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Caption: 49 years ago today on June 12, 1975 N&W #90 with NW 3659 in the lead was involved in a catastrophic accident and derailment in Simcoe, ON.
The lead locomotive made it as far as the Hwy. 24 underpass where it dropped from the railway overpass onto the roadway below.
Here we see a heavy lift mobile crane from Nadrofsky Steel Erecting in Brantford, ON hoisting the burned out hulk of NW 3659 from the highway back up to the Cayuga Sub. right-of-way where it will be put on a pair of dummy trucks for movement to Fort Erie later that week.
I was operating a hi-rail excavator/crane for CN at the time and was at the derailment site to provide cleanup assistance.
I am still amazed at how close the general public was able to get to the derailment location and on to the right-of-way back in those days.
The locomotive, the overpass, and the Cayuga Sub. at this location are all long gone.
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What an incredible spectacle you captured and from a unique perspective, no less. The proximity of the public to the action is surreal. Imagine how this would be handled today ! Was there a second crane used to lift the engine to the position shown ? I just can’t figure out how one crane could accomplish the scene shown.
I agree. This shot is stunning. And everybody wandering all over the place. Those were the days. Historic image, Paul.
Very nice. You definitely climbed a side ladder for that shot. I recognize quite a few of those wearing the white hats, even with their backs to the camera.
I lived in Caledonia then and came upon the scene awhile after it happened. Awful mess, the crew sadly perished.
Thanks for the comments guys!
Aitch, Only one mobile crane was used to lift the locomotive from the highway to the roadbed. It was Nadrofsky’s 300 ton mobile brought in from Brantford, and assembled at the site.
Terry, Yes, lots of familiar CN brass in that photo. I penned a blue star on Dad’s shirt at far right center of the pic.
Hope this link works for you guys.
These five pics illustrate the sequence of events involved in raising, swinging, and lowering the damaged lead unit at the N&W derailment site of June 12, 1975.
After the nose of the unit was lifted to track level, the crane swung the locomotive parallel to the mainline track. During the rotation of the unit to be parallel with the mainline, the section of track under the rear of the unit was pushed out of line, causing ballast to spill onto the highway below.
https://1drv.ms/f/s!AjZmhh39sQJ2jZswisVn76N0Y6mSLg?e=UEGxnQ
Those 5 extra pictures make it very clear how they raised the engine. Thanks for sharing them Paul.