Train wrecks in Dongola
33 train cars derail in Dongola
FEBRUARY 23 1978 — 33 cars of a southbound ICG freight derailed at 6:45am Wednesday morning in Dongola.
Freight cars piled up along Smoot Oil Co. storage tanks spilling liquid. Loren Ferguson of Soot Oil said early Wednesday morning he could not tell if the fuel storage tanks were ruptured or if the leakage was solely from the railroad tank cars.
Cecil “Arkie” Waters said he and employee Warren Henderson were both in the front of his service station and were not injured when the back of the building was demolished. Mrs France Keil said she heard a loud noise, looked out the front of her home and saw the break in the train and the damage to the service station.
Floyd Karraker had just pulled up in his car in front of Karraker Feed and Seed when the crash occurred and a large rock probably weighing 200 pounds landed in front of his car.
Area Evacuated
The area was evacuated by police about 8:30 am It was believed one of the ruptured tank cars contained vinylidene chloride inhibited flammable liquid, firemen said.
It was determined the vinylidene car was not ruptured and police said persons could return about 10am. And businesses began reopening.
Awful Smell
The cause of the horrible smell in Dongola was a ruptured car of spent caustic refinery waste, said Dave Blaise of the Illinois Department of Public Health.
The refinery waste flowed into upper Dongola Creek, Big Creek, Cache River and into the Mississippi River. The waste is very toxic to fish and cattle that might drain the water.
The Environmental Protection Agency Wednesday morning was determining action to be taken to neutralize the waste spill.
The waste spill got on a carload of Hunts catsup, new cars, lumber, still malt and the Shell storage tanks.
26 car Derailment near. Dongola Early Thursday
FEBRUARY 17 1977 — Trains are running normally again in Union Co. following clean up operations in Dongola at the scene of a February 10 derailment. Twenty-six cars of an Illinois Central Gulf (ICG) train derailed south of downtown Dongola early on the morning of February 10th.
The derailment occurred shortly after midnight as a 121 car freight train was enroute from St. Louis Mo., to Memphis Tenn. Of the cars which derailed, 25 left the track, while one tanker containing sulphuric acid remained on the track.
Officials at the Dongola Police Department said the tracks had been cleared for use by north and south bound trains by the weekend.
ICG officials said the cause of the derailment may have been sue to an overheated axle on the Taner containing sulphuric acid. Most of the cargo in the derailed cars, which included empty gun shell casings, was not damaged in the mishap and was transferred to other cars and removed.
Last week, at the scene of the derailment, one bystander said she had heard the train derail. “Oh yes, it made a lot of noise. We cussed the thing because it made so much noise,” the woman said. She asked not to be identified.
The scene itself resembled the aftermath of some giant playtime. Several of the derailed cars were actually ripped off their wheels.
Last week’s derailment was the second in Union County since November. On November 8, three cars of an ICG freight train jumped the tracks at the Brady Mill Road crossing in Anna.
No persons injuries were reported in the Dongola mishap. Actual costs to ICG were not made public.
A Bad Night in Dongola
SEPTEMBER 12, 1970 — Read a fascinating account about this night at: https://alongtherails.wordpress.com/2009/06/24/a-bad-night-at-dongola/
