In Karnataka, scenes from Hollywood film ‘Unstoppable’ played out in real life. A runaway train engine that travelled nearly 13 kilometres without a driver was brought to a halt after a dramatic chase on a bike.

On Wednesday afternoon, a Mumbai-bound train arrived at Karnataka’s Wadi Junction where the electric engine is swapped with a diesel engine as part of the onward journey (Wadi to Solapur) isn’t electrified. After switching the two engines, the loco pilot got off it and to his horror, the diesel engine began moving in the opposite direction.

What happened next is straight out of a movie as a railway staff member chased the rogue engine on a motorbike. The engine moved at a speed of 30km/hour, reported Times Of India. Railway officials alerted the next few stations to clear the signals and tracks to avoid any accident. Trains from opposite direction were also halted, officials said.

After a 20-minute chase, the ghost engine slowed down which is when the bike-riding official managed to board it and bring it to a stop. The engine finally came to a halt ahead of Nalwar station, nearly 13 kilometres away.

A special probe has been launched into why the engine ran amok, railway officials said. No mishap was reported in the dramatic chase, reported The Hindu.