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Re: 1969 Cuesta grade derailment-Yes U-33 problem....
Author: Nudge
Date: 02-02-2017 - 18:01
I wrote an article that was published in the Fall, 2014 of the SP Trainline. Its the official Publication of the SPH&TS.
It spells out what happened, and there are pictures.
I believe the GE controller played a large part of the accident. SP later came out with a video showing Engineer Elk Mallagh hooking up a unit at Margarita. The SP tried to pass that as the reason but it didn't fly.
They did pick up a unit and departed Margarita as lite power with the 8642 on the point headed east. The dispatcher put them at Cuesta to meet a west train, Engineer George McCarron, and the engines were sitting with a roll by.
The helper engineer didn't have a good track record and do much running. The Fireman, Cardoza was used off his regular job of #98 & 99 to Santa Barbara and back. Mont Cambier took over the duties of Billy Garner, another call boy, so he could ride over the hill and back. He had just received permission to go firing by J H Long, the LA Superintendent.
Inside Tunnel 6 is the top of the hill. They finally realized that Dan Holderman thought he had made the shift between power & dynamic brake. As the speed kept rising he pulled the throttle all the way back to Run 8. Its was still in motor and they were past the point of no return.
The SP started fitting the control stand with pilot lights that showed if the engine was in power or dynamic. Right after that the standardized control stand was adopted for all motive power, with separate levers and directions.
By the way, I had just come in on No. 373 from Santa Barbara on a red tag veto. The crew dispatcher told me to hang around because they might use me on a helper. After awhile, they released me. The dispatcher said he wanted a rested man that could work 16 hours.
Close but not enough to make quit. I did my 40 plus years and then retired. Oh, the 6708 sat in Roseville for a number of years before being fixed and repainted and renumbered as a Bicentennial
Nudge
It spells out what happened, and there are pictures.
I believe the GE controller played a large part of the accident. SP later came out with a video showing Engineer Elk Mallagh hooking up a unit at Margarita. The SP tried to pass that as the reason but it didn't fly.
They did pick up a unit and departed Margarita as lite power with the 8642 on the point headed east. The dispatcher put them at Cuesta to meet a west train, Engineer George McCarron, and the engines were sitting with a roll by.
The helper engineer didn't have a good track record and do much running. The Fireman, Cardoza was used off his regular job of #98 & 99 to Santa Barbara and back. Mont Cambier took over the duties of Billy Garner, another call boy, so he could ride over the hill and back. He had just received permission to go firing by J H Long, the LA Superintendent.
Inside Tunnel 6 is the top of the hill. They finally realized that Dan Holderman thought he had made the shift between power & dynamic brake. As the speed kept rising he pulled the throttle all the way back to Run 8. Its was still in motor and they were past the point of no return.
The SP started fitting the control stand with pilot lights that showed if the engine was in power or dynamic. Right after that the standardized control stand was adopted for all motive power, with separate levers and directions.
By the way, I had just come in on No. 373 from Santa Barbara on a red tag veto. The crew dispatcher told me to hang around because they might use me on a helper. After awhile, they released me. The dispatcher said he wanted a rested man that could work 16 hours.
Close but not enough to make quit. I did my 40 plus years and then retired. Oh, the 6708 sat in Roseville for a number of years before being fixed and repainted and renumbered as a Bicentennial
Nudge
