Richard,
I lived in Downers from 1946 to 1972. The wrecks that I recall were the 1947 Zephyr wreck, an empty ore train that derailed at Forest Ave and involved 10 - 15 cars ( don't recall the date but would guess it to be late 1950s or very early 1960s), the Belmont wreck (date anybody?) and the 1965 Maple Ave. wreck. Further away from Downers were the 1946 Naperville wreck, the September 27, 1964 Montgomery, IL head on collision, and a wreck that occurred at the Q bridge over the IHB in La Grange, I think in the 1970s. My guess is that the ore train derailment might have been the one you saw.
Bill Barber Gravois Mills, MO
Fri Aug 14, 2015 9:25 am (PDT) . Posted by:Not to add confusion to this very interesting topic, but wasn't there another big derailment around Downers Grove in the early 1950's? I know it was later as I was walking around with my Dad and had to be around 10 or 12. It's not this wreck as I would have only been 2 years old in 1947. I remember my Dad and I watching the "Steam" wrecker moving freight car bodies around. I remember the steam coming from the crane, the smell of coal smoke coming from it, and all the clanking noise that it made when working. Those great memories are not forgotten. But what and when was that wreck. Thanks, Richard Forst (formerly from Brookfield, IL).
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Posted by: William Barber <clipperw@gmail.com>
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