1907 steam engine wreck

January 5, 2009 – 9:39 am

train-derailment-1907.jpg

If I had a hint at the month there would be good odds in finding the original article. At the time of the train wreck, the Tribune used few photos. This was last printed on the pages of The Telegram-Tribune May 15, 1956: ENGINE TAKES SPILL…A Southern Pacific work crew gets ready to hoist an engine out of the ditch along the Cuesta Grade. A. Frossard, a long-time railroad employee, places the time as 1907.

  1. 5 Responses to “1907 steam engine wreck”

  2. Wow! I’ll SAY it took a spill.

    By Sarah on Jan 5, 2009

  3. David,
    Its difficult to say for sure, but Im about 90% certain this is the same wreck (a few hours later after the wrecking crane arrived) as the one you have posted under Lark Train Wreck on 18 September 2008. The engine is a 4-4-2 Atlantic class passenger engine, sitting in approximately the same position, angle, and distance from the roadbed as the previous picture. That one was dated as the late teens or early 20’s which would appear correct. Keep posting, great stuff!

    Joe Dunlap

    By Joe Dunlap on Jan 5, 2009

  4. Well, as they say in football, “upon further review” I have to change my decision. Not the same engine. The one in the earlier photo appears to be a 4-6-2, and has its airtank below the running board, and this one doesnt. Your date of 07 is probably right on the money. As for the month, it appears to be nice weather, on overcoats. Late spring or summer maybe?

    Joe

    By Joe Dunlap on Jan 5, 2009

  5. We all gotta run outta steam sometime. It’s just the cycle of life.

    By Pat on Jan 6, 2009

  6. Thanks for the comments Sarah, Joe & Pat.
    I deleted the duplicate comment Joe, hope you don’t mind. There is a a figure of speech that uses the train wreck as a yardstick.
    “Yeah, that meeting was a train wreck.”
    I’m not sure what measuring stick they use for train wrecks, whatever it is I’m pretty sure it is not metric.

    By David Middlecamp on Jan 6, 2009

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