Sunset Limited Derailment--Arizona, October 1995--And The Out-Of-Service Phoenix Line

Описание: THE MOST-WATCHED YOUTUBE VIDEO OF THE PALO VERDE DERAILMENT

READ THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE FOR DETAILS ON THE PALO VERDE AMTRAK SABOTAGE:
The pavement ends and it's fifteen miles west through the empty desert before you arrive at the derailment site at Quail Springs Wash; beyond that, another fifteen miles of barrenness before you arrive at Hyder, an almost-nothing settlement. After leaving pavement you will likely see no other humans.

This portion of the rail line, which runs between Phoenix and Wellton, AZ, came late to Arizona. Since the late 1800's Phoenix was at the end of two branch lines. The Santa Fe built their line into Phoenix from the north, and the Southern Pacific did the same from the south, but all trains from either line had to return the way they came. For years the state pressured the SP to build a line west from Phoenix that would complete a through route, and in 1926, this line was the result.

On the night of October 9, 1995, the Sunset Limited left Phoenix just before midnight, running west through Buckeye, then southwest into the barren desert towards Montgomery Pass. At approximately 1:05 a.m., as it banked into the curve ahead of Quail Springs Wash at fifty miles per hour, the Limited's locomotives lurched and pounded across the bridge on the wooden ties before coming to an abrupt stop on the other side. The coaches and the passengers didn't fare as well: Six cars derailed, two of which fell--hard--thirty feet into the bottom of the dry wash.

Many passengers suffered injuries, some serious. Miraculously, considering the speed and the fall into the wash, only one person was killed, sleeping car attendant Mitchell Bates. The train crew immediately sent out a radio call for help, but owing to the remote area, forty-five minutes passed before the first rescue units could get there.

When help came it came in spades: Men and equipment were everywhere, some getting stuck in the many desert washes which had to be crossed to reach the site. It was a crime-scene nightmare. By the time FBI investigators arrived, most evidence had been obliterated by law-enforcement vehicles, ambulances, fire rescue vehicles, helicopters, passengers and rescue personnel.

The only tangible evidence--at least which has been publicly acknowledged--were several identical notes left at the site, upon which were references to Ruby Ridge and other recent events which the writer(s) took issue with. It was signed by the "Sons of the Gestapo", a group previously unknown to law enforcement.

The rails had been tampered with. Twenty-nine spikes had been pulled out of the railroad ties and the outside rail on the curve was pried out of alignment. Whoever did it knew their geography, as the spot was the only one on the line that had a curve leading onto a bridge, likely chosen to cause maximum damage. And they were sly: The bonding wires were left connected between the misaligned rails, which cause the trackside signals to show a clear indication--the head end crew never saw it coming.

After twenty-five-plus years of investigation there is little evidence available as to who was responsible. But the authorities have by no means forgotten about it. The Unsolved Mysteries television program broadcast a segment on the incident some years back, and it was subsequently posted online at unsolved.com. I found the article and left my name and email address for any new information that might come to light. Within a few days I was contacted by an FBI agent who told me he would "like to meet with me," and I did several times afterwards, talking theories and conjectures--and likely being investigated myself. The FBI has subsequently announced the reward for information leading to arrests had been bumped to $310,000.

Several things that stand out about this incident. First, the perpetrator(s) had to be familiar with the area, and the location was chosen to cause a maximum amount of damage in a derailment. They also had to have at least a rudimentary knowledge of railroad signaling systems, enough to know the bonding wires had to be left attached between the rails, ensuring the engineer would see only a green signal in front of him. Third, though rambling, there's that note left behind by the so-called "Sons of the Gestapo". Though no group using such a name has ever been publicly identified, it was plainly the work of someone who had strong opinions regarding some of the controversial steps used by the government in dealing with domestic issues.

The rails are quiet now, except for rail cars which are occasionally moved in and out of storage. Whether this act of domestic terrorism will ever be solved...who can say?

A CORRECTION: The railcars seen near the 15:00 mark are copper-anode cars, NOT ribbon-rail cars. My error.