Nostalgia & History > SP SD9s rescuing SP 7538 after Durham derailment

This image was taken in January 1990 and it depicts the final cleanup of the derailment Southern Pacific had on December 12, 1989 in the small community of Durham, California, Valley subdivision. The derailment occurred around 4AM due to a broken rail on a 30° morning. This was the 3rd unit on the southbound drag, and it was the only unit that laid over. The 2 lead units had minor damage and needed to be rerailed before they were towed down and set out on the spur at Richvale. This derailment involved 30 cars one of which was a car filled with either chlorine or ammonia that had a significant dent in the side, but did not leak. The road that parallels is called the Midway but was previously old Highway 99. The road was scattered with rail cars some of which ended up into an almond orchard. It took close to a month for the savagers to empty the cars and clean up the mess. Two large cranes were used to up right the engine and place it on the tracks where was taken to Sacramento Locomotive Works. I don't know if this locomotive was ever rebuilt or just scrapped.

Jan Austin
Chico, CA
J.G. Austin Photography

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SP 7538 ended up being scrapped by Levin Metals in Sacramento as a result of the damage.

I was on Amtrak #14 that night. An SP train had gone on the ground at Small (just above Dunsmuir), so they decided to send us to Klamath Falls via the Feather River and the Highline. While we were sitting at Marysville waiting for the UP pilot crew, the above-mentioned derailment at Durham occured. Because of it, our return trip on #11 was via the West Valley Line from Tehama to Davis. I've always wondered if it hadn't been for the derailment at Small, whether it would have been us all over the ground at Durham.