Marshall Pass - 100 years ago today

Salida Record, Feb. 5, 1904: “A very narrow escape from a very serious wreck was experienced on Marshall Pass Wednesday. In switching freight cars at the pass a car was ‘kicked’ onto a siding against two cars loaded with lumber. The cars started down the track and were soon going at a frightful rate. One of the trainmen, knowing that the passenger train would soon reach the pass, started down the mountain to try if possible to head off the runaways. He met the passenger train coming up the hill as usual. Nothing had been seen of the cars. On continuing up the mountain they soon discovered the cars lying in a gulch two hundred feet from the track and reduced to kindling. Very little other damage or delay was caused. The cars had left the rails at a sharp curve.”