According to this article, the boxcars somehow broke loose at a railyard five miles away and rolled downhill. I could not find an explanation for why the crossing lights weren't triggered. www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Short-Wave/Archive-Popular-Communications-IDX/IDX/80s/Popular-Communications-1986-04-OCR-Page-0030.pdf

That officer deserves the badge of honor.

The fact that the officer knew enough about the possible location of the brake wheel made all the difference.

This show has so realistic re-enactments it's just incredible.

"The engineer actually feels nothing when he hits a car" No... He feels utterly helpless, cause he knows there's absolutely nothing he can do to prevent such an EASILY avoidable tragedy.

great re-enactment

What the officer did was actually what we call heroic. Often that word is thrown around for people who really don't deserve it but he actually risked his life just for those people. He could have been pulled under the the wheels of the train and kill but he did his best and was successful in stopping the boxcars. I believe what probably would have happened if the car's had hit the trestle was it would have pinched it in between the two sides and slowed it down even more until it stopped but you just don't know since it didn't happen. I'm so sorry the man lost his wife but it's great that life went on for him and he was able to find happiness. Is also great that he and the officer became good friends. You never know what'll happen in your day to change the direction your life is going.

I'm sorry the wife died. But I'm also glad the husband is able to continue to enjoy life again. What a strong man!

What a brave cop!

Officer David Hare= HERO

This guy is the best cop ever. Phenomenal recreation, too.

1:30 ~ "You have the right to remain silent, why don't you exercise that right?" What a polite way of telling someone to shut the hell up.

Ya gotta appreciate the production value of this show. They really put a lot into it

I'm sorry this guy lost his wife, but glad he survived & met someone else.

That's why one always looks both ways before approaching an intersection, or a rail road crossing, never assume it's okay.

Officer Dave is the man. He is definitely the epitome of a hero.

that was so sad the old woman died

We should all have a campaign to have this show back on the air. Sign petitions, bother your local TV station, anything to get this show back

love how he handcuffed the dude to the bumper "Kindergarten Cop" style

Wow. This officer is an absolute hero. Also, I love how they re-enacted this without cheesy special effects or over-dramatization.

George Yokich was a WW2 vetran and passed away in November 2000.

the sheer genius of knowing to turn the brake on that box car was amazing. . i cried for the death of the wife.

I know. I always look both ways at railroad crossings even when the lights aren't flashing because of this episode. My friends think I'm nuts.

I read somewhere that Rescue 911 was cheaper to produce than a scripted series. Some of the stunts may have been expensive, but they probably saved money by not having to pay for big name actors.

I don't know about any other state police or troopers, but I WILL say that the Michigan State Police are the best cops I've ever known. None of the "hoo-rah" stuff from them. In my interactions with them, they always come off as cool and calm, no drama. No ganging up in mass groups when pulling over cars. When you get a ticket, that's all. No screaming, no loud talk, no crap. I think it's rather unique to the MSP. If one pulls you over, just do as he asks.

That was fricken AMAZING what the cop did, I can't believe he was able to jump onto the boxcar

This cop took an incredible risk to stop those box cars. I am in awe.

I've been watching clips from this old show for a while now...and it makes me sad because the overall quality of our police officers seems to have gone down. When I was a child I wouldn't have hesitated to run to a police officer. I knew they would keep me safe but over the last 5-10 years, im generally afraid of most police officers now and ive never been arrested or on the wrong side of the law but some days I wonder if the children in my life will ever know that same feeling of safety

That officer is amazing!! I’m so glad that man found a new wife and he’s right, life must go on.

Not only did that officer save a life, but he put his own life on the line to save that life.

I remember watching 911 I remember this episode sad that he lost his wife I wish they can bring back rescue 911 it were a good show to watch it would be nice to bring it back especially in 2021 thank you for the video

I remember this episode from when i was a kid. Because of this i always double check every rail road crossing for run away boxcars. Plenty of times i have looked and sure enough there was a train down the tracks. You never know how something can affect you.

This officer is an absolutely fearless hero. He risked his life to save others! God bless you Officer Hare.

This is the definition of police officer. What a hero! So brave!

R.I.P. Celine 😔🤧😭. You will be miss, loved, never forgotten, and most of all you will be in our hearts💞.

RIP Selene. Thank you officer for your bravery, you earned your pay and more that day!

Thank you for uploading all of these old episodes. I’ve watched these over and over and over as a kid. I’m older now but I still come back from time to time… good luck in your hunt for the missing episodes!

This is just a few miles from where I grew up. I remember watching this when I was like 10. This used to be mine and my cousins favorite show.

Holy Cow. If I'm ever in trouble I want this Trooper David Hare to show up ! He could easily have lost his own life in trying to save someones else's. So sad about the wife ;..( But look what a vital man he saved - good for him for wanting to go on with life !

George is the sweetest person

Watching this in 2020 when cops are getting a bad press but this guy was a real hero. You can tell he looks like a "by the book" kind of guy and probably quite firm but his duty to protect and serve comes first.

According to a news article, the boxcars broke loose at a rail yard about five miles away from where the crash happened.

This is a situation called "failure to shunt". It can happen with rusty rails, or improperly adjusted track circuits.

Wow...that's a sad one. Feel sorry for the elderly driver and his deceased wife. I worked for a freight railroad for just under 1 year, it was so darn dangerous, I almost got hit by 2 loose and moving boxcars, without a locomotive attached, in a yard but a fellow railroader pulled me away from the track ! 4 months later we were pulling 8 empty boxcars out of a factory loading dock track, the first 2 cars had their handbrakes set (on), only the first 2 or 3 cars are supposed to have the brakes on when they are sitting still on a loading siding, so I had the locomotive couple up to the 8 cars and I released the brakes on the first 2, and checked the 3rd car, it didn't have the brakes ("parking brakes" for non railroaders) on so I knew the remaining 5 cars wouldn't have the brakes on, so I told the locomotive engineer to "pull 'em all out (of the factory siding). BUT what I didn't know was that some non-railroad jerk had applied (set) the brakes on the 5th car back. As I stood just outside of the factory, maybe 15 feet away from the track and the slow moving boxcars, just watching the cars pass by me I suddenly heard the loud squealing of brakes, then to my horror I noticed that 5th car (with the brakes on) swaying back and forth violently as it was being pulled along with all it's brakes locked on, the steel wheels just sliding over the rails, I yelled over the radio to the engineer "STOP THE TRAIN ! STOP THE TRAIN RIGHT NOW !" , but he didn't hear me and kept on pulling the 8 cars out, that 5th car just started rocking and rocking more violently. There were 2 cars left over to pass me then came the rocking 5th car, I knew it would probably derail, maybe even tip over...and IF IT DID TIP OVER IT WOULD LAND RIGHT ON ME, I'd be squished like a red ripe tomato run over by a car. I ran away from the tracks as fast as I ever ran, and I swear to you it DID tip over and landed right where I had been standing. I must have ran really fast and it missed me by 25 feet !! 6 weeks later I quit that damn railroad. The ironic thing is I WAS a COP for 20 years before I moved to the railroad !! LOL. I got a position as an Officer a month later. You would never think the railroad was far MORE dangerous than the police department, but not so ! I completed 25 years total as a cop and 11 months on the railroad... 8 times in my 25 year law enforcement career I was shot at, but they missed every time, a gunshot may have injured me or killed me depending where I got hit, but that boxcar that tipped over would have definitely killed me, so would the two moving freight cars in the yard, but I was very lucky the "Man Upstairs" saved me from the tipped over boxcar and a fellow railroader saved me in that railroad yard ! The times I was shot at I got lucky, one dark moonless night a 30.06 rifle round hit the rear of my police car and penetrated the right rear quarter panel and bounced around inside the trunk a few times before coming to a rest, the guy that shot at me, for no known reason BTW, was far away, he knew I was a cop because I had my blue lights on, I just saw the muzzle flash and heard the crack of the bullet but couldn't see exactly where he (or she) was standing. Two other times fellow officers were firing at the bad guy as he shot at me, both times my partners aim was true and the suspect was hit, neither died, and of course they missed me and my fellow officers (thank God). The rest of the times the shooters missed me by a "mile" and harmlessly hit walls, a tree and a dumpster, 4 times I returned fire but missed, but all the times (4) that I returned fire were at night, twice on very dark and rainy nights, so I never was able to acquire a clear shot. I never knew any of the men and women on the railroad that were killed during my "long" (LOL) 11 month RR career, but at least 3 were killed within 3 to 4 hundred miles of my home terminal during the time I worked for the RR, it's safe to say that more than just 3 were killed back then if I had nationwide stats to study.. I did personally know 3 police officers pretty well that were killed in the line of duty, and was casual acquaintances with 3 more that were killed in the line of duty within about 4 or 5 hundred miles of where I worked and lived. I do know railroad worker deaths have declined dramatically in the past 10 or 15 years, partly because the railroads employ far, far less people than they did before, mainly because many different types of jobs on the RR's have been eliminated by automation and/or computers. 20 or more years ago a single freight train often had a crew of 5 men, now the same type train only needs 2, sometimes even 1 man crews. Also about 30 years ago almost all towns, even the little ones had a depot with at least 1 man working in the station often 24 hrs. a day, plus many, many (signal) towers that were manned 24/7, and although railroads carry far more freight and passengers too, trains are longer in length, so there are a bit fewer trains running each 24 hours. Many Amtrak passenger trains have fewer crew members on board, even though they're now carrying many, many more passengers than they did 20 or 30 years ago, even sold out long distance passenger trains often carry between 250 to 400 passengers, sometimes even 500 passengers. A typical long distance passenger train now may have an on board crew of only 12 to 14 employees (say 2 in the locomotive, 1 "Attendant" in each of 3 to 4 Sleeping Cars and 4 to 5 CoachClass cars, plus only 3 or 4 in a full service Dining Car (or only 1 in a Cafe Car) and 1 in a Lounge/Bar/Scenic Observation car, in years gone by a popular long distance passenger run might have 16 to 20 (including in mail cars, today Amtrak doesn't carry mail anymore). Incidentally passenger trains are the safest way to travel, passenger fatalities have spiked on longer distance buses and in private automobiles and are about the same on airlines.So anyway, railroad work is safer now. Nowadays there is a modest increase in police officers due to population growth, violent crimes, terroristic crimes, terrorism related security, increases in auto accidents, road rage and crackdowns on drunk drivers, domestic violence and "school resource" Officers. However many cash strapped cities have failed to hire enough new Police Officers to keep up with increases in incidents requiring police services. Some bigger cities can no longer investigate auto crashes unless there are injuries, minor thefts can be reported on-line, etc. all due to budget issues. Clearly the number of Officers shot or ambushed and shot is up, yet all in all fewer Officers are involved in injury auto accidents, on the job illnesses, etc. However due to the spike in ambushes and shootings of Officers police are far less likely to be sent to a call of almost any type of situation alone, calls for service require 2 or more Officers to be sent, even Officers making "routine traffic stops" are usually sent a back-up unit, because, well, there is no such thing as a "routine traffic stop" anymore. Sad state of affairs. Anyway, since I worked for a railroad and was a Police Officer I can't help but be curious, which job was more dangerous 20 or 30 years back and which is more dangerous now ? My guess, after looking at a few stats and having friends in both types of work is this...back in the 1970's BOTH jobs were more dangerous than most, however including serious injuries and fatalities back then the railroad was a bit more dangerous, but right now in 2016 law enforcement has taken the lead in injuries and fatalities. Thank technology, fewer employees and an industry wide push to obey safety rules for making the railroad a bit safer to work for, and thanks to a more violent society, a decline in "personal responsibility" , people that manage to remain anonymous on the Internet and promote anti-government propaganda/terrorism and the same in Internet "social media" circles,and a disgusting decline in corporate civic responsibility (specifically APPLE COMPUTERS, INC. actually defying a Federal Judges order to open one (yep just 1) iPhone for Law Enforcement to examine a mass killer & terrorists communications habits and lawfully and likely obtain more phone numbers and names of others involved in the horrifying crimes against innocent citizens), etc. Thank greed, a lust for excessive profits and a vocal anti-society, a vocal anti rules & morals minority for making a man or woman's choice to work as an everyday Police Officer even more dangerous and even more stressful than ever. So it looks like things have changed a bit...for a safer, less stressful career, a less stressful family life that pays better folks like me might want to look at the rails for a long term career. (Proudly written on a Microsoft Windows 10 computer...the Apple is in today's garbage)

Rescue 911 ended when our law enforcement turned into the military. The officer in this one was a true hero and peace officer. Hell he was downright Superman.

Gates at crossings aren't activated by weight, railcars/locomotives wheels activing electrical circuit, that's why rusty rails can keep gates from activating properly.

The people in the car probably saved someone's life by stopping the boxcars. The people in the car are the heroes. That lady gave her life so someone could live.

Incredible.....hats of to that officer , as well as condolences to that man and his wife Celine R.I.P

I’m amazed that the officer knew how to stop the cars. I wonder if younger people today would know how to handle these kinds of freak emergencies? We need more shows like this one! Teaching valuable, life-saving skills!

Rescue 911 re-runs are currently airing on the Justice Network. The channel is available on Dish Network, and also on cable and antenna in some areas of the U.S. Check out their website for showtimes and channel availability in your area: www.justicenetworktv.com/shows/rescue-911

Rescue 911 is currently airing 24/7 on Pluto TV channel 277. You can watch it free here: pluto.tv/live-tv/rescue-911

That's a real police at work. ;- ; he is amazing! Sad this guy lost his wife. I will learn about how trains and their carts work in terms of emergency breaks and etc in case I see something like this happening and hope I can stop it too... What a brave police officer. If he is alive today, I hope he is in good health :)

What a trooper, he deserves so much praise, hope he is blessed for the rest of his life. He really went far beyond what his job called for....♧♧♧

Derek Wall, You have no idea on the weight of locomotive equipment... A typical 50 foot boxcar weighs 32 tons empty. A locomotive weighs 125 tons and wether it is moving or not, it weighs the same. That car got hit with the momentum effect of 64 tons.

It is sad that this happened, but it's nice how even when you loose someone who's close to you, you have a second chance.

This is one hell-of-a cop. BRAVERY to the max! Thank God for people like him.

This was a miracle! That officer Dave knew how to stop those cars added to it!

These reenactments are the best I have ever seen.

Amazing job, Trooper David Hare! I'm glad it wasn't worse than it was. And rest in peace Celine.

Few people deserve the title "Hero" That officer is one that does.

Hopping a moving freight train is no easy task and that runaway, according to the video, was moving at about 40 mph. Trooper David Hare is a hero in my book. When I heard that George, the driver, was okay I relaxed. But then I heard that his wife Celine didn't survive I cried & said a little prayer.

It’s been 34 years since this happened. Actually the 34th anniversary of when this happened was yesterday. It’s a pity Calene died but George found someone new. Dave did a great to save George’s life.

this is a really sad ending :(

That cop should get a medal or some kind of award for what he did

I watched this on the TV show 911. My father(now decease) was a Locomotive Engineer, in fact drove one of the last Steam Locomotives into the Jackson MI/Jax MI yard. He refused to continue working for the railroad, driving diesel train engines. He taught his daughter a lot of safety rules, how to read the signals down the tracks, etc. He told each of his daughters to NEVER go thru crossing gates or try to beat a train. I remember as a 6-7 yr old child my father pointing out the lights to let the engineer be aware of what trains were at on the tracks. Daddy would often pull up to a crossing and have one of us girls tell him what color the lights were down the track. He would say "The light is green, what does it to a person driving or walking across the tracks? Of course, he wanted us to tell him that it means a train was coming and to NEVER cross the tracks, to wait until the train passed. I don't remember him telling us about the fact that boxcars WON'T trip the crossing signals/light and gates. When I saw that 911 episode, I called daddy and told him about and he agreed that the boxcars wouldn't have tripped the signals, thus it was a tragic accident. All these years later, I always pull up to a crossing and STOP-LOOK-LISTEN. (what we were taught in kindergarten!!) and have never forget this 911 episode. I never just cross the tracks, ever. State Trooper Haire/Hair was indeed a hero. Thanks for your service to the people in the State Of Michigan Trooper Haire/Hair!!!!

Whoa! That was intense.

i thought the cop was going to drive up and use his squad to help stop the train at 1st, good thing he knew about the brake wheel! & the car is a early to mid 80's dodge aries. a lot of it's weight was just sliding on the rails, maybe a good thing as it may have been just crumpled up much worse as the cars pushed it along. tuff lil car, though. too bad his wife was killed. cool he met another lady who loves him and, well..no one knows when it's time to meet our maker.

An truly heroic cop! & what an amazing re-enactment too very well done.

He risked his life for someone else, that is what you call a hero, too bad for his wife, my prayers for that man, but moving on can be hard thing to do and he did anyways, good for him, I hope for his wife rest in peace

The dangers of faulty knuckles is apparent. Sad that 1 died but let's face it, this incident could have been much worse

I really appreciate the effort put into this reenactment

The Officer went above and beyond to help the car and the people in it. Its sad the mans wife didn't make it but George is lucky to be alive.

This cop is amazing. This cop outran the boxcars and honestly not many would have done what he did. That's what it is to be a cop. He even stays friends with the guy. He needs more than one medal

Wow, it doesn't get better than that even in the movies. Great job to the police officer.

What a hero, extremely dangerous thing to do but heroic nontheless. Well done Officer

This show is timeless, when men were men women were women and children were disciplined it was a different world what has happened?

This used to be my grandmothers show.. I remember this episode. Brings back so many warm memories.

That was intense!

I remember this show, I watched it all the time.

WOW ! Cop is a really cool guy and hero 😎 Not thinking about himself, only the lives of others. Thank you for your time and service ! ☺️

This is an ancient KZfaq relic! It should be preserved!

Normally the railcar wheels would have caused the signals to operate. Surprised they did not here. The rails may have been too rusty for just two cars to be sensed by the crossing signal system. Courageous officer. Amazing that he could reach the railcars in time and turn the brake wheel. The railcars must have been loaded and heavy to push the car so far without significantly slowing. Did a teenager release the brakes of the railcars?

Chuck Norris ain't got nothing on that Cop !

The officer is a hero and the re-creation is awesome.

Wow, some people are so brave! Jumping on a train like that. You have to be a really special kind of person to do anything to save people, at risk of your own life. This is the kind of stuff you think only happens in movies. God bless these brave heroes and keep them safe.

Hey, that's the old Central Michigan shortline!!!

He said the boxcars were going about 40 mph when they entered the intersection (i.e., when they first hit the car). They were moving slower due to the car being lodged underneath them by the time the cop jumped onboard.

as a teen, I used to climb on trains all the time. I jumped from car to car on top, running and jumping. I'm lucky I was never hurt..but I loved trains, still do. I would jump on the sides and ride them for awhile. it was dangerous, but you don' t think about it when you are young. This cop was beyond brave

That Officer is such a stud. That's a real Hero.

so sad, but i'm happy he remarried :)

R.I.P

I used to watch this show all the time!

I really like that officers thoughts toward helping others. don't think about it, just do what has to be done. I know this is an old story but I hope he got recognized for being a hero.

dudes a G

My sister had a fit when my dad got remarried a few years after our mom died. But our mom died at 65 from cancer. It was too young IMO and I work in Emergency Medicine. Anyway, my sister and dad still don't get along bc of that one incident, although I don't know why my sister's THAT upset. She must know our mom would have done the same thing. She (our mom) used to get after our grandma about dating again after our grandpa died.

I am amazed they got camera footage of the whole thing! Talk about a camera crew being at the right place at the right time! Wow! They even had a shot from the train cars moving forward....WOW!

That’s a trooper going above and beyond his duties!

That's tragic. And a very convincing reminder for curtain airbags, which they did not have in 1985.

This is why you always stop at rail road crossings, even if the lights aren't flashing. So sad.

One really brave police man who undoubtedly saved the man's life. Well done him.