@@ -916,10 +916,16 @@
 ;;           *runconfigdat* (runconfigs.config info)
 ;;           *configstatus* (status of the read data)
 ;;
 (define (launch:setup #!key (force-reread #f) (areapath #f))
   (mutex-lock! *launch-setup-mutex*)
+  ;; this stops the train quickly for new processes
+  (if (and *toppath*
+	   (file-exists? (conc *toppath*"/stop-the-train")))
+      (begin
+	(debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "ERROR: found file "*toppath*"/stop-the-train, exiting immediately")
+	(exit 1)))
   (if (and *toppath*
 	   (eq? *configstatus* 'fulldata) (not force-reread)) ;; got it all
       (begin
 	(debug:print 2 *default-log-port* "NOTE: skipping launch:setup-body call since we have fulldata")
 	(mutex-unlock! *launch-setup-mutex*)