Given the money situationon the The Kansas City & Gulf (i.e. recent bankruptcy, and currently undergoing a "re-organization"), the "Casey" has had its share of spills. The Ozark Subdivision, with its steep grades, tight curves, and, in some places, horrendous track condition, is the worst of the KC&G's subs for such incidents.
Mountain railroading is tough enough without the added handicap of cash flow problems that sharply curtail large-scale upgrades such as rehabilitating nearly an entire subdivision, to say nothing about the rest of the KC&G's mainline and sub division branches/etc.
And so it was that an empty coal train running south on the Ozark Subdivision came rattling down off Buck Mountain, and was just passing Sawmill Spur, when a car split the Sawmill Spur switch and in the process almost dumped some of the cars into Possum Creek. Result: One car was on its side, and another cross ways... and an entire subdivision tied up.
Though it could have been a LOT worse, it was bad enough that the hook was called out to right the car that was on its side as well as lift the katty-wompassed car back onto the rails. Here's some pics of the recovery operations underway...
KC&G GP7 #409 has shoved up from Ozarka to the wreck scene to start the process of cleaning up the mess:
#409 easing into position so the crew could start cabling the errant car prior to attempting to right it:
The car on its side back on the rails, #409 eased south with it at 10 MPH so it could be set it out at Ozarka for the Car Department to start getting it road worthy again.
By the time #409 was back at the scene, KC&G GP7 #412 had arrived from the north. #412 was there so that once the car straddling the main and Sawmill Spur was on the rails, it could back haul the north portion of the train (at 10 MPH) in order to set out the bad order car at Piney. Later, the Car Dept boys would arrive and commence to patch it up to where it could move over the line once more.
All of this was inconvenient, delayed several trains... and for sure adding to the expense side of the ledger. Unfortunately though, of such is all part of mountain railroading... KC&G style!
About the above incident:
The above happened while I was doing some solo operation. Seeing as it did, I decided to play the hand dealt, and treat it as if it were part of the actual operational scenario. Of course, the first thing that happens is that all the trains in vicinity are stopped at siding locations where a wreck train can get past them so as to make its way to the scene.
Seeing as I have a couple of wreck cranes, I dug one out, set it on the rails at "Clarksville" (the south stage), and dispatched an engine to haul it up to the wreck sight. After running around the crane at Ozarka, it gingerly shoved up to the wreck scene.
I actually used sewing string "cable slings" and the crane itself (using it's removable crank knob) to set the cars back up on the rails.
Yes, I had way too much time on my hands that day, but...
It was surprisingly entertaining fun!
Andre
