[CBQ] RE: Oregon, Ill Bridge

[<bnsf9580@gmail.com>]

I'm not too entirely sure, but it may have been in the 1990's. During that time 
(I wasn't alive yet but I've heard the story from my dad) there was a nasty 
train wreck on the BN. Back before the wreck, the siding was one of the 
shortest on the line. The west switch was before the bend looking westward, and 
the east switch was right up at the bridge, with the signal actually on the 
bridge. One day (if I recall from my father who lived in Oregon at the time), 
there was a train headed westward into the siding, while an EB train was 
heading down the grade at Oregon, running long hood forward. Due to the long 
hood, and the positioning of the signals on the east switch, the EB train 
wasn't able to see the red signal in time, because the WB still had cars on the 
bridge. They collided, and I believe a part of the bridge was wrecked as well. 
I don't remember if there were any casualties or not, but if you ever get the 
chance to go inside the CBQ depot in Oregon, there are pictures of the wrecked 
locomotives on the walls in there. So with that, it would make sense that they 
painted the bridge silver after rebuilding it. But like I said, I'm not sure.