Nostalgia & History > CB&Q accident, F3's rear end steam - 1940's Kodachromes

All good things must come to an end and sadly these are the final four slides from my vintage Rock Island collection. Although they have the same physical look and feel, the slides presented here cover a CB&Q accident. It appears that an almost new A-B-B-A set of EMD F3's got away and rear ended steam switcher #402 at some sort of oil facility. The poor steamer was shoved along derailing several tank cars. This appears to have been a low speed collision and the damage doesn't seem to be major. Thankfully there was no fire.

The diesel locomotive set involved in the accident appears to be one of the first phase II four unit F3 A-B-B-A sets that were delivered in 1948. The number 7 appears to be the final digit in two pictures while in the last picture the first digit in the number board appears to be 1. I am guessing that the lack of a suffix (A,B,C,D) is another indicater of how new this set was at the time of the accident. Lastly, the unit that collided with the steamer is flying white extra flags. 

So this may be set 117A 117B 117C and 117D which was the second A-B-B-A set built in October, 1947. The paint appears to be in pristine condition so they must not be very old in this picture. The steam locomotive is #402 but is something of a mystery to me since I cannot find it in the rosters I have available. It is clearly an oil burner. Perhaps a 2-6-0 switcher?

I am guessing that this may have occurred close to Rock Island territory which would have allowed the photogapher to hear about and cover the scene. As usual, it would be interesting to hear from any TO members who might have access to accident records etc., and could speculate on the details such as date and location.

I hope you have enjoyed these vintage color slides. I'm glad to be able to share them with the TO community.

Bob McGarrah
Edwards, IL

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last photo.

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Mike4960 Wrote:
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> The steam locomotive is #402 but is something of a mystery to me since I cannot find it in the rosters I have available.
> It is clearly an oil burner.
> Perhaps a 2-6-0 switcher?

The BRHS website lists a 4-4-0 #402, originally built by either Danforth in 1870, or by Rhode Island in 1886, serial #1625, as either CB&Q #59, or as CB&N #68, Class A-1, changed to CB&N #946 in 1898, later to CB&Q #946, later to StLK&NW #748, and then rebuilt by the CB&Q at Aurora in 1916 as #402, either in Class A-2 or A-3 (I'm a little confused on how the records are supposed to align, apologies for the confusion).

All very interesting photos.  Thank you for sharing them.

I am intrigued by the silver painted Betterment Heavyweight Sleeper in the consist of the passing train, in your bottom photo.  It appears to be a 12 Section, 1 Drawing Room car.

   

Okay, looking further, it can't be the Class A-2 #402, ex-Class A-1 CB&N #59, exx-StLK&NW #748, exxx-CB&Q #946, exxxx-CB&N #946, exxxxx-CB&N #68, Rhode Island, 1886, as that #402 is listed as being retired in July 1931.

BuddPullman Wrote:
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> I am intrigued by the silver painted Betterment Heavyweight Sleeper in the consist of the passing train, in your bottom photo.
> It appears to be a 12 Section, 1 Drawing Room car.

I noticed that too, either C&S Spanish Range or FW&D Spanish Crest, both Plan #3410F 12-1's, ex-McLeish and ex-McWhorter respectively, Lot #4764, July and August 1924, both streamlined in August 1940 for the Texas Zephyr.

The other 4-4-0 #402 that the CB&Q had was the one built in 1870 by Danforth, Class A-3, originally for the StLRI&C, later CB&Q #379, then to #1379 in 1898, then to #402 in 1904.

This was my problem too... all the info I turned up on "402" lead to locomotives that were made in the 19th century and scrapped by the late 1940's. But there the number is clear as anything. The answer is out there somewhere. Thanks to all for looking.

Bob


Rainier_Rails Wrote:
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> The other 4-4-0 #402 that the CB&Q had was the one
> built in 1870 by Danforth, Class A-3, originally
> for the StLRI&C, later CB&Q #379, then to #1379 in
> 1898, then to #402 in 1904.

Squinting at the last photo, there appears to be FW&D initials on the cab.

Regards the last photo with the betterment Pullman....one would think a Pullman would mark this as a through train.  But, those two coaches behind the Pullman have the look of commuter cars......deadheading?

AA

Stanford White
Carmel Valley, CA

agentatascadero Wrote:
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> Regards the last photo with the betterment Pullman....
> one would think a Pullman would mark this as a through train.
> But, those two coaches behind the Pullman have the look of commuter cars......
> deadheading?

Perhaps either not from the suburban fleet, or if they are, perhaps going to one of the shops for work? Believe it was in the 40's when many of the heavyweight suburban coaches were being rebuilt, with the new green-with-yellow-windowband paint scheme, A/C, power drawn from the modified coach-generator cars, etc.

My Bernie Corbin "Steam Locomotives of the Burlington route"

Shows FW&D.  401-410 as Baldwin 2-8-2 built in 1915.  No retirement dates.
Bernie notes that the FW&D motive power records were incomplete. 


found another book.   Steve Allen Goen.   Fort Worth and Denver Page 14

402    2-8-2. E-4A1 class. Built 5/1915. Sold for Scrap. 3/31/1960.  

I did not use the internet. That's why I could find it so fast. No cat videos were watched during this research.

Rick Z



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/18/20 18:17 by zoohogger.

Excellent research! I too have the Corbin book but "just knew" the lettering was CB&Q, but no, I believe you're right it's FW&D. See higher resolution scan. A key piece in this puzzle. Thanks! 
Sorry to use the Interenet but here is a picture of the 402 in 1945.
http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr0102/fwd402.jpg

zoohogger Wrote:
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> My Bernie Corbin "Steam Locomotives of the
> Burlington route"
>
> Shows FW&D.  401-410 as Baldwin 2-8-2 built in
> 1915.  No retirement dates.
> Bernie notes that the FW&D motive power records
> were incomplete. 
>
>
> found another book.   Steve Allen Goen.   Fort
> Worth and Denver Page 14
>
> 402    2-8-2. E-4A1 class. Built 5/1915. Sold
> for Scrap. 3/31/1960.  
>
> I did not use the internet. That's why I could
> find it so fast. No cat videos were watched during
> this research.
>
> Rick Z



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/18/20 19:05 by Mike4960.

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Also Halfmoonharold has amazingly good eyes.

The danger sign made me smile.  I'll bet everything was fine until the steamer was pushed past the sign. 

Great photos BTW. The Graybacks are still one of my favorites. 

rick z

Thank you for the details on the 12-1 Betterment Pullman names.

Is it safe to presume, given the FW&D details, this photo is taken somewhere between Denver and Ft. Worth? 

I have a hunch the two heavyweight coaches are not commuter cars but appear to be regular heavyweight coaches distorted by the train speed?

Rainier_Rails Wrote:
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> BuddPullman Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I am intrigued by the silver painted Betterment
> Heavyweight Sleeper in the consist of the passing
> train, in your bottom photo.
> > It appears to be a 12 Section, 1 Drawing Room
> car.
>
> I noticed that too, either C&S Spanish Range or
> FW&D Spanish Crest, both Plan #3410F 12-1's,
> ex-McLeish and ex-McWhorter respectively, Lot
> #4764, July and August 1924, both streamlined in
> August 1940 for the Texas Zephyr.

If it's in with other Rock Island pictures, It might be on the Burlington-Rock Island/Joint Texas Division trackage.  

Be nice to know how the diesels" got away."

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

I'm curious what the front end of that lead F unit looked like after the wreck...

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com

Looks like the F units were flying white flags which tells us it was probably the head end of a through freight. I wonder if this was the result of an open switch?

Rock Island and FW&D crossed at Bowie, Texas