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Caption: OOPS!!! The was my first time seeing this happening, but in the years since I have seen numerous incidents in which locomotives did a nose-dive into a turntable pit, and am wondering why this was so common. In this example, CP GP9 8531 is nose into the pit, fuel leaking from a rupture, and workmen attempting the rescue first by stacking ties under the truck, while feller GP9s CP 8630 and 8682 are chained to the offending loco to ensure stability. Location not exactly as marked, I have forgotten the location of the roundhouse over the past 40 years. :o)
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Oops Indeed. Let’s see now – where’s the Fire Department, CP Police, RCM Police, Local Police , TV camera crew, Haz-Mat Disposal team, local and regional supervisors and a public relations officer all milling around?
Oh, it’s 1974 and a small fuel leak isn’t a major catastrophe as it would become 40 years later. Things were a lot more laid back then too for a guy from Ontario to be able to get close enough for pictures.
Right, CTP: Nobody around. I walked around the right side of the locos and to the pit, took a few photos of the disabled 8531, a few of the ruptured fuel tank, and wandered back to the car after seeing what was transpiring. Life is certainly different compared years back. The total extent of ‘safety’ I noticed at this incident was at least the employees donned yellow hard hats. Can you imagine how much money in wages would be paid out if this was a 2014 happening? Thousands of taxpayer dollars coughed up so these groups you mentioned could “be milling about at the scene”.
What’s funny is the first time I looked at this I didn’t notice 8531 in the pit! It took me viewing it a second time and reading the caption. Guess I was focusing more on that beautiful paint scheme on 8630!
Even today, I don’t think that such an incidence would be public knowledge. The railways are very adept at keeping quiet such small local accidents.
While I think of it, I had a rather surprising experience recently, having found out WHO was responsible for putting this locomotive in the pit so many years ago. It is indeed a small world when so many years later the “culprit” sees a photo on the internet of his doings so long ago. The individual is still working for a railroad, part time as a retirement supplement, and I think I shall keep his name confidential until he says otherwise.
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I was one of the two guys from London Ontario that was responsible for the unit that rolled into the turn table pit. My friend Ken and I were just hired to work in the shop. We were 19 and glad to get work. The railway was foreign to both of us. A few weeks earlier we were hired and the training was on the job. We drove crews around from trains to bunk houses. we inspected the water on through freight and passenger trains. Sometimes a little scary when you encounter people riding in the second or third units. As for the unit that ended up in the turn table pit. well I was running it and Ken was working the pit controls. After it was turned I ran it off the table into a clear holding track. The event took place sometime later when the unit died and there was NO hand brake on it. It simply rolled into the pit. We had worked the 11 to7 shift and were asleep at our place when it all took place. We got up at around 2 to get our pays at the station and were told that we still haven’t got one for us, we were upset. This was the 3rd pay day that we didn’t get a pay! I asked to speak to a train master, they said all the supervisors were over at the shop. We headed to the shop to raise a little hell, well they were glad to see our sorry asses. We got shit as you would expect and worked our next shift. God I miss the Assiniboia hotel.
I’m so glad you wrote. This was a rather amazing story of seeing a photo of something from so many years ago that you probably were trying to get out of your mind.
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A long time ago already.
Thank you SO much.
It wouldn’t happen this quietly now because most turntable pits have been filled in.