CITY BEAT: VIVID MEMORY OF N&W RAILYARD EXPLOSION 50 YEARS AGO FRIDAY
Paul Osborne
Editor & Publisher
It doesn’t seem possible that the N&W Railyard Explosion in Decatur that attracted the attention of major television news programs happened 50 years ago this Friday — on July 19, 1974.
According to the investigative report “GATX 41623 and four other tank cars loaded with isobutane gas were uncoupled at the west end of Decatur Yard by a switching crew and allowed to free roll eastward on yard track 11. The car impacted an empty boxcar, and its coupler overrode the tank car coupler and punctured the tank. Isobutane escaped and vaporized for 8-10 minutes before it exploded “The yard, surrounding residences, and commercial facilities were damaged extensively by fire and shock waves. Seven employees died from burns, and 33 employees were injured. Three hundred sixteen persons outside the rail yard were also injured as a result of the explosion Property damage was estimated at $18 million.”
I am reprinting an article in this week’s print and online editions of the Decatur Tribune (Page 4) by Laura Voyles, which appeared in Illinois Heritage Magazine’s September-October, 2004 edition. It was also printed in the Tribune a decade ago.
My “Viewpoint” column on page 3 is about my experience of hearing the explosion and rushing to the impacted neighborhood before fire and police departments were able to arrive to close off one specific area where homes had been destroyed.
A half century later, that day is still with me.
• DRIVING to the office early one morning last week made me think I was actually in the middle of a bad dream where I was caught up in a NASCAR race!
After crossing the Route 51 South Bridge and heading north on Franklin Street, I had never seen so many impatient drivers speeding and weaving in and out of cars and changing lanes since I watched the Daytona 500!
Wow! Is there a prize awaiting the driver who gets to Pershing Road first?
I was surprised that there weren’t fenders and bumpers strewn all over Franklin Street from all of the weaving and bobbing that was happening next to, and in front of me!
There must be a lot of drivers really anxious to get to work in the early morning!
• ACTION is underway to curb speeding on Decatur’s streets.
As reported last week, the Decatur Police Department is partnering with the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois State Police and more than 200 local law enforcement agencies to step up enforcement efforts across the state in an effort to reduce speeding. Throughout the month of July, motorists can expect increased patrols looking for speeding, as well as other traffic violations.
“Speeding causes unnecessary danger on our roads,” said Sgt. Steve Hagemeyer. “Speed greatly reduces a driver’s ability to steer safely around another vehicle, a hazardous object or an unexpected curve. Speeding drivers put themselves, their passengers and other motorists at tremendous risk.”
During the speeding enforcement blitz, officers will intensify enforcement of posted speed limits.
“Offenders will be stopped and ticketed – especially on North Water St, North Main St., North Oakland Ave, and North 22nd St., where most of our speed-related crashes occur,” said Sgt. Hagemeyer. “Our goal is to save lives.”
I’m already seeing that increased law enforcement against speeders taking place. When I was driving on North Water Street one morning last week, I saw flashing lights in the area of St. Teresa High School and observed a police car pulled up behind a white pick-up truck whose driver had apparently been caught speeding.
I’ll have to admit that it was a reassuring sight to see that action is being taken to make our roads safer.
SIGN ACTION — Two weeks ago I wrote in this column that a “NO TURN ON RED” sign was needed where East Prairie intersects with North Franklin Street, just south of the downtown post office.
As I wrote: “There was a ‘No Turn On Red’ sign at that location for a number of years and I’m not sure why it was eliminated — except, of course, that few people paid any attention to it.
“Because of the library building and the pillars holding the overhang on the building, plus trees between the sidewalk and Franklin Street drivers pulling up to Franklin Street on Prairie, are stopping across the pedestrian walkway to see if any oncoming traffic is heading towards them.
Driver of car (partially shown at left) waits on East Prairie before pulling onto Franklin Street. Often pedestrians in, or entering, the crosswalk are not seen because drivers are looking to their left to see oncoming traffic.
“Also, since drivers can only turn right on Franklin from Prairie, most are concentrating on looking left towards any oncoming traffic and don’t see pedestrians walking south in the designated walk area, through the intersection.
“I am not the only one who has about been run over while walking inside the pedestrian stripes, by a driver pulling onto Franklin who didn’t look to see if any pedestrians were crossing Prairie.
“There is a serious car/pedestrian accident just waiting to happen with the present signage.”
Well, last week I received the following email from Deputy City Manager Jon Kindseth: “We read your suggestion last week about the signage needed at E. Prairie and N. Franklin. The City has evaluated and agrees that we can improve pedestrian safety by reinstalling no turn on red signage. “The signage was removed about 10 years ago when the City implemented one way traffic on North and South Park.
“The uniqueness of this intersection and the visibility as you articulated causes us to agree that we should reestablish the no turn on red.
“Thanks for raising this issue and being patient with us while we get new signage installed.”
Thanks to the Deputy City Manager Kindseth for the response and notification of the signage change.
I very much appreciate the prompt action and I believe it will make that area safer — especially for pedestrians.
• SURPRISE! Check out the “Top Ten Cheapest Places To Live In The US, 2024”, by Kiplinger on page 16 of the print and online editions of the Decatur Tribune.
You may be a little surprised, and even somewhat shocked, as I was, with what city is listed as Number 1 on the Top Ten cheapest places to live in US.
• LONG LETTERS. It seems that I’m receiving more and more “Letters to the Editor” the past few months that are among the longest I’ve received in all the decades I’ve printed letters.
There have been a few that, if printed, would have taken up an entire page in the Tribune — crowding out the letters of everyone else.
I will not print letters that long and ask the writers to condense. Some do and the letters are printed. Others refuse to reduce the length, or reduce it only a few paragraphs, and those letters are not printed.
Those letters are not printed because of content, but because of length.
I’ve found that points are better made by readers when letters are shorter and to the point.
• SOMETHING NEW — When I was walking by Central Park one morning last week I saw something I’ve never seen in all the decades I’ve had an office downtown!
A man had stretched a hammock between two trees in the park and was relaxing and enjoying the beautiful day — and the shade!
I guess that’s one way to have a cheap vacation and get some rest.
I don’t know if there is a city ordinance against “Hammock Hanging”!
• I WENT to Staples one morning last week to pick up some needed supplies for the office.
There was one toner cartridge that wasn’t in stock and the employee said it might be a week before it was in stock because they were having some “staff shortage” problems at the present time.
I’m hearing that more and more at businesses I frequent.
That’s concerning.
• I JOIN Brian Byers on WSOY’s Byers & Co. every Thursday morning at 7:00 to discuss the issues and people impacting our community.
