Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Train Wrecks On Old 67

A train wreck south of Gurdon had no injuries, but did result in two train-car loads of pickups being destroyed.

The wreck occurred at 9:05 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8, about four miles south of Gurdon, heading from Shreveport, La. to East St. Louis, Mo.

According to Mark Davis, public relations director with Union Pacific Railroad, there were 104 cars in the train, with three locomotives being derailed, along with 10 cars.

Some 1,680 feet of track was torn up in the wreck on both sides.

Fortunately, Davis said, there were no hazardous chemicals involved in the accident.

The wreck was caused by a defect in the wheel of a locomotive. This led to the destruction of track and the 10 cars being derailed. Eight of the cars were empty, with the other two hauling the trucks.

Davis said the vehicles were destroyed at the request of the manufacturer. This is done because the extent of damage done to the trucks couldn't be known.

Both carloads of trucks were crushed into cubes.

Total damage done was $450,000, Davis said.

One track was opened at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9, with the other being passable by 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 10.

A total of 13 other trains had to be rerouted around the damaged area. Amtrak, Davis said, was routed through Pine Bluff instead of Arkadelphia, while other trains made use of the Pine Bluff route as well.

Train traffic from Houston, Texas, went to Little Rock through Alexandria, La., Davis said.

The wreck was witnessed by Gurdon's Tommy Potter, who was driving along Old Highway 67 at the time.

"I was coming through Beirne and passed the crossing," he said, "and when I topped the hill I saw the train."

Potter said there was a splash and big spray of water when the wreck occurred. He stopped his pickup and watched as the accident came to a halt.

"It took a minute or two to quit," he said.

Once the cars had stopped, Potter yelled to an engineer, asking if everyone was all right. When told yes, Potter went home and called the Gurdon Police Department to report the accident.