Nostalgia & History > OOOOPPSSS!

I believe this was the trailing unit of a train running through the "Bullring" in Los Angeles...circa 1984...I'm not sure what caused this loco to come off the rails...but fortunately only the front trucks derailed.

Mike
Henderson, NV

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May have been backing up and split a switch. When the gap became too great, something had to give and that something was the turned rail.

not sure what I like better in this situation: #1 the fact that this handsome T-2 guy is off the rails caught awkwardly on a frog (perhaps from a back-up move gone wrong), #2 the fact that it is coming off that far outside (or is it the inside) rail within the "Cornfield" just a few feet from the Spring Street (IIRC SP's official "Bullring" yard was off to the river side north of Broadway or #3, the fact that SP is back to running pig trains on that next rail over even with this big T-2 fouling the crossover!

For reason #2, I used to love passing by this yard with mainline trains and light power sitting here a fingertip touch away from the street curb! Nope, no room for sidewalks yardside...


-Ryan aka "espeeboy"
on the ex-WP Oakland Sub MP11.2

john1082 Wrote:
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> May have been backing up and split a switch. When
> the gap became too great, something had to give
> and that something was the turned rail.

Yep, looks like she picked up a switch point. We had this happen with an Alco T-6 once; she turned sideways then rolled over on a 45 degree angle before coming to rest on a power pole. The 100 ton hoppers shoving on her didn't help the engineer stop either! I was firing on the job at the time and watching those hoppers climb up got our attention along with partly rolling over. Naturally the local officials wanted to have an investigation almost on the spot.

Looking closely, you can see a rolled rail under the pilot.

Bryce

:) I didn't even have to look closely to see the rolled rail. Goes all the way to the left under the unit.