The 1987 Kemmerer, Wyoming train collision, also known as the 1987 Nugget train collision, was a train collision that occurred on November 8, 1987, on the "Nugget" railroad siding 10 to 15 miles (16 to 24 kilometres) west of Kemmerer, Wyoming, involving two trains on the Union Pacific Railroad (UP). The accident became the first train wreck that involved an EMD SD60.
| 1987 Kemmerer, Wyoming train collision | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Details | |
| Date | November 8, 1987 |
| Location | Kemmerer, Wyoming |
| Country | United States |
| Operator | Union Pacific Railroad (UP) |
| Incident type | Train collision in Kemmerer, Wyoming due to heavy fog |
| Statistics | |
| Trains | 2 |
| Crew | 8 |
| Deaths | 1 |
| Injured | 7 |
Background
editTrains and crews involved
editOn November 8, 1987, Union Pacific Railroad (UP) intermodal eastbound train Extra 6014 East was travelling from Seattle, Washington to Chicago, Illinois, while Union Pacific intermodal westbound train Extra 9025 West was travelling from Chicago, Illinois to Seattle, Washington.[1] The train of Extra 6014 East was pulling 37 Trailer-on-flatcar (TOFC) intermodal cars, and hauled by two locomotives, one of which was SD60 #6014, which was leading the train. The train Extra 9025 West was also composed of two locomotives, one of which was C36-7 #9025, which was pulling 47 TOFC intermodal cars. There were a total of eight crew members aboard the two trains.[2]
The crew on Extra 9025 West were engineer Dan D. Staples, conductor Ned E. Hanson, and brakeman Robert Dixon and the fourth crew member being unknown, while the crew on Extra 6014 East were unknown, with the exception of engineer Bruce A. Staples. Both Bruce and Dan were brothers.[3]
Collision
editAt the time of the accident, there was heavy fog in the area of Kemmerer, Wyoming. Extra 9025 West was travelling at 17 miles per hour (27 kilometres per hour), while Extra 6014 East was travelling at 42 miles per hour (68 kilometres per hour), the eastbound train was ordered to slow down and then stop at an approach signal on the main line near the "nugget" siding, so the westbound train could pass through.[1][2]
But Extra 6014 East proceeded past the signal, until it collided with Extra 9015 West at 6:09 am, 10 to 15 miles (16 to 24 kilometres) west of Kemmerer, Wyoming. SD60 #6014 slammed its front hood into the front of C36-7 #9025, ripping the SD60's cab off the frame. Only one person was killed, conductor Ned E. Hanson on the westbound train, while only seven crew members survived, having jumped off their trains before impact.[1][2] Fuel from the locomotives leaked, but no fire was started.[2][3]
Investigation
editThe National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) launched an investigation, and they found out that the engineer and head-end brakeman of Extra 6014 East had missed the approach signals near the "nugget" siding, and that the conductor had not made the engineer aware of the oncoming signal.[2][4]
The NTSB believed that the heavy fog was a contributing factor to the accident, and was suggested by UP spokesman John Bromley of Omaha, Nebraska, who stated "We're investigating that possibility".[3] Fellow UP spokesman, Joe Thibodeau of Salt Lake City, Utah, claimed in a statement investigating on the issues of the accident, stating "It looks like the eastbound train passed a signal on the main line, and it's under investigation now".[1]
Toxicology tests were made towards the crew of the eastbound train, and the head-end brakeman tested positive for crack cocaine in his system, with 0.14 micrograms per millilitre (140 micrograms per litre) from blood tests and 0.170 micrograms per millilitre (170 micrograms per litre) from urine tests.[2]
Aftermath
edit
After the accident, SD60 #6014 was retired on April 24, 1989, despite attempts by the railroad to repair it, the Salt Lake shop based in Salt Lake City, Utah, had parted the locomotive out, so the SD60 was sold to Southwest Railroad Car Parts for scrap on June 13, 1989.[5]
C36-7 #9025 was repaired on May 12, 1988, and returned to service on June 17, 1988, it was renumbered to UP 625 on November 25, 1997,[6] it would be renumbered again to UP 7967 on October 24, 2000.[7] UP 7967 was retired on March 29, 2001,[8] and sold to Eesti Raudtee (EVR) of Estonia and renumbered to #1526 and redesignated as a C36-7i. It is currently in storage at the Muuga railway depot in Muuga, Estonia.
See also
editReferences
edit- 1 2 3 4 "Trains' black boxes recovered - UPI Archives". UPI. 1987-11-09. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Railroad Accident Reports - Brief Format of 1987 Accidents (PDF) (Report). National Transportation Safety Board. 1987. pp. 296–299. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
- 1 2 3 "The Rocky Mountain News (Daily)". Rocky Mountain News. Vol. 129, no. 202. Denver, Colorado. 1987-11-10. p. 30. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
- ↑ Federal Register. Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration. 1991-06-17. p. 28232.
- ↑ Extra Twenty-two Hundred South. Issue 90. 1990. Dover Printing. p. 16
- ↑ Extra Twenty-two Hundred South. Issue 115. 1997. Dover Printing. p. 26
- ↑ Extra Twenty-two Hundred South. Issue 122. 2000. Dover Printing. p. 13
- ↑ Extra Twenty-two Hundred South. Issue 123. 2000. Dover Printing. p. 24
Further reading
edit- "Union Pacific SD60s: 6000-6059, Santa Fe Super Fleet Returns". Diesel Era. Vol. 36, no. 1. 2025.