Re: Also the wreck of 498 and 497

The wreck that caused the "no helpers downhill" was the one involving 483 in 1958. The directive was to prohibit doublheading down the 2% grades through Monero Canon and off Florida Mesa. Both of these grades were westbound. They did still allow doubleheading on the gentler 1.42% grades.

In the wreck in Jan 1960 involving 497 and 498, the engines were doubleheaded under dispatcher's orders because of heavy snow conditions. The derailment was caused by ice and had nothing to do with doubleheading downgrade, whereas the 483 wreck was attibuted to two engines on the headend kicking out the curve.