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Re: 35th Anniversary Since the SP Roseville Railyard Explosion
Author: Tom Farence
Date: 04-29-2008 - 17:34
In the early 70s, I was firing in the east end LaCrosse Division freight pool of the MILW between Portage,WI and Milwaukee. My Engineer was Frank Bottoni Jr and we were called for an eastbound freight at Portage for about 6:30PM,probably 262,264 or 266. Don't remember what time of the year but it was twilight. When the train was a few miles out I believe it was dark.
As the inbound roar of the train could be heard a few miles to the west we were all on the platform ready to board on a walk an change the way the Milwaukee did in those days. Allofasudden there was a brilliant flash,I mean blinding,that lasted for at least 5 seconds followed by a mushroom cloud, fire and strong wind with a loud explosion. Later reports stated the flash could be seen in a150 mile radius.
The power(electricity) wssdown at the depot and the only radio a new Motorola 200 our Conducter Clyde Brinkman at purchased for his own personal use. The radio crackled as the inbound Engineer(I can picture him but cannot remember his name) was hollering"MAYDAY MAYDAY....OUR TRAIN JUST BLEW UP!!" This all happened just west of the HY 16 overpass about a mile and one half west of the depot.
As the sky had been lit up by the fires that had spread in and around the RoW, we could see two individuals running down the eastbound mainline toward the depot. It was a very scared head Brakeman and Fireman off the inbound train. As we found out later they had left the Engineer alone to cutoff the locomotive and head seven cars. If I remember he was not real pleased that the headend crew had deserted him. Not far behind the crew came the locomotive and headend with a pissed off and seriously shaken Engineer with burned hands from a red hot pinlifter.
By this time our Con had figured out from the list(these were the days you had no idea just guessed on how hazerdous things you were hauling could be)that the eight head car was something very explosive as it had a big **DANGEROUS** next to the car number. Turns out it was rocket propellant headed back to Crane,IN Navy base. Of course we all new from the explosion it was very valital but what we didn't know was...was there anymore? Remember these days were....can't remember for sure late 60's early 70's and Vietnam.
We relieved the inbound quite shaken crew and backed towards the train as there were four cars of lumber burning under the HY16 overhead. Tied on the cars and brought them down towards the roundhouse so the Portage,WI fire dept could do their job. As it turned out, the Fire Dept was returning from practice west of town and had a front row seat as the car blew up just as the were crossing the overhead in their fire trucks. When we were done, we pulled the power down in front of the depot were told we were released, as there was no RR anymore west of town and ahead of what was left of the train, just a huge crater as the explosion took place in a cut. Both mains were gone for about 400ft. All five of us (crew) headed for the tavern across the street. Again,this was the late 60's or early 70's and was not the least bit unusual.
As the years went buy there were a number of senerios, from a leaking cannister,a hole in the floor,friction shoes heating the propellant to sabbotage. If I remember there were anti-war protest in the StPaul,MN area around the time the train had been there andthe sabbotage thing was really hot and heavy. But,if I remember correctly, they(the GOV) went with the leaking cannister.
I remember seeing a documentary on the Roseville yard explosions and at the time thought...WOW they had to deal with that crap for 8 hrs with a bunch of injuries and half the town wiped out while our situation probably lasted an hour,if that, with cocktails following.
The Engineer I was firing for at the time was pretty cool during this whole thing but I remember a statement he made as we were having our second round of shots and beers. He stated taht in WWII(World War 2) he partcipated in blowing up an amo dump in Anzio,Italy and thats what it reminded him of...he said it rather fondly!!
As the inbound roar of the train could be heard a few miles to the west we were all on the platform ready to board on a walk an change the way the Milwaukee did in those days. Allofasudden there was a brilliant flash,I mean blinding,that lasted for at least 5 seconds followed by a mushroom cloud, fire and strong wind with a loud explosion. Later reports stated the flash could be seen in a150 mile radius.
The power(electricity) wssdown at the depot and the only radio a new Motorola 200 our Conducter Clyde Brinkman at purchased for his own personal use. The radio crackled as the inbound Engineer(I can picture him but cannot remember his name) was hollering"MAYDAY MAYDAY....OUR TRAIN JUST BLEW UP!!" This all happened just west of the HY 16 overpass about a mile and one half west of the depot.
As the sky had been lit up by the fires that had spread in and around the RoW, we could see two individuals running down the eastbound mainline toward the depot. It was a very scared head Brakeman and Fireman off the inbound train. As we found out later they had left the Engineer alone to cutoff the locomotive and head seven cars. If I remember he was not real pleased that the headend crew had deserted him. Not far behind the crew came the locomotive and headend with a pissed off and seriously shaken Engineer with burned hands from a red hot pinlifter.
By this time our Con had figured out from the list(these were the days you had no idea just guessed on how hazerdous things you were hauling could be)that the eight head car was something very explosive as it had a big **DANGEROUS** next to the car number. Turns out it was rocket propellant headed back to Crane,IN Navy base. Of course we all new from the explosion it was very valital but what we didn't know was...was there anymore? Remember these days were....can't remember for sure late 60's early 70's and Vietnam.
We relieved the inbound quite shaken crew and backed towards the train as there were four cars of lumber burning under the HY16 overhead. Tied on the cars and brought them down towards the roundhouse so the Portage,WI fire dept could do their job. As it turned out, the Fire Dept was returning from practice west of town and had a front row seat as the car blew up just as the were crossing the overhead in their fire trucks. When we were done, we pulled the power down in front of the depot were told we were released, as there was no RR anymore west of town and ahead of what was left of the train, just a huge crater as the explosion took place in a cut. Both mains were gone for about 400ft. All five of us (crew) headed for the tavern across the street. Again,this was the late 60's or early 70's and was not the least bit unusual.
As the years went buy there were a number of senerios, from a leaking cannister,a hole in the floor,friction shoes heating the propellant to sabbotage. If I remember there were anti-war protest in the StPaul,MN area around the time the train had been there andthe sabbotage thing was really hot and heavy. But,if I remember correctly, they(the GOV) went with the leaking cannister.
I remember seeing a documentary on the Roseville yard explosions and at the time thought...WOW they had to deal with that crap for 8 hrs with a bunch of injuries and half the town wiped out while our situation probably lasted an hour,if that, with cocktails following.
The Engineer I was firing for at the time was pretty cool during this whole thing but I remember a statement he made as we were having our second round of shots and beers. He stated taht in WWII(World War 2) he partcipated in blowing up an amo dump in Anzio,Italy and thats what it reminded him of...he said it rather fondly!!
