A blinding flash of orange light jarred Weyauwega residents awake before dawn on March 4, 1996. An 81-car freight train had been barrelling toward the farm town in central Wisconsin when it jumped a broken rail. The train’s propane and petroleum cargo had caught fire and exploded.
Gerald Poltrock II, a rookie local police officer, thought it was a prank when the dispatcher called to say the city “blew up.”
Read the complete story at CNews.
Related News
- The Makings of a Railroad Merger
- East Palestine Documentary Emphasizes Fight for Rail Safety
- Statement from SMART-TD on the Proposed Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern Merger
- 1% Declares War On 2-PC & SMART-TD
- Report Blocked Crossings with New FRA Digital Tool
- LAST CALL: Submit Your Photos for 2026 Calendar Today!
- Heroic Act on the Rails: SMART-TD Brother Burned while Saving Crewmate
- Unions Join Together to Fix Overtime Tax Loophole for Transportation Workers
- Help Amtrak Conductor, Local 166 Member Get Back to Work
- CSX Trainee Death Exposes Glaring Safety Gaps