St. Louis Southwestern (Cotton Belt) work train on the Trumann Subdivision headed back to the mainline at Malden, Mo. at 27 mph with FT 913 in the lead on June 7, 1961. In the background those power line poles were alongside county highway B, and a trucker in a tractor only (no trailer) thought he was going to beat the train to the 90-deg. level grade crossing, known as Bakersville. Visibility in the flatland Missouri boot-heel country was not a problem. The truck hit the center of the FT at an estimated speed of 55, knocking it over. There were no skid marks. Running parallel to the highway was an irrigation canal that the rail-road crossed on a small wooden trestle which was destroyed when the following eight cars derailed. The nationwide public education program Operation Lifesaver always tells drivers, You may beat the train but you could be dead wrong, as was the truck driver. The engineer sustained two black eyes and was in the hospital two days; the head brakeman needed 27 stitches in his left arm above the elbow. The FT never ran again and was traded to EMD. Photographer and Reporter Steve Patterson
Posted on: Sun, 11 Jan 2015 21:18:25 +0000