The Glenrock train wreck is the worst train wreck in Wyoming history, killing 30.[2] It happened on the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad between Glenrock and Casper on September 27, 1923. (The nearest current community is Meadow Acres, lying west of the site, across the North Platte River). It occurred when the Casper to Denver train, only 15 miles into its journey, plunged into Cole Creek after the bridge spanning it had washed away after three days of storms.[3]
The storms of September 27–29 caused flooding over much of central Wyoming and wrecked other railroad bridges, though none with such catastrophic results. Newspaper reporters from Denver who attempted to reach the site by road were still stranded 100 miles away on September 29.[4]
The Wreck
The train concerned was operated jointly by the Burlington and the Colorado and Southern Railroad and comprised seven cars hauled by Colorado and Southern engine No. 350 (an F-3-A class 4-6-2 built by Baldwin in 1911 (serial number 35771).[1] It had left Casper at 8:35 p.m., due in Denver at 10 a.m. the following day.[5] According to the official ICC report, it was traveling at a speed between 30 and 40 miles per hour (48 and 64 km/h) when it reached bridge 98 crossing Cole Creek; the bridge being on a curve was not visible to the headlights of the train until it was too late. The only surviving member of the train or engine crew stated that the emergency brakes were only applied just before the train plunged off the rails.
After the accident, very little of the bridge structure remained. The engine ended up 'practically submerged in sand' the structure of the first car was completely destroyed; the next three cars ended up in the creek; the second and fourth on top of the third which was 'demolished'; the fifth car remained on the west bank with one end submerged; although it finally fell into the torrent.[1]
The Rescue
A rescue train from Casper arrived at the scene at 11 p.m. and found over 20 people stranded on top of a sleeping car 'begging to be rescued'. The Dallas Morning News reported "A cable rope obtained from the Big Muddy oil field was thrown over to the marooned sleepers. With the headlight of the relief train playing on the scene, the slow process of rescue in this manner proceeded. Men, women and children went hand-over-hand from the sleeper to the east bank, a distance of more than 150 feet (46 m). Several times women lost one hand-hold of the rope, only to regain their balance and save themselves from dropping into the sweeping waters. After their perilous trip across the water, several women fell into a dead faint and had to be carried to waiting cars. A man carried a baby in his arms from the marooned car to the bank and almost miraculously effected a rescue".[3]
Due to heavy rains in the area, the line had been inspected by the section foreman. At 8 p.m., the creek was only about 18 inches (460 mm) deep and he said there was no drift or debris lodged against the bridge and he was satisfied that "no dangerous condition existed". The bridge itself was constructed in 1914, it was 111 feet (34 m) in length, 20 feet (6.1 m) above the creek bed, and made up of nine wooden trestle spans; all in good condition. The roadmaster reported that in the previous nine years the depth had never exceeded 3 feet (0.91 m); yet when he arrived at the scene shortly after the accident it was running at a depth of 10 to 12 feet (3.0 to 3.7 m).[1] It was several days before the current subsided enough to recover the bodies of all of the victims from the submerged coaches.[3] In all, 30 of the 66 people aboard the train were killed in the accident.[2]
References
^ abcd"Report To The Director Of The Bureau Of Safety In Re Investigation Of An Accident Which Occurred On The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Near Lockett, Wyo., On September 27, 1923". Interstate Commerce Commission. November 15, 1923.
^ ab"BP Amoco timeline". Casper Star-Tribune. Wyoming. June 22, 2005.
^ abc"Forty Believed Dead In Wyoming Train Wreck; Three Bodies Recovered". Dallas Morning News. Texas. Associated Press. September 29, 1923 – via gendisasters.com.
^Haine, Edgar A. (1993). Railroad Wrecks. Cornwall Books. pp. 99–100. ISBN978-0845348444.
^"Burlington Passenger Crashes Through Bridge Into Flooded Stream". Fairplay Flume. Colorado. October 5, 1923 – via gendisasters.com.
glenrock, train, wreck, worst, train, wreck, wyoming, history, killing, happened, chicago, burlington, quincy, railroad, between, glenrock, casper, september, 1923, nearest, current, community, meadow, acres, lying, west, site, across, north, platte, river, oc. The Glenrock train wreck is the worst train wreck in Wyoming history killing 30 2 It happened on the Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad between Glenrock and Casper on September 27 1923 The nearest current community is Meadow Acres lying west of the site across the North Platte River It occurred when the Casper to Denver train only 15 miles into its journey plunged into Cole Creek after the bridge spanning it had washed away after three days of storms 3 Glenrock train wreckDetailsDateSeptember 27 1923 9 05 p m LocationConverse County near Glenrock WyomingCountryUnited StatesLineChicago Burlington and Quincy RailroadOperatorColorado and Southern RailroadIncident typeBridge collapseCauseCloudburstStatisticsTrains1Passengers66Deaths30Injured2 1 The storms of September 27 29 caused flooding over much of central Wyoming and wrecked other railroad bridges though none with such catastrophic results Newspaper reporters from Denver who attempted to reach the site by road were still stranded 100 miles away on September 29 4 The Wreck EditThe train concerned was operated jointly by the Burlington and the Colorado and Southern Railroad and comprised seven cars hauled by Colorado and Southern engine No 350 an F 3 A class 4 6 2 built by Baldwin in 1911 serial number 35771 1 It had left Casper at 8 35 p m due in Denver at 10 a m the following day 5 According to the official ICC report it was traveling at a speed between 30 and 40 miles per hour 48 and 64 km h when it reached bridge 98 crossing Cole Creek the bridge being on a curve was not visible to the headlights of the train until it was too late The only surviving member of the train or engine crew stated that the emergency brakes were only applied just before the train plunged off the rails After the accident very little of the bridge structure remained The engine ended up practically submerged in sand the structure of the first car was completely destroyed the next three cars ended up in the creek the second and fourth on top of the third which was demolished the fifth car remained on the west bank with one end submerged although it finally fell into the torrent 1 The Rescue EditA rescue train from Casper arrived at the scene at 11 p m and found over 20 people stranded on top of a sleeping car begging to be rescued The Dallas Morning News reported A cable rope obtained from the Big Muddy oil field was thrown over to the marooned sleepers With the headlight of the relief train playing on the scene the slow process of rescue in this manner proceeded Men women and children went hand over hand from the sleeper to the east bank a distance of more than 150 feet 46 m Several times women lost one hand hold of the rope only to regain their balance and save themselves from dropping into the sweeping waters After their perilous trip across the water several women fell into a dead faint and had to be carried to waiting cars A man carried a baby in his arms from the marooned car to the bank and almost miraculously effected a rescue 3 Due to heavy rains in the area the line had been inspected by the section foreman At 8 p m the creek was only about 18 inches 460 mm deep and he said there was no drift or debris lodged against the bridge and he was satisfied that no dangerous condition existed The bridge itself was constructed in 1914 it was 111 feet 34 m in length 20 feet 6 1 m above the creek bed and made up of nine wooden trestle spans all in good condition The roadmaster reported that in the previous nine years the depth had never exceeded 3 feet 0 91 m yet when he arrived at the scene shortly after the accident it was running at a depth of 10 to 12 feet 3 0 to 3 7 m 1 It was several days before the current subsided enough to recover the bodies of all of the victims from the submerged coaches 3 In all 30 of the 66 people aboard the train were killed in the accident 2 References Edit a b c d Report To The Director Of The Bureau Of Safety In Re Investigation Of An Accident Which Occurred On The Chicago Burlington amp Quincy Railroad Near Lockett Wyo On September 27 1923 Interstate Commerce Commission November 15 1923 a b BP Amoco timeline Casper Star Tribune Wyoming June 22 2005 a b c Forty Believed Dead In Wyoming Train Wreck Three Bodies Recovered Dallas Morning News Texas Associated Press September 29 1923 via gendisasters com Haine Edgar A 1993 Railroad Wrecks Cornwall Books pp 99 100 ISBN 978 0845348444 Burlington Passenger Crashes Through Bridge Into Flooded Stream Fairplay Flume Colorado October 5 1923 via gendisasters com Coordinates 42 52 26 N 106 02 00 W 42 87389 N 106 03333 W 42 87389 106 03333 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Glenrock train wreck amp oldid 1102324438, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
