Here we are -- quoting from Bill Schultz's manuscript on the Zephyrs (and I was wrong in my recollection that it was nearer Creston, as it actually happened just east of Villisca -- about midway between Red Oak and Creston):
"Twelve explosive charges placed on the westbound main line two and a half miles east of Nodaway, Ia., rocked the westbound Denver Zephyr when set off by person or persons unknown at 12:05 a.m. on Monday, September 14, 1942, as No. 1 was traveling at 80 miles an hour. Remarkably, the train did not derail, and engineer Frank O. Paulius was able to halt the train within a quarter mile after the blasts occurred. None of the 180 passengers or members of the crew were injured, with many of the passengers asleep at the time and unaware of the explosions which occurred after the two motors and two head cars had passed over the furthermost charge. The 10 remaining cars of the train suffered relatively slight damage, with two chair cars and a 12-section sleeping car receiving most of the damage (to air brake equipment) . . . Foot-deep holes were left in the roadbed where the explosions occurred, and several crossties were shattered at the respective points of explosion. Emergency repairs were made to the DZ on the spot, and the train -- due in Omaha at 1:10 a.m. -- departed Nodaway at 4:27 a.m., arriving in Omaha at 7:37 a.m., where passengers were transferred to a stub No. 1 for continuation of their journey to Denver, while the damaged Zephyr deadheaded east to Aurora shops for repair."
There is much more dtail about the incident and the subsequent investigation in Bill's manuscript, but suffice it to say that no one was ever apprehended or charged in the matter, and in the wartime paranoia at the time it was assumed to have been an attempt at sabotage, though to what end no one ever knew.
Hol
To: cbq@yahoogroups.com From: holpennywagner@msn.com Date: Tue, 17 Dec 2013 07:49:25 -0700 Subject: RE: [CBQ] Re: Passenger Train Wreck at Red Oak in 1942
Rick: Give me some time to dig the details out of my files, but the incident you refer to is undoubtedly the explosion that occurred underneath the Denver Zephyr at speed, much nearer Creston than Red Oak, as I recall, in 1942. I'll post the details once I dig them out. Hol
To: cbq@yahoogroups.com From: rkeil6721@hotmail.com Date: Mon, 16 Dec 2013 16:23:55 -0600 Subject: RE: [CBQ] Re: Passenger Train Wreck at Red Oak in 1942
Found it, thanks. No accident in the report for CB&Q in 1941-1944 for Red Oak, closest was Chillicothe, collision with light engine. Ricky
To: CBQ@yahoogroups.com From: cbqrr47@yahoo.com Date: Mon, 16 Dec 2013 13:57:56 -0800 Subject: Re: [CBQ] Re: Passenger Train Wreck at Red Oak in 1942
There is a link. I don't have it right now, but a Google search will get it.
On Monday, December 16, 2013 3:47 PM, Rick <rkeil6721@hotmail.com> wrote:
Is there a specific link/location or just do a Google search? Thanks Ricky
To: CBQ@yahoogroups.com From: cbqrr47@yahoo.com Date: Mon, 16 Dec 2013 12:51:52 -0800 Subject: Re: [CBQ] Re: Passenger Train Wreck at Red Oak in 1942
Check the ICC reports on line.
On Monday, December 16, 2013 2:45 PM, Rick <rkeil6721@hotmail.com> wrote:
Bill That is why I put the preface about the CZ in the first part of the email as I was pretty sure it wasn't the CZ but I needed to confirm with the knowledgeable people on this list. I'll see if I can get a date and time of the alleged incident to try and narrow the train choices down. I agree that it is more than likely rumor. However, unless the question is asked, it will always be a rumor. I've been through Red Oak and I'm sure it was even more rural in 1942. That doesn't mean it couldn't happen, it would probably be far easier to cover something up in a rural area than a more metropolitan area. As a final point, it may not have been in Red Oak but near Red Oak and there is nothing out there for miles. But I'm guessing you're right about Mr Corbin, he proably would have known something if it were real. Thanks Ricky Keil Papillion, NE
To: CBQ@yahoogroups.com From: clipperw@gmail.com Date: Mon, 16 Dec 2013 10:05:42 -0600 Subject: [CBQ] Re: Passenger Train Wreck at Red Oak in 1942 Ricky,
As someone else noted, the CZ did start operation until 1949. In 1942, the West Coast train was the Exposition Flyer, inaugurated in 1939. Of course, at that time, there were a number of passenger trains that passed through Red Oak each day, including the Denver Zephyr. Since that was during the early days of WWII, there were also a number of troop trains that probably ran as extras or sections of other trains. Most of the trains wold have been heavy weight equipment as Q's stock of individual lightweight Budd cars was somewhat limited. If your friend knows the time of the accident, I am sure that someone with a timetable from the period could determine which train it was.
Personally, I rather doubt that the wreck was caused by sabotage. There are very few reported instances of railroad sabotage during the war and most of those were rumors. The most prominent one was the wreck of a Nickel Plate tank train in Ohio and that was never proved to be sabotage. While there were some very minor instances of German agents infiltrating the U.S. during the war, all of those were confined to the east coast and arrived by U-boat submarines. They were also quickly captured without doing significant damage. The only German combatants that I have ever heard of in the Midwest were captured soldiers held in camps in Wisconsin and other locations. Keep in mind that Red Oak was the home of one of the most active Q railfans, Bernard Corbin and he seemed to have more than normal access to the RR's activities during the war, including photography. I am sure that if a sabotage event occurred anywhere near Red Oak, he would have known about it. Red Oak was and is a relatively small town and the area around it is rural farm country. Otherwise, I suppose that it makes a good fictitious story, but such stories have a way of becoming fact and undermine the real history.
Bill Barber
Gravois Mills, MO
Sun Dec 15, 2013 8:40 am (PST) . Posted by:
All
A daughter of a fellow modeler is planning to write a novel either about or including a passenger train wreck in Red Oak, IA in 1942. My friend indicated it was the CZ but I thought 1942 was before the CZ went into service under that name.
The meat of my request is the circumstances. The rumor is that the wreck was caused by sabotage, perhaps by a German sabotage team. The charges were small enough to just derail the train and I don't believe there were any fatalities. I say rumor because there is no information, they checked the local newspaper and county historical records to no avail.
Evidently, the rumor is that the War Department covered the incident up so as to not instill panic as the travelling public was using the railroads pretty much exclusively for travel of any distance in 1942.
My request is either for first hand information or possible leads to find the information. I will provide the contact information for the author if anyone wants to provide first hand information.
Thanks
Ricky Keil
Papillion, NE
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