Atomic Train

Bradshaw Disposal employee John Henry Bradshaw hides a Russian nuclear bomb on a freight train bound for Denver, hoping to save money. The operation begins in Stillwater, Utah, at the company facility as the crew readies the cargo for travel. The bomb remains concealed while the train carries hazardous materials toward the mountains.

The train loses its brakes when air hoses disconnect, sending it into a dangerous runaway. Lead engineer Wally Phister frantically tries to reconnect the hoses but sustains a crushed hand in the process. The train hurtles toward Denver with the derailer set up by Denver Railway Control at Silver Gorge.

NTSB investigator John Seger boards a chasing locomotive and is aided by a helicopter piloted by Ray as he closes in on the runaway train. Ed Brown and Christina Roselli attempt a derailment once the bomb threat is revealed, but they abort the plan after a Bradshaw employee warns them. John works to catch up with the train and prepare to slow it down.

Brakeman Tucker Ames is killed when he is thrown from the caboose onto the tracks during the chaos. His death underscores the deadly stakes of the pursuit. The crew continues to fight to bring the runaway under control.

Lieutenant Colonel Tom Levy from NEST contacts John and tasks him to corroborate warnings about the bomb. John locates the bomb inside a boxcar and relays the information to Denver Railroad Control, triggering chaotic evacuations in Denver.

As the train reaches Jackson Summit, John tries to jam the electrical lock with a crowbar, buying a moment of braking. Ray pushes ahead to rescue the crew but the chaser slams into the caboose and disengages the brakes, causing the train to speed up again. The situation becomes a desperate race toward the mountains.

John convinces Wally to abandon the train, acknowledging there is no way to stop the runaway. The final crew member left behind, conductor Stan Atkins, dies while attempting to reconnect the air hoses. The unmanned train derails near Millers Bend, threatening to unleash the chemicals.

The wreck at Millers Bend derails the train, and the hazardous cargo catches fire as responders arrive. Firefighters and military teams fight to control the blaze while evacuations intensify across the area. The bomb remains on the wreck, intensifying the danger.

NEST Commander Reuben Castillo volunteers to disarm the bomb, but liquid metallic sodium begins to leak, complicating his mission. Tom Levy orders attempting to extinguish with water, hoping to stop the explosive threat.

One helicopter crew misinterprets an order and dumps water onto the wreck, triggering a nuclear explosion. The detonation unleashes an EMP that wipes out electricity in Denver and sends a shockwave ripping through parts of the city.

The EMP disaster collapses infrastructure and thousands are killed or injured as responders scramble to cope. John and his family survive the cataclysm and begin the long process of escaping the ruined metropolis.

Mac leads Chance and Grace through the old coal mines to reach safety after the city collapses. An accident cripples Mac and he sacrifices himself to save Chance. John and Megan manage to get aboard a FEMA bound bus toward Eminence, Kansas, with Danny injured. The family is eventually reunited at the FEMA refugee camp in Eminence.