Engine topples over after slides weaken tracks
EDITOR’S NOTE: In recognition of Canada’s 150th anniversary, The Herald is reprinting historic stories from the South Okanagan focusing on the biggest news story of each year.
December 1, 1949 – A few feet of clay bank was all that separated crewmen and passengers of a C.P.R. eastbound passenger train from the cold waters of Okanagan Lake at 5:35 a.m. Tuesday when the train’s locomotive dropped into a huge depression created by a slide on the line a half mile north of the city on the east bank of the lake.
That the whole train did not plunge down the steep incline into the lake is believed to be owing to the slow speed at which the train was proceeding and Engineer Joe Raymond’s prompt action in applying the emergency brakes.
Engineer Raymond was more worried about the condition of his locomotive than he was about himself following the accident.
Passengers who rushed to aid him and fireman Ralph Felton, expecting to find the two dead or at least seriously injured in the overturned engine, from which a cloud of hissing steam was rising, were amazed to see the fireman pulling himself out of the cab unhurt and Raymond standing on the tender, also unhurt, and saying, “Oh, my poor engine.”
A mail coach, following the locomotive, fell partly into the depression, but four passenger coaches strung behind the mail coach remained on the track.
Escape of the two from even minor injuries may be due to the ever-watchful eye which trainmen keep on the “iron road ahead.”
When the locomotive rounded the turn, a scant hundred yards or less from the slide, Engineer Raymond, said he felt there was “something wrong ahead.”
Quickly, and almost automatically, his hand reached out and “put in the plug,” or threw the emergency brakes full on.
Seconds later, with the train almost at a stop, they dropped 30 yards off the end of the road down onto an embankment formed by the slide. Fireman Felton, when asked how they sensed something was wrong, replied, “When you get used to seeing that track ahead and suddenly nothing shows but blackness, you decide to pull a halt.” The slide is blamed on the heavy rains of the pest week-end which have caused great damage on the West Coast, slides along the HopePrinceton highway and along the main rail lines from here to Vancouver. Last train to come from Nelson over the line was Monday at midnight. The slide may have occurred right afterwards, or just prior to approach of the eastbound at 5:35, but the exact time has not been fixed. Soon after the accident had been reported to C.P.R. officials back at the depot, a spare locomotive was dispatched to the scene which pulled the four passenger coaches back to the station. Bus transportation was then arranged to Kelowna, where passengers continued their journey by rail via Sicamous. It wasn’t long after that C.P.R. wrecking crews were hard at work trying to pull out the mail coach.
A long, powerful steel cable was attached to the coach and the work train at its other end backed slowly until the cable was tight. However, the first attempt failed as the cable came loose and the crew had to start over again. Finally, after placing a number of ties at the correct places and by backing up with great caution, the coach was hauled onto the rails.