Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1909-11-25
BOARD REPORTS
ON WRECK
BOARD OF INQUIRY CONVENED
AT GLENNS FERRY, WE'D
NEsDAY, NOVEMBER 10

To Investigate Accident Near Mile
Post BOB, About Two Miles East
of Medbury Siding, Idaho Division,
o. $. L. r. r. CO., On Sunday
Afternoon, November "A. 1909.
We, the board of inquiry, assem-
bled to investigate this accident, find
that at $3.50 p. m. Sunday, November
IA, 1909, Train No. SIS, engines
1898 and 951, double-heading
Conductor Spencer, Engineers J. NJ.
Bingham and ]. j. Phillips. with 20
loads, 1856 tons, running at a speed
of about 20 miles per hour near
mile post 1872, about two miles east
of Medbury siding, ran into an open
switch, derailing both engines, tip
ping engine 951 over on right side;
also derailed four loaded cars, one of
which contained household goods.
This car was destroyed and contents
seriously damaged.
We find that the cause of this acct
dent was that new spur track was
being built on the north side of
main track opening eastward upon
tangent, practically level grade, at
a point just east of mile post 3S3,
for the accommodation of a land
opening to be held nearby November
18th; track in this spur had been
laid for a distance of about 500 feet,
and switch connected up and switch
stand installed about two hours pre-
vious to accident, and on account of
slight change in spur grade being
necessary, the track force had cut
spur-track about two rail lengths in
side of frog for this purpose.
We further find that Assistant
Supervisor F. A. Purdy and Signal
Maintainer Charles English we're at
new spur installing switch controller
for block signals, which are operated
within this territory. About ten
minutes before the arrival of No.
SIS, Signal Maintainer English open
ed switch, aligning it to spur track
for the purpose of attaching clip on
switch point, consuming about five
minutes in this work. He then walk.
ed to where Assistant Supervisor
Purdy was wiring track at frog
about so feet distant, forgetting tC
align switch to main track, and be
gan assisting Purdy in work at frog
Neither Purdy or English observed
position of switch until Train No
So was within about $50 feet o
switch when leading engine shu
off steam and whistled for breakes
Purdy ran to switch to align same
but slipped and fell upon reachinl
it, about which time engine passed
over switch. Target on switch stan'
was darkened with smoke and dirt
having been in previous service, ant
on account of track laborers in bacl
ground, target could not be readil
distinguished. Steam also arising
from leading engine partially oh
scured vision of engineman, an
open switch was not observed b
Engineer Phillips or his fireman an
head brakeman until within three o
four car lengths of switch, whe
Engineer Phillips Immediately al
piled air in the emergency an
whistled to stop. Engineer Bins
ham on second engine shut off steaI
at once. Engineer, fireman and hea
brakeman on engine 951 jumpe
from engine as it entered switch an
no personal injuries resulted frol
accident. Total estimate of damag
to engine, cars and track, $S750.0l
We find that Signal Maintaine
Charles English is solely responsible
for falling to re-align switch aft'
completing his work on switc
points, and attach no blame to trai
or engine crews on Train No. 55.
We further find that Sign
Maintainer English has been in Il
service of the Signal Department
maintainer about two and a ha
years; has the reputation among Il
citizens of Glenns Ferry, where
has resided a number of years, al
with his employers, as being car
full, capable and perfectly reliable
his duties.
(Signed)
H. JACOBSON,
Merchant.
E. w. NEWCOMB,
signal Engineer.