Re: [CBQ] Fw: [IRMlist] New vintage photos uploaded-downers grove wreck of #24

["qutlx1@aol.com [CBQ]" <CBQ@yahoogroups.com>]

I had heard the story of the Downers Grove wreck years ago but this exchange has cleared up some errors in the verbal record for me. Also After reading the local papers reports some things hit me as just not exactly right. So I went to the ICC accident report and from there here are a couple clarifications.

Like so many wrecks it took a set of unlikely incidents to fall into an exact sequence to cause this calamity.

1) the freight train was going west not east as reported in the paper.

2) the flat had been loaded at I.H. in the area known as the lumber district. Car was pulled by the I.N.,delivered to the Q in a cut of 34 and taken to western Ave yard,subsequently to Morton Park. It was destined to New Orleans via IN-Q-GM&O

3)The IH inspector stated there were side braces as well as did Q inspectors from Western Ave and Morton Park .One went so far as to state he tested each by striking them with a hammer.

4)inspection of the car after the incident found pine boards of a length that could have been side bracing lose on the flat car(no signs of nails or nail holes in them) and also a broken hammer was found on the flat"....... There had been two tractors loaded on the flat. The one remaining had the required side bracing.

5) the ICC ruled the cause of the accident was transporting a loaded flat w/o the required bracing.

6) the rear man saw sparks flying but before he could do anything,the tractor slid off,uncoupling the train and was almost immediately hit by #24.

Leo Phillipp

Sent from my iPad

On Nov 9, 2014, at 9:06 AM, "Michael Matalis mmatalis@sprynet.com [CBQ]" <CBQ@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 

The wreck of the Twin Cities Zephyr back in 1947.  This link will send you to a site with contemporary news articles and photos of the wreck,

http://lincoln.lib.niu.edu/498R/zephyr/accident.html

Thank you kindly,

Michael Matalis

Downers Grove IL

You can see my railroad photography blog at http://www.chasingheavymetal.com/blog/

You can see my photos and my ugly mug at http://www.flickr.com/photos/prairierailfan/sets/

And you can now find me on Facebook

On Nov 9, 2014, at 8:59 AM, roy wojahn zuch2rew@yahoo.com [CBQ] wrote:

OH, Boy!  CB&Q at Downers Grove!

On Sunday, November 9, 2014 6:56 AM, roy wojahn <zuch2rew@yahoo.com> wrote:

First picture.  That looks like Downers Grove!

On Saturday, November 8, 2014 10:54 AM, "qa3688@comcast.net  [IRMlist]" <IRMlist@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

The Barriger Library has uploaded a new treasure trove of
railroad photos.

Here is a familiar train in an undesirable situation:

lewis-unkown640

			lewis-unkown640 Explore barrigerlibrary's photos on Flickr. barrigerlibrary has uploaded 25124 photos to Flickr.
			View on www.flickr.com	Preview by Yahoo

 

Chuck Amstein

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Posted by: qutlx1@aol.com

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