Thirty-Six Hours (21 Nov. 2008)

Two trains collide, a passenger train and a freight train carrying toxic chemicals. Don, Charlie and the team are brought to the scene, investigating a potential crime.

Director:

Rod Holcomb

Writers:

Cheryl Heuton (creator), Nicolas Falacci (creator),

Stars:

Rob Morrow, David Krumholtz, Judd Hirsch

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Rob Morrow	...	Don Eppes
David Krumholtz	...	Charlie Eppes
Judd Hirsch	...	Alan Eppes
Alimi Ballard	...	David Sinclair
Dylan Bruno	...	Colby Granger
Navi Rawat	...	Amita Ramanujan
Sophina Brown	...	Nikki Betancourt
Lourdes Benedicto	...	Estella Ramirez
Larry Clarke	...	James Malin
Mark Pellegrino	...	Tim Hamer
Randall Arney	...	Richard Cory
Antonio Fargas	...	Jeffrey Knight
Tony Amendola	...	Roman Markovius
Robert Neary	...	Ed Clark
Johnny Chavez	...	Ralph Ramirez

Storyline

Just off a long stakeout, Don's weary team puts in another sleepless day-and-a-half when they become part of a rescue/investigation after a freight train transporting toxic chemicals crashes into a passenger train, obliterating the black boxes. As Charlie's bots map the site, Amita tries to determine the collision's cause, Nikki sees only one possible scenario, and David chomps at the bit as more victims are jeopardized.

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Plot Keywords:

freight train | passenger train | train crash | gas mask | methyl isocyanate | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 November 2008 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

CBS Paramount Network Television, Barry Schindel Company, The, Scott Free Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

A camera and hand can be clearly seen as Don pulls David away from the train near the start of the episode telling him that there is a toxic leak.

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Quotes

Tim Hamer: [Frantically trying to summon help as the cargo train he and Cutty are driving is about to crash] Desert Pacific Rail, do you read me? Over!
Cutty Nagim: We're not gonna make it!
[Slams on the emergency brake; it does not work]
Cutty Nagim: I can't get it stopped!
Tim Hamer: Dispatch! This is Desert Pacific Rail! Dispatch, do you read me?
Cutty Nagim: Jump, Tim!
Tim Hamer: [Makes one last attempt] DISPATCH!
Cutty Nagim: TIM, JUMP!
[Tim jumps off the moving train, while Cutty stays behind the wheel as it crashes]

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Crazy Credits

[This appears on the beginning of the episode] 1.77 trillion revenue ton-miles 1.8 million carloads of hazardous material 3000 railroad stations 1.5 miles to stop

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Soundtracks

"Passenger Song"
(uncredited)
Performed by Great Lake Swimmers

User Reviews

Anti-business bias

Lousy episode. The producers allowed their left wing bias to distort the plot.

This episode was based on the runaway train wreck twenty years ago in the El Cajon pass in California. That happened because the weight of the train was miscalculated and other technical problems with the brakes.

In this fictional version, the brakes were OK, the train would have stopped in time except for the callous disregard of safety by the rail operator (railroad president) who deliberately sends overloaded trains down the tracks. The plot looks at a mobster as a possible culprit for a while then clears him. That is so the FBI agents can chat among themselves, explicitly equating normal business ethics with those of the Mob. This happens long before the businessman is fingered for the crime.

To add to the air of the surreal, the passengers trapped in the crashed train are rescued by FBI special agents, the regular cast, instead of by Fire and Rescue personnel. This being Hollywood, they do not wear hard hats or firefighters' helmets or fire resistant clothing as they crawl inside the wreckage. That would keep the viewers from recognizing the actors. Dumb and offensive.