At 3:45 pm on July 5, 1975, freight train Extra 1502 South struck the rear of passenger train No. 5 at MP 279.18 south of Hurricane. Collision speed was approximately 25 miles per hour. No. 5 had stopped to permit passengers of the train view Mt. McKinley. All cars of the passenger train and the first four locomotive units of the freight train were derailed. Sixty-two persons were injured, 23 were hospitalized and two of the injured subsequently died. Dome car 10 was heavily damaged when the underframe was buckled. The estimated cost of damages was over $558,000. The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable cause of the accident was the failure of the engineer of Extra 1502 South to operate the braking system on the locomotive properly and the failure of both train crews to comply with railroad operating rules. The engineer of No. 1502 was fired by the railroad and several other crewmen were suspended. National Transpiration Safety Board report Video of aftermath of collision Wreck Report Cites Disregard For Rules Mike Kopcha documents
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