Wreck at Chattaroy in 1957

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>Gary -

>

>The 1205 hit some rain-softened track pulling #86 at Chattaroy on Feb. 9, 

>1957 and went down into US 52.  The engineer was Harry Doty and the Fireman 

>was Fred Tyree, neither of whom was seriously injured.  Most of the 1205's 

>serious damage occurred to the front engine; it was taken back to 

>Portsmouth Shop and to expedite its return to service was given the front 

>engine of the 1213 which was being overhauled.  This resulted in both 

>engines finishing their careers with mismatched engines - the 

>multiple-bearing crosshead-equipped 1205 had 1213's alligator 

>crosshead-equipped front engine, and vice versa.  Pictures of both engines 

>after the overhaul are in the A book, and a photo of 1205 lying in US 52 

>will be in the second edition.  I knew both Doty and Tyree when I worked at 

>Portsmouth in the early 1960s.

>

>Hope this helps.

>

>EdK




Ed, Gary,
I think we found the situation drawing for this derailment this wekend at 
the archives, while going through the Library of Virginia collection.  
However, given the sheer amount of drawings uncovered and sorted by us, I 
may be mistaken.  I do know that it was involving an A, and the date was 
late in the steam era (Larry Evans and I both remarked that it had to be one 
of the last accidents involving an A).  1205 rings a bell, but it may have 
been from another situation drawing involving a different derailment...

Robb Fisher
RFDI