The diamond drill., 1921-02-19
MS CAR WAS hit BY THE TRAIN
ON 0DGERS CROSSING
COULDN'T STOP HIS CAR
Train Crashed Into His Automobile
Amidships and Showed 1t
Along The Rails

Maurice Kellstrom. manager OF the
county farm had as narraw an escape
from death as anyone we have heard
OF, when his Ford car in which he
was riding slid onto the railroad
track in front OF a switch engine at
the Odgers crossing last Monday. The
car was hit amidships and pushed a.
long the rails for a distance OF so feet
before the engine could be stopped
Three OF the wheels crumpled up but
luckily the auto slid along on the rails
and didn't tip over. Kellstroni escap-
ed with only slight scratch on his
forehead and his first word uttered
after he regained his wind" was, I'm
lucky. He certainly was.
Clear View OF the Train
The ST Paul switch engine was
backing out OF the Odgers mine yards,
showing flat car and going at a rate
OF speed not over 10 miles per hour.
The train crew saw the car coming
and Kelstrom saw the train. He had
been driving at pretty good clip but
when he got about So feet from the
track he seemed to stop. AS a matter
OF fact the man did intend TO stop and
he had the foot brake down tight but
IL is impossible TO stop car on ice
within that distance and instead OF
his car stopping Il kept sliding along
until IL landed squarely on the track |
and stopped Just as the flat car struck |
IT,
The auto stopped in such position !
that the four wheels rested on the |
rails and the car was showed along |
the rails instead OF being tipped over
Ed. Grim and a brakeman were rid
ing on the flat car and they Swung |
down" the engineer who stopped his |
engine as quickly as he could but not
until the car with it's occupants had
been showed along the track a dis
tance oFabout so feet
One after another the wheels crum
pied up until only the left hind wheel
remained, Kelstrom was making fran
tic efforts 20 get out from behind the
steering wheel and he succeeded in
doing so just as the engine stopped
The car was not badly injured ex-
cepting as to the wheels. IL was
brought To the city and was running
again next day.
Don't Approach Tracks Fast
This accident, coming 40 soon after
the one al Mastodon. should be anoth-
er warming to drivers against driving
fast when approaching railroad tracks
II isn't possible 10 stop a car on the
snow or ice as quickly as II is on the
earth. Invariably the car slids along
and the faster one Is driving the long
er distance the car will slide.
The Odgers crossing Is a good one.
A train can be seen at that point for
quarter on a mile before one gets
TO the track and there is no other rea-
son than carelessness for being
caught as Kellstrom was.
One afternoon last summer an ore
train was going over that crossing
when q car came tearing along from
the city and ran squarely into the
moving train. The driver saw the
train for at least half a mile before
he got 10 the crossing. Fortunately he
was going fast and he struck an ore
car right in the center where the truss
rods were low and the impact OF his
car with the rods caused rebound
that threw him back into safety. He
TO the train crew OF their
the crossing
These are simply samples OF care
lessness in driving cars.
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