Re: [CBQ] Naperville crash

["HOL WAGNER via groups.io" <holpennywagner=msn.com@groups.io>]

Great information Bob; thanks!

Hol

Sent from my T-Mobile 4G LTE Device

-------- Original message --------

From: "Bob Webber via groups.io" <cz17=comcast.net@groups.io>

Date: 8/4/25 7:03 AM (GMT-07:00)

To: CBQ@groups.io

Subject: Re: [CBQ] Naperville crash

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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