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
- Rail Safety Is Too Important For Corporate Discretion
- Virginia 2-PC Law Could Become a Reality if We Act Now
- WATCH: Members Step Up to Take Care of Their Own
- Metro Micro Operators Overwhelmingly Ratify First Contract
- New Documentary Features California Local 1741 Bus Operators
- WATCH: Railroaders Meet Life’s Risks Head-On
- What Does $73.16/Hour Actually Mean?
- New Jersey Leads with Rail Safey Law
- “The Safety Program That Works — And Why Railroads Won’t Use It”
- Jobs Still Protected After Merger Delay