UP Mojave Wreck 11-21-2001
On Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2001 about 7:50 pm, UP 7229 and 4 SP motors passed Mojave, CA. According to the UP trace they arrived at Fleta, CA at 8:00pm, less than 5 miles away. Only they weren't scheduled to stop here...ya, one big mess is what came next. All 5 engines and approx. 25 - 30 cars carrying cement, left the tracks and spilled their cargo all over creation. The units involved were UP 7229, SP 8682, SP 8583, SP 8624 and UP 2668 (a renumbered SP still in SP colors.) The following 14 pictures attempts to cover this mess, taken less than 48 hours after the wreck. Cause has been speculated to be a set-out on the siding was pushed to far back and fouled the main. It was not overhanging enough to trip the lights, but enough to cause this huge mess.
