Small 1996 Cajon pass train disaster (santa fe manifest H-BALT-31
here is the train from the 1996 cajon pass disaster
credits to train plane fan. and Traxxy for the blue bonnets
After the disasters in 1989 and 1994, On Feb 1st, 1996, Santa Fe manifest H-BALT-31 departed Barstow Yard, California at 1 AM. There were 4 locomotives: Atsf 157, Atsf 3853, Atsf 342, and Atsf 4031. the train had hazard materials onboard some tanker cars. once they departed. the Engineer tested the brakes at Victorville since he was ordered to make a airbrake test there. the brakes worked. the train stopped again at Summit, it waited for a signal and the brakes worked again. at 3:40 Am. the train went down the danger hills of cajon pass where lies the 1989 and 1994 train disaster sites. the engineer used the dynamic brakes on 157. but the train went faster, he then hit the air brakes to full power, but the train went even faster. the brakeman and conducter jumped out of the train. the conducter smashed his head on a rock which killed him instantly. the engineer stayed in 157. he then threw the engines to reverse, on a sharp curve, the train leaned to the right on a bridge with a sharp curve, he ducked and the train derailed and almost all the cars fall off the tracks, a fire starts in the wreckage. 157 is on its side and the other engines are crushed by 45 freight cars. The engineer amazing survived, two locals helped the engineer. the brakeman survived but died from poisoning from the raging fire. nearby highways are closed, firefighters managed to get rid of the fire on Feb 5th. the ntsb concluded the crash was maybe caused by a kink in the air hose which triggers the brakes, similar when santa fe intermodal collided with a up coal train in 1994. 3853 and 4031 were scrapped, and 157 and 342 were repaired and to this day, they work with BNSF
later…
in 2016, The Blue Cut Fire destroyed a bridge on the Up Mainline
In 2018, a train with hazardous materials derailed (maybe i should make that one, idk, theres not enough info tho). a fedex facility and a school near the site were evacuated
