Trouble on the Tracks
BY: BG EDITOR
Train Derailment in Armstrong, B.C., 1914
[ Photo: UBC Okanagan Library ]
Feb 15, 2020 — GREENWOOD, BC (BG)
As mining, agriculture and forestry were growing in the B.C. interior, a great period of railroad development surrounded the Boundary region. Early rails were laid in Greenwood in the late 1800s to service local mining operations, and the Great Northern Railway's trains were coming from northern U.S. states into Phoenix Mountain. The Columbia & Western Railway reached Greenwood from the east by 1899. They were also running from the smelter in Trail to Penticton. Not surprisingly, there were many difficulties met by trains steaming along these tracks.
One of the earliest train accidents was reported in December 1899, when passengers from Greenwood were on a train that derailed above Arrow Lake:[1]
RAILWAY ACCIDENTS
Two Accidents on the C. & W. Railway Last Week — Two Men Killed
"Last week what might have been a fearful accident occurred on the C. & W. as the passenger train bound east was rounding the grade above Arrow lake. A huge landslide came down in front of the engine, derailing it. The engineer at once reversed the engine and the train stopped just as the engine was ready to plunge over the precipice 600 feet in height. The engineer jumped and was the only one injured. He was badly shaken up.
Several Greenwoodites were on the train, among them being Clive Pringle, A. Fisher and J. Poupore. Mr. Fisher states that Mr. Pringle was badly scared and at once committed himself to deal mercifully with litigants he would oppose should Providence provide an earthly future, while Mr. Pringle is equally strong in his assertion that the Boundary Creek lumberman was voluntarily broken for the nonce and the big lumbermen promised to furnish building material at cost.
These good resolutions which meant much for Bundary Creek, were seemingly strengthened by a second accident five miles this side of Rossland. This one succeeded in disabling the train and many of the passengers walked over the divide to Rossland. They reached there at 7 o'clock in the morning, or nineteen hours after leaving Greenwood. The walk killed the resolutions and almost killed the "resolutioners."
A second accident occurred on the railway on Saturday. An east bound freight was making the switchbacks over Bulldog tunnel when the brakes refused to work and the train started at a terrific rate down the grade. It soon jumped the track and was a total wreck. A tramp stealing a ride was killed, while a brakeman, whose name has not been ascertained, was so severely injured that he has since died."
Two Accidents on the C. & W. Railway Last Week — Two Men Killed
"Last week what might have been a fearful accident occurred on the C. & W. as the passenger train bound east was rounding the grade above Arrow lake. A huge landslide came down in front of the engine, derailing it. The engineer at once reversed the engine and the train stopped just as the engine was ready to plunge over the precipice 600 feet in height. The engineer jumped and was the only one injured. He was badly shaken up.
Several Greenwoodites were on the train, among them being Clive Pringle, A. Fisher and J. Poupore. Mr. Fisher states that Mr. Pringle was badly scared and at once committed himself to deal mercifully with litigants he would oppose should Providence provide an earthly future, while Mr. Pringle is equally strong in his assertion that the Boundary Creek lumberman was voluntarily broken for the nonce and the big lumbermen promised to furnish building material at cost.
These good resolutions which meant much for Bundary Creek, were seemingly strengthened by a second accident five miles this side of Rossland. This one succeeded in disabling the train and many of the passengers walked over the divide to Rossland. They reached there at 7 o'clock in the morning, or nineteen hours after leaving Greenwood. The walk killed the resolutions and almost killed the "resolutioners."
A second accident occurred on the railway on Saturday. An east bound freight was making the switchbacks over Bulldog tunnel when the brakes refused to work and the train started at a terrific rate down the grade. It soon jumped the track and was a total wreck. A tramp stealing a ride was killed, while a brakeman, whose name has not been ascertained, was so severely injured that he has since died."
The following summer, closer to home, two runaway train cars were stopped by forcible derailment at Phoenix:[2]
"A car loaded with 30 tons of ore got away from under the Knob Hill ore bins at Phoenix yesterday morning. The block across the rails failed to stop the runaway which ran into a flat car half loaded with lumber and standing on the spur near the Victoria shaft house. The collision started the flat car and away both cars went down the grade towards the Phoenix depot, nearly half a mile distant. They were seen coming so to prevent their continuing on down towards Hartford Junction a switch was thrown open near the depot and they were there derailed.
A short length of the road was torn up and both cars were damaged, the flat car particularly. Mr. N. Fowler was on the ore car when it started. Finding that he could not make the brakes act, he jumped off and though a good deal shaken escaped serious injury."
A short length of the road was torn up and both cars were damaged, the flat car particularly. Mr. N. Fowler was on the ore car when it started. Finding that he could not make the brakes act, he jumped off and though a good deal shaken escaped serious injury."
A year later, spring rains in the Boundary caused difficulties for local rail lines:[3]
SPRING FRESHETS
"The warm rains of last week converted much of the deep snow on the mountains to water which found its way to the streams with the result that floods caused some uneasiness through out the district. Boundary Creek behaved itself fairly well and remained within its bank through the City limits except on Sunday morning, when it poured some water over the valley. This quickly subsided however, Kettle River ran riot and played hovic with the Hot Air Line.
A portion of one bridge had to be dynamited to save the balance, and some of the track was washed out resulting in the derailment of an engine. Several logs jammed against Ingram bridge above Midway, these were liberated by foreman Findlay who was sent up by agent McMynn, to relieve the pressure on the bridge.
High water coming so early will probably preclude a recurrence of the floods during the hot summer months."
"The warm rains of last week converted much of the deep snow on the mountains to water which found its way to the streams with the result that floods caused some uneasiness through out the district. Boundary Creek behaved itself fairly well and remained within its bank through the City limits except on Sunday morning, when it poured some water over the valley. This quickly subsided however, Kettle River ran riot and played hovic with the Hot Air Line.
A portion of one bridge had to be dynamited to save the balance, and some of the track was washed out resulting in the derailment of an engine. Several logs jammed against Ingram bridge above Midway, these were liberated by foreman Findlay who was sent up by agent McMynn, to relieve the pressure on the bridge.
High water coming so early will probably preclude a recurrence of the floods during the hot summer months."
Trains at the Mother Lode Mine near Greenwood, c. 1903
[ Photo: Wm. Notman & Son, McCord Museum, V3684, Creative Commons ]
In 1904, a major accident took place in the townsite at Oro Denoro mine, near Eholt.[4]
HAPPILY NO LOSS OF LIFE
Ore Train Gets Away on Grade, Crew Jumped
"The wreck of last Tuesday on the Phoenix branch of the Canadian Pacific railway affords the kodak fiend a choice subject. Near Denoro City a railway engine, 23 ore cars and over 600 tons of ore are piled up in fantastic confusion.
It would appear that Conductor Halfpenny was coming down the long grade just beyond Denoro city with a string of 24 laden ore cars when for some unaccountable reason the air refused to go on duty when summoned. With the result that there was a runaway. The crew knew they had lost cause when neither air nor hand brakes could be made effective and having reversed the engine there remained nothing to do but seek personal safety. This they did by dropping off the train.
Down the grade and around the curves rushed the train for a mile or so when it decided to leave the rails. The result was ruin as may be imagined. The entire train with the exception of two cars was a complete wreck. The crew escaped with minor injuries."
Ore Train Gets Away on Grade, Crew Jumped
"The wreck of last Tuesday on the Phoenix branch of the Canadian Pacific railway affords the kodak fiend a choice subject. Near Denoro City a railway engine, 23 ore cars and over 600 tons of ore are piled up in fantastic confusion.
It would appear that Conductor Halfpenny was coming down the long grade just beyond Denoro city with a string of 24 laden ore cars when for some unaccountable reason the air refused to go on duty when summoned. With the result that there was a runaway. The crew knew they had lost cause when neither air nor hand brakes could be made effective and having reversed the engine there remained nothing to do but seek personal safety. This they did by dropping off the train.
Down the grade and around the curves rushed the train for a mile or so when it decided to leave the rails. The result was ruin as may be imagined. The entire train with the exception of two cars was a complete wreck. The crew escaped with minor injuries."
Two years later, in 1906 there was a wreck just west of Midway.[5] A Great Northern train narrowly escaped derailment when it rounded a curve and was met by a landslide covering the tracks. The cause… an autumn wet spell.
In 1907, a freight train derailed near the summit east of Cascade.[6] Nine cars were derailed, holding up that day's passenger train from Nelson. Riders arrived in Greenwood at 3 a.m., eleven hours behind schedule.
This scene was to be replayed just two weeks later, when another freight train derailed between Grand Forks and Eholt.[7] The Nelson passenger train was again held up, delivering its riders to Greenwood two and a half hours late.
In a show of poetic justice, the Nelson train returned the favour. In mid-December, a Times reporter noted:[8]
"Picking up a daily paper these days, one hardly ever fails to see a railway smash-up — derailment or collision. Just to even things up, the train from Nelson yesterday ran into the Greenwood yards."
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Boundary Creek Times — Dec 09, 1899, p. 2
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0170318
[2] Greenwood Weekly Times — Aug 22, 1900, p. 4
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0172805
[3] Boundary Creek Times — May 16, 1902, p. 4
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0171113
[4] Boundary Creek Times — Aug 26, 1904, p. 1
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0171057
[5] Boundary Creek Times — Nov 16, 1906, p. 5
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0172411
[6] Boundary Creek Times — Nov 01, 1907, p. 4
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0171702
[7] Boundary Creek Times — Nov 15, 1907, p. 4
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0171673
[8] Boundary Creek Times — Dec 13, 1907, p. 1
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0172591
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