UP derailment in New Berlin, Wis. April 11, 2005

UP derailment in New Berlin, Wis. April 11, 2005

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UP: We Deliver, make that Derail, in New Berlin
by Joe Russ
While driving home from work at about 5:15 p.m. on April 11, I crossed the UP branch at Calhoun Rd. in New Berlin and noticed the local was still in town. Odd since they are normally gone by 3 p.m. And some of the cars looked to be in a funny position. So, I turned into the industrial park and sure enough, coming out of the line into the industrial park the third car of the four-car train was on the ties. The cars consisted of a covered hopper, two boxcars, and one gondola. Only one diesel was there... I heard the other blowing for the Moorland Rd. crossing heading back to Bulter yard. Since they usually do a push-pull operation one should've been free.

At 8:20 a.m. on April 12 it appeared that nothing had moved, but by 5:30 p.m. the derailment had been cleaned up and all rolling stock was gone.

New Berlin derailment, April 11, 2005 You can see from this shot, something doesn't look right with the two boxcars. I could hear two men talking on the other side of the cars, but considering their tone I figured it was best they didn't know I was taking pictures. The gon is on the main, the rest of the cars are on the line into the industrial park.

UP #657 was idling away stuck on the western spur into the industrial park. The main is in the background visible just under the locomotives front coupler. New Berlin derailment, April 11, 2005

close-up of New Berlin derailment, April 11, 2005 This shows that the truck from the first boxcar is on the ties.


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All text and photos by Joe Russ. Copyright © 2005 by Joe Russ