Didn't know where else to post this. It came from another affinity group interested in passenger train consists. GS Out of Kansas City to Memphis & Jacksonville, involved in derailment at Marked Tree, Arkansas, approximately 27 miles east of Jonesboro and 37 miles west of Memphis. #2018 & 2015 - Diesel units #483 Frisco Express - HW Conventional #373 Frisco Baggage - HW Conventional #387 Frisco Baggage - HW Conventional #2041 Frisco Mail - HW Conventional #220 Frisco Baggage-Mail - HW Conventional #374 Frisco Baggage - HW Conventional #1094 Frisco Dormitory - HW Conventional #1073 Frisco Coach - HW Conventional #814 SOU Coach ROANOKE Lt WT P-S Built 1941 Lot 6646 BIRMINGHAM Diner - HW Conventional (Birmingham seems to be a favorite diner name) HAMILTON COLLEGE Sleeper - HW Conventional GASCONADE RIVER Sleeper - LT WT P-S 1948 Lot 6769
The date of this consist and derailment was definitely pre-1960, most likely pre-1955 but post-1952. The older mail car and dormitory coach, plus the fact of having a prewar SR streamlined coach but no Frisco streamlined coach, informs my dating of the consist. Ken McElreath
I believe that this derailment the last Frisco passenger train derailment to cause fatalities (5 deaths and 21 injured). There were several subsequent derailments, but none with fatalities. The cause of the derailment was precipitated by a design flaw in the low-level switch stand on a crossover between the main line and a side track. A pin or rivet, which held the switch stand spindle in place, worked loose. My dad said that a cotter key in the rivet broke which allow the spindle to drop and disengage from the the switch point connecting rod. As 105 passed over the turnout, the switch points moved, which derailed the train.
Here's a little more on this (maybe more than anyone wants), including a link to a very grainy aerial video of the wreck and site. Beware the twangy musical score. GS This is indeed an interesting consist, with its mixture of heavyweight and lightweight cars. Birmingham was a Frisco HW diner-lounge, Hamilton College was Pullman owned, a 10section-2bedroom-1 compartment car running as the Kansas City-Birmingham Pullman. Gasconade River was also a Frisco car, 14-4 configuration in the Kansas City-Jacksonville car line. The wreck was caused by a defective switch stand which allowed the switch points to open as the train passed over at 50mph. The rear trucks of the 9th car and all of the following cars went into the siding and struck standing freight equipment. One Frisco dining car employee and four passengers were killed and there were numerous other injuries. Southern coach Roanoke was scrapped but the other passenger cars were repaired and returned to service. More details in ICC accident report #3649. https://vimco.com/37434540