Who Sabotaged the Sunset Limited?

[K. P. Harrier]

In the early hours of October 9, 1995, Amtrak#8217;s westbound Sunset Limited near Hyder, Arizona met up with the doings of a very conniving saboteur(s). The train derailed, and one died. In 1939, a remarkably similar sabotage occurred, and with numerous fatalities. It may have been the inspiration for the 1995 case. To date, neither crime has ever been solved, AND PROBABLY NEVER WILL BE EITHER. If the 1995 culprit(s) is ever apprehended, I believe it will be because a thirst for more badness and/or blood got the best of the person(s).

[JoeKoh]

This is a guess but it could have been illegal immigrants or crooks because they would want to derail a freight train to steal the contents of the cars.
stay safe
Joe

[dharmon]

Dude...

You gotta like lay off the conspiracy theory paperbacks....[:o)]

[kenneo]

I was told some time ago by a person that ought to know the correct story that the Hyder derailment was "solved" but the evidence at hand will not support a court case. The official response you will get from either Law Enforcement or the UP is that it has not been solved.

You will get the same response about the City of San Francisco (I believe it was the City, if not, it would have been The Challenger) derailment that took down a bridge across the Humbolt River in 1939. My source also said (and this has also been published) that the railroad police determined who did it, but again, could not obtain sufficient evidence for a court case.

TRAINS had an article many years ago on the Humbolt River derailment, with pictures. It would have been much worse had not the Humbolt not been more that a couple of feet deep at that time.

[Anonymous]

If I'm thinking of a different derailment, someone please let me know. I have seen some stuff about this on TV. The train derailed out in the middle of the desert and one man decided to step out and look around and found a letter saying a bunch of anti-government stuff that was signed by a group calling themselves the "Sons of the Gestapo". There was a big investigation made into a nearby community, but people were very reluctant to tell investigators anything, which made them suspicious. They believed that they were trying to copy the derailment where an Amtrak train derailed on a bridge that was hit by a barge, but the effect wasn't as devestating as they wanted it to be. I never heard anything about the 1939 incident, so perhaps I'm thinking of a different derailment. Perhaps the Sons of the Gestapo is some sort of Neo-Nazi organization that was originally formed in the 30's when Hitler first took power. Who knows? Maybe it was even Osama behind it.

[eolafan]

LITTLE GREEN MEN FROM MARS, OF COURSE!

[kenneo]

Sask_Tinplater

You have the correct derailment in Hyder, Arizona. Don't believe everything you read in the newspaper or hear on radio or see on TV. It probably is true.

[Anonymous]

This also reminds me of the story the Trains mag ran years ago (don't ask me how many tho) about the SF wreck involving 2 trains. One was on the siding waiting for the other to pass by. One of the SF employees threw the switch early and instead of harmlessly passing by the speeding train was directed into the siding also. It was traveling way to fast to stop and ran into the lead unit of the stopped train. I believe there were some deaths (at least one of the engineers was killed) and probally many injuries.

Some of the staff or forum members might also remember this story and point us to the issue.

[kenneo]

jhhtrainsplains

Jim

I don't remember the id's of both trains involved, but one was the Sunset. Memory tells me that both trains were opposite numbers of the same train, but I can't remember for sure. I also don't remember just where it happened, but it was Beaumont Hill - Yuma someplace.

The DS reversed who was to go into the hole that night Remember, this was between two trains of the same class, but different direction and for some reason, the DS reversed the rule of direction. So the train that was supposed to be in the hole was holding the main instead. The train that usually straight railed the meet was to take siding instead. The only thing that went right with that move was that the train - by TO - that was to hold the main headed down the main between switches and stopped at the signal, just as he was supposed to do. The brakeman, instead of going out to line the switch, spaced the situation and stayed on the engine. The train that normally held the main came blasting out of the dark just as always, also spacing the situation. The head end, baggage and RPO crews of both trains died and so did some passengers. Both of the trains had steam engines, I think - don't remember for sure.

Ugly.

[Anonymous]

Jim,
The article about the collision of the Santa Fe passenger trains was called "Nightmare on the Chief." It appeared in the September, 1998 issue of TRAINS.

[K. P. Harrier]

QUOTE: Originally posted by southernfastmail

Jim,
The article about the collision of the Santa Fe passenger trains was called "Nightmare on the Chief." It appeared in the September, 1998 issue of TRAINS.

Since the NIGHTMARE ON THE CHIEF article in 1998, I have visited the New Mexico site three times. It is hard to believe a full-length dome car derailed at the MP 705 sign as shown in the TRAINS article.

Concerning the Hyder incident, I believe law enforcement officials are too busy to look for a seemingly invisible needle in a haystack. That, or they are keeping quiet.

[Anonymous]

I think it was ILLEGAL Immigrants or alines and UP is too Cheap to look or Davison & Company has too many other to worry about