Each month our newsletter features a brief description of accidents or incidents that have occurred on the Donner Route. Below is a summary of those reports. The list will be updated with new items that appear in the newsletter.
JANUARY 28 1937 A westbound rotary snow plow was rear-ended by a westbound freight at Blue Canon. Both were powered by cab-forward locomotives. The plow had stopped just west of a signal to put out a fire in the plow and build up steam. Weather was snowing and blowing with about 10 feet of snow on the ground. A flagman was posted the proper distance behind the stopped plow. The westbound freight had picked up a relief crew so there were 6 people in the cab. The engineer did try to stop the train when he saw the flagman but the freight hit the stopped plow at approximately 8 MPH, damaging both engines, injuring 6 employees and derailing six cars. The investigation determined the cause to be failure to observe automatic block-signal indications and to obey the stop signals of a flagman. Report provided by Phil Smith from the Tortoise Tattler
From earliest days of operation, wooden snow sheds were a major aid in keeping tracks open over Donner Summit during winter snowstorms, but they were also a fire hazard. The Grass Valley Union included this item in its Dec. 31, 1876 issue: “SNOW SHEDS BURNED – There were 3,100 feet of snow sheds burned, on the Central Pacific Railroad, yesterday morning. The sheds burnt were between Blue Canon and the summit. The result was that the mail train bound West was delayed several hours. The “wreck” was promptly cleared away, and business over the line is now going forward as usual.” An article in the Sacramento Daily Union noted the fire that started near Summit Valley was supposed to have been caused by the locomotive of an eastbound tea train, and nearly 4000 feet of sheds were lost in the extremely hot fire.
Boiler Explosion — In 1898 the boiler of an eastbound train’s lead locomotive exploded as it was passing the Dutch Flat station. The engineer, fireman and an unidentified person were killed by the blast. The explosion also demolished the adjacent saloon, boarding house and depot operated by the Faller family. Three members of the family and one other person were injured by the flying debris.
Newspaper reports documented other locomotive boiler explosions on the Donner Route. On Oct. 15, 1894 the San Francisco Chronicle reported that the head engine of eastbound freight train No. 9 blew up as they were pulling into Colfax. The engineer, fireman and one other person received burns and other injuries but no one was killed. The only damage sustained by the second engine was a broken headlight and cab windows. The grade is slight where the incident occurred, and “no other cause can be assigned to the accident except low water in the boiler.” Not so fortunate were the crew members on a double-header Central Pacific freight train as it neared the Summit in 1879. The Jan. 4, 1879 Grass Valley Union reported that the boiler of one of the locomotives exploded, instantly killing the engineer and fireman. The engineer and fireman of the other locomotive were injured along with three or four others.
Crews on early trains faced many dangers such as climbing to the top of moving cars to check on possible problems or to manually set the brakes before the advent of air brakes. The Nov. 18, 1876 Grass Valley Union gave this report on one near-fatal incident: “Narrow Escape – On Sunday night last, Conductor Webster, of freight train No. 7, had a narrow escape from death. When the train was between Pino and Penryn he attempted to descend from the roof of a box car to the caboose by the caboose ladder, when it broke and he fell, but by good fortune caught hold of the last bar of the ladder on the end of the box car and clung to it, being dragged a long distance. Finally he succeeded in swinging aside sufficiently to be clear of the wheel and let go, being precipitated down an embankment, where he lay stunned for some minutes. After a while he was missed from his train and one of the engines went back from Auburn and took him on board.”
Early in the morning of Nov. 8, 1944, the first section of SP’s westbound Challenger passenger train No. 87 derailed on a curve at Lander about 2 miles west of Colfax. The cab-forward locomotive, two baggage cars and seven coaches left the tracks in a jumble of twisted metal. At least 9 people died in the incident and nearly 100 more were injured of the 800 on the train. On board were many Army and Navy personnel on furlough along with their dependents and other passengers. Survivors credited military personnel with rescuing trapped passengers and assisting with their care until help arrived. Investigators found no evidence of sabotage. The roadbed had apparently been weakened by recent heavy rains, allowing the tracks to spread causing the lead cars to derail and spill down a bank. The engineer was among those killed when he was trapped in the overturned locomotive. Oakland Tribune, 11/9/1944
Early Sabotage? Turntable Accident in Colfax — Sacramento Daily Union, Jan. 24, 1879. “Early yesterday morning, about 1 o’clock, some evil disposed wretch turned a switch at Colfax in such a manner that when the lightning express for Virginia City came along it ran upon the sidetrack leading to the turntable, and before the efforts of the engineer to avert the accident could avail the engine plunged into the turntable pit, smashing the turntable and doing considerable damage to the locomotive. The fireman, John Miller, had one of his feet crushed … The turntable to which the accident occurred has not been used a great deal by the Central Pacific Railroad lately, except for the convenience of work trains, but the Colfax and Nevada narrow-gauge railroad had laid a track upon it, and used it daily.” The Jan. 27 issue reported that Charley Johnson and ___ McNamee had been arrested for the crime. They had been seen in the vicinity and one had a railroad switch key in his possession when arrested.
Landslide on the Central Pacific near Alta – Sacramento Daily Union, Jan. 17, 1894. The first landslide that has taken place on the Sacramento division of the Central Pacific Company for many years occurred between Alta and Towle’s Station about noon yesterday. About one-half of an acre on the mountain side slid upon the railroad track between the two stations. The slide leveled everything in its path, telegraph poles, large trees and survey monuments being entirely swept out of existence. A large force of men was at once ordered to the scene, and efforts are being made to clear the track as speedily as possible. The slide delayed East-bound trains that left the city last night, and the trains due here this morning will also be delayed.
Snowshed Fires – Colfax Sentinel, Oct. 11, 1901 “A fire at Emigrant Gap, October 9th, destroyed thousands of dollars worth of snowsheds of the Southern Pacific Company. The fire started at the station during the afternoon and before 6pm the telegraph office, freight building, section house, new roundhouse turntable, company tool houses and 2,500 feet of sheds were a total loss. The snowsheds were destroyed from a point 300 feet west of the depot on east toward Tunnel No. 2. The fire trains at Summit and Blue Canyon were rushed to the fire, and while timbers were still blazing, trains loaded with ties, steel rails and structural materials were speeding to the scene…by 8am yesterday morning trains were moving… The last fire before the one of this week occurred at Lake View on August 21st, when 3,500 feet of sheds were burned. The work of renewing these sheds has not been completed.”
Heroic Brakeman Prevents Wreck – John Horen Stops Runaway Cars on Colfax Grade and Saves Train. DUTCH FLAT (Placer Co.), June 13. – The steady nerve and heroism of John Horen, a freight brakeman, probably prevented a disastrous wreck last night, when the caboose and several cars of local freight train No. 210 ran down the grade at Toll (sic). The cars were left uncoupled at that place and started down the grade, gaining momentum. Horen stayed with the train and succeeded in stopping it on the Colfax grade after it had attained a speed of more than 60 miles an hour. Conductor Smith was in charge of the train. It was feared that the cars would collide with No. 2, the limited passenger train. Fortunately the train was a few minutes late. Sacramento Union, 14 June 1913
Railroad Detention. — Considerable anxiety was experienced yesterday on account of the non-arrival of any of the down trains from Colfax. The morning train, which should have come in at ten o’clock A.M. failed to arrive. The noon train, which should have reached the city at half-past twelve o’clock, did not make its appearance. Rumors were rife on the streets, some of which referred to landslides, others to collisions, others to detention of stages by the snow, etc., etc. Telegraphic information was received in the afternoon, conveying the intelligence that there was nothing serious the matter, and that the trains were on their way down. One of the trains arrived at six o’clock P.M., and was soon followed by the others in their turn. The detention had been caused by two trains having run off the track at different points between Colfax and Auburn. The heavy rains on the new embankments had caused them to settle or in some manner effect the track to such an extent as to cause the accidents referred to. Sacramento Daily Union, 22 Nov 1865
Further Early Problems – Weather-related troubles continued on the new line as noted in this article from the Nevada (City) Transcript dated 25 November 1865.
“THE RAILROAD. — The Central Pacific Railroad was buried for some distance on Wednesday night, to the depth of seven feet by a slide in a deep cut seven miles below Colfax. The Company had no locomotive this side of the slide and on Thursday passengers bound up and down, had to walk seven miles, in going to and from the terminus.”
The Nevada (City) Gazette added in its November 27 report: “The newly thrown up embankments, as was expected, have settled, and as the settling is in proportion to the depth of the new made grade, in places one track is a foot or more higher than the other, causing the cars to tilt at an angle threatening an upset. . The cars, of course, are compelled to travel slow, always arriving in Colfax several hours behind time, besides making the trip a disagreeable one to passengers.”
Immense Snow Bank Falls on Rail Crew – Truckee, Cal., April 17, 1938 – A huge snowbank created by heavy winter storms caved in on a Southern Pacific building crew near the mouth of a Sierra tunnel today, killing one man and seriously injuring two others. The crew of 25 was working just above the mouth of Tunnel 11, two and one-half miles east of Donner summit, one of a series on the transcontinental line through the High Sierras. Snow had piled up to a depth of 60 feet or more above the tunnel mouth and the men were clearing it away when a large mass broke away and struck some of the workers as it fell. The body of xxxx of Norden was removed shortly thereafter from the fallen mass and taken to Colfax, 30 miles distant. The two injured also were removed to Colfax. Railroad officials said the snow mass had blocked westbound traffic for the time being but that eastbound trains would not be affected. Associated Press story from San Bernardino County Sun, April 18, 1938
Hazards Everywhere – The San Francisco Call reported in its 18 October 1890 edition — The Nevada City Herald of Saturday says: Day before yesterday a crew of men working for Towle Bros. were standing by the Central Pacific railroad-track above Towle’s Station, near Blue Canyon, when a train passed by. The fireman, who was shoveling coal into the fire-box, it seems, ran across a piece that was worthless and threw it out. The rock hit one of the men, by the name of Durkey, on the head, instantly killing him. The trainmen did not know anything about it till they reached Colfax.
Did Chinese workers lose their lives while constructing the railroad at Cape Horn? The work was challenging, but newspaper searches have yielded only two documented instances where Chinese were killed while working near or on Cape Horn. The first was reported in the Marysville Daily Appeal, 28 Sept 1965: “Chinamen Killed – The Transcript says three Chinamen were killed on the line of the Central Pacific Railroad, above Colfax, on Saturday last. A large tree had been felled which got away from the workmen and rolled down the hillside. The log rolled over two Chinamen, killing them, and struck a third with such force as to knock him over an embankment. The latter died from his injuries in a few hours.”
Did Chinese workers lose their lives while constructing the railroad at Cape Horn? (Part 2) A second incident involving the death of Chinese working on the railroad construction was reported in the Daily Alta California dated 18 April 1866. The incident happened near Colfax but not on Cape Horn. “Explosion at Colfax – Six Men Killed – Colfax, April 17. A terrible explosion occurred at Camp 9, near Gold Run, on the line of the Pacific Railroad. Six men were killed – three white men and three Chinese. The foreman … was blown to bits … One man was thrown fifty feet in the air and one hundred feet from the blast. The blast had been set off, and while reloading for a seam blast, explosion took place. No further particulars.”
In searches of newspapers of the day, this incident and the one noted above are the only reports found so far involving deaths of Chinese working on initial construction at or near Cape Horn.
San Francisco Chronicle, 8 April 1897. Struck by an Engine – A Roadmaster Badly Shaken Up Near Colfax. Colfax, April 7 – Roadmaster Phillip Goulden was struck by the engine of the Colfax local in a cut one mile east of Auburn at 6:35 to-night. Goulden was traveling west on a track velocipede and in going through the cut did not hear the approach of the passenger train. He was struck in the back by the pilot of the engine and thrown up with great force against the rocks in the side of the cut.
Engineer Hurlburt reversed his engine and Goulden was taken on board and carried to Colfax, where the company had a physician in waiting. Goulden has an ugly bruise where the pilot struck him in the back, between the shoulders. His left hip is also injured. No serious results from his injuries are anticipated.
Sacramento Daily Union, 10 May 1875. Runaway Cars. Very many eastern cars, from roads with light grades, are fitted with brakes insufficient in power or number for travel over the heavy grades of the mountains. When these come along it is often necessary to put Central Pacific cars, which all have double brakes … between eastern cars to hold them. One of these will hold four eastern cars. … A few days ago a train of twenty-three eastern cars loaded with oysters reached the Central Pacific Railroad, having been delayed some time by the floods on the Union Pacific Railroad … It was a large train, and it was not possible to get in mountain cars sufficient, as the sequel proved. The train came along all right until it struck a severe down grade near New England Mills, where the brakes proved insufficient to hold … The two powerful locomotives at the head end were reversed, and every exertion put forth to check the speed, but without avail. … Suddenly a man sprang out upon the track and waved a red flag, a signal to stop. … Additional power was evoked from the engines … and the train was brought to a halt in time to prevent it dashing into the wrecking train at work near Clipper Gap. Such was the speed attained [about 40 miles per hour – ed] that it was not effectually checked until the train had passed the flag nearly one mile. …
San Francisco Chronicle, 18 Dec 1895 TWO SLEEPERS GO OVER EMBANKMENT – Colfax, December 17 – Five sleeping cars on the west-bound overland rolled down an embankment one mile east of Towles at 11:30 o’clock this morning. The train was turning a sharp curve at a speed of twenty miles an hour, when the Southern Pacific Pullman sleeper Flores and tourist sleeper No. 9304 left the rails and went over a twenty-foot embankment.
The sleeper Flores made a complete revolution, and the tourist was turned bottom side up. Strange as it may seem, none of the passengers sustained injury other than slight bruises or cuts from broken glass. The prompt attention of the brakeman to the stoves in the cars saved them from destruction by fire. Many of the passengers were taken out through the car windows.
The wrecking train from Sacramento reached the scene of the accident at 4PM. The track, which was badly damaged, was repaired. Overland passenger trains 1 and 2 were delayed about six hours. The wreck is supposed to have been caused by a broken rail.
Madera Tribune, 8 Jan 1965 CREWMEN ARE INJURED AS 2 TRAINS COLLIDE – Emigrant Gap (UPI) – Six Southern Pacific crewmen were injured Thursday when one freight train slammed into the rear of another as both were proceeding slowly down the west slope of the snow-covered Sierra Nevada. The collision, which occurred in an area where the snow depth is about 10 feet, blocked both east and west-bound traffic on the line for three hours. Five units of the 55-car first train were overturned, including tow diesel helper locomotives and the caboose. Four diesel units and two cars of the second train, which had 84 cars, were derailed but remained upright. A Southern Pacific spokesman said the six injured men were hospitalized at Roseville … The accident occurred about 5 p.m., but one track was cleared about three hours later and the railroad said trains were moving in both directions. The eastbound City of San Francisco, carrying about 300 passengers, was held up at Sacramento until 7:45 p.m.
Santa Cruz Sentinel, 6 January 1965 — Slides Block SP, WP Railroads San Francisco (AP) – Slides and washouts on rail routes over the Sierra to the east blocked both the Southern Pacific and Western Pacific railroads today. Heavy rain in the Sierra blocked the SP Overland route near Midas, Placer county, 18 miles east of Colfax. The westbound City of San Francisco, due at its Bay Terminal this morning, was held at Sparks, Nev., and passengers were taken to their destinations by bus. The Western Pacific was closed near Belden, Plumas county.
Oakland Tribune, 7 January 1965 – The Southern Pacific Co. reported today that the 180 passengers aboard the westbound City of San Francisco made it to Oakland in buses after the train was stopped at Sparks, Nev., by a truck (sic) washout east of Colfax in Placer County. The washout was repaired today and the railroad said its eastbound City of San Francisco would leave Oakland at 2:50p.m. 191 Others Blocked The 191 passengers aboard the Western Pacific’s California Zephyr, which was halted near Belden in Plumas County, spent the night at Harvey’s at Stateline after U.S. 50 was closed. They had been transferred to buses at Portola. The train itself was turned around and sent back to Chicago.
Sacramento Daily Union, 18 Jan 1898 – FATAL RAILROAD ACCIDENT – AN OVERLAND TRAIN DERAILS NEAR COLFAX – Engineer “Doc” Hackett and Fireman Edward Lightner Killed – No Passengers Hurt – The first serious accident to a passenger train on the Central Pacific branch of the railroad occurred last evening, resulting in the death of two men … the forward engine of the west-bound overland train … jumped the track one mile east of Colfax, and leaving the road bed turned over down a low embankment. The second engine followed its leader off the track, but luckily remained on the road bed, instead of plunging upon the engine that went down the embankment, or the fatality list might have been longer … The mail car, the baggage and express car, the day coach and the smoking car also left the rails, but did not leave the road bed, and beyond a general shaking up none of the passengers were injured… Two tourist, two sleeping, and a dining car remained on the rails, and beyond a shock and jar the passengers knew nothing … of the tragedy at the front of the train … It is supposed either that the front engine broke an axle or else that the rails of the track spread … The train had just a minute before crossed the trestle bridge across a long ravine 90 feet high … All trains will be delayed at least twelve hours.
Sacramento Daily Union, 20 March 1899 – KILLED IN A TRAIN WRECK – A LOCOMOTIVE PLUNGES SEVENTY-FIVE FEET – Engineer Witham and Fireman Gray Meet Death in a Clipper Gap Disaster – A special westbound freight train was wrecked near Clipper Gap Station at an early hour yesterday morning. Engineer Fred M. Witham and Fireman Edward Gray were killed, assistant Fireman P. De Souza and Brakeman G. L. Beeler were slightly hurt, and many cars and the head locomotive were wrecked. The latter plunged down a 75-foot embankment, but the second one did not leave the roadbed. … The engine struck a horse at a point a quarter of a mile beyond Clipper Gap, but I doubt whether the engineer ever knew it. The horse had broken from a shed to which it had been tied … It dragged a plank after it, which was tied to the halter, and when it attempted to cross the track the animal was held fast there by the plank, which caught on the rail … The two front guide wheels of the large twelve wheel locomotive were thrown off the track, the other pair remaining all right, but when the train came to the Clipper Gap switch the front guide wheels did not take the rods, and the forward locomotive was ditched and thrown down a 75-foot embankment.
1899 proved to be a tough year for railroad accidents. Here are a few examples.
Sacramento Daily Union, 5 April 1899. Three Cars Derailed. The Central Pacific line was blocked for some hours yesterday by the derailment of three freight cars between Auburn and Clipper Gap, but it was soon cleared.
Sacramento Daily Union, 20 Nov 1899. Freight Cars Derailed. About noon yesterday four cars of a west-bound freight train left the track between Newcastle and Auburn, blocking the track for several hours. A wrecking crane was sent out from this city, and the derailed cars were righted as soon as possible. Nobody was hurt, and the damage to the cars was nominal. The cause of the derailment was not learned.
Sacramento Daily Union, 2 Dec 1899. Two Freight Cars Off the Track. Early yesterday morning two cars of a freight train were derailed near Towles, on the Central Pacific line. The derailment was due to a broken axle. Traffic was blocked for about an hour. Nobody was hurt and the damage was slight.
As noted last month, 1899 was a bad year for local railroad accidents. Here are two gruesome 1889 accidents to add to those reported in the May PSRHS newsletter. .
Sacramento Daily Union, 11 Oct 1899. Terrible Death – Brakeman Davide Cadwallader’s Sad Fate on the Hill. Late on Monday night a railroad brakeman named David Cadwallader whose home was in Dutch Flat, lost his life at the New England Mills Station, near Colfax. Deceased was standing on a flat car, and the sudden starting of the train threw him off his balance. He fell in front of the next car and was shockingly mangled. Death ensued in less than an hour. He was a native of Dutch Flat and 24 years of age.
Sacramento Daily Union, 2 Jun 1899. Unknown Tramp Killed. While a freight train was pulling out of the yards at Roseville Junction Wednesday night, the king bolt of one of the cars broke, causing the derailment of the forward trucks. The end of the car jammed into the one ahead of it, literally smashing to a pulp an unknown man who was riding on the bumpers.
San Francisco Chronicle, Apr 16, 1895. Planned to Rob Dead. Full details of the attempt to wreck the east-bound passenger train at Colfax last night were received at the division headquarters here today. The two tramps who warned the agent at Colfax of the attempted wreck were taken into custody by Sheriff Conroy. They gave their names as Connally and Thompson. They had been put off the train at Gold Run yesterday and failing to catch another train, decided to walk to Sacramento. When a mile west of Colfax they say they found three men at work on the rails and the wreckers immediately fled when the tramps appeared. The train was due at that point at 1:50 o’clock this morning, and if it had gone over the embankment it would have fallen into a deep canyon, and the loss of life would have been terrible….
The railroad officials are of the opinion that it was the intention of the wreckers to rob the dead and injured after the train had been buried down the mountainside. There is also the opinion that the two men who carried the news into Colfax had themselves withdrawn the spikes and bolts and then notified the agent in the hopes of being liberally rewarded by the railroad company. Such things have been done before.
Colfax Record, Feb. 14, 1941. $5000 Reward Offered by SP Company for Arrest in Attempted Sabotage – Spikes Removed from Rail Near Towle – Alert Trackwalker Discovers Attempt to Wreck Southern Pacific Train. A reward of $5000 is being offered by the Southern Pacific Company for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the malicious tampering with the company’s westbound track near Towle Station last Saturday. The attempted sabotage was discovered by Track Walker Antonio Nancini of Alta shortly after nine o’clock Saturday morning. After placing warning torpedoes and a red flag … he telephoned Roadmaster H.H. Notley in Colfax and … a section crew was rushed to the scene and repaired the track before the arrival of Train 289, the Reno-San Francisco local. … The scene of the attempted derailment was … one quarter mile east of Towle Station. It was also about 100 yards from the highway underpass west of Baxter’s. … A total of 44 spikes out of 48 had been removed from the outside of the right hand westbound track. … it was apparent that the person or persons who attempted the derailment were frightened away before they had completed their job.
Last month’s entry reported an attempted sabotage near Towle in Feb. 1941. A week later the following appeared in the Feb. 21, 1941 Colfax Record. Three Youths Arrested Confess To R.R. Sabotage. Quick work on the part of the F.B.I., Southern Pacific special agents and the police, brought about the arrest last Thursday night of three Sacramento youths, who immediately confessed they were responsible for the attempted train derailment near Towle on Saturday, Feb. 8th. The men … are being held under $50,000 bond each for a session of the grand jury March 10. At that time indictments will be asked charging the three with attempt to wreck a train, attempted extortion, conspiracy and interference with a national defense industry. … Officers said the three had confessed to plans of extorting $50,000 from the S.P. with threats of sabotage, had considered kidnapping a Sacramentan and had also laid plans to get money from the Pacific Gas And Electric Company by threatening to blow up transformers. Earlier questioning failed to produce any connection between the three and a train wreck near Harney, Nev., In 1939, or with any communistic or fifth column group, agents said.
From the Placer Herald, Sept. 2, 1876: Run Over and Killed – As the passenger train on the Nevada County Narrow gauge railroad was starting away from Colfax last Sunday evening, it run (sic) over John Mischler, the butcher of that town, and killed him almost instantly. It seems that Mr. Mischler lives near the track, a short distance the other side of town, and was walking along it on his way home. The train was going very slow when he was first seen, and to alarm him the engineer rang the bell. He not paying any attention to this, the whistle blown, though still he heeded it not. By this time the engine was very close to him and the engineer, who, up to this time thought the man would certainly get out of the way, whistled down brakes and reversed his engine, but it was too late. The grade being down, it was impossible to stop the train in time to save him. He was knocked down and rolled under the cow-catcher in such a manner as to break his legs and crush his skull. An inquest was held by Coroner Sweet over the remains, and the findings of the jury were in accordance with the above. The managers of the train were by the jury exonerated from all blame. Mr Mischler, we understand, leaves a wife and three children to mourn his death.
From the Sacramento Union, 3 Aug 1922: “Rail Company Offers Reward For Capture of Roseville Gunmen – Three hundred dollars reward was offered last night by J. Dyer, general manager of the Southern Pacific company, for information directly leading to the arrest and conviction of each person who participated in the shooting into the Southern Pacific roundhouses in Roseville and Colfax July 25 and 31.
In the Roseville shooting twenty-five or thirty shots are alleged to have been fired into the roundhouse from a building across the street. In the Colfax shooting about twenty-five shots are said to have been fired. The firearms used were of seven different calibers, according to Southern Pacific officials. Since this indicates that at least seven persons participated in the Colfax shooting, it is pointed out, the total reward for the persons involved there would be twenty-one hundred dollars.
There was no one injured in the shootings.”
From the Sacramento Bee, 18 Jun 1918: “Carload of Wine is Telescoped; Hoboes Enjoy ‘Can Party’ – Tempting California Wines Destined for French Soldiery Fall to Lot of “Weary Willies” at Colfax. Colfax (Placer County), June 18 … The streams and ditches on the Southern Pacific right-of-way, at the east end of Colfax, ran parti-colored with port, claret, sherry, zinfandel, muscat, angelica, burgundy and about all the other kinds of wine produced in the State of California. In switching in the yards near the Colfax abbatoir, a car laden with wine was telescoped. About one-third of the barrels in the car were bursted and the wine ran out in a stream. The place where the accident occurred is the rendezvous for all the hoboes who pass through this city, and there was a goodly number of the Weary Willies in camp at the time. As soon as they realized what had happened every available tin can in the camp was pressed into service and an orgie ensued. Wine was as free as the air and the gentleman of the wanderlust literally took baths in it. …Thrifty residents of the vicinity took the juice by the gallon for future use. The wine was destined for France.”
Sacramento Bee, Jun 22, 1918. 2100 Feet of Snowsheds Destroyed by Fire – Women Heroines of $100,000 Conflagration – Traffic is Tied Up for Thirty Hours – Train Nearly Plunges into Flames – Fire Fighters Strenuously Battle for Hours and Keep Conflagration from Spreading – Station, Section buildings, Water Columns and Cars also Destroyed; Repair Gangs Rushing Work; Fruit Traffic Delayed. Cisco (Placer Co.), June 22. One of the most disastrous fires in the annals of Southern Pacific snowshed construction, started at 12:10 am at Crystal Lake, two miles west of Cisco, on Ogden route over the high Sierras, destroyed 2,100 feet of double track sheds, the station, all section buildings, five outfit cars and two water columns. Traffic, it is estimated, will be tied up for thirty hours. The cause of the fire has not been officially determined. Women are Heroines Mrs E.J. Reese, staff operator, who had just been relieved a few minutes prior by miss D.G. Knox, and Miss Knox proved the heroines of the day. Mrs Reese called all section hands, the agent and the men in the carpenter outfit, while Miss Knox stayed at her post receiving the fire call and saving their keepsakes from the station… Owing to the promptness of the Blue Canyon, Cisco and Summit fire trains arriving at the scene, a considerable amount of shed that would otherwise have been consumed before the breaks in the sheds would have been reached, was saved. The breaks are placed so that in case of fire the flames can be checked.
Robert Fowler’s Railroad Adventure. This story is only partially tied to the Donner Route, but it is too good a story to pass up. Robert Fowler was a pioneer aviator who entered a 1911 contest to fly his Wright Brothers Plane coast to coast. Starting initially in San Francisco, he made several unsuccessful attempts to cross the Sierra at Donner Summit. On the first attempt he crashed near Alta, severely damaging his plane. The Colfax gun club picked up most of the expense to repair his plane and Southern Pacific provided “help of any kind needed”, including movement of Fowler’s supply train. His route was near the railroad tracks, providing a handy source of support. The plane was moved to Colfax where it was repaired and once again he took off for Donner Summit.
He suffered motor failure on the next attempt. On his third attempt his new motor froze. He put the plane down in a meadow, where crews from a nearby train found him alive and well and working on his motor. After two more attempts led to failure to cross the summit, he switched to a southern route and shipped his plane to Los Angeles. It was on the southern route that he experienced a railroad encounter near El Paso, chronicled in the book The Adventures and Achievements of Robert Grant Fowler, by G.W.J. Nelson.
“Bob was forced to land due to motor problems in the soft sandy desert. The sand was too deep to take off in. There weren’t enough flat boards to build a runway over the sand. He came up with the idea of mounting the Cole flyer on top of a railroad hand car on the railroad track then rev the motor and pick up speed down the track to get airborne. His crew with the help of railroad workers, set the craft on the hand car. Bob started the motor and force propelled the hand car forward. He gradually opened the throttle. It was working. The car was picking up speed. He reached forty miles an hour. Just five miles an hour more and he would be off into the air. He was heading down hill. On the other side of the curve the sound of a locomotive whistle whiffled through the air. As he rounded the curve the locomotive came into sight. Though his motor was wide open, the locomotive was coming on fast. The engineer let out a long warning whistle blast. Bob could see them waving frantically. He knew it was now or never. He pulled the tail down and jerked the craft into the air. He passed over the locomotive within six feet of the top of the locomotive cab. A gust of hot black smoke engulfed him. Through the smoke he looked straight down the throats of the engineer and firemen [sic]. Their mouths were so wide open he swore to it that the engineer had tonsils and the fireman did not.”
Ed note: The author did not reveal the fate of the hand car.
Sacramento Union, 16 August 1920. “Seven Fruit Cars wrecked at Colfax – Special to the Union. Colfax, Aug. 15. – Seven freight cars were overturned here this afternoon, when an extra freight eastbound, due to a misunderstanding of switch signals, sideswiped a regular freight westbound. The overturned cars were filled with fruit. Both east and westbound tracks were blocked for several hours as a result of the wreck. No one was injured. No estimate of the damage done could be ascertained.”
Sacramento Union, 25 September 1922 – “Pears Menaced by Car Shortage – Colfax, Sept. 24. – Two local warehouses are filled with pears which cannot be moved, due to the shortage of refrigerator cars. No cars have been available for three days, and heavy losses to growers are expected unless the situation is promptly relieved.” [Ed. Note – A Sept. 30 article placed blame for the shortage of railcars on heavy demand for fruit cars in the East and major movement of coal due to settlement of the coal strike.]
Placer Herald, 11 June 1904 – “A broken wheel under an oil car caused a wreck at Blue Canyon early last Sunday morning, and about four hundred feet of snowsheds were torn down. Two oil cars went over the mountain side, but none of the train crew were injured.”
The Excursion to the Summit –Sacramento Daily Union, 9 Dec 1867 At seven o’clock Saturday morning a train of thirteen cars left the depot of the Central Pacific Railroad Company on an excursion to the Summit, given by that corporation to the Legislature, State officers and Sacramento Pioneers. The train was composed of ten passenger cars, two baggage cars and one platform car – the baggage cars being arranged respectively as eating and drinking saloons, the Railroad Company providing a collation and also a plentiful supply of “something warm”. All these cars were filled with people, the number of excursionists being estimated at between seven and eight hundred. The last two passenger cars were occupied by ladies and their escorts. The weather was not as propitious as might be desired, and various people prophesied of rain and a disagreeable trip, to which prophesies Superintendent Crocker added a promise that he would carry the whole party into a snow-storm on the mountains. Leaving the city, the train sped on its way, stopping but for wood and water till Colfax was reached, where the locomotive Idaho was reinforced by the Tamaroo. From thence onward the platforms of the cars were crowded by those desirous of viewing the beauties of the mountain scenery. Cabins along the route, some moss-covered, roofless and falling into decay from age, and others more recently built, but now deserted and half torn down, furnished the subject of many little stories by Pioneers and others who had passed years of their California life searching for the precious metals.
By-and-by the first good view of the Cape Horn precipice was obtained, nearly sixty miles from the city. The ascending grade at this spot is at the rate of one hundred and five feet to the mile. Many a passenger instinctively clutched his object of support tighter as he gazed at the sublime view from the curve, and recognized the fate that would befall the unlucky wight who by any possibility might be precipitated from that hight (sic) to the little valley 1,600 feet below, where the American river glided by. Onward rolled the train, passing through the Hornet Hill cut, nearly 1,000 feet in length and 50 deep, the substance penetrated being composed of schist, slate and hard clay. Not far from this cut is Blue Canyon – presenting scenery and atmospheric coloring worthy of the brush of the “Heart of the Andes” artist himself. Here it was necessary to build the road across a gap 600 feet long, with a depth at the center of 85 feet. For this purpose 120,000 cubic yards of earth were used.
At Emigrant Gap the train that left Sacramento half an hour previous to that carrying the excursionists was lying by waiting for the latter to pass. After a moment’s stoppage, the excursion train started, but the sudden jerk given by the engines was too much for one of the passenger cars, the “bumper” of which pulled out completely, tearing away with it a portion of the woodwork about the railing of the platform. A man who was passing from that car to the one preceding it, having his hands on the railing of the forward car, suddenly found himself dragging on behind it, having been pulled overboard. As the train had not acquired much headway, his hurts were limited to a strained ankle. The damaged car was switched off and left, another car being put in its place.
The weather at Emigrant Gap was very unpleasant. Rain fell in that disagreeable style known as Scotch mist, and the wind blew cold and drearily through the canyon. From this point the weather grew colder, and after leaving Cisco the rain turned into snow, small patches of which soon made their appearance along the side of the track. The trees, too, which were fine large sugar pines, firs, etc., in the cape Horn neighborhood, became stunted and sparse with increased elevation. Cuts through the sold rock grew too numerous to attract attention, though the empty powder kegs strewn along the road spoke eloquently of difficulties met and overcome.
Finally the great Summit tunnel was reached at about half-past two o’clock, at an altitude of 7,042 feet above the level of the sea, and the first passenger train to cross the Sierras entered and passed through, amid loud cheers and much enthusiasm. A little further on and two other tunnels, of much smaller dimensions, were likewise passed through, and the train stopped at the mouth of the ninth. Unfortunately, for some reasons, the snow was falling thickly, and the fine view which might have been obtained of Donner Lake and the surrounding country was very much curtailed. Still the scene was one long to be remembered, the snow storm giving an unusually stern, majestic look to the huge mass of rock known as Donner Peak, which towered on the right of the train, and adding a peculiar wildness to the valley on the left, in which lay Donner Lake, distant about a mile and a half. It was interesting to note the expressions dropped by the visitors to this mountain spot, many of whom had never seen a snow storm before, owing to a residence in the South previous to migrating to this State, and others who had not seen such a thing for years. Many of the excursionists walked on through the ninth tunnel; others climbed to the tops of rocks to gain a higher point from which to view the scene; while a more numerous body engaged in snowballing with great zest, much to the demoralization of the high-crowned hats and immaculate shirt-collars.
There will be no lack of tunnels on this road. The first reached coming from Sacramento (which was likewise the first pierced) is at Grizzly Hill, 76 miles from the city. It is 500 feet long, and, like all the others, 18 feet high by 16 wide. The second is 300 feet long; third, 300; fourth, 100; fifth, 100; sixth (Summit) 1659; seventh, 160; eighth, 375; ninth, 216; tenth, 509; eleventh, 577; twelfth, 342; thirteenth, 870; fourteenth (on Truckee), 128; fifteenth, 80. On the line of the Truckee about 24 miles of road is constructed, between which and the main road but six miles remain unfinished, on which a large force of men are employed.
Leaving the ninth tunnel at 8 o’clock, the train soon passed over the intervening mile and a half to the main tunnel. When nearly through this latter, the cars stopped. Though usually there is a strong draught of air through the tunnel, there was none then, and the smoke from the locomotive filled it to suffocation. Great consternation prevailed. The doors and windows of the cars were shut to keep out the smoke, but the air inside soon became so vitiated that it looked as if bad were made worse. Reports of various kinds were circulated as the cause of the accident, some asserting that numerous cars were off the track, and others that it was an invention of the railroad company to give the excursionists an idea of the vastness of the work. After about fifteen minutes delay the difficulty was found and the train moved out of the smoke. It appears that some person had pulled the connecting pin from between the third and fourth cars, thus allowing the engine to go off with three cars and leave the rest behind. Directly after this it was announced that A.P. Smith had had his pockets picked of his watch and chain, and this fact leads to the impression that the difficulty in the tunnel was caused by pickpockets, who wished to practice their operations during the opportunity thus afforded. Two men who had got on the train at Cisco going up, without tickets of invitation, were examined to see if the stolen property was on their persons. Nothing was found; notwithstanding which the train was stopped and the men put off.
When nearing Yuba Pass, a fireman on the locomotive Yuba (which engine brought the train to the city) walked out on the engine to oil the valves, but, the footboard being icy, fell overboard. The train was stopped immediately, when the fireman was seen running to catch up; having fallen on a soft spot, he was not hurt, and fired the engine to the city.
At Colfax another passenger car got out of order in consequence of one of the “bumpers” pulling out. The car was speedily switched off, turned around and brought down at the rear of the train. Both of the damaged cars were of the stock brought from the Lincoln road. At five minutes before ten the excursionists got back to Sacramento, tired and hungry. The ladies, who had kept in their cars for fifteen hours, on account of the stormy weather, were much fatigued. Notwithstanding all the drawbacks, however, every one was pleased with the trip.
(Ed. Note: This article was transcribed verbatim from the newspaper except for adding paragraph breaks)
Colfax Record, 9 Nov 1945. Derailment – Two locomotives and eight cars of an east bound freight train were derailed early Wednesday morning in the snowshed area one and a half miles east of Norden. A considerable amount of snowsheds was torn down and track torn up. Two engineers and a track walker were injured… Engineer Brashear and fireman Clink were brought to Colfax, where Dr. Ione Kilgore attended to their injuries. The accident occurred when a heavy locomotive and a light helper engine went through a derailing switch. One locomotive turned almost completely over while another turned on its side. The “Big Hooks” and their crews from Roseville and Sparks were sent to the scene of the accident. Traffic was tied up on the east bound track all of Wednesday and most of Thursday.
Los Angeles Herald, 2 Apr 1906. LANDSLIDE CAUSES WRECK – Overland No. 3 Goes in the Ditch Above Cape Horn – Wrecking Crews at Work. By Associated Press. Auburn, April 1. No. 3 Overland was wrecked above Cape Horn by a landslide this morning. One engine was derailed, the baggage car turned over and three other cars derailed. One man’s leg was slightly hurt. Two wrecking crews are at work.
Truckee Republican, 1 Aug 1908. START CUT-OFF in AUGUST – Will Bore Through Mountain and Avoid the Rough Shoulder of Cape Horn. On August 1st the Southern Pacific started its new cut-off commencing at Roseville, and one of the most notable features will be the final elimination of Cape Horn from the railroad map. This has always been one of the show places of the Southern Pacific near Colfax, and also one of the most dangerous, though no accident worthy of mention has ever occurred on this wonderful shoulder of the mountain, whence the cliff falls away almost straight down to the American river…. A new double-track will also be built from Colfax to Gold Run, abandoning the present line around Cape Horn, but it is not positive that this will be commenced this year. This line will cross Long Ravine on a bridge 210 feet high, and, instead of rounding Cape Horn, will go straight through the mountain in a long tunnel…. — Grass Valley Union
Sacramento Daily Union, 30 Dec 1876 – “City Intelligence – Snow Shed Fire – About 6 o’clock last evening the snow and woodshed between the summit and Summit Valley were discovered to be on fire and burning furiously, three or four hundred feet being ablaze before an alarm could be given. The fire was fought at each end by the fire brigade with great energy, but before it ceased spreading about 4,000 feet of shedding had been burned, and the heat was so intense that it was not thought that the track repairers could commence work before daylight. Division Superintendent Fillmore went up to the scene of conflagration on the Virginia City express train last evening, to oversee repairs. The return Virginia City express will not reach Sacramento until late this evening, and the Eastern express will be similarly delayed. The immigrants will probably be eighteen or twenty hours late, at least, unless they are brought on by the express train. The fire is supposed to have been caused by the locomotive of an eastbound tea train. The sheds have little if any snow about them, and being very dry burn like tinder. “
San Jose Mercury-News, 5 Oct 1907 – WRECK NEAR CAPE HORN. Dutch Flat, Oct. 4 – An eastbound extra freight train parted in the middle when near Cape Horn yesterday. Three cars were derailed, the track was torn up for more than 300 feet, and the pilot was broken. The accident blocked the main line for three hours. A crew from Colfax cleared the tracks.
Placer Herald, 28 ‘Apr 1900 – A SLIGHT WRECK. A slight wreck occurred at 9:30 o’clock yesterday morning at Cape Horn Mills. Two freight cars left the tracks, but no one was injured. The wrecking train from Sacramento was sent to the scene of the disturbance to clear the track. Trains from the East were delayed about six hours.
Placer Herald, 15 Oct 1904 – CONDUCTOR AND BRAKEMAN HURT. A wreck occurred last Wednesday morning between Clipper Gap and Applegate at about 1 a.m. Part of the second section of west bound freight train No. 219 was derailed, the caboose and several box cars going into the ditch, caused by rails spreading. Conductor Phil Campbell and brakeman Barney Kelly were quite badly hurt but no serious injuries were sustained. Dr. Peers of Colfax attended them. One of the broken cars contained nails and the other matches.
Placer Herald, 20 Feb 1904—FATALITIES IN THE SNOW SHEDS. Three men lost their lives on Friday last, February 12th, by reason of a landslide in the railroad company’s snowsheds, between Lakeview and Truckee. A gang of forty-six men were shoveling snow, when they heard the slide coming, and all ran for their lives. Several were buried waist deep and were extracted by their companions. One young man was taken out dead from suffocation, and two others cannot be found… Most of the sheds in this section are new, and the railroad company keeps a large force of men constantly repairing them. A landslide, however, is like a cyclone or an earthquake; there is no stopping them when they get started.
Placer Herald, 17 March 1900. Fatal Train Wreck. Freight train No. 203, in charge of Conductor P. A. Tremblay, of Sacramento, left the track six miles east of Colfax Wednesday morning. Five cars went down the embankment, while eight remained on the track. A man named O’Brien who has frequented Truckee, and who has worked at Ophir, this county, was killed in the wreck and a young Englishman, named T. Garner injured. They had evidently been riding the brake beam of one of the cars. Westbound overland trains were delayed most of the day in consequence of the wreck. The injured man Garner is at the County Hospital. His shoulder is badly hurt. Coroner Burns held an inquest on the body of O’Brien.
Placer Herald, 2 December 1905. Fifteen Cars Ditched. A freight train of fifteen cars was ditched at Gold Run early Wednesday morning. It was a very bad wreck, and was not fully cleared until Friday morning. Three hobos were injured, one of whom was brought to the Hospital at Auburn
Placer Herald, 23 March 1906. The Great Storm. The storm that began on Friday night of last week and continued with hardly a lull Tuesday afternoon was one of the heaviest known to white men in California. … Travel along the railroad has been delayed by the collapse of a portion of the snow sheds between the summit and Eder station, and by a slide a short distance above Applegate. At the latter place the road bed slid out and Wednesday night the temporary track built around the gap also slid out after several trains had passed over. … On Thursday morning the Auburn yard looked like a terminal, owing to the number of trains brought to a stop by the slide at Applegate, in the fill at the John Jones ranch. The earth slid down into the vineyard, leaving a pit twenty-five feet deep.
Placer Herald, 17 December 1904. Killed in Snow Sheds. Daniel W. Hayes, a brakeman, was killed in the snow sheds this side of Blue Canyon Sunday night last. Hayes was acting as middle brakeman, and caught the caboose out of Blue Canyon, and it is supposed was walking on top of the cars to his station, and forgetting sheds, stood straight up, and was struck in the head by a beam, killing him instantly. Conductor John Lord and brakeman C. E. Fordemwalt were in the caboose and their attention was called to the accident by Hayes’ lantern crashing through the caboose window. The inquest was held at Auburn the same night by Coroner Shepard, and the body taken to Sacramento. Deceased has a mother and sister living in Sacramento, and two brothers in the employ of the railroad company.
San Bernardino Sun, 10 December 1964. SP Passenger Train Derailed. Emigrant Gap, Calif. A Southern Pacific streamliner with 196 passengers aboard was derailed yesterday near this small mountain community in the rugged granite and timber country of the Sierra Nevada. A woman .. was reported dead, the apparent victim of a heart attack. Two train crewmen suffered minor injuries… Eight of the 17 cars making up the City of San Francisco streamliner left the tracks. Two of the cars were tipped over, one was sideways, the others off the rails but upright. Only one of the derailed cars carried passengers. The others were mail and baggage cars… the derailment was believed to be caused by a dangling steam fitting which had been dragging for at least three miles. The fitting may have snagged onto the tracks… Railroad officials estimated the train was traveling about 30 miles an hour at the time of the accident…
Colfax Record, October 9, 1942. “Locomotive Derailed – Emigrant Gap, Oct. 7 – A locomotive was derailed near here shortly after midnight, Sunday. The “Big Hook” from Roseville came up and placed the big locomotive back on the track. Derailment at Applegate – Applegate, Oct. 7 – A freight car was derailed early Monday morning near the West Applegate station. Section crews from here and Colfax set the car back on the track without the aid of the “Big Hook” which was handling another derailment at Emigrant Gap.”
Auburn Journal, 21 Dec 1911 – CONFESSES TO ATTEMPT WRECKING – “Ralph Booyan, a half-witted Russian, confessed Friday afternoon to Sheriff McAulay that he attempted to wreck an overland passenger train, by turning a switch at Zeta, December 8. Sheriff McAulay has suspected Booyan of the deed, and when the latter was brought to the county jail Friday afternoon on a vagrancy charge, he was questioned. Booyan readily admitted the crime. It is not likely that Booyan will be prosecuted as he really belongs in an insane asylum. He contends that he owns half of the Southern Pacific railroad and that he has the right to wreck his trains whenever he pleases. The wrecking of the passenger train was averted by the timely arrival of an extra freight, which was ordered to the siding at Zeta to let the westbound passenger train pass. The engineer of the freight train found the switch open upon his arrival at Zeta.”
Sacramento Union, 25 Jan 1912 – Girls Who Prevented Train Wreck Honored by Railroad Company – Martin Sisters of Alta Rewarded in Personal Letter From Vice-President Calvin – San Francisco, Jan. 24 – “One hundred dolars each was the reward sent today to 7-year-old Aileen Martin and her 14-year-old sister Alma, both of whom were instrumental in preventing an Southern Pacific passenger train from being wrecked by a broken rail near Alta January 13 … Little Aileen, who is the daughter of the section foreman on the Alta branch, was walking along the track when she detected the rail, broken in three places. She knew that a passenger train was soon due and she ran to a telephone booth at the end of the block and called up the agent at Towle telling him to notify the train crew. He told her that the train had gone, and she started down the right of way to signal it. On the way she met her sister and the two children succeeded in having the train stopped.
Auburn Journal, 8 Feb 1912 – WRECK OF TRAIN NO. 1 – Miraculous Escape of Passengers and Trainmen – “Four trainmen were injured, one perhaps a fatality, and the lives of seventy-five passengers were imperiled at 10:30 Monday morning when the Southern Pacific Overland Limited was derailed one mile west of Applegate. The compound Mallet engine, the combination dynamo and baggage car and the diner left the rails and piled up at the bottom of a thirty-foot embankment. The two forward sleeping cars left the tracks but remained in an upright position. The passengers were badly shaken up, but apart from minor bruises no one suffered serious injury…The cause of the derailment has not been determined, but it is believed to have been the result of a defective rail. The wreck occurred on a 6 percent grade while the train was going not more than twenty-five miles per hour. A wrecking train was sent from Sacramento … and the tracks were cleared for resumption of traffic by 2 o’clock… The presence of mind of A.M. Weston, a traveling engineer of the Southern Pacific residing at Roseville, who was riding on the pilot of the engine, averted what might have resulted in more serious consequences to the crew and passengers of the train. When he felt the engine leaving the tracks, he closed the valve that supplies compressed air to the brakes. He then jumped to safety. His actions locked the wheels of the Pullman sleeping cars and brought the train to a stop. The Mallet engine, dynamo and baggage car and diner turned completely over after reaching the bottom of the embankment. The two sleeping cars were derailed but did not upset…”
Auburn Journal, 12 Sept. 1912 – Railroad ties Burned by Runaway Freight Train – “Some remarkable facts regarding a runaway Southern Pacific gravel train from Auburn, which did no harm save the setting of several ties afire, delayed no trains, but broke speed records for speed through the lower end of Placer County were brought out at the hearing … The hearing showed that the accident was caused by the fact that the cars were too heavily loaded and brakeage was not sufficient to hold the train when it reached the 2.7 percent grade just above Newcastle. The train started its terrific sprint in the Newcastle tunnel, and although the members of the crew realized they might soon face death, not one attempted to jump… the train reached a speed of sixty-five miles an hour … the forty seven cars swayed and rocked around the curves and the locomotive ran a part of the time on the wheels of one side. While engineer Young remained at his post in the locomotive and kept the air brakes set, brakeman and fireman crept along the train in the dust and confusion and set thirty-five hand brakes before the train was stopped.”
San Francisco Call, Jan. 19, 1913 – Transcontinental Trains Suspended – Sacramento, Jan. 18 – “Transcontinental train service was suspended during the day on both the Southern Pacific and Western Pacific railroads because of snowslides and landslides in the Sierra Nevada mountains. All westbound overland trains on the Southern Pacific were delayed five hours, and eastbound trains were running eight hours behind schedule tonight… After succeeding in clearing this morning, following a night of persistent struggle against the elements, the Southern Pacific was suddenly plunged into new difficulties at 2:30 this afternoon, when 250 feet of snow sheds at the head of Donner lake, three miles east of the summit, caved in, blocking traffic. This cavein did not come until the westbound trains had been rushed through. The eastbound trains were on their way, but were held up for more than eight hours. Additional machinery and extra crews of men were rushed to the scene. Later reports from the summit were to the effect that the road would be opened by tomorrow.”
Auburn Journal, Nov. 6, 1913 – Clerk Hit By Train – William Hancock, clerk in the Southern Pacific office at Dutch Flat, was struck by a westbound passenger train at 2:30 Thursday morning and thrown thirty feet. Luckily he escaped with only severe bruises on the hip and side, no bones were broken. He was taken on the train that struck him to the Railroad Hospital at Sacramento. Just how the accident occurred is not known, but it is thought he attempted to cross the track.
Sacramento Union, Dec. 4, 1913 – Five Passengers Injured in Wreck – Overland Train Jumps Track at Midas and Traffic Is Tied Up Twelve Hours. Railroad officials of the Sacramento division of the Southern Pacific company were diligently engaged early this morning investigating the derailment of overland train No. 5 which jumped the tracks at Midas early yesterday afternoon injuring five passengers and overturning the locomotive and three baggage coaches…. A wrecking train sent from Sacramento cleared the track and traffic was resumed at 2 o’clock this morning. The train was derailed on a curve and the officials are not sure as yet as to whether a split rail caused the wreck or an obstruction was placed on the track.
Sacramento Union, Jan. 27, 1914 – TRAINS STALLED ON MOUNTAIN – TRUCKEE, Jan. 26 – “On account of the snow storm Truckee is entertaining nearly 600 persons … Shriners, Rotary club, and visitors … in addition to 200 soldiers whose train is stalled near this town. … a freight went off the track at Horseshoe Bend and nine cars are lying in the snow drifts. The wrecking train is expected from Sparks tonight and it is hoped the wreck will be cleared early tomorrow. The freight was hindered by snow blocking the wheels. The train was divided and as the locomotive started a portion of the cars capsized. There is no traffic on the railroad east of Colfax. … Superintendent Whitney had a difficult journey in reaching this city to take charge of conditions. He walked four miles through deep snow from Andover to Champion. …”
Auburn Journal, Aug. 19, 1915 – Accidental Death – “C.L. Richardson, a dining car inspector of the Southern Pacific, was found in an unconscious condition along side the railroad track at Blue Canyon last Friday night. He died while being taken to the railroad hospital in Sacramento. It was first thought that he met death through foul play … (but) The investigation showed … he had completed his duty of inspecting the dining car when he evidently opened the door on the vestibule of one of the tourist cars and was standing on the steps looking out of the door, when his head came in contact with an upright of what is known to railroad men as a “ticker”. The “ticker” is used as a warning to men on top of trains that the snowsheds are about to be entered.”
Sacramento Union, July 2, 1916. Train Explosion was Timed to Wreck the Oakland Mole. Oakland (Cal.), July 1 – “The explosion which occurred last night in the smoking car of a Southern Pacific train at the Sixteenth street station and which injured 13 persons, was accomplished by a black powder bomb, probably with the intention of so timing the fuse that the bomb would explode in the Oakland mole and cripple the Southern Pacific’s western terminal, according to the findings late today of the official board of inquiry, which conducted the investigation. … The failure of the supposed bomb to explode on the mole was ascribed by witnesses to the fact that the train was ahead of schedule from Ogden and waited at Sixteenth street three minutes later than usually…”
Auburn Journal, Aug. 21, 1916 – Railroad Speed Car Wrecked – Rider Hurt. C.W. Samuelson, a track man of the Southern Pacific had an accident near the Nevada Street station when the speeder on which he was riding jumped from the rails, giving him a bad fall. He was severely injured about the shoulders and chest. The accident was witnessed by a number of people as it was near train time. The wreck of a speeder was something unusual and unique, and caused a great deal of comment.
Auburn Journal, Jan. 25, 1917 – “SECTION BOSS KILLED – Henry Jenkins, Section Forman for Mountain Quarries Railroad Struck Down by Train No. 9. Henry Jenkins, employed by the Pacific Portland Cement Company, as a section boss on the quarry railroad, was instantly killed last Friday by Southern Pacific passenger train No. 9, while he was watching switching operations on the quarry train…. Jenkins was watching the quarry train switching and was presumably unaware of the oncoming passenger train, which was several hours late and running at good speed…. At the inquest held over the body in this city Saturday, the verdict of the jury was accidental death without any blame being placed on anyone.”
January 2023
Auburn Journal, Apr. 18, 1917 – “BOLT FOUND ON SWITCH IN AUBURN YARD – Laid Across Two Rails at Subway, on Top of High Embankment Near Station. Whether an attempt was made to wreck a Southern Pacific train on the high embankment at the subway … or whether the thing was merely the prank of some thoughtless person, has not been determined, but the fact remains that a large bolt was found … lying across two rails at a switch at the subway… The bolt, in the position in which it was found, might or might not have caused a derailment… A wreck at the point where the bolt was found would probably have plunged a train down the embankment, which is some twenty feet high at that point …”
February 2023
Sacramento Daily Union, May 27, 1910 – “BLASTS BREAK WINDOWS – Colfax Residents in Danger of Flying Stones. Special to the Union. COLFAX (Placer Co.), May 26 –The residence of George E. West was struck yesterday by a large stone thrown by a blast touched off on the Southern Pacific cut-off [second track project – ed] by employes [sic] of the Chadwick & Sykes Construction company. The stone smashed a window and passed through a room, striking a bathtub. This is only one of many similar accidents during the past several weeks. Postmaster Butler has lost several windows as a result of the blasting.”
March 2023
Colfax Record, Jan. 21, 1921 – “ENGINE LEAVES RAILS NEAR DUTCH FLAT – Rolls Twenty Feet – Engineer and Fireman Unhurt. Engine No. 2301 attached to a snow flanger left the rails and rolled 20 feet down an embankment one half mile east of Dutch Flat Wednesday. Both the engineer and fireman miraculously escaped injury. They went over with the engine, but suffered no harm. The engine was running between Blue Canyon and Dutch Flat. No cause was given for the accident. The wrecker from Colfax was called to the scene. The westbound track was blocked for about 12 hours.
An extra fast freight engine which left Summit at 12:30 Wednesday afternoon also met with an accident due to a broken wheel and tore down 150 feet of snow sheds on top of which was more than 8 feet of snow.”
April 2023
Colfax Record, Feb. 4, 1921 – “Nevada Street Depot Closes Freight Office – According to a new ruling taking effect last Tuesday, no freight will be accepted for shipment at the Nevada street depot, unless the quantity to be shipped equals a carload or more. This is the announcement made by officials at the Lincoln street depot. Freight less than carload lots must be shipped from the latter place.
As a result of this ruling the warehouseman at Nevada street has been transferred.”
May 2023
Colfax Record, Jun. 1, 1945 – “DERAILMENT CHRISTENS “BIGGER HOOK” HERE – Derailment of the crack Southern Pacific streamliner the “City of San Francisco” at Midas, 16 miles east of Colfax early Monday morning brought the “Bigger Hook” to the Colfax area for its maiden run. The “Bigger Hook,” a 250 ton capacity wrecking crane, is stationed at the Roseville yard of the railroad and was put into service only last week. … A loose wheel on the next to the last car of the streamliner caused the derailment at Midas. There were no injuries among the passengers … Traffic on the railroad was tied up for over three hours and then only one track was opened until the three-quarters of a mile of roadbed torn up by the derailment could be repaired…”
June 2023
Stockton Evening Herald – Sept. 1, 1881. “Attempted Train Wrecking. Last night about a quarter to twelve o’clock some highwaymen removed a rail from the main track of the Central Pacific Railroad at Cape Horn (Station – ed), just above Colfax, with the purpose of wrecking the train and robbing it. The engine and several cars left the track, but it does not appear that anybody was hurt, or robbed. The railroad authorities today notified the officers throughout the State that $1,000 reward would be paid for the arrest and conviction of each of the men implicated in the dastardly attempt. The track runs close around a cliff several hundred feet in height at Cape Horn, and a train wrecked at that point, would bring certain death to all who went over the bank.”
July 2023
Colfax Sentinel, Oct. 25, 1901. “The Southern Pacific, Union Pacific and Chicago and Northwestern lines, which operate the overland limited between San Francisco and Chicago, have decided on important improvements in the appointments and running schedule of that train and to that end there have been ordered from the Pullman Company seven entirely new trains, which will cost in the neighborhood of $1,000,000. Without waiting for the new equipment, however, the three lines will on November 3rd reduce the running time of the limited 3 hours and ten minutes between San Francisco and Chicago. Two new flyers will be placed in service and the time of another train will be reduced four hours. The new schedule will make the time between Chicago and San Francisco 65 hours and 15 minutes.”
August 2023
Colfax Record, Oct. 26, 1967. “S.P. Asks to Halt Trains 21,22. SP Trains No. 21 and 22 may soon join the Colfax institutions which live only in the memory of older residents. Southern Pacific has asked the Interstate Commerce Commission for permission to discontinue its mail trains No. 21 and 22, operating daily in each direction between Oakland and Ogden, Utah, as of November 16. SP claims that mail formerly carried on the mail trains has been diverted to air lines, trucks and piggy-back trains. The Railway Post Office cars carried on Trains 21 and 22 were discontinued October 14. Without this business, the railroad maintains, the two trains would lose about $475,000 a year. Nos. 21 and 22 have performed mail and express services to communities in California, Nevada and Utah, and each carries a single coach for occasional short distance passengers. An average of only about nine tickets are sold per trip. SP’s streamliner, the City of San Francisco, offers passenger service over the same route.”
September 2023
Placer Herald, May 22, 1909. “DOWN AUBURN RAVINE. The first Train on Rails Through Old Town. Willett & Burr began moving their seventy-ton steam shovel and dump cars, with dinkey engine in the lead, from the Bernhard crossing Saturday. Ties and a temporary track were laid ahead, which as fast as the train advanced were taken up and relaid ahead down Chinatown Hill into the Plaza, along Main and Nevada street and up the grade to the excavation opposite Odd Fellows cemetery. Cables held the train in check. The cable was broken several times in lowering the train down Chinatown grade. The Plaza was reached at noon Monday, with the dinkey engine decked with flags. At noon the engines whistled long and loud and thirty charges of giant powder were fired in honor of the first train on rails ever seen “Down Auburn Ravine.” At sunset the big shovel was across the bridge at Predom’s blacksmith shop. All day long crowds witnessed the progress of the train. Predom’s blacksmith shop became the ticket office where tickets were sold for all points of the compass. On Tuesday the climbing of the Nevada street grade began, and the train had climbed half way that evening. The heavy cable was broken eight times during the forenoon. One tree to which the cable was fastened was pulled up by the roots. On Wednesday at noon the top of the hill was reached…”
October 2023
The Press Tribune, Dec. 17, 1935. “SOUTH ROSEVILLE OVERPASS WILL BE ERECTED AT ONCE. Announcement of the projected construction of a $14,000 steel overpass west of Dry Creek, near Roseville, was made yesterday by officials of the Southern Pacific Company. The movement for the project has been under way for several months, according to R.W. White, local manager for the South Roseville tract, owned by P.B. Rackliffe.The bridge, which will cross the railroad tracks of the company, is being built primarily for the employes (sic) of the Pacific Fruit Express Company. The latter now are obliged to use a circuitous route in reaching the company’s plant from Roseville. The overpass will greatly shorten the distance. The expenses of building the bridge are to be shared by the Southern Pacific Company, Pacific Fruit Express Company and the owner of the property in the vicinity of the structure. The railroad’s share of the appropriation already has been made. Construction is expected to start within the next four weeks.”
November 2023
The Sacramento Bee, Sept. 9, 1944. “Stalled Trains Pose Problems for Businessmen of Colfax – Traffic was resumed yesterday afternoon on the Southern Pacific main lines over the Sierra Nevada following the completion of repairs on the Cascade Bridge nine miles west of Norden, which was damaged by fire. The bridge, a steel structure 180 feet long, has a wooden deck. It was this which was burned. The principal damage was to the deck on the westbound track. While repairs were in progress crack trains of the Southern Pacific were halted in Colfax, Norden and Sparks … The 1,000 persons turned out in Colfax when their trains were held for 10 hours … doubled the population temporarily and gave the hamlet an unprecedented feeding – and drinking – problem. One of the two restaurants in town had been closed to enable the owner to take a short vacation. His townsman, routed from bed, took down the “closed” sign and opened for business. But in no time at all there was no milk, bread, beer, cigarets (sic) or carbonated beverages in all the town …”
January 2024
Placer Herald, April 13, 1935. “Terrible Railroad Accident – Eleven men lost their lives in a railroad accident near Roseville Monday, due to the terrific storm. They had been repairing a washout between Roseville and Lincoln when their motor rail car was struck by a gravel train. The train was rushing ballast to a wash repair job on the main line of the Southern Pacific between Roseville and Lincoln and the workers were returning to Roseville Monday evening. Ten were killed outright … According to stories of eye-witnesses and a partial investigation by Coroner Elliott Broyer of Roseville, the workmen, who had been employed all day repairing the washout on the main line of the Southern Pacific, were returning to Roseville at the time of the accident. The rock train was being backed up from Roseville to the scene of the washout. The men on the work train failed to see the approaching train until it was on them. Only two or three had time to jump to safety.”
February 2024
Placer Herald, June 20, 1925. “While at the (Tahoe) Tavern we learned that the deal had been consummated whereby the Southern Pacific takes over the Truckee-Tahoe narrow gauge railroad and the Linnard people the Tavern. The deal will be completed just as soon as the transfer is approved by the Interstate Commerce Commission. The railroad, a distance of fifteen miles will be broad gauged, and the railroad officials say this can be done in 40 days. The Linnard people will operate the Tavern both as a summer and winter resort.
The Bliss people are selling for the reason that it has come to a time where a large investment of new capital is necessary in order to make the railroad and the hotel pay. The Bliss interests have pioneered the way, and others around the lake are reaping the benefits of their industry, their foresight, and their public spiritedness. Lake Tahoe is destined to be one of the finest scenic mountain water resorts in the world.”
March 2024
Sacramento Bee, Dec. 17, 2017. “Northwest catastrophe a reminder oftrain near Davis that almost jumped the tracks going 78 mph in a 40 mph zone. … The spectacular crash near Olympia last week that left at least three dead and dozens injured is eerily reminiscent of a dramatic near derailment outside Davis last December that injured five people, prompted Amtrak to discipline several employees and caused passengers and local officials to criticize Amtrak for lack of transparency about safety procedures. In that case, an apparently distracted Amtrak engineer allowed a Capitol Corridor service train to run through a track switch at nearly double the allowable speed – 78 mph in a 40 mph zone – causing the train cars to lurch violently back and forth, sending people, coffees and laptops flying….Federal investigators last week said the Cascades passenger train in Washington also was going too fast… The accident … also prompted questions about when Amtrak and other rail agencies finally will finish installing a long-delayed computerized train control system- called Positive Train Control, or PTC – that is designed to prevent such incidents…the (Davis) train engineer had missed a trackside signal alerting the engineer to slow down for an upcoming switch to a parallel track …”
April 2024
Marysville Daily Appeal, Sept. 12, 1876. “The work of filling the deep ravine immediately east of the town of Newcastle, now crossed by the Central Pacific trains by trestle work, was commenced last week. There will be somewhere near 300 men employed on the job and it is expected to take them three months to complete.”
May 2024
Placer Herald, Aug. 20, 1910. “23 Tunnels on Rocklin Cutoff – Colfax expects to be a railroad center in a few months when the roundhouse and machine shops at this point are completed. In the western part of the city preparations are rapidly going ahead for the foundation of the buildings. In addition to being the location of the roundhouse and large machine shops the city will be the head of operations on the building of the cutoff of the Southern Pacific from Rocklin to Truckee. It has been stated upon excellent authority that the contract for the railroad work has been awarded, with the exception of the six-mile tunnel at Donner lake. The supposition is that Erickson & Peterson has the contract for the work. This firm has constructed the greater part of the cutoff from Rocklin to Auburn. The plans call for boring of twenty-three tunnels between Colfax and Truckee in addition to a large amount of grading. It is said the work will last for the greater part of ten years and will require the employment of several thousand men.”
June 2024
Sacramento Daily Bee, Feb. 21, 1887. “A FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT. The Death of a Young Brakeman at Tamarac. Two Engines and Several Cars Thrown from the Track. One Hundred Feet of Snowsheds Crashed to the Ground. One of the several accidents that has occurred on the Central Pacific Railroad for several years took place about 10 o’clock last night at Tamarac, a station near the Summit. A special stock train was coming down the mountains, bringing a load of sheep to the valley. The train was drawn by two engines. While under a snowshed the train met with the accident, which was caused by a broken switch rail. The two engines fell against the side of the snowshed with tremendous force causing over one hundred feet of the shed, built of heavy timers, to tumble down. The damage would not have been so extensive, had it not been for the fact that the roof of the shed was covered with ten feet of snow. Besides the engines, two carloads of sheep were badly broken up and nearly all the sheep killed. Four other cars were derailed but only slightly damaged… a brakeman was instantly killed. He was buried under an immense pile of debris…”
July 2024
Sacramento Bee, Sep. 2, 1865. “ANOTHER LEAP FORWARD. The editors of the Bee were invited, last night, to participate in an excursion this morning, but as stage-horses have no business at the races, we staid at home, while a train of joyful excursionists sped on their way towards the new terminus of the Pacific Railroad – Colfax – called in honor of the guest of the State, who left our Pacific shores for his Indiana home to-day on the steamer from San Francisco. The excursion train was in advance of the regular freight and passenger train, which only went as far as Clipper Gap, that place being occupied as a base of stage operations until the stables, etc., can be erected at Colfax. … The well established reputation of the Pacific Railroad Company on former occasions of a similar character is sufficient guarantee that all enjoyed themselves. The completion of the road to a point fifty-five miles distant from this city is no trivial occurrence. The cars will begin their trips there about the 5th inst., ten days in advance of the time by which the company expected originally to have the travel to that point commence. It now remains to be seen how much they will gain on the date of their anticipated arrival at Dutch Flat … by January 1, 1866.”
August 2024
The Press Tribune, Sept. 14, 1932. “R.R. MAIL CLERKS NARROWLY ESCAPE DEATH IN WRECK. Five railway mail clerks were carried 1,200 feet in a twisting, plunging mail coach Monday from the Southern Pacific Company Overland Route tracks near Crystal Lake into a canyon, when seven mail and express coaches derailed. All were injured, none seriously. The derailment, first major traffic mishap in months on the Sacramento division of the Southern Pacific, occurred at 2:25 a.m., one mile west of Crystal Lake and about three miles west of Cisco. The train, No. 9, is primarily a speedy mail and express train, but carries passenger coaches at the rear. No passenger coaches derailed and no passengers or members of the train and engine crews were injured… Reports indicate that [the locomotive] struck a broken rail, further splitting it, causing the mail and express coaches behind to leave the tracks after the locomotive and tender safely passed the spot. The car in which the five mail clerks were injured was know as the “working mail car.” … It is estimated by the occupants that the car turned over fully eight or ten times in its mad descent of 1,200 feet from the railroad to almost on the Route 4 (sic) state highway …”
September 2024
Placer Herald. Oct. 17, 1931. “State Highway Notes. The Railroad Commission has received an application from the State Department of Public Works asking authority to construct an underpass at the crossing of the Victory Highway [aka Hwy 40 – ed.] and the Southern Pacific Railroad Company’s tracks near Towle, Placer County. The application states that the separation of grades by an underpass structure at this point will remove through traffic from existing crossings at grade at Alta and east of Gold run and also from an existing timber overhead crossing west of Gold Run…”
Lincoln News Messenger, Dec. 3, 1931. “Towle Underpass Gets Approval of R.R. Commission. The Railroad Commission has authorized the construction of an underpass, separating the grade of the Victory Highway and the Ogden route of Southern Pacific Company at a point near Towle, Placer County. The authorization is issued on application of the State Department of Public Works which proposes to relocate the state highway between Gold Run and Airport [Blue Canyon – ed.], Placer County, a distance of approximately eleven and one-half miles, which will involve crossing under the Southern Pacific Company’s main line track near Towle.”
October 2024
The Daily Morning Union, Grass Valley, Cal., May 20, 1903. “NEVADA COUNTY’S MAGNIFICENT GREETING AND GIFT TO AMERICA’S PRESIDENT. Greatest Gathering in History Assembles at Colfax and Madly Cheers for Roosevelt – Given Box of Glittering Specimens – Addresses at Station. President Roosevelt was given a miner’s welcome yesterday afternoon at Colfax, when he was presented with a magnificent box of costly quartz specimens and nuggets. Fully three thousand madly cheering people flocked about his car, displaying that enthusiasm and loyalty for which the mountains have been noted since the days of ‘Forty-nine. The greatest gathering within its history met in Colfax yesterday to see and hear President Roosevelt, and witness the presentation of Nevada county’s magnificent gift to the nation’s chief executive. Not an untoward occurrence marred the day’s pleasure, and witnessing the presentation, feasting its eyes on the greatest man in the United States, and cheering itself hoarse, the vast sea of humanity melted away to the four quarters of the compass… An endless line of vehicles on every road, it seemed, came winding its way over the hills… Two long excursion trains went out over the Narrow Gauge, in addition to the regular passenger trains …“ The newspaper article goes on for half the front page. Ed.
November 2024
The Placer Herald, Aug. 29, 1908. “ Railroad Notes. … At Newcastle the cutoff will diverge from the present track and cross over the Madden home site to the east of the Wittemore home and enter the hill this side by a tunnel. The subway will be under the cutoff. …”
Roseville Register, Oct. 22, 1908. “Newcastle Notes. Newcastle News, Oct. 14. … The railroad company have begun operations in town on the line of the cut-off. A force of men and teams removed the barn on the Frank Rodgers’ place to the lot formerly occupied by the old Sturgis residence. …”
The Placer Herald, May 8, 1909. “Railroad Notes. … The approaches to the tunnel this side of Newcastle are gradually lengthening. It will be a month or more before work on the tunnel proper will begin. …”
Roseville Register, Apr. 12, 1912. “Southern Pacific Notes. … All trains east and westbound pass through the double-track tunnel east of Newcastle, the westbound trains using the new track that leads from the present down track to the east portal of the tunnel. This way of routing westbound trains went into effect April 1, the trestles that spanned the new track at each end of the tunnel having been torn out March 31st. …”