Rural Retreat Wreck, 10-20-1920 - 105th Anniversary

[NW Mailing List]

I understand that the rear of 37 had not cleared the mainline when it
stopped at the station, therefore 14 had a red signal and should have
remained stopped until the signal changed. Bad judgement to enter siding.

On Sat, Oct 25, 2025 at 8:12 AM NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
wrote:

> How could the eastbound, main-track, automatic signal B-3502, located
> about 50 feet west of the west (passing siding) switch be "found in the
> stop position" as eastbound train No.14 approached?
>
> Westbound train No. 37 was already in the siding according to the
> report.
>
> Why didn't this automatic, main-line signal indicate 'clear' or
> 'approach'? What was in the main-line block ahead of No.14 causing this
> signal to display 'stop'?
>
> I'm befuddled.
>
> John Garner, Newport, VA
>
>
>
> The ICC report contains the objective facts.  As to why 14's Engineman
> decided to "head in" on the passing siding, reading minds is never an
> easy
> task.
>
> Abram Burnett
> ________________________________________
> NW-Mailing-List at nwhs.org
> To change your subscription go to
> https://pairlist6.pair.net/mailman/options/nw-mailing-list
> Browse the NW-Mailing-List archives at
> https://pairlist6.pair.net/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://pairlist6.pair.net/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/attachments/20251025/2febaa17/attachment.htm>