PURCELL OK Nov 26 1978 — Santa Fe GP7 2878 has just been derailed at the north end of the Purcell yard. Earlier in the day the unit took off unattended from Oklahoma City and kept gaining speed. A train in Moore was told by radio to get into the siding immediately which alerted me to the event.
Police and sheriffs responded quickly and guarded crossings as the runaway accelerated south. When I saw it at the Indian Hills crossing north of Norman it was traveling about 50 mph. A Moore OK policeman tried to board the unit but it was going to fast.
I beat the engine to Purcell but was not allowed down to the tracks even with a press pass so only saw the event from about 200 yards.
Santa Fe officials decided to switch the unit onto the a yard track in hopes it would derail. The plan worked to perfection and this is the result. I don't know if the covered hopper was already there or was positioned for the locomotive to derail into it but it did a good job of stopping the 2878 as it wallowed down the track. My photo.
