Historic Hood River
Train Meets Pipeline
3-22-2022
Notes
We have a series of Alva Day photos from September 1, 1949 showing the aftermath of a railcar landing on the penstock flume of the Powerdale hydroelectric plant. It’s hard to tell what caused the train to derail, but it sure created a mess. The pipeline damage was considerable, and other images suggest the water released undercut the railroad tracks too. I can’t quite picture where this incident happened, but the railroad and the pipeline are only on the same side of the river for the lower mile or so above the power station.
Here’s another view of the incident.
starboard
First impression when I saw this, right below the pipeline hole.
Arlen L Sheldrake
cannot imagine the water pressure released by this derailment….I wonder how long it took to “turn off” the flow?….
kmb
Good ol' Union Pacific…they always pull out on time…except when they are off the rails and in the drink. I am assuming that the MHRR would move the UP cars up/down the valley, likely to handle fruit and other goods?
Alan Winston
This refrigerator car is owned by Pacific Fruit Express (a company owned by Southern Pacific and Union Pacific, hence both heralds on car), so either hauling fruit or empty on its way to be loaded with fruit. “Refrigerator” in this case meant ice loaded through hatches in the ends of the roof, and insulation to keep the car from warming to fast and the ice from melting too fast. Mechanical refrigerator cars, with powered refrigeration units in one end of the car, were a much later development.