--- In BRHSlist@y..., Bill Chambers <ace1942us@y...> wrote:
>
> If memory serves me right, the very same thing
> happened on the California Zephyr in the late 1960s.
> I could be wrong, but I swear I remember hearing about
> this on the TV news out of Des Moines.
>
> Somewhere east of Creston, one of the motors in one of
> the CZ's E-units caught fire. Naturally, the fireman
> was fighting to save the unit, but this time, there
> was a dispatcher doing his job. The train was west of
> Osceola, and he contacted the Osceola fire department.
> They met the CZ near the Osceola station and put out
> the fire.
>
> Maybe we are talking about the same event, but I swear
> that I remember a news item about an engine room fire
> on the California Zephyr.
>
> Bill
>
bill,
think this was a osceola also, had written osceola but when reread
for grammer thought for a sec and wrote chariton.
ottumwa dispatcher would not answer repeated emergency calls from
the head end of #30. the plan made by the condr (think was a creston
or east ottumwa train crew of course w ottumwa engine crew) and engr
was to pull up to depot cut off from train and pull away some. then
think the plan was they were going to cut off the burning unit if
they could. after the conversation between the crew on what they
were going to do, the dispatcher was getting interested. then the
fireman came and said the fire was burning out, not as bad as it
was. the dispatcher was continually trying to raise the head end,
think reporting he had called the fire brigade and they would meet
them, if you can hear me....... no radio dead spots anywhere near, i
don't think.
after several nervous moments and repeated calls trying to contact
the headend they acknowledged the dispatchers call.
they did stop at the depot, don't remember if they cut away from
their train or not. fire dept was there and did have a look see or
put remaining fire out, believe it had just about all burnt out but
could be wrong. cause of fire was a flashover, i think, and it set
some oil inside the unit to burning.
bill, could very well of been an engine fire on the CZ. want to say
yes there was another engine fire a few years later but can't say
for sure and sure don't remember the crew. this fire on #30 was in
1965-66, would of been at night about 1230-100am or so.
warren
|