep a lookout.

Thank you.

Tickets, please.

[INAUDIBLE]

How are you, sir?Fine.

Can I get you anything?

Yeah. Let me have a...

Give me a shot of vodka
with a water back.

Mmm-hmm.

[DEBBIE SCREAMING]

Mitchell, I bet you practice
that in front of the mirror.

Don't mind
Wyatt Earp here.

It's a bomb.

Not funny.

You mean to tell me that
you eat and drink in here
while you're on duty?

Mr. Mitchell, just so you
understand how things
work in this place,

and just for the record,
I'm in charge here.

Not today you aren't.

Let's not put it to a test.

Now, if you intend
to stay here,

I suggest you sit down,
relax, and have some pizza.

Thank you, Doctor,
that won't be necessary.

Incredible!
Our machines
don't eat either.

Now, who has it
without anchovies?

Listen, they didn't
have lemonade, so I
got you orange juice.

Can you make some ice tea?Yeah.

Say, am I wrong?

Those two trains are
traveling on the same
track, aren't they?

Well, right or wrong?

Northbound 12 out of L.A.
[MIMICKING TRAIN]

Southbound Three out of S.F.
[MIMICKING TRAIN]

Right here,
Southbound Three
switches onto this track,

parallel to the
Northbound L.A. track.

That's cutting it
pretty close, isn't it?

Not really. This board
isn't drawn to scale.

The computer compensates
by adjusting the speed
the lights move.

Actually, they will
meet about here.

There's a 90-minute
safety margin.

So if you forget
to pull the switch,

the engineer still has
time to hit the brakes.

Nobody pulls
switches anymore,
I thought I told you.

Yeah, that's right,
you did. Yeah, the,
uh, computer does it.

What happens if
that miracle machine
of yours blows a fuse?

Then, there are block towers
all along the line.

Two men in each making
sure everything is
where it ought to be.

Machine checks man,
man checks machine.

You know something, Mitchell,

the most dangerous
thing about riding
a train these days

is the drive to the station.

And delivering pizza
in here, of course.

Mom? Mom.

Oh, have a mint, Davy.

No, no, Mom,
it's not...

Take the whole pack, okay?

I'll tell you my name
if you'll tell me yours.

All right,
I'll tell you mine.

Stuart Peters,

known as Stu,

or Pete, or...

Whatever.

Paula Harvey,
known as Paula,

or Harvey or...
Or whatever.

Put it there, Paula.

It was
a different engineer.

I saw a different
guy up there!

You probably saw one
of the workmen up there.

But I'll check it out
in a minute. Okay?
You go take a seat.

Okay.

Smoke?

No, thank you,
I don't smoke.

Oh, what a coincidence.
Neither do I.

Then why did you
offer me a cigarette?

I didn't. I asked you
if you smoked.

Oh, well, l do.
I mean, I did, I quit.

l wasn't offering
you a cigarette,

I was asking
if you had one.

Do you? Cigarette.

I think I heard you say
you don't smoke.

Well, I can't if I don't
have a cigarette. Now I do.

Is that, uh,
Ms Harvey?

Miss? Hmm?

Mrs.?

You know,
what I'm asking...

Is there a Mr. Harvey?

Oh. Touchy subject, huh?

It's not a touchy subject,
it's...it's a,
a tender subject.

Well, in that case,
let's have a drink
in the club car.

I shall behave myself
at all times.

Pick up the first check.

You being the lady
you are, naturally,
you'll pick up the second.

Come on.

[LAUGHS]

Your lunch?

Thank you, sir.

Oh. Excuse me, please.
I don't believe I have
your tickets, folks.

Uh, Paula, give
him your ticket.

My ticket.

Thanks, honey.
We usually fly,

but with the air
controller's strike,

we thought
we'd give this a try.

I'm glad you could
ride with us.

Hope you have a nice trip.

Thank you.Thank you.

Ticket please.

May I help you, sir?

[EXHALES] What would
you like to drink?

Same thing I always drink
when we fly together.

Dry martini.

Bloody Mary.

Pina colada.

BARTENDER: How are you today?Fine, thank you.

Can I get you anything?Yes, a Harvey
Wallbanger, please.

Sure thing.

[CLEARING THROAT]

You know, when I decided
to take the train up to
San Francisco,

I had some sort of a
fantasy about, oh, eight
blissful hours of solitude,

time to think,
time to read,
and time to...

Be alone.

And time to be alone.
Yeah, you know.

So would you mind
telling me

what part I'm playing in
this little drama of yours?

What drama?

It's too bad.
I was hoping
you'd clarify that.

Thanks for the drink.Don't go.

If I don't go,
will you talk?

What do you want to know?

I want to know why
those policemen
are looking for you!

They're the private kind.

They're harmless.

They've been hassling me,
following me, it's terrible.

Well, I'd say
it's not exactly terrible,
it's embarrassing.

Why?

Why?

It's more like irritating.

Irritating.

Actually, the word is
"alimony." And divorce.
Don't forget divorce.

Alimony and divorce.

And divorce.
And war.

The leading causes
of human misery
ever devised by man.

I was going to leave town
for a couple of days,
and she...

She had her lawyers
put those bloodhounds on me,

as if I was gonna
skip out on my solemn
legal obligations.

Which, of course,
you'd never do.

Not me.

You're not gonna turn
me in now, are you?

For alimony? No.

Not unless
you owed it to me.

[SNIFFING]

Is that gardenia I smell?

That's gardenia.That's nice.

[MACHINERY BEEPING]

That's the switch point.

Southbound Three
switches over to
this track here.

[HONKING]

Snyder!

Were you putting
me on a while ago?

I want to know
what's going on.

What are you
talking about?

What is going on?

There must be a fault
on the board.

The computer wouldn't
let that happen.

First of all, it's the
computer that governs
the actual switching...

And it monitors itself.

It would've sent out an
alarm five minutes ago.

Plus activating
red stop lights
all along the line.

And you can see
the train is still moving.

Yeah, straight for that
northbound train.

Get me the engineer on
Southbound Three.

Southbound Three,
this is the Chief
Dispatcher, come in.

Southbound Three,
please respond to the
Chief Dispatcher, over.

MALE VOICE:
Southbound Three,
this is Chief Dispatcher,

do you read me?

Southbound Three,
I read you clear.

You've got
a clear run ahead.

No delays,
dry tracks all the way.

[HONKING]

Central. Put me through
to the Chief Dispatcher
in Los Angeles. Quick!

Chief Dispatcher, this is
Jersey Eight, come in please.

What's going on,
Jersey Eight?

There's something wrong.

Southbound Three
just passed me
on the wrong track.

I can't control the switches.

What about your OR?

The OR, the signal light,
the switches, nothing works!

Must be in your computer.
There isn't anything I can do!

Now we can't get through
to the engineer of the
northbound train.

What do you mean,
you can't get through?

All communications
are routed through
the computer.

And it's all gone
wacko, right?

The whole flaky system.
You can't control the train.

You can't even
communicate with it.

And you can't even
locate the damn train!

We know exactly
where the train is!

Once we locate the problem
with the computer,

we'll be able to talk
with the engineer.

You said this system
couldn't fail, Snyder.

Now that's not a load of
dishwashers on that train,

that's the
Vice President's wife!

[PHONE RINGING]Look, if you want to help,

get on that phone of yours
and tell your men what's
happening out there...

My unit can't be
patched into my
agents on the train.

They only have short
range field communication
among themselves.

DEBBIE: Doctor,

that was L.A. Union Station.

They just found
the engineer

that was supposed to be
on Northbound 12.

He was attacked
and left unconscious.

Well, then who...

Northbound 12, Northbound 12,
come in, this is the
Chief Dispatcher.

Come in and
identify yourself, over!

PRESCOTT:
I guess you're beginning
to get the picture.

What do you want to know,
Mr. Chief Dispatcher?

What's going on?
Who are you?

This is Victor Prescott.

And what's going on
is I'm running the show
right now.

You know the great thing
about computers,

they do exactly what
you tell them to do.

And I've reprogrammed
yours so neatly

that it'll take you guys days
to untie the knots.

I have the only radio access
to Marsh in the cab of
Southbound Three.

There's nothing
you can do about it, so
just sit back and wait!

I'll call you when
I'm ready to talk.

Vic... Prescott,
why are you doing this?

Okay, spell it out for me.

You heard what we heard.

Oh, I know what I heard.

Just want to be sure
I understand it.

Okay. Give me
a minute, will you?

I'll give you a minute.
How many do you want?

How many more
minutes do we have

before those two trains
smash into each other?

About 90.

Well, then,
do something!

If what we heard is true,
90 minutes isn't enough.

Not half enough.

What are you saying
to me, Snyder?

What he's saying is,
it's going to take
about four hours

just to get
into that board.

Well, then,
why don't we just
pull the plug

on the whole
lousy system and
work it by hand?

There's no plug to pull.
It has its own built in
power source.

Then put a bullet
through the damn thing!

Mitchell, will you shut up!
You're helping nobody!

All right, that makes
two of us, Doctor!

Listen, those aren't
the only two trains
controlled from here.

This whole sector's
wired into it.

And if we cut that computer
out without warning,

there'll be so much
collision and chaos,

those two trains will only be
a hundredth part of it!

So what are we
going to do?

Well, come on,
come on.

Not a half hour ago
you were boasting to me,
the machine checks man,

man checks machine.
Let's see it.

Oh, for...

Patch me into the
White House. Priority.

CONDUCTOR:
What makes you so sure
that he's on this train?

TATE: He phoned his partner
in San Francisco, told him
to meet the Northbound Three.

Trouble was, there was
a roomful of cops there
when he called.

Well, I've seen everyone
on this train, Sergeant.
I haven't seen him.

Okay.

Keep an eye out
for him, will you?

I'll keep looking.

[SIGHING]

How often
have you heard
a private detective

referred to as
"Sergeant"?

Those men are policemen
and they're looking for you.

Oh. Well, it couldn't have
been a very good story

because I didn't tell you
the whole story.
I left out a...

A few things.Like what?

Aw, you don't
want to hear it,
it's a soap opera.

Yeah, l want
to hear it.

You do?I do.

Well...

I went to my house
to get some of my
things, you know,

and, uh...

My ex-wife was there.

She's going out with a...
a new boyfriend,

and, well, we got into
an argument,
she and I, and...

He jumped in and I...

I clobbered him.

He was out!

Unconscious.

I got scared, I thought
maybe I'd killed him.

The ambulance came,
the paramedics
patched him up,

he was okay
in 15 minutes.

And he, uh,

swore out a warrant for
assault and battery.

Well, you know,
I'm no hero.

I stopped thinking
that way years ago.

So, I, uh...

jumped on the first
train out of town.

Well, but how come
you have all that money
in your briefcase?

I mean,
where did that come...[SHUSHING]

Money?

That money!

Oh.

Look...

I can't tell you
the truth right now.

But I will sometime.

What makes you think
there's gonna be
a sometime, huh?

Where you going?

Stretch my legs
and get some air.

And, honey, I'm gonna
need some cigarettes.

Davy! Where're you going?

To get a drink of water.

Young man, don't you
leave this car now.

We're going awful
fast, Ellis. What's up?

PRESCOTT:
I'll run the train.

Who are you,
and where's Ellis?

You take care of
the passengers.

What's going on up there?

[LINE DISCONNECTS]

Hello!

Hi, buddy.

[SIRENS WAILING]

[SHOUTING ORDERS]

Seal the exits,
nobody in or out.

Let's go. Spread out,
spread out!

C 7-1-7-0-8-7-4-0-3-2,
C 7-1-7-7-4-4...

The situation is totally
out of control here!
There's nothing they can do!

The situation is not
out of control!

Mitchell, why don't you
just shut up and stick
to what you know?

You've got two trains
headed for each other,

on the same track,
and "nothing is
out of control"?

You told me this thing
was idiot proof.

It is idiot proof,
but Prescott's no idiot.

He hasn't just punched in
a new program we can
weed out and change.

He scrambled the whole thing.
We don't know what he's done.

Well, then I'll find
somebody who
can unscramble it.

Nobody touches
this installation
unless I say so.

Snyder,

nobody does anything
from here on in
without my say so.

And that includes you.

Unless you want to be
carried out of here right now.

Red alert. All outlets,
technical sector.

[SIRENS WAILING]

They're waiting for you
on the 14th floor. Let's go!

Technical section... Yeah.You've been briefed? Okay.

Now, this is Snyder.
He'll give you all the
cooperation you need. Go.

Glad to have you with us.
All fault simulations
are negative.

The identification set
routines are normal,
and the data bus is clear.

Good luck.

Would you like
some coffee?

Yeah, maybe we better
have coffee all around.

No time for coffee!

Give us a couple
of screwdrivers.
Doubles, okay?

All righty. Doubles.

Hi.Hi.

My name's Matt. What's yours?Charlene.

Charlene. Nice to
meet you, Charlene.

Nice to meet you.

You going to L.A.?Yeah.

Me, too.
Where you from?

Oxnard.

Oxnard? Mmm.
That's a coincidence.

That's where I get
all my fresh fish.

Fresh fish?

Oh, yeah.
Aren't you into
Japanese food?

No, I've never tried it.

Oh, come on,
you've got to be
putting me on.

Oh, there's an art
to serving fresh fish. Sure.

You know, fish
isn't like beef.

No?Oh, yeah.
It's much more delicate,

and you have to be very
careful when you cut it
that you don't bruise it.

First of all, they take
a very sharp knife,

and make a nice
smooth cut through it,

cut it off in bite size pieces
and you take your chopsticks,

and dip it in this
incredible sauce...

McElroy.

This is the Chief Dispatcher
in Los Angeles.

Now listen,
and don't ask questions.

We've lost contact
with your engineer.

Call him on your intercom
and stop the train!

Stop the train!

Think I see what
he's done here.

What?

Well, I think I can
manage to get those
signals back in operation.

Red on the Southbound track.

That ought to stop them.

This is Southbound Three
calling Chief Dispatch.
Come in, Chief.

This is Chief Dispatcher.
What is it, Southbound Three?

My green straight away signal
has just changed to red.

Now what the devil
is going on?

Marsh, listen carefully.

We don't know
what's going on yet,

but I just got an urgent
message from security.

You may have
a terrorist situation
at your back.

We suspect an attempt by
armed terrorists to abduct,

the wife of the
Vice President of
the United States.

Follow the manual
under emergency procedures,

back of the book,
appendix three.

This red signal
means stop, man!

Don't worry about them.

The terrorists have
jimmied the light controls.

There's no danger.
Now read your instructions.

Everything all right?

Oh, uh...

[INTERCOM BUZZING]PRESCOTT:
Double check

that the emergency door
behind you is locked.

Check, the door
is locked!

It's been locked
since San Francisco.

Man, I do not like
this red signal!

I told you to ignore them.

A specially trained group
of anti-terrorist forces,

will be waiting for you at
the Los Angeles terminal.

The terrorists will do
everything they can,

to make you stop that train
before you get there.

It is absolutely vital
that you keep
that train rolling.

Repeat: Marsh,
under no circumstances
are you to stop that train,

until you reach Los Angeles.[INTERCOM BUZZING]

I understand.

MARSH:
All right, Tom,
what do you want?

John, now listen carefully.

The Chief Dispatcher
just called me
on the radio phone,

he says he can't
get through to you.

He's ordering you
to stop the train now.

Immediately!

Tommy, I've just
been talking to the
Chief Dispatcher.

I know the situation.

I know what's going
on back there.

I know that you're being
forced to say this.

Now, I wish
I could help,

but I'm going to do
what I've been doing
for the last 30 years.

I'm going to follow orders.

I'm going to keep
this thing rolling
right into Los Angeles.

John, your orders are
to stop the train now!

[LINE DISCONNECTS]

He hung up on me.

What?

He hung up. Excuse me.

Yeah.

Sir, sir, excuse me,
just a minute, please.
Stop, stop.

Look, I want you
to keep quiet about
this for a while, okay?

I don't want anyone
to know about this yet.

John?

John!

Mr. McElroy, Mr. McElroy!
Mr... Move.

John!

Chief Dispatch,
this is Southbound Three,
do you read me?

The terrorists are at
the safety door right now,
trying to break in.

Don't worry, they can't break
through. You're doing fine.

John!

[HONKING]

I don't want you to think
I'm using you, but do
you have a light?

Where did you
get the money
in that briefcase?

Paula.

No, don't think,
just say it.

I'm a...

I can't think
of a good word.

A thief.

Don't be harsh.

I deal in
negotiable securities.

Stockbroker.

More like money.

That's what
I said, a thief!

Not so loud.

I've done a lot of
things in my life.

I sort of take
advantage of opportunities,
if you know what I mean.

Oh, I know what you mean.
You're a con man.

Please. I just
don't think
it's morally right

to let suckers
keep their money.

I have this friend
in San Francisco.

Real nice guy,
you'd like him.

Well, maybe you wouldn't
like him, but I do.

He's an artist.

He's a real artist.

Why do I get the feeling
you're not talking about
a painter?

He makes plates.

Of money.

Counterfeit.

You couldn't tell
the difference.

What're you doing?

Do you want
to make a scene?

I was considering it.

I thought you'd promised
you wouldn't say anything.

I lied!

Look, we don't hurt
anybody but crooks.

You don't? Well, who do
you think gets stuck
with that bad money?

Shopkeepers!
It's their loss.

Listen, you can't
rationalize this,
no matter what.

Paula, I need you with me.

I really need you with me.

Just stick with me
a minute. Please!

Please.

PRESCOTT:
Chief Dispatcher,
are you listening?

Of course you are.

Get out your pencils,
I'm going to give you
guys a little help.

Forget Victor Prescott,

go to the company records
and look up Jim Waterman.

You may get lucky.

Vic, what's this all about,
why are you doing this?

Vic, we were friends.

I'll tell you this,
I got a job with you

because your internal
security is about as good
as your safety precautions.

It was no problem at all.

I want you to know that.

Got that okay?

Any luck with that
other engineer,
what's his name?

Marsh?

The man who hijacked
the train is Jim Waterman.

Waterman.

Should that name
mean something?

Oh, it goes back
six years,

before you took over
the chairmanship
of the company.

We had a derailment
in Lebanon, New Hampshire.

Freighters tore loose
from the rest of the train,
jumped the track.

Plowed into
a group of houses.
Killed 37 people.

I remember that,
of course.

Although the official
inquiry totally cleared us,

there were still some
who accused us publicly
of criminal negligence.

In particular, one man.

Jim Waterman.

Well, he had
a wife and kid.

We all felt sorry for him...

but I mean,
the man was out of
his head with grief.

But we couldn't
let him go on saying
what he was saying.

We took him to court,
won the case.

Even paid for his
expenses afterwards.

Anyhow, the last
we heard of him,

he had a breakdown
and was hospitalized.

It's a very tragic story.

So, what is he trying to do?

Pay us back by killing
innocent people?

PRESCOTT:
Okay, now you know who I am,

I guess you'd like
to know what I want.

I want to be connected
to the office of the
chairman of this railroad.

I want to speak
to him directly.

No, that's not possible.

In a little more than an hour,
this train's going to collide
with the Southbound Three.

You're wasting minutes.

We might as well.
What have we got to lose?

[BUZZING]

Yes.WOMAN:
Mr. Hill,

Central Control has
Waterman on the line.

Put him right on, please.

WATERMAN:
Am I on? Hello.

Mr. Waterman,
this is Estes Hill.

How can I help you?

I want you to know why
I'm doing what I'm doing.

I think I know, Mr. Waterman.

Six years ago, Mr. Hill.

Mr. Waterman,

pardon me for interrupting.

I am well aware of
your personal tragedy,

the loss you suffered.

Believe me, if there were
anything we could do...

I want you and your railroad
to confess the truth.

I want you to admit
that you bribed
the investigator

who cleared the railroad
of negligence.

His name is Carlson.

HILL: But, Mr. Waterman,
it simply...

I want you to admit
that you bribed him.

That two years after
he saved your hide,

you gave him a fat job
with the company.

Mr. Waterman, I wasn't even
in the company at that time.

And if I thought
for one second...

You bribed him, admit it.

Is this true?

Does a man named Carlson
now work for this company?

Uh-huh.

What does he need
from us right now
to stop that train?

We want you
to stop the train,
Mr. Waterman.

Stop it now before other
people suffer the same sort
of tragic loss that you did.

We want you
to stop your train
and the Southbound, too.

There are wives
and children
on those trains.

Not my wife
and child, Mr. Hill.

If you care about
those people,

if you want me
to stop the train,

then you better
make that statement

admitting that you
rigged the investigation.

That's it.

Okay, Waterman.

I admit it.

Is that what
you want to hear?

And you'll retract
that statement as soon
as I stop the train.

I want you to call a press
conference and admit it
in front of reporters.

I have a small TV set here
with me in the cab.

I want to see you on it
and Carlson, too.

Especially Carlson.

White House is on the line.

Look, I'll do
everything I can.

I need time
and you haven't
given me much,

so I'm leaving the line now.

Goodbye, Mr. Waterman.

Mr. President.

Thank you.

We have just learned

that the engineer
who hijacked
the northbound train

is apparently a former
employee of the Trans-Allied
Railroad Company.

Both the FBI and railroad
company authorities

are investigating
the details of
the situation.

We will bring that to you
as soon as we have
the information.

However, it has
been confirmed

that the wife
of the Vice President

is on the Los Angeles
bound train,

along with several hundred
other passengers.

All attempts by authorities
to communicate with
the engineer of that train

have been unsuccessful.

The engineer of
the southbound train,

a loyal employee
for over 30 years therefore

is unaware
of the impending disaster.

Should an impact between
the two trains occur,

authorities calculate
it would be in the
East Lyme area.

A team of Secret Service
agents are desperately
trying to avert

what threatens to be
the worst disaster
in railroad history.

♪ Happy anniversary to you

♪ Happy anniversary to you

♪ Happy anniversary,
dear Amanda,

♪ Happy anniversary to you

AMANDA: How sweet.
Oh, how sweet.

Oh, my God.

What's the matter?

I don't know yet.
Let's have some cake.

I hate to break up your party,
but if you'd all take your
seats again. Thank you.

Sir, if you'll just join
the other passengers up
forward, I'd appreciate it.

Thank you.What's the problem?

It's security, sir.
You can take your
drink with you.

Mr. McElroy.Yes.

I want you to show me
where the PA system is.

Thank you, ma'am.

May I have the attention
of all the passengers please?

Your attention, please.

A very serious

situation has arisen
on this train.

Mitchell?

Mr. Mitchell.

Dr. Snyder's right,

there's no way to break
this thing on time.

Well, keep on it.

Yeah, I'll keep on it.

Don't expect anything.

Hold on. Okay,

I need some answers. Fast.

How thick is the glass
in the engineer's cabin?

What are you
thinking of doing?

Just answer the question.

I don't know
how thick it is.

I do know it's bullet proof.

Suppose we could lower
a man onto that train
with cutting equipment.

How long would it take him
to burn through that door,
into Marsh's cab?

I couldn't say for sure.

For a man who's supposed
to be the so-called genius
of this plant,

there's suddenly a whole lot
you don't seem to know!

Why don't you
just stop it!

You know, everybody is
getting sick and tired of
listening to you around here.

Before you get
too sentimental
over your boss,

just remember,
he's the guy who
hired Prescott,

or Waterman, or whatever
the hell his name is, right?

How fast is that
train moving?

About 120.

Hundred and twenty miles
an hour. Yeah.

I don't care about that.

Just get the nearest available
chopper and crew in the air
and get that train stopped.

[SIGHING]

Okay.

Somebody get me
the conductor
on Waterman's train.

Please?

Yes, sir, Mr. Mitchell.
Yeah, I understand.

Okay.

Thank you.

Excuse me, sir.
we're looking for this guy.

Looking for a man
with a mustache
and a briefcase, possibly...

I think it's time I found
a small room to hide in.

May I take a look at it?

Sir, look,
I need help.

Those two gentlemen
down there,
they're policeman.

Will you go
and get them
for me, please?

What, are you joking?
I've got to find
the men's room.

Look, we're having a problem.
I'm trying to avoid a panic.

Will you please go
do that for me?

Come on.

Your bag?Yeah.

Open it.Sure.

LeBoux.

Is that it?Could be.

Officer, I don't know
what this is all about,

but the conductor back there
is having a problem.

He's asking for help.What is it?

What is it?

All right,
what's going on?

We've got to clear
the forward coach
and fast,

without starting a panic.

There's trouble up front,
that's what I get from
Central Control.

All right, everybody,
please get to the back car.

No time to explain,
police business.

Move it quickly.
To the back car,
there's no time to explain.

TATE: Police business.

Don't panic,
just straight ahead.

LeBOUX: Come on, move it now!Move swiftly, please!

Step lively. Get your bags.
No time. Wake up,
wake up right away.

Just grab your bags and go.
Right away. Come on, wake up!

I don't know, I don't know.
Just keep... I don't know.

Rescue-copter 14
to Headquarters.

Okay, we're at 3000 feet.

I have Southbound
train in view.

I'm dropping down
to try and make contact.

[BRAKING]

Stop the train!
Stop the train!
Stop the train!

Chief Dispatch,
this is Marsh,
Southbound Three.

WATERMAN:
What is it, Marsh?

There's a helicopter
chasing this train.
What's going on?

Don't worry about it.

We sent it up there
for support and observation.

You just keep
the train rolling.

Stop the train!

[PANICKED SHOUTING]

Bartender, look, I want
everything out of this bar
that's not nailed down.

Bottles, glasses, everything.
I don't care, throw it off
the train if you have to.

All right, gentlemen,
you guys get these cushions,
as many as you can,

take them right here
to the corner.

We'd better get down.

Yeah, let's do.
Get on the floor.

Okay.Here.

You! Well, you, too!
What are you doing?

[SHUSHING]

We have enough
people here.

Please, everybody listen!
Don't panic!

You'll be fine.
Now just listen.

The people here, stay down.
Keep down as well as you can.

Everybody back here,
take the seats available.

If there are any kids back
there, will the people...

Amanda, come on.Please, no...

Amanda, don't give me
any problems, please.
Let's go.

I just can't.

You can do it.
Both of you sit down.

Come on.

Okay. Here you go.
One behind your head.
Lean back, lean back.

Okay, right there.

Okay, get all these ashtrays
out of here! Anything you can
move. Pick up everything.

Okay. Listen,

the computer's a loss.

Manual override can't be
worked to divert anything
onto existing track.

We've got 45 minutes left,

and I'm 45 minutes
from quitting.

Now, right here,

where the two trains
will collide,

is a big maintenance depot:
men, tracks, cranes.

Now, what if we were
to splice in a section
of track right here,

that would carry
Southbound Three

over onto the parallel line
in time to miss
the northbound?

Thirty yards of track.

Now, if it holds,

we have two trains

safely passing each other,

just like they do 1200 times
a day hundred times a day

from San Diego
to Bangor, Maine.

Thirty yards of track
in 45 minutes, you're as
crazy as Waterman is.

I'm not going
to waste time
arguing with you.

You mind if I
use your phone?

Okay, lean on it, men.
Just set that beam up.

You know where it goes,
fellows, let's move it.

All right, let's pick up
the background.

Keep it trim, keep it in.

[MACHINERY WHIRRING]

All right,
lean on it, men.

All right, let's dance!
Let's dance!

NEWSCASTER:
Police and fire officials
in East Lyme, California,

are bracing for
the expected
head-on collision

between the two Trans-Allied
passenger trains

which are calculated to crash
in the vicinity of the town.

The Governor in Sacramento,

has put the California
National Guard
on standby alert

in preparation for rushing
more men and equipment
to the crash site,

and has joined local
officials in issuing an
appeal to residents

to keep clear of the
railroad track area.

Okay, folks,
you have to step back
a little, please.

Back. Okay.

REPORTER: Mr. Carlson,Step back.

You care to comment
on the situation?

Get back.

[ALL CLAMORING]

Mr. Hill. Mr. Carlson.

Well, I know
how I look, sir,

but with your driver at
the door, and you yelling
down the phone at me,

what was I supposed to do?

Well, that's all right.

I appreciate your
cooperation, Carlson.

Here, sit down.
Give us a moment, fellows.

Of course, I'm as...

sorry about this whole
thing as you are.

Uh, now, wait a minute,

let's not start taking
things for granted.

You wanted me here,
I'm here.

I haven't agreed yet to go
through with this charade.

What, go on national
television and accuse myself
of criminal conspiracy?

Look,

none of us has any
choice in this matter.

This lunatic holds
every life on both
trains in his hands.

Unless you admit you took
a bribe when you wrote
that accident report,

they are all dead.

But it's a lie.

I didn't do it.

Right now, I don't care
whether you did or not.

Right now, you work
for this company!

And your next job is to face
these cameras in here

and give the performance
of your life!

Are you hearing me?

I'm calling my lawyer.

No time for that.

I've already had Hennessey
draw up something
for you to sign.

It says, in effect,

that you are making
this statement under duress.

It covers you against libel
for anything you might say.

Trust me, Johnny.

I don't like it.

I don't give a damn whether
you like it or not.

There are too many
lives at stake.

Now, you will sign
that statement.

All right, I'll do it.

But it's under duress.

[WHIRRING]

All right, we've got
to go 20 feet on either
side of that.

Okay, lean on it!

All right, you guys,
that ought to do it.

Just move it
down here now.

Give me that saw.

What do you think, Jeff?

I don't know.
But you pay me a buck-
fifty more an hour,

and I'll start
thinking for you.

Now, you just keep them
fellows dancing.

Pull them tracks
down there.

There we go, fellows,
let's get over there.

Bring them ties on over.
Get them over.

All right, sir,
Mr. Carlson,
you're on.

Six years ago, there was
a major railroad disaster
in New England.

After about a week
of investigation,

I was approached
by a man who said...

who did represent
the railroad company.

I didn't take money

but I did accept
the promise of a job
after a suitable interval.

This is the job I now hold.

I'll try and unhook the engine
from the rest of the train.

When I finally
prepared my report,
there were several...

false statements.

The first of these

concerned the state of
the track at the point
of derailment.

I can't get it loose.

The lever underneath
the engine.

Does it work the same way
as the one underneath
this one?

You've got it.
There's one
on both sides.

I can't go out there.

Hold on to me.

Paula, get back.

CARLSON:
Secondly,

the freight cars
were improperly loaded,

which in itself contributed
to the derailment.

REPORTER:
Is there anything else, sir?

Uh, no, sir.
That's all, thank you.

I can't get it, it's stuck!

Get back inside,
there's nothing you
can do out there.

Get back. Let me go.

So, we've finally
been candid.

You've heard the story
from those involved.

The only word I can use
for what transpired

is bribery.

Mr. Waterman,

I beg of you,

stop that train.

REPORTER:
This press conference
has been broadcast live

from Trans-Allied Headquarters
in Los Angeles.

That's all I wanted.

[SCREAMING]

Stuart!

Hey, and what about me?

PAULA: Stuart!

Hello? What's happening,
what's going on? Hello?

Hey! Hey, let me in!

Let me in!

[HELICOPTER APPROACHING]

MAN:
News Helicopter
Seven at KBEX,

proceeding to East Lyme,
California, for on
the spot coverage.

What do you think now?

I think we're
going to make it.

Just a-dancing
and a-prancing,

just a-grinning
and a-picking.

[LAUGHS]

Now this is what
they've done, huh?

That's what they're doing.

Doing?They haven't done it, yet.

Well, Marsh will be coming
at 100 miles an hour,
when he hits this point.

Is this crossover going
to be long enough,
or strong enough?

I hope so.

Well, maybe
when he sees
those workmen,

he'll stop.

Slow down, maybe,
but stop?

You and your damn computer.

JEFFERSON:
Move that bench
out of there!

There we go.
Let's get over there.

Bring them ties on over.
Get on over.

Go on now,
move them out!

Move them back.

Train's coming!
Train is coming!
Move them out.

Move them back!
Come on now,
move them out.

All right, train's coming!

Go on, move out!

We need room. Alley-oop!

Oh.

We got six minutes
to drive spikes, boys.

Six minutes of sweat,
then it's easy time
of the day, right, boss?

We pull this one off,
everybody gets
a week's paid vacation.

What do you say?All right!

All right, let's get
these rods off
of these ties.

Get the rods off
of them ties!

We ought to be using
twice the spikes.

She'll hold.

That train's moving
too fast for that
weld to hold.

This crossover's
not long enough.

You don't need us
no more, Captain.

Everybody clear the tracks.
Get out of here.

Drop that torch
and get out of here.

Get off the tracks, Jefferson.

I say she'll hold!

A $100 say she hold.

Let me hear you groan!

[ALL GRUNTING]

Groan!

Oh, my God!

[BRAKES SQUEALING]

Let me hear you pray!

[HONKING]

[ALL CHEERING]

Way to go!
All right!

Oh, that's wonderful!

Great! We've still got
one hell of a derailment
coming up here.

And this time, there's
nothing we can do about it.

But they're okay now,
aren't they?

Oh, yeah,
your job's over.
You can go.

You put $100 in my palm,

then we can shake
till Christmas.

Carry me until payday.

All right,
we got open track.

Let's close it!

Mr. Mitchell,
this is Rescue Copter
14 in East Lyme.

I have the engine in sight,
bridge cables are apparently
snapped, looks like a runaway.

We've got the suspect inside.

Now we've got some
crazy idiot on top.

Well, just keep on trying.

And I want them
both off that train.

That's right, both of them.
All right now, do it.

Who's the other one?

I don't know.

Another guy in there.
We got to get him out!

Get the other guy out!

Come on!

Hold on.

Give me your hand.
I'll pull you up.

Hold on tight.

Come on,
get your leg up.

Come on.

Hold on, hold on.

[SHOUTING]

COP: Hold them back.

Get back. All right, back!
Back! Get back!

STUART: Bring it closer.

One at a time.

Bring it in closer.

Bring it over here.

[SHOUTING]

Come on,
bring it in here.

Hey! Watch that
bridge. Hey!

Watch your head.

Get down!

[PEOPLE CHATTERING]

We're running
out of track.

There's a river
coming up.

Jump!

Go for it!

FOREMAN: All right, give me
two inches of steel there,
tap it down, too.

All right, if the engine's
intact by the...

MAN: Come on,
get it on there.

Go on, do it again!

Get out of here!

All right,
get out of here!

Coming, Jefferson?

Go on, get some help!

Hang on!

No, I do not
anticipate calling
a formal press conference.

What I will do as
chairman of this company

is to give you my personal
guarantee that the whole
issue of that accident

in New Hampshire will be
thoroughly re-examined.

If it is found that
any employees

of this company were
involved in improprieties,

they will be dealt with
in a court of law.

Listen to me, John,
you keep a hold
of yourself.

There's no way they
can prove it. Never!

Hey, let me tell
you something.

I go down,
you're going with me.

TATE: How you doing?

Fine.

Well, they're towing us
back to L.A. We should be
in in about two hours.

Time for a drink?

VO and seven, please.

Bourbon and ginger.Yes, sir.

Stuart.

That's what you
called him, Stuart.

Stuart Peters,
that was his name.

Well, we thought you might
like to know that he made it.
He's okay.

[EXHALING IN RELIEF]

What was it you had
to arrest him for?

He ripped off some really
heavy weight con men.

Sold them play
money for real.

At least
he told me the truth
about something.

You realize
he saved our lives?

How do you explain
a guy like that?

You don't.
You drink to him.

What's he like?

I don't know.

He had a nice smile.

To Peters.Peters.

Want to borrow my comb?

There may be some reporters
waiting to see you.

Yeah.

And his honor the judge.

Right now
you're looking
pretty good.

You think so?

Sometimes you never know
who you're gonna meet.

Back, please. Back.

[SIRENS WAILING]

Snyder...

I want you to know

that I don't know
your first name.

Egghead.

You're okay.

Thank you. Thank you.

Well, can I ask you
if I can help you?

Well, I guess
we can help each other
sometimes. Okay?

Officer.Yes, ma'am.

I'm looking for a man,

the man who
saved everybody.

If they arrested him,
where would they
have taken him?

We can make a call
and I can get
a location on him.

Could we?Sure, come on.

Great. I...What did you say
his name was?

Peter Stuart
or Stuart Peters.

He gave people
a bunch of different names.

Oh.

Because he was
kind of a con man.
He was...

He was a hero.

I'm glad you said that.

Let's make that call.