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Part 6, page 2: Historical Events - Wrecks
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Updated: 9-29-22
Additions, corrections, questions? Contact us at: sprr.coast@gmail.com
xxxOrder of page images: 267-271, NIC-1 - Daylight Limited, Gilroy, 1935; 272-289 - Boiler explosion, Salinas, 1941
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx..290-299 Collision, Guadalupe, 1953; 300-305 Rescue of engineman from Northern Pacific locomotive
click on images for larger versions
date: 11-16-1935
location: Rucker siding, Gilroy, CA
On November 16, 1935 a farmer's truck turned into the path of the southbound Daylight Limited at Masten Avenue, two miles north of Gilroy at a siding known as Rucker. The engine derailed upon impact,turned perpendicular to the tracks and rolled onto its left side, and the two following baggage/mail cars also derailed, but remained upright. The engine crewmen jumped and avoided major injury, as did the passengers, but the truck's passenger sustained critical injuries and the driver later died.
Newspaper coverage indicated that the crewmen on the train included Engineer Cornelius Hoogendyke, Fireman Taylor, Engineer William J. Baumeister, who all apparently jumped from the locomotive before it went over. The latter was reported as a student engineer, but he had nearly 30 years in as engineer - and was senior to Hoogendyke - so his business on the locomotive most likely was a routine qualification run prior to assuming an engineer job on the Daylight. Hoogendyke was at the throttle.
The only other identified crewman was Conductor W. G. Welt. The name "Bigley" that appears on the reverse of some photos probably refers to Engineer D. L. Bigley, who is not recorded as having been involved in the accident.
The wreck blocked the main line long enough for several trains to be re-routed on the Los Gatos - Santa Cruz "Mountain Route" between San Jose and Watsonville Junction.
date: 11-16-35
location: Rucker siding, Gilroy
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 5" landscape b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
"Ripley"
comments:
date: 11-16-35
location: Rucker siding, Gilroy
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 5" landscape b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
"C. Hoogendyke Swann[?] Bigley"
comments:
date: 11-16-35
location: Rucker siding, Gilroy
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 5" landscape b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
"Bigley"
comments:
Injured man on ground at center
date: 11-16-35
location: Rucker siding, Gilroy
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 5" landscape b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
"Division Tower Bigley"
comments:
Division St. Tower, S. F. and D. L. Bigley probably received copies of photo.
date: 11-16-35
location: Rucker siding, Gilroy
photographer: Seron, Gilroy
print: 7" x 11" landscape b&w
obverse data:
"Seron Gilroy"
reverse data:
"Engine 4358 Morgan Hill"
comments:
date: 11-16-35
location: Rucker siding, Gilroy
photographer: unknown wire service
print: digital file
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
Wire service photo and description from Wx4.org Collection
date: 5-3-41
location: Cooper siding, near Salinas
photographer:
print:
obverse data:
reverse data:
description:
On May 3, 1941, the boiler of southbound (railroad eastbound) "cab forward" locomotive #4199 blew up due to low water near Salinas, killing who is believed to be Engineer P. M. Jolly (but was identified in news accounts as Phil Young Jilly), Fireman Floyd Kenneth McKean, Head Brakeman Herbert Vincent Horan and Student Brakeman Alvin Schoendaller.
The location has variously been described as north and south of Salinas, but available evidence points towards the location as Cooper siding, 4.3 miles north of Salinas. As a measure of the explosion's violence, parts of the wreckage were found up to 562 feet away, while a ~15,000 pound piece of the boiler's firebox was discovered 324 feet from the explosion point, while smaller pieces of wreckage traveled up to 562 feet. The Interstate Commerce Commission (PDF of findings HERE) cited the direct cause as low water, but was unable to determine if this was due to human or mechanical error. Of 94 cars of construction materials bound for Fort Roberts, 19 derailed.
date: 5-3-41
location: Cooper siding, near Salinas
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 5.75" landscape b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
description:
date: 5-3-41
location: Cooper siding, near Salinas
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 5.75" landscape b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
date: 5-3-41
location: Cooper siding, near Salinas
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 5.75" landscape b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
date: 5-3-41
location: Cooper siding, near Salinas
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 5.75" landscape b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
boiler was 50+ feet long; part of cab (?) in foreground
date: 5-3-41
location: Cooper siding, near Salinas
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 5.75" landscape b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
date: 5-3-41
location: Cooper siding, near Salinas
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 5.75" landscape b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
crane - SPMW7024
date: 5-3-41
location: Cooper siding, near Salinas
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 5.75" landscape b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
date: 5-3-41
location: Cooper siding, near Salinas
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 5.75" landscape b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
date: 5-3-41
location: Cooper siding, near Salinas
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 5.75" landscape b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
date: 5-3-41
location: Cooper siding, near Salinas
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 5.75" landscape b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
date: 5-3-41
location: Cooper siding, near Salinas
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 5.75" landscape b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
no data; near duplicate of 1978-152-3-272
date: 5-3-41
location: Cooper siding, near Salinas
photographer:
print: 3.25" x 5" portrait b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
date: 5-3-41
location: Cooper siding, near Salinas
photographer:
print: 3.25" x 5" portrait b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
near duplicate of 1978-152-3-283; shovel was used to feed sand into boiler flues to remove carbon...and also, a toilet
date: 5-3-41
location: Cooper siding, near Salinas
photographer:
print: 3.25" x 5" portrait b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
date: 5-3-41
location: Cooper siding, near Salinas
photographer:
print: 3.25" x 5" portrait b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
date: 5-3-41
location: Cooper siding, near Salinas
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 5.75" landscape b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
The explosion took place in front of the locomotive, so the tender remained largely undamaged.
date: 5-3-41
location: Cooper siding, near Salinas
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 5.75" landscape b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
date: 5-3-41
location: Cooper siding, near Salinas
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 5.75" landscape b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
date: 10-24-52
location: Guadalupe, CA
On October 24, 1952, cab forward #4248 and diesel locomotive #6387 leading two others were involved in a sideswipe at Guadalupe, CA at the location of the Santa Maria Valley Railroad interchange. One much later report from an engineer familiar with the incident claimed that #4248 was switching cars when it pulled out onto the main track as San Francisco-bound #6387 was about to pass. The same report claimed that a shanty town in the creek near the wreck burned down and that SP made several rule and track layout changes to prevent a similar wreck in the future.
date: 10-24-52
location: Guadalupe, CA
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 3.5" b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
date: 10-24-52
location: Guadalupe, CA
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 3.5" b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
date: 10-24-52
location: Guadalupe, CA
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 3.5" b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
date: 10-24-52
location: Guadalupe, CA
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 3.5" b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
date: 10-24-52
location: Guadalupe, CA
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 3.5" b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
date: 10-24-52
location: Guadalupe, CA
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 3.5" b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
date:
location:
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 3.5" b&w
obverse data:
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comments:
date: 10-24-52
location: Guadalupe, CA
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 3.5" b&w
obverse data:
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comments:
date: 10-24-52
location: Guadalupe, CA
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 3.5" b&w
obverse data:
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comments:
date: 10-24-52
location: Guadalupe, CA
photographer:
print: 3.5" x 3.5" b&w
obverse data:
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comments:
date: ca.1950's?
location: Northern Pacific Ry.
These six photographs show the rescue of an engine crew member from Northern Pacific locomotive #1378, which appears to have been involved in a collision with a boxcar. No data accompanies the photos, so why they are part of the collection is unknown.
date: ca.1950's?
location: Northern Pacific Ry.
photographer:
print: 4" x 5" landscape b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
date: ca.1950's?
location: Northern Pacific Ry.
photographer:
print: 4" x 5" landscape b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
date: ca.1950's?
location: Northern Pacific Ry.
photographer:
print: 4" x 5" landscape b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
date: ca.1950's?
location: Northern Pacific Ry.
photographer:
print: 4" x 5" landscape b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
date: ca.1950's?
location: Northern Pacific Ry.
photographer:
print: 4" x 5" landscape b&w
obverse data:
reverse data:
comments:
date:
location:
photographer:
print:
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