Casey, I am guessing that only about 5 to 10% of D&RGW and RGS records and documentation have ever been posted on the internet. I have several thousand pages of D&RGW and RGS snow fighting research and only a tiny portion of it has been posted, heck only a tiny bit of it has even been typed. As far as I know this has never been posted.
Rico-Dove Creek News
February 11, 1938
Flanger Runs Away
Last Sunday, shortly before noon, the RGS flanger got away from the train crew at a point near the top of Dallas Divide and ran wild down the grade for a distance of about six miles, where it left the rails and plunged down the hill about a hundred feet then rolled over a cliff and fell to the bottom of the canyon some 400 feet below. The flanger is reported to be a total wreck and it is hardly likely that any attempt will be made to salvage it.
The machine was being brought back to Rico after having been in the back shops at Ridgway for general repairs. At the top of the hill, the plow was uncoupled from one of the larger engines and another smaller engine was going to be attached to it to continue on down the grade. In the two or three minutes required to change engines, the brakes must have failed to work and the plow unnoticed by the crew, started down grade, gaining momentum so fast that it was impossible to catch it.
It is stated that at the point where it left the rails, it was traveling at such a terrific rate of speed that it jumped clear of everything for a distance of about 60 feet before it touched the ground, from which point is plunged into the gorge below.
A very fortunate incident was the fact that the rail bus which is usually carrying passengers, was about two hours late. Otherwise, had it been on time, it is due along this section about the time the run-away plow made its wild dash down the grade.
