Train disaster at wellington kills 96 on march 1, 1910. Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids. Piha grey team finds evidence of ghost at the wellington. Wellington washington train disaster of 1910 newspaper and current periodical reading room, library of congress. The relief train, with the injured, if they can be removed from wellington, will arrive at everett at 6. On march 1, 1910 an avalanche swept two trains off the track and into the canyon below. Stevens pass a century has passed, and the wellington train disaster remains one of the darkest chapters of local as well as national railroad history. This is a story of that disaster as told by an experienced novelist. Gary krists the white cascade is a compelling nonfiction read about a tragic disaster. The waiting train cars rolled over 150 feet down into.
On the 18th january 1977, the granville train disaster became a part of international history. The great northern railway disaster and americas deadliest. On march 1, 1910, a passenger train and a mail train were stuck at the wellington depot waiting out a blizzard that had been raging for nine days. Tangiwai book cover nzhistory, new zealand history online. Thunder boomed and a wall of snow 14 feet high let. Suddenly there was a dull roar, and the sleeping men and women felt the passenger coaches lifted and borne along. The train stopped under the peak of windy mountain, above tye creek. I have sat down not just to write, but to research and collate datastories for this book, knowing many years have passed, and many tears have fallen, just like the eightythree roses thrown from the bridge each year. The wellington disaster, named after the little railroad town where the illfated trains spent their final hours, held the front page for weeks, and. Bringing to life the wellington train tragedy of 1910 which i didnt even know had. One of the 23 survivors interviewed three days after the wellington train disaster stated. An photo of the aftermath of the derailment is provided below.
Authors, deborah cuyle and rodney fletcher, decided to embark on retracing the steps of this pivotal moment in history they put the tragedys timeline and victims in black and white print while bringing local history to light in. Provided to youtube by cdbaby story of wellington train disaster. Wellington later known as tye was a small unincorporated community and railroad. Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the co.
More like a 3 1 2 star book for me, and that is assuming you like trains, train history and its. Take a step back into time to march 1st, 1910 in stevens pass, wa. Lighting flashes were vivid and a tearing wind was howling down the canyon. As further details of the disaster that overwhelmed two great northern passenger trains, when an avalanche swept the trains, when an avalanche swept the trains and a portion of the town of wellington, at the west portal of the cascade tunnel.
Spirits and echoes of the wellington train tragedy youtube. Spirits and echoes of the 1910 wellington train tragedy. I was sorry to hear of don moodys death in march 2010 just days after the centennial of the event he wrote about, the wellington train disaster of march 1, 1910 at the summit of stevens pass in the cascades of washington state. Wrecking crews are working on the east side of the cascade in an effort to reach wellington.
The trains had passed through the cascade tunnel from the east to the west side of the mountains, when snow and avalanches forced them to stop near wellington, in king county. Wellington was a small town populated almost entirely with great northern railway employees. Wellington ghost town washington trails association. Melting snow reveals red stains of bodies mangled by avalanche at wellington foreign laborers caught looting bodies of victims number of dead may reach 100. The wellington train disaster of 1910 home facebook. In the wilderness of washingtons tye river valley, near stevens pass, are twisted pieces of rusting metal slowly being overtaken by the surrounding foliage. Topics in chronicling america wellington washington train disaster of 1910. The iron goat trail near washington states stevens pass explores the tragic history of the 1910 wellington avalanche, which claimed 96 lives when a gigantic avalanche hit two trains. On march 1, 1910 a snow avalanche at wellington, washington engulfed two great northern railway trains. In february of 1910 the snow came in such amounts that two great northern trains were first trapped and subsequently destroyed by avalanche. Almost 100 individuals were killed in just a few seconds, creating americas deadliest avalanche and train disaster in history.
Site of the great wellington train disaster the iron goat trail near washington states stevens pass explores the tragic history of the 1910 wellington avalanche, which claimed 96 lives when a gigantic avalanche hit two trains. A poem about the authors grandmother who was a passenger on the train to tangiwai. Due to the remote location of the disaster and the risk of further avalanches, efforts to rescue survivors and find the bodies of the dead were not completed until several days later. The deadliest avalanche in american history occurred early on the morning of march 1st, 1910 in wellington, washington just west of stevens pass. In 2009, someone told me about the worst avalanche disaster in the history of the united states, which occurred at wellington, washington in the north cascade mountain range in 1910. Wellington express ploughed into a huge slip that had slumped across the tracks at ongarue, north of taumarunui in the king country.
But thats not quite the whole storythe trains had been trapped on the side of the snowy mountain for six days. The neverbeforetold story of one of the worst rail disasters i. The book contains a view of politics in the days when railroads had the power to mold laws to their liking. An article on the tangiwai train disaster that happened in 1953, on. The wellington train disaster of 1910 posts facebook. The cascade of white death obliterated the station and much of the small community of wellington. Greater wellington s public transport information website for buses, trains and harbour ferries.
The avalanche swept two trains off the face of a mountain, killing at least 96 people. One hundred years ago today, at least 96 people were killed in the disaster. Many survivors of the wahine disaster were taken ashore by rescue vessels. The wellington disaster was the worst train disaster in history and one of the deadliest avalanches in. On march 1, an avalanche swept away the tracks and passengers aboard the two trains as well as several of wellington s buildings and homes. They waited there in wellington for a week, the women crying and the men solemn. Piha, paranormal investigations of historic america. Follow the rough but passable pavement for about 3. Pages are intact and are not marred by notes or highlighting, but may contain a neat previous owner name. Timetables, real time information to let you track your service and a journey planner to help you get around our region. The 1910 wellington disaster paperback a book for all. Goat trail website the white cascade book about the avalanche website wellington disaster.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Today, the site is part of the iron goat trail off highway 2, east of skykomish. On march 1, an avalanche swept away the tracks and passengers aboard the two trains as well as several of wellingtons buildings and homes. The purpose of this paper is to provide researchers with information on where to look, in washington state, for the historical records about the event. There was an electric storm raging at the time of the avalanche. You feel you are trapped on the train, or out there digging. In the worst weather washington state had seen in years a train gets trapped on the cascade mountains. During the last days of february in 1910, the snow was relentless in the cascades, falling as much as one foot per hour. Wellington, wa avalanche and train wreck, mar 1910. Main trunk line express train disaster nzhistory, new zealand history online.
The story has been thoroughly researched and is brilliantly told. Turn right into the parking lot for the iron goat trail. A copy that has been read, but remains in clean condition. Northwest heritage resources cascade loop heritage tour south. Heavy snow and thunderstorms unleash an avalanche that races down a mountain side taking two great northern trains with it. Its cover featured this dramatic painting by the australian artist phil belbin, which originally appeared on a readers digest cover. These bits of scrap are the final remnants of the wellington avalanche of 1910, the deadliest disaster of its kind in american history. The 1910 wellington disaster by deborah cuyle and rodney. The town included a train depot that was unfortunately destined to become the site of the deadliest avalanche in us history. Featured speakers will be gary krist, author of the best selling book the white cascade, and martin burwash, who recently published vis major, a novel told from the standpoint of the railroad workers. Tucked into kevin mitchells copy of a book about the history of the wellington free. The book also contains news stories about the trapped trains, the disaster and even good quality photos taken during recovery operations by a newspaper photographer covering the sensational accident.
The great northern railway disaster and americas deadliest avalanche henry holt, author gary krist revives the memory of the wellington avalanche, which swept two trains off the side of a steep slope in washington states cascade mountains, killing 96 people. This book tells the story of a forgotten disaster that happened in 1910. Metlink greater wellingtons public transport network. Main trunk line express train disaster nzhistory, new. Train debris from the deadliest avalanche in united states history can still be found in the ravine where so many perished. Deborah cuyle, coauthor of the 1910 wellington disaster, presents stories and images from the deadliest avalanche train disaster in americas history, near wellington, on stevens pass the town of wellington was located by the stevens pass summit in the cascade mountains. For the wellington trailhead, drive highway 2 to tye road also known as the old cascade highway. Wellington washington train disaster of 1910 newspaper. Wellington elementary is an elementary school in the northshore school district. The 1910 wellington tragedy by don moody a copy that has been read, but remains in excellent condition. Piha a video history of the wellington washington train. At least 96 people died in that avalanche on march 1, 1910.
The tangiwai disaster has been explored in several books, including geoff conly and graham stewarts tragedy on the track. Two trains are swept into a canyon by an avalanche in wellington, washington, on this day in 1910, killing 96 people. The skykomish historical society will host a commemoration of the wellington disaster at 1 p. The ghosts of wellington tells the true story of karen fraziers experiences at the site of the biggest avalanche disaster in the history of the united states. Wellington later known as tye was a small unincorporated community and railroad community in the northwest united states, on the great northern railway in northeastern king county, washington. The wellington disaster was the worst train disaster in history and one of the deadliest avalanches in america.