Re: Watch out for cows!

Back in the days of smaller equipment ("Little Engines & Big Cows"?) hitting livestock could be a fatal event. On July 15, 1917 An eastbound freight near Carracas with engines 224 and 208 struck a couple of heads of cattle with fatal results to engineer Billy Edwards aboard the 224. Edwards jumped as his engine derailed and turned to the left, however the tender jack knifed around the 224's cab and rolled over Edwards killing him instantly. The heavy loads of coal behind the locomotives shoved the second engine, #208 past the 224, was spun around an ended up on its left side facing the opposite direction. 224's fireman, Tom Cummins, survived with cuts a bruises. Years later, Tom Cummins would be Road Foreman of Engines out of Alamosa. P.f. Voight was 208's engineer, and walked away with minor injuries, his fireman Vincent Cummins received a badly sprained leg.

Billy Edwards lived in Chama and built a nice home that many of us have seen, but never knew its significance. The house is the first one you see driving into Chama from the north. It is a 2-story house that oddly faces toward the highway, with its back to Maple Ave. It sits on the corner of 1st and Maple Ave.

The attached pics are from the book "Beyond The 3rd Rail" by Doris Osterwald. Photos were taken by D&RG employee Monte Ballough.



Billy Edward's House