This may be the January 1945 incident at Dreux 40 miles east of Paris.
The Crane is a British built Cowans Sheldon 45 ton machine ( operated by either an American, British or Canadian unit ).
The locomotive is a SNCF 141B; built for the PLM company by Baldwin in 1916-18.
If it is that incident it appears that another Cowans Sheldon breakdown crane ( wrecker ) was clearing a previous incident and the ammunition train ( possibly hauled by that PLM 141B ) hit it ( tail out of gauge? ). Reading the report suggests there was fire and explosion but the majority of the waggons were pulled clear.
Which units were operating the cranes I not certain - there were six such being operated by American, British and Canadian railway units ).
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This may be the January 1945 incident at Dreux 40 miles east of Paris.
ReplyDeleteThe Crane is a British built Cowans Sheldon 45 ton machine ( operated by either an American, British or Canadian unit ).
The locomotive is a SNCF 141B; built for the PLM company by Baldwin in 1916-18.
If it is that incident it appears that another Cowans Sheldon breakdown crane ( wrecker ) was clearing a previous incident and the ammunition train ( possibly hauled by that PLM 141B ) hit it ( tail out of gauge? ). Reading the report suggests there was fire and explosion but the majority of the waggons were pulled clear.
Which units were operating the cranes I not certain - there were six such being operated by American, British and Canadian railway units ).