DISCLAIMER: I own none of this.

222 INT. CENTRAL

DETAIL - MAP.

Lights are flashing like a videogame.

223 INT. CENTRAL

Frank leans back, sips his Coke and watches his "baby" as if everything was under control. The staff are staring at the map as if awaiting a new excitement. Trowa however keeps diligently rerouting trains. Noin has surrounded her desk with several phones and is trying to console delayed passengers, angry engineers and other confused dispatchers.

She gives up on one line and slams it down, rubbing her head to work out the stress.

NOIN: This guy won't stop harassing me.

Frank swings round.

FRANK: Pardon?

The same phone goes off again and she considers it like it carries bubonic plague, before putting it on a loudspeaker rather than using the phone.

NOIN: (overly sweet) Central dispatch, how may I help you...

An angry voice blares out. The staff cringe.

VOICE: (over phone) You still haven't given me the answers I want! What do I tell my passengers? They're driving me crazy with questions...

While Noin is taking this with a forced smile she scribbles on her notepad.

224 DETAIL - NOIN'S NOTES.

Scribbled across the pad is the slogan - Get off my back you evil bastard!

225 INT. CENTRAL

Meanwhile the protesting voice carries on.

VOICE: ...Why'd you stop us out in the middle of nowhere?

Noin is about to turn on the mike to respond when a loud voice interrupts.

LOUD VOICE: Don't tell 'em about the runaway.

Everyone turns.

Superintendent EDDIE MACDONALD (54) pushes through the onlookers, his shirt untucked and wearing a snow-streaked overcoat. He obviously only just got out of bed.

MACDONALD: (with authority) We don't want to panic the passengers. Besides, we've got the company's reputation to uphold here.

Noin can't resist. She switches on the mike.

NOIN: (into mike) Tell your passengers we stopped you to let the Reputation Express go by.

VOICE ON SPEAKER: (confused) What was that?

NOIN: You heard me.

She switches the mike off. MacDonald shoots a look at her which she shrugs off with ease. He strides over to Frank. Judging by their reactions to each other's presence, there's no love lost between these two.

MACDONALD: (all business) What's the latest on that train?

Frank just points to the panel, as if it should be obvious to MacDonald. Trowa speaks up but keeps his head to his work.

TROWA: It went straight through the caboose of Eastbound 12.

Frank looks at him with mild anger.

MACDONALD: (alarmed) Anyone hurt?

FRANK: No.

MACDONALD: What's the story on the engineer?

Frank leans back, a smug grin on his face.

FRANK: Actually I wanted to ask you about that.

MacDonald looks confused. Frank waves the printouts Noin obtained for him.

FRANK: I wanted to ask you why there was an OAP driving around in four locos which according to the records were due for scrapping over two centuries ago.

MACDONALD: (blustering) Whoa...Whoa...Whoa Frank...This is way before my time.

FRANK: (patiently) Spill it Eddie.

MacDonald slumps down in the seat.

FRANK: They were in that fire weren't they?

MacDonald nods.

MACDONALD: Yeah, apparently the management salvaged them from the ruin, then left them at the back of the sheds and forgot about them.

FRANK: (suddenly mad) So what are these 200 year-old dinosaurs doing on my railroad!

MACDONALD: (pointing at Frank) Firstly, it's not your railroad, it's the company's. Secondly, we had a shortage of decent engines ten years ago and dug them out.

FRANK: (amazed) They still went after 200 years of rusting!

MACDONALD: When we dug em up we gave them a quick overhaul. The repairs were only meant to last till the end of the shortage and then we'd get rid of them. Al got so attached to the damn things he raised hell and drove everyone along the line bananas when we tried to scrap them.

FRANK: So you decided to leave it until Al retired and then you'd dispose of them.

MACDONALD: Yeah! Except the old bastard merely stepped down from road engineer to yard engineer when he passed the retirement age, in that position he could legally keep on driving till 65.

FRANK: What happened to him?

MACDONALD: (waving Frank off) Heart attack. Now what's the speed?

BARSTOW: About seventy. At least the damn things are still compatible with my system.

MACDONALD: (back into business mode) Speaking of your system - why can't it stop her. You designed and installed it, and it cost the company four point five million.

FRANK: (ticked off) Listen, Eddie - this system was designed for the efficient dispatching of trains when they're manned, not to stop them when they're unmanned. The brake shoes have burnt off, the overspeed control must have gotten screwed up in the collision!

MacDonald nods, about to blow a gasket. Barstow tries to placate him.

FRANK: But we're doing everything we can to avoid further casualties.

Trowa is examining the board, working out some sums in his head.

TROWA: (loudly as he walks by) You forgot about the Seneca bridge.

FRANK: (his look could kill) Trowa...get me some coffee...C'mon.

MACDONALD: (to Frank) What about the bridge.

FRANK: (trying to ignore MacDonald) I'm taking care of it.

MACDONALD: (loudly, demanding an answer) What about the bridge!

TROWA: (getting even for abuse from Frank) I'd like to remind you...Seneca is an old bridge...a trestle.

FRANK: (yelling) So what!?

He bangs an empty mug on the desk.

FRANK: You gonna get me that coffee now!

Victory his, Trowa picks up the mug and silently walks away. MacDonald paces up behind Frank.

MACDONALD: (quiet, dangerous) Frank...

Frank ignores him.

MACDONALD: (louder now) Frank!

Noin, eager to avoid the pair getting into a squabble during a crisis volunteers.

NOIN: (taking control for a minute) Mr MacDonald.

Frank looks at her slowly. To him it sees everyone's ganging up on him. She has everyone's full attention as she strides over to the map.

NOIN: By the time that runaway reaches this bridge...

She taps an icon labelled SENECA BRIDGE.

NOIN: ...It'll be doing ninety. The restriction for that bridge, is fifty.

Everyone catches what she means.

NOIN: (keeping it plain and simple) It'll be bad. Collapse, explosion, river pollution, the works.

MacDonald gets up and paces slowly. He looks at the board, which just beeps at him. He turns round.

226 INT. MACDONALD'S POV

The dispatchers look at him, awaiting his orders. We notice the janitor from the men's room and several yard-workers who have trickled in to watch the show.

BACK TO...

227 INT. CENTRAL

MacDonald spins round, looking for help.

Fank is hunched at his terminal, ignoring him.

MacDonald reaches a decision.

MACDONALD: (clipped, ordering) Switch that runaway onto the spur at Jordan and derail her.

That's the last thing anyone expected. Frank turns, his mouth hanging open in shock. Trowa, leaning against the wall by the coffee machine nods in agreement. MacDonald notices him.

MACDONALD: (pointing at Trowa) I don't need your approval. (to Frank) Derail that sonofabitch! I don't care about engines! I don't wanna loose the bridge!

Frank splutters for a few seconds, then composes himself.

FRANK: Look - this system is designed so I can get everyone out of her way and onto a siding. Meanwhile we'll think of something else!

He sounds like he's making a sales pitch. MacDonald shakes his head. Frank tires another track.

FRANK: And what about insurance Eddie? If you wreck intentionally the company won't collect a cent.

MACDONALD: (Patronising, like he's talking to a four-year old) Right now, it's just four engines, no people aboard...Now if I leave you to play with your system this wild animal's gonna kill someone sooner or later! Do you know what that'll cost the company - do you!

Frank glares at him. MacDonald holds the stalemate. He's in control now.

MACDONALD: Derail her, that's my order.

He pulls the overcoat off and tosses it blindly into the corner. Trowa, by the coffee machine catches it without even looking and hangs it on a peg. No-one notices.

Frank is not moving. He just stares at the fuming MacDonald. The onlookers are looking at Frank, waiting for his move.

FRANK: (deferring to his superior, but not happy about it) You say derail, we derail.

He spins his seat and points at the spectators, but locks his eyes with MacDonald.

FRANK: (trying to intimidate MacDonald) But these people are witnesses...it's your decision Eddie.

He spins back to his console and begins punching commands.

FRANK: I could've stopped her...

MacDonald realises he looks like a scruff and starts tucking his shirt in and doing up his dangling braces.

MACDONALD: Yeah! Yeah it's my decision!

Macdonald is firm, Trowa is triumphant. There is a definite split of opinion among the onlookers, except for Noin, who waits to see how this strategy works out.

MacDonald slams down in a chair beside Frank, who flicks on a microphone.

228 INT. SUV - JORDAN

A radio mounted on the dashboard of a SUV goes off.

FRANK'S VOICE: (over radio) Central calling Jordan...Central calling Jordan...Signal maintainer forty...This is an emergency...

Silence - the car is abandoned. Frank tries again.

FRANK'S VOICE: (over radio) Signal maintainer forty...Acknowledge...This is an emergency.

While he speaks we pan up and look out the frosted windshield. Track Two, in the foreground, and Track One behind it can just be made out - a figure trudges across them towards us.

Frank tries one last time.

FRANK'S VOICE: (over radio, desperate) Signal maintainer forty...this is an emergency...

The figure pulls the door open and slumps into the driver's seat. The signal maintainer is an old coot with a white beard and a bobble hat.

FRANK'S VOICE: (over radio, near hysterical) ...Where the hell are you!

The signal maintainer grabs his radio.

SIGNAL MAINTAINER: (gasping from the cold) Jordan...Signal Maintainer forty here...

FRANK'S VOICE: (over radio, relieved) Central here...There's a unmanned runaway heading west on Track 1.

The signal maintainer's eyes pop open and he stares out of the window east.

FRANK'S VOICE: (over radio) ...You're gonna line her into the siding. Use the manual switch to take her out of the way...

229 INT. CENTRAL

Frank is inches from the microphone.

FRANK: Superintendent MacDonald wants to derail her.

He deliberately emphasises MacDonald's name, again.

FRANK: You got that name? Mr Eddie MacDonald.

He hangs up. MacDonald gives him the evil eye.

230 INT. SUV - JORDAN

The signal maintainer blinks in amazement.

SIGNAL MAINTAINER: I'll be damned. Sonuva!

He drops the receiver without hanging it up and flings the door open.

231 OMITTED

232 EXT. SWITCHTRACK - JORDAN

The snow's falling lighter now but a harsh wind blows as the old man "hurries" across Tracks Two and One to a switchtrack. He grabs the heavy lever and struggles with it for a second before it swings up and over. The switchtrack clunks into place.

Track One is now connected to the dead-end siding, which swings away out of sight to the left. Quickly the old man heads back to his SUV parked by Track Two for a grandstand view of the coming crash.

233 EXT. RUNAWAY - 3RD / 4TH ENGINES

The camera is mounted on top of the 3rd engine's rear bonnet looking down at the gap between the engines.

The right hand door opens on the 4th unit and Heero and Duo climb slowly round to the front platform. It's difficult. Not only are they going against the 75mph slipstream but large chunks have been taken out of the hand-railings. There's nothing to catch them if they fall.

Slowly they make it to the front. Heero braces himself on a ladder up to the top of the bonnet and Duo grabs part of the wrecked railings.

234 EXT. CLOSE UP ON THE PAIR.

The wind howling back at them drives them against the metal snout of the engine. Slowly they struggle forward and look down at:

235 EXT. THEIR POV - COUPLING

The cables and chains linking the engines and the main coupling shaft are all shaking violently. The snow churned up by the cowcatchers whirls around the whole assembly and the rails speed by below.

BACK TO HEERO AND DUO

They're yelling in each other's ears, inaudible to us over the wind. Heero is gesturing for Duo to go first. Duo yells something back.

236 EXT. DUO'S POV - COUPLING

Hold on the same shot again. It's an intimidating prospect

237 EXT. COUPLING

Duo's not happy about this. He puts one foot on the coupling and decides that rather than try to balance on the shaft, he's going to jump the gap between the units. He leans back to leap - when...

A TRAIN WHISTLE GOES OFF LOUDLY!

Duo, shocked starts forward and nearly drops into the gap, but Heero catches him. The two, clutching each other, fall back against the bonnet.

DUO: (yelling, just audible) You hear that!?

The whistle goes off again, repeatedly. It's obviously coming from up front.

Duo starts moving back to the cab, dragging a reluctant Heero with him.

238 EXT. 3RD / 4TH ENGINES

The camera speeds beside the two engines as the pair, dwarfed by the massive machines crawl back out of sight around the bonnet to the door. The doomed train speeds on towards Jordan.

239 INT. 4TH ENGINE CAB

Duo throws himself through the door. Heero comes through a second later. Duo is ecstatic, they're safe.

DUO: See, there is an engineer on this sucker!

Heero nods and peers out the windows again while Duo starts pulling his heavier clothing off.

DUO: (euphoric, jumping with each blast) Yeah blow baby BLOW!

Heero is silent, still uneasy for a reason he can't fathom.

The whistle continues to resound from ahead in long bursts, a deep- throated, rich tone.

240 EXT. DETAIL - WHEELS

Its the same shot we've seen before. Hold for a second.

241 INT. SUV - JORDAN.

The snow's getting up rapidly now as the signal maintainer gets back into his car. He begins unscrewing a thermos flask of hot soup.

SIGNAL MAINTAINER: (excited) Boy, this is gonna be something...

242 INT. LEAD CAB

It's a very tight shot so that we cannot establish the extent of the damage within the cab. What we do see however is the empty engineers seat and the unmanned whistle chain swinging above it.

The whistle goes off again, even though this engine's unmanned.

243 INT. SUV - JORDAN

Anxious for the show to begin the signal maintainer lifts his cup of soup to his lips, then pauses. Slowly he winds the window down and listens.

Together, he and we hear something to the east.

It's the whistle on the runaway.

He doesn't believe what he's hearing for a second, then the whistle goes again, louder this time. The train is coming, and fast.

He shakes his head and picks up the radio's receiver. The train whistle continues to blow.

SIGNAL MAINTAINER: Signal maintainer forty here, at Jordan.

Trowa's voice comes in.

TROWA'S VOICE: (over radio) Central.

SIGNAL MAINTAINER: Listen...Did I hear you right...

244 INT. CENTRAL On the map the runaway's light is nearly superimposed over the junction at Jordan. The dead end siding is highlighted in red, and the COLISION ALERT! alarm is bleeping.

Frank and MacDonald are gathered around the seated Trowa, who has his speaker on.

SIGNAL MAINTAINER'S VOICE (over speaker) ...That runaway's supposed to be unmanned?

Frank leans over Trowa and grabs the mike off him. Trowa reacts.

FRANK: Yeah that's right.

SIGNAL MAINTAINER'S VOICE: (over speaker) Well let me tell you something mister...

245 INT. SUV - JORDAN

SIGNAL MAINTAINER: (grinning triumphantly) ...I think you're wrong...

He holds the mouthpiece out of the open car window.

246 INT. CENTRAL

Frank, Trowa and MacDonald listen. They hear howling snow for a few seconds then suddenly the faint sound of the whistle comes through. Everyone starts in disbelief, even Trowa.

FRANK: (in disbelief) The whistle...

He pauses, then it dawns on him.

FRANK: (jumping up and running to his own console) The damn whistle's blowing.

Trowa and MacDonald share a look of horror as Frank switches on his own microphone.

FRANK: (screaming into mike) Derailing is out! Run old man, RUN! Line her through!

247 INT. SUV - JORDAN

The signal maintainer scrambles out of the car.

248 INT. CENTRAL

Frank turns to the dumbfounded MacDonald.

FRANK: (fast, the words strung together) Someone's blowing the whistle on that damned train Mr MacDonald and you woulda' killed them just like that!

He rams his fist into his other palm and MacDonald jumps slightly.

249 EXT. RUNAWAY

This is a long, slow shot that lasts for about twenty seconds. We're pacing the train and slowly zooming in closer.

The engines rattle and roar. As we come closer the noise grows until it drowns out even the wind.

Suddenly, we see a blob of colour on the front of the ice-streaked third engine. The camera shakes and jolts in closer.

A bundled up figure is dragging his way around the front of the third engine. The person is pulling himself along this intact catwalk with both hands.

The noise of the engines is stupendous as the figure clambers into the cab

250 EXT. JORDAN - SWITCHTRACK

The old signal maintainer is crossing the tracks. He looks into the camera.

251 EXT. TRACK ONE EAST

The camera is mounted between the rails at eye level. The rails stretch east, running dead straight until they vanish in the snow - a deep humming can be heard.

252 EXT. JORDAN - SWITCHTRACK

He finishes crossing the rails and runs for the switch.

253 EXT. TRACK ONE EAST

We can see the train now, a black mass emerging through the snow, rushing nearer...

...Coming straight for the camera!

254 EXT. JORDAN - SWITCHTRACK

He grabs the lever and struggles with it, but it doesn't give.

255 EXT. TRACK ONE EAST

This shot should inspire fear in any watcher. The runaway is almost on top of us, a monstrous beast that seems to fill our world, leaping straight at us...

256 EXT. JORDAN - SWITCHTRACK

With all the strength left in his body, he throws it back off.

257 EXT. DETAIL - SWITCHTRACK

The rails shift, stick halfway, then close the gap.

258 EXT. THE RUNAWAY

The second the switch closes the runaway comes pounding past on Track One. She is a terrifying sight.

Her lead engine looks like a nightmarish prehistoric creature. The roof of the caboose has draped and hammered itself over the front bonnet. The arm of the drilling crane has gone straight through the right-hand half of the windscreen and sticks out through the other side of the cab. The small compartment from the top of the caboose hangs off the cab roof like an overhanging brow. The exploded remains of the Taurus decorate the engine, while the iron jaws of a junked steam shovel have mounted themselves onto the cowcatcher. The entire wreck is glazed with tar, the matte black contrasting sharply with the built - up snow.

The old signal maintainer stares at the screaming, disfigured engines in horror and awe, before he is engulfed in a whirlwind of snow as the runaway flies past him and away.

259 INT. CENTRAL

As the runaway's light speeds past that of the Jordan siding on the map a great moan of relief goes up from the railroad employees.

Frank breathes deeply and MacDonald collapses into a seat, wiping his brow with a handkerchief. Frank looks around and realises it's not over yet by any means. It's up to him once again. Once again he begins typing on his keyboard.

FRANK: (feeling he's won a small victory) Okay...Next hurdle...C'mon big train, I'll slap your fat diesel ass. C'mon!

As he types he laughs and MacDonald (in the background) stares at Frank queerly.

260 EXT. RUNAWAY

To tense, rapid music the runaway speeds faster, a black instrument of death.

261 INT. LEAD CAB

Focus on the speedometer, unscathed - 80mph. Snow flicks past the camera and we pan to see the full destruction.

The iron armature of the crane has completely skewered the cab, going through the windshield and out the left hand back window.

Nearly all of the cab is filled up to waist level with wreckage. The control panel has acted as a dam and the incoming wreckage has compacted up and around it, leaving the right back door and the engineer's seat free. Electrical conduits and wires hang from the roof, and snow comes pelting in through holes in the roof and the shattered windscreen.

From the empty engineer's seat we can only see forward through the amazingly unbroken and unobscured starboard front window. Eerily, the wipers have turned themselves on, keeping the view ahead clear of snow.

262 DETAIL: BACK WALL OF CAB

The back wall, where all the fuse boxes and computer boxes are located, is undamaged by flying metal, but like the rest of the cab, it's dyed completely black by tar, which has worked its way over all of the switches and lights, hiding them all...

...except for a small red button.

263 DETAIL. RED BUTTON

Despite the fact that it's dotted with snow and a line of tar is smeared across it, we can read the white letters on the red backing.

EMERGENCY FUEL CUT-OFF.

264 EXT. LEAD ENGINE CABSIDE

The camera is mounted like we were leaning out of the side window. The rails seem to stretch forever, beckoning us on.

The wreckage neatly frames the left hand side of the picture, and a large twisted sheet of metal can be seen hanging into shot. It's barely supported and sways back and forth in the wind, which blows through a hole in its centre with a chilling whistle.

The train speeds on towards the horizon.

265 INT. 4TH ENGINE CAB

Duo is doing press-ups to keep warm, a habit he developed in prison. Heero is back in the engineer's seat. He has rolled his arm up and is inspecting his bandaged arm. He tests it and winces. Duo stops and looks up.

DUO: You shouldn't strain that arm. The more time you give it to rest the quicker it'll heal.

Duo's using the sleeve of his jacket as a towel to wipe the sweat off his face.

HEERO: (considering the wound) I've gotten soft. I used to shrug off broken bones.

DUO: (winces) Don't remind me...I remember when you jumped out of that hospital...

HEERO: (finishes it for him) ...And set my own leg.

Duo sits down on the opposite side of the cab.

DUO: (smiling) Yeah! Totally grosses me out just thinking about it.

Heero smiles and it's genuine. He looks up out of the front window for the first time in the scene and reacts in surprise.

266 EXT. HEERO'S POV - 3RD / 4TH ENGINES

The figure we saw earlier is on the rear deck of the third engine, just about to cross to the fourth.

BACK TO HEERO

He clicks his fingers several times to get Duo's attention. Duo looks up.

DUO: What?

Heero points out of the front window. Duo joins him looks, then jumps back in shock.

HEERO: He didn't see us.

DUO: You sure?

267 EXT. 3RD / 4TH ENGINES

The person leans out across the gap, holding onto a fragment of railing for support. His fingers scrape the railings on the 4th engine.

268 EXT. HEERO & DUO'S POV - 3RD / 4TH ENGINES

Suddenly the figure's grip on the 3rd engine fails and he falls forward.

BACK TO DUO...

...as he looks away, unable to watch.

DUO: Oh no!

HEERO: He's okay.

269 EXT. 3RD / 4TH ENGINES

The person's got his arms wrapped around the coupling shaft. The rest of his weight is taken solely by the pressure hoses his legs are splayed out on.

270 INT. 4TH ENGINE - CAB

Heero watches his plight calmly but Duo's in some distress.

DUO: Should we help him?

271 EXT. 3RD / 4TH ENGINES

The person is holding on for his life. The wind is tearing him apart. Everything he touches is frozen. Slowly he gets one leg up onto the coupling and begins to inch forward, pushing with his foot.

He's almost crossed the endless bridge when he slips again, rolling off the coupling. Half on /half off the deck he begins to slide back, but grabs a rung on the bonnet ladder and pulls himself forward.

272 INT. 4TH ENGINE CAB

Heero pulls Duo away from the window and they move over to the door. Heero pulls his knife out. Duo looks at it.

DUO: You're really going to use that?

HEERO: (calm) If I have to.

273 EXT. 4TH / 3RD ENGINES

The person drags himself to his feet using the ladder and edges round to the door.

274 INT. 4TH ENGINE CAB

Heero and Duo are now concealed beside the door, waiting.

The door opens and the person, who we now see is shorter than the two steps into the cab.

Duo goes in quickly, grabbing the person from behind and throwing him across the cabin. He slams into the opposite wall and his hard-hat falls off, revealing short-cut hair dyed dark violet. He slides to the ground, face to the wall.

The person lashes out with his foot, getting Duo in the leg and knocking him down.

Heero is in with the knife in an instant, ready to kill.

HEERO: Stand up!

The person turns.

Heero blinks in surprise.

Duo is lying on his back and slowly sits up, rubbing the back of his head.

DUO: Did anyone get the number on that truck that hit me...

He stares in surprise at Heero, facing off a young woman.

The girl tries to stand up and Heero tenses with the knife. Quickly Duo springs to his feet.

DUO: Heero man! Put that damn thing away. She's no threat.

Heero slowly puts the knife back in his pocket as Duo offers his hand to the girl, ever the gentleman. She takes it somewhat uneasily and he pulls her up. She never takes her eyes off Heero, who continues his scrutiny of her.

She pushes her hair back. She has a good looking face, with very dark eyes which belie an inner strength. Though short, she has a perfectly formed figure, from what little can be seen beneath the bulky overalls that she's wrapped herself in. The jacket she's wearing over them is torn quite badly and there's a nasty cut on her forehead above the eye-line. She looks about the same age as the two ex-pilots. Her name is HILDE SCHBEIKER, and Duo is instantly enamoured with her.

She sits down in one of the crew seats and stares at the two men. Duo moves to sit down in the other seat.

HILDE: (threatening, not in the least afraid) Don't come near me...

Heero grabs Duo's shoulder and pulls him back.

HEERO: (acting as if they belong here, failing) What are you doing here?

HILDE: (angry) What am I doing here...I work on this train...What the hell are you doing here?

That stumps them.

Hilde looks from one to the other of them, unsure of what to make of her situation.