A Thanksgiving Miracle: Sully Safely Lands Runaway Amtrak Train in Hudson

(TLC Wire Service) The 8:20 Amtrak train out of Penn Station was expected to arrive in Albany at 10:50, carrying a contingent of NY lawmakers and Chesley Sullenberger, the celebrated pilot who was traveling to be with family for Thanksgiving. Somewhere between the Poughkeepsie and Rhinecliff-Kingston stations -- which are fifteen minutes apart – the train ran the rails and began its plunge into the cold waters of the Hudson River below.

Amid the shrieks and cries of the horror-stricken passengers and crew, Sullenberger remained as unflappable as Ben Hogan bending over a four foot putt.

“When one of the assemblymen landed in my lap I knew immediately it was a very serious situation,” said Sullenberger. “We were rapidly losing altitude and unable to reach the next station, which by my rough estimate was some 10 minutes away. We were running out of options…so we decided to use the Hudson as an emergency runway, or whatever it is trains use to land. I was confident we’d manage to get the train down safely and in one piece.”

On January 15, 2009, Sullenberger was in the cockpit of US Airways Flight 1549, when both engines on the plane were disabled by a bird strike. Sullenberger ditched the plane, safely landing it on the Hudson River.

Shivering and wet, all 143 people onboard the 8:20 were rescued. Some were being treated on the scene, others were taken to a local hospital for further treatment and observation. Everyone we had the chance to speak with expressed their great good fortune in having Sully on hand to guide them to safety.

With his legendary humility, Sullenberger brushed aside references to his heroism. “We are trained for these situations," he said. "Instinct, combined with preparation, takes over. I was just doing what I was trained to do.” Sullenberger has been retired for nearly 15 years.

The train’s conductor Karl Böhm, a 20 year Amtrak veteran, took issue with the description of the events leading up to the splash landing, which New York City Mayor Eric Adams dubbed “The Return of the Miracle on the Hudson.”

“I don’t know how to say this exactly, as Mr. Sullenberger is a true American hero, but, with all due respect he was sitting three cars away when we began our descent,” said Bohm. “The only thing Chesley Sullenberger contributed was the idea that you could safely set down a megaton mass transit conveyance in a large body of water. I’ll be honest, I didn’t think it could be done.”

Queens assemblyman Clyde Vanel was thrown from the train and treaded the icy waters for several long minutes before being pulled to safety. Minutes after his rescue, the assemblyman demanded that flotation devices – and cyanide pellets - be made mandatory aboard all Amtrak trains.

“Today we learned there’s a difference between safely ditching a train and crashing one,“ said Amtrak spokesman Hank Hamilton. “And that difference is one Chesley Sullenberger, whose quick thinking and cool under pressure is an inspiration to us all.”

With that, Marc Pomerantz, a volunteer with the Poughkeepsie fire department, lead his fellow New Yorkers in a spontaneous cheer that captured the festive mood: “J-E-T-S…Jets!! Jets!!! Jets!!!” The cheer was abruptly cut short when a fellow fan wearing an Aaron Rodgers jersey wandered into the scrum, a sobering reminder that in just 48 hours, they’d all be with family for Thanksgiving.