Nostalgia & History > Rock Island caboose hit the ground in Kansas in '78

Here';s a different take on an unexpected train separation. 

This mishap on the Rock Island Railroad's Golden State Route occurred on a summer day in 1978 about 1-1/2 mile west of Latimer, KS, on Main One.  Some cars derailed ahead of two rear cars and a caboose, spreading the rails and causing the final three cars to bounce along atop the torn up ties and ballast. Fortunately, the caboose did not overturn and two crew members in the caboose were not seriously injured, only shaken up.

I was fotunate to get these two close-up photos. The caboose came to rest next to a rural grade crossing. Law renfocement had not cordoned off the roadway before I arrived, None of the cleanup crews had yet arrived either.  My big break was a quick a tip by a relative of one of the crew persons. 

I have no other details on the mishap. I saved no news clippings. Perhaps someone can locate an FRA investigation report. The accident happened either in late July or early august of 1978.

(Photos by Larry Byers) 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/03/19 21:23 by JoCoLB.

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Breaking News made by a great newsman! Thanks, Larry. wag216

Thank you, Wag. The Rock Island spilled quite a few trains during its final years due mostly to bad track. There were slow orders galore.

I searched the FRA database for Morris county (Kansas) for July- Aug 1978 and couldn't locate anything. However, I found a RI derailment listed on 7-15-78 that was listed near Herington (Dickinson county) at milepost 16515 around 3pm.

Was this on the wb main?

Anyways, it stated that 6 loaded cars , 3 empty cars and 1 caboose were derailed @ 25mph. It stated that one crewmember suffered a non fatal injury.

Maybe this report isn't the one?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/04/19 17:29 by gonx.

Good thing the Rock had a good sized gap between their two lines at that particular spot.   It looks like another train could easily pass on the other track and there probably wasn't enough traffic left to cause problems for the dispatcher losing that track.  

Thanks, gonx. You have the correct report.  Site of the mishap was actually in Morris County, Kansas, not too far east of Herington. I imagine all of the paperwork was done in Herington, which is in Dickinson County.  That would be the possible reason for the discrepancy in counties.  I've had a couple of other people also find the report and share it with me. The time of day matches up with the mishap I photographed.