No. 90 engine thought to be jinxed

In late sunshine I wander troubled.
Restless I wander in autumn sunlight.
Too many changes, partings, and deaths.
Doors have closed that were always open.
Trees that held the sky up are cut down.
So much that I alone remember!
This creek runs dry among its stones.
Souls of the dead, come drink this water!
Come into this side valley with me,
a restless old woman, unseemly,
troubled, walking on dry grass, dry stones.”
― Ursula K. Le Guin, “The Sun Going South"

 

 

A truck failed to yeild the right-of-way at a grade crossing east of Loveland resulting in a collision that killed brakeman Steppelman and the driver of the truck. (Phil Johnson photo).

Great Western Engine No. 90 cursed with bad luck? 

By Rob Carrigan, robcarrigan1@gmail.com

Some folks thought Great Western Engine No. 90 was subjected to some sort of train curse, or was just "bad luck." It had been through a lot of terrible accidents in its early life.

"At 7:15 P.M., November 7, 1944, truck driver Glenn Kelloge was headed north towards Wyoming with 30,000 pounds of packaged meat in his semitrailer," wrote Kenneth Jessen in his 1984 book Thompson Valley Tales. 

"At the road crossing between Denver and Cheyenne (the predecessor of I-25) and the railroad, the semitrailer was struck by G.W.'s largest and most powerful locomotive, No. 90. The impact severed the cab from the trailer and the heavy engine was spun around like a toy landing on its side. The solid steel draw bar connecting the engine was snapped in two."

"The trailer's contents were dumped all over the ground. As aptly put by Loveland-Reporter-Herald, "Much of the meat, including hams, found new homes during the night," says Jessen.

"When the locomotive tipped over, brakemann Wallace Steppelman was pinned and scalded to death by escaping steam. It took a great deal of time to free his body with a cutting torch. Steppelman died a horrible death. The G.W. employees disdained the people who came to the wreck and stole packaged meat." 

Along with other incidents over the years:

• On May 6, 1940, a major fire broke out at the GW's roundhouse in Loveland, with three steam locomotives still inside. No. 90 happened to be under steam at the time, and quick-thinking crews used No. 90 to pull all the other locomotives out of the burning building. The roundhouse fire cost the GW nearly $200,000 in damage, and the locomotives, including No. 90, sustained damage, but they were subsequently repaired.

• On November 7, 1944, No. 90 was broadsided by a truck at a grade crossing east of Loveland and knocked onto its fireman's side, with the truck being damaged beyond repair. Both the fireman and the truck driver were killed in the accident, which was deemed the worst rail disaster in GW's history. The GW sent 90 to the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad's (CB&Q) shops in Denver, where repairs on the locomotive took several months to complete.

• In 1956, No. 90 was hit by another truck, twisting and damaging the locomotive's side gear. The truck driver was killed, while No. 90's engineer and fireman were severely injured. The locomotive subsequently had to undergo repairs again.  

According to Save the Loveland GW Depots, The No. 90 engine was thought to be jinxed and described as the most accident prone engine Great Western Railway ever owned. The preservation group notes the following incidents.

Early on May 6, 1940, fire broke out in the Loveland roundhouse that cost about $200,000 in damage. Three locomotives would have been destroyed had No. 90 not been under steam. While the fire raged they used No. 90 to pull the other two engines to safety. As a result of the fire No. 90 had to have its cab replaced.

In 1944 she was hit by a truck broadside at the Bird crossing just east of Loveland. In this accident, the locomotive ended up on her side and facing the other direction. Her tender was disconnected and the truck was totaled. Tragically, the No. 90s fireman died in the incident as did the truck driver.
By 1954 she had been rebuilt a number of times and hardly resembled the locomotive that was first delivered.

A little over ten years later on the first day of the campaign in 1956, she was hit again by a truck while she was sounding the engine whistle and with warning flashers going. The truck driver was killed and the crew on the Great Western Railway escaped with a wide variety of injuries. Again, she had to be repaired.

"Despite being the engine with the most damage, No. 90 was the last engine in operation for Great Western running until 1967. Her last years leading up to her departure were focused on passenger travel and she was sold in 1967 to the Strasburg Railroad (Lancaster, PA) in 1967 for 23,000, " says the preservation group.

Her luck seemed to have changed when she went to her new home in Strasburg. See No. 90 in action at this link on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x84-odBbxo