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Re: [CBQ] Naperville crash

To: CBQ@groups.io
Subject: Re: [CBQ] Naperville crash
From: "Bob Webber via groups.io" <cz17=comcast.net@groups.io>
Date: Mon, 04 Aug 2025 06:03:21 -0700
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The wreck photos are available from Indiana University (including color) along 
with a host of other sites (just put in "Naperville Wreck" photos).  This 
includes video.

The Pullman Library has a folder for the wreck with photos and data.   Many of 
the cars involved were owned by Pullman Co. and more were built by Pullman Car 
& Manufacturing Co or Pullman-Standard Car & Manufacturing (the production and 
operating companies were separate entities form 1924 on) and owned by the RRs 
(like the NP HW coach mentioned).  

P-S was concerned with the wreck for a variety of reasons - and it came at an 
interesting time.  CB&Q & AT&SF and others had complained about Pullman's 
(near) monopoly on sleepers (operating & production).   Pullman continually 
stated that this was due to the safety concerns of their employes (their 
spelling).  The resulting US Government anti-trust suits were in their 
wind-down phase (the parlor cars were disposed of to railroads in 1946-1947, 
sleepers in 1948).  The Naperville wreck was an example of Pullman's concerns - 
most employes' deaths occurred in the Budd pre-war diner, which was sandwiched 
between two HW cars (I  think on either side, it might just have been behind 
... have to check that).  The car had most of it's side sheered off and the HW 
car plowed right through.   

Due (in large part) to this wreck, pre-war Budd-built cars were (mostly) 
required to have sister sills mated to the existing center sills to strengthen 
the cars.  You can see that today at IRM on the Nebraska Zephyr.  The issue was 
more than just the sill - the collision posts were moved to the end of the car 
(or, if there) and purlins attached to it (if you look at pre-war cars, the 
purlins "dive" down before the end of the car, on post-war cars, they run end 
to end).  

As with many tragic accidents, changes had to be made for safety.  P-S - as 
well as other manufacturers sent someone out to wrecks, accidents & incidents 
to learn all they could.  While we don't have all or even most of the files, 
the ones there are interesting.  For instance, the issue with P-S applique 
stainless siding warranted a trip to the shops on the AT&SF.  They were very 
concerned about maintenance and literally tore down their cars when refreshing 
them.  As they took the siding off, there was corrosion (the mis-named "Pullman 
rot").  P-S sent a man down to look the situation over.   And discovered it was 
all down to maintenance.  The cars had weep holes at the bottom of the sheets, 
and those holes were meant to drain water away from between the sheets 
(stainless outside, cor-ten inside).  What was happening was that in the dry, 
dusty route they ran in, the cars had holes that were effectively closed due to 
mud drying and clogging the weep holes.  Just like the Budd DZ trucks, the 
bottom line was without maintenance, things just don't work well or for a long 
time.  Railroads were notorious for deferred maintenance.  So, ride quality in 
trucks went down, corrosion happened, cars were retired "early".  The same 
thing has happened with Amtrak (only worse).  


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