Trains and Crews Tales of the Jointed Track Part 3 in Tales of the Jointed Track

Cletus Weiss:

Cletus was a very tall man, I'd say 6 foot 5 maybe 6 inches and very slim. Had shock white hair and I am guessing he was in his mid to late sixties. He was a fair runner and always good to work with. I think he retired either in 1975 or 76. I caught Cletus very rarely, just the roll of the dice I suppose. Here is one trip I really remember.

The "Joint Line" was still double track ABS ( Automatic Block System ) from South Denver to Bragdon. Roughly about 107 miles..The remainder of the Santa Fe track from Bragdon into Pueblo was single track CTC..( Centralized Traffic Control) for 12 miles. Remember this is ONLY the JOINT-LINE subdivision I am talking about.

We were called out of Denver early evening, guessing around 700 pm to 800 pm. It was a grain train and it was already brought over to Rice Yard from 31st ST. The power was at the 7th St roundhouse and serviced. We had four big ones, all SD-45's...3600 hp on 6 axles Grain trains were typically around 60 cars and around 6500 tons. We got on the train, made the air test and left town. It was a typical ride up the hill. Clouds were filling in during the evening and a storm was gathering. It was light rain when we topped the grade at Palmer Lake. The clouds were low and it was a cold rain in Colorado Springs.

The layout of track in the 70's was different then, because we were double track. After crossing the Bridge at Monument Creek, there were two switches off the main line. The first took you to the siding track at the 'Springs and to the Upper East past of the yard. The second, before the Bijou Street overpass was the lead into the Upper West. The Upper West held coal for the Martin Drake Power Plant. As we approached the Springs, a clear signal ( green color ) called us to continue on toward Pueblo. There were coal hoppers in the upper west and also in the siding at the upper east. It was like going through a dreary black alley of coal hoppers. As we took the curve and came under the Bijou Street bridge, the Train Order board at the Rio Grande station was green . We're still in an alley way of coal cars..but there is a strange glow around the Colorado Avenue overpass and as we neared the overpass the east part of the yard opens up.

Then we saw it.. The Crissy Fowler Lumber Co was on fire...and boy was it. Cletus got up from behind the control stand and leaned over it to get a better look. "Look at that its really blazing" Now at that time there was a small road crossing under the Colorado Avenue Overpass. It was rarely used, but it had the "X" style RAILROAD CROSSING cross bucks. I looked at the crossing ...THERE IS A FIRE HOSE ACROSS THE TRACKS!!!!, and no flagman to stop trains.. "Cletus there is a hose across the tracks I yelled". "HUH? Oh shit!".. well there was no way we were gonna stop. I just hoped we wouldn't derail after hitting it. We ran over that fire hose, and the lead wheels started to climb and dropped back on the rail. We felt the second wheel set, chunk over and the third wheel set of the lead truck finished it off. Anything left of the fire hose, the second truck made sure it was severed. It was too late to stop due to the obstructed view of the stored hoppers..a clear block signal... and no flagman or Torpedoes and Fusees to protect the crossing.

Now the flagging rule at that time and due to speed which was 30 mph if on a clear signal. Restricted speed if on a yellow or red signal, due to Yard Limits. If there was a flagman protecting there would have been torpedoes laid down about 1 and 1/2 miles north and he would be at the crossing with fusees and a red flag. Plus the fact there was a small crossover switch from the main to the upper west lead, that was interlinked with the signal system. So any of those switches there were thrown, it would shunt the track and we would have had a red signal, coming into the north end of the yard. Also this happened so fast it was too late to be scared.

The fireman were straining against the pressure from the hose and hydrant...trying to control the fire and suddenly the hose went limp...Yep there goes the grain train. The hose now is in three pieces and the hose still connected to the hydrant is like a wild flailing serpent. Cletus calls the rear end and tells the Conductor..."Hey Crissy Fowler is on fire !!!, but don't go on the platform and look, because we ran over the fire hose and Boy are they mad !!" The Conductor asked if there a was flagman or the section about, was was told no one was around. We proceeded on. We tried to get the Pueblo yard operator on the radio, but we were not able to raise anybody till south of Fountain. We related what happened at the Springs, and the Operator said, well we were just notified by the Fire Department...and meet the Trainmaster when you tie up. Well that was a given... We called the yardmaster on the approach to Pueblo.. "Down the Main change out front, see the Trainmaster when you get into the office". Okay... Well the Assistant Trainmaster was there, Delbert Miller the Division Trainmaster was there..and even Barney Steele the Road Foreman was there. "What happened at the Springs???" We told what occurred. "What signal were you on"..."Clear" (green)... "No flagman no torpedoes, fusees"? NO.. "No one at or around the crossing" ? "no just the fire hose across it and the alley way of Rio Grande coal hoppers blocking line of sight". "Okay we'll get back with you guys later on."

We tied up and went to the Motel. We got called for 230 pm that afternoon The Trainmaster grabbed us, after reporting for duty, and said "You guys are all in the clear and okay. The Springs Fire Department is mad still, but they admitted they laid the hose across the tracks..and figured that there were no trains running and didn't notify the Rio Grande Dispatching office, or the Santa Fe Dispatching office. They want the railroad to pay for the hose... and our Superintendent says that isn't happening".

As a side note..., some may be wondering...why wasn't the whistle being sounded for that railroad crossing under Colorado Avenue overpass ? At that time Colorado Springs had an ordinance that the whistle would not be sounded within the City proper. That was between Royer Street and Filmore Avenue. Those were the first and last crossings you blew for depending on direction. You just rang the engine bell...if there was an emergency you were allowed to sound the whistle.