Toltec Gorge wrecks

I had some vague recollections but had to call Gordon Chappell to get some facts before posting. Here's what Gordon could remember off the top of his head.

Right at Rock Tunnel the only wreck he was aware of was one or more gons that went off the edge just west of the tunnel where the rock retaining wall is now. This happened early on and may have been before the rock wall, when that section of track was a wooden trestle.

A mile or so west of Rock Tunnel a passenger car rolled down the side in 1881.

About half a mile east of Rock Tunnel the 170 derailed about 1904-5 and rolled some 85 feet down the hill and the tender rolled further. The engine was recovered but the remains of the tender are still there.
Some years ago Gordon and a friend crawled down the hill and recovered the box headlight from the engine. The headlight is now at the CRM.

It would not surprise me that over the years there might also have been some minor derailments or other problems that caused parts of cars to be tossed over the edge. In particular the long trains during the gas boom of the 50's caused quite of few of the older wooden cars to pull apart (remnants of what may have been one such mishap exist near the throat of Tanglefoot curve).

JBWX



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/07/2008 12:22PM by John West.