Re: 485 fell into the pit in Salida

From a Chaffee County historical website:

"The Mountain Mail, Dec. 10, 1953: Monday afternoon at 1:30 Denver and Rio Grande narrow gauge engine 485 made its first solo trip and ended up on its side in the turntable pit, a broken little engine. In railroad parlance engine 485 "walked off," traveled about 200 feet when it came to the turntable, and crashed into the pit.

Leonard Abbott, a roundhouse employee, was on the engine when the walk started but jumped to safety. No one was hurt but property damage could be quite extensive. No figure could be given today on damage but railroad officials said it might run into several thousand. Total replacement cost on a steam narrow gauge engine would be about $25,000"