While doing a switching job in the Santa Clara/San Jose yard, ex-SSW GP40-2 7648 and the freight cars it was moving around appear to have split a switch, dumping a UP gondola on the ground, wedging it between the locomotive and another freight car. Within one minute of taking this photograph, UP crews in bright orange jumpsuits looked the situation over, and shortly, a heavy-lift crane was brought in. Two days later, a pile of wrecked crossties was the only reminder of the "oops". I am unsure whether or not the switch was repaired, but I would not be surprised if it wasn't.

December 29, 1997