1930 — April 11, Train hits Pickwick-Greyhound Bus, Fire, near Isleta, NM               —     22

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 1-31-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–22  AP. “Another Death in Pickwick Bus Crash at Isleta.” Roswell Daily Record, NM. 4-16-1930, p. 1.

–22  U.S. Interstate Commerce Commission, File No. 1631, “Report…Accident…Isleta, NM.”

Narrative Information

Interstate Commerce Commission: “On April 11, 1930, there was an accident involving an Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway mail and passenger train, and a motor bus of the Pickwick-Greyhound Lines, at a grade crossing near Isleta, N. Max., which resulted in the death of the driver of the bus and 21 passengers, and the injury of 7 passengers. This accident was investigated in conjunction with a representative of the State Corporation Commission of New Mexico….

“The weather was clear at the time of the accident, which occurred. About 9.27 a.m….

“Westbound train No. 7 consisted of four mail cars, five express cars, and one coach, hauled by engine 3712, and was in charge of Conductor Irwin and Enginemen Davis. This train departed from Albuquerque, 12.6 miles east of Isleta, at 9.13 a.m., three minutes late, and was approaching Isleta when it collided with the bus while traveling at a speed estimated to have been between 40 and 45 miles per hour.

 

“The Pickwick-Greyhound motor bus had a seating capacity for 25 passengers; it was traveling eastward under a time-table schedule on a route attending from Los Angeles, Calif., to Denver, Cola., and, was in charge of Driver Williams. This bus approached the crossing at a low rate of speed and when it reached a point a short distance from the crossing, it was swerved sharply to the left, apparently in an effort to avoid an accident, leaving the highway and partly crossing the railway track, where it became stalled, and it was standing in this position then it was struck by train No. 7, before any of the occupants had a chance to escape.

 

“The bus was completely demolished, the wreckage being lodged under and on the front end of the engine. Immediately after the accident, the gasoline caught fire and in turn set the wreckage on fire. The train came to a stop with the engine 1,490 feet from the center of the crossing, with only the engine truck derailed. The front end of the engine was slightly damaged…

 

“Engineman Davis stated that when his train reached a point about 1 mile from Isleta, he made a brake pipe reduction of from 6 to 8 pounds preparatory to passing through the interlocking plant at Isleta, this application of the brakes not being released prior to the accident. The engine bell had been ringing continuously after leaving Albuquerque and when the train passed the crossing-whistle board east of the highway, he started sounding the whistle, and was still blowing it when the engine struck the bus, which he thought was about 35 feet east of the crossing. He estimated the speed of the train at the time of the accident at 45 miles per hour. Due to the fact that the bus was approaching the crossing from the opposite side, Engineman Davis did not see it until after the fireman had shouted a warning; he immediately applied the brakes in emergency, looked ahead from the side window, and observed the forward end of the bus across the track and a man in the doorway apparently trying to get off, the collision occurring almost immediately.

 

“Fireman Oldham stated that he was riding on his seatbox approaching the point of accident, and when the train was approximately 600 feet from the crossing he noticed the bus approaching from the left, and from the speed at which it was traveling he felt satisfied at that time that it would stop. When the engine was about 200 feet from the crossing, he realized that the bus was not going to stop and called to the engineman to apply the brakes in emergency. At about the same time the bus tuned to the left from the highway, entered upon the track and stopped with its front wheels resting against the right rail, the engine striking it a second or two later. When the crash occurred, there was an explosion, and the ensuing flames entered the cab, causing him to leave it and get on the tender. The fireman also said that the engine bell was ringing and the whistle was being sounded when he called a warning of danger to the engineman….

 

“Conrad Heuvers…[a] bus passenger, stated that he was sitting on the left side of the bus near the rear end, and when it approached the crossing he observed the train approaching, quite a distance from the crossing, but did not hear its whistle sounded. The speed of the bus was reduced near the crossing, but it did not stop, the driver instead turning it to the left to avoid a head-on collision. He also stated that a woman passenger was riding in the seat with the driver.

 

“Homer Stein, another bus passenger, stated that he was sitting in the next to the last seat on the left side of the bus. He saw the approaching train when both the train and bus were some distance from the crossing, and at that time the speed of the bus was 25 or 30 miles per hour. The bus reduced speed about 20 or 30 feet from the crossing and the driver looked to the left but did not look to the right until the bus was almost to the crossing and then he swerved the car to the left and came to a stop with the front wheels between the rails, the collision occurring a few seconds later. Mr. Stein watched the train continuously from the time it first came into view, but did not see steam escaping from the engine whistle, neither did he hear the sound of the whistle. He did not know whether the bell was ringing, as the bus was closed and he could not have heard it.

“Marcelina Zuni, who resides near the scene of the accident, stated. That he was standing at the crossing and observed the bus approaching but did not see the train until his attention was attracted to it by the sound of its whistle, as be had been facing in the opposite direction. He thought the bus was drifting while it was approaching the crossing, and then it suddenly turned to the left and stopped on the track about 15 or 20 feet from the crossing; the motor then was stalled while the bus was trying to pass over the track, and he saw the driver try to open the door, and then attempt to jump through the window.

“Conclusions:

 

“This accident was caused by a motor bus being driven on the track directly in front of an approaching train, for which Driver Williams is responsible.

“The investigation developed that the bus approached the crossing at slow speed, was turned sharply to the left just before reaching the crossing, and stopped with its forward end across the track, at a point 55 feet east of the center line of the crossing, where it was struck by the train a few seconds afterwards. There is a railroad warning sign located 11-96 feet from the crossing which gives advance notice of the approach to a crossing and there is another sign near the crossing which directs traffic to stop, which is also a requirement of the State Corporation Commission in connection with the operation of common-carrier motor vehicles, as well as being a requirement of the Pickwick-Greyhound Lines. Under these circumstances, in daylight, and with the sun shining, and in view of the fact that the driver of the bus, when 472 feet from the crossing, could have seen a train more than 1,800 feet distant, there would appear to be no excuse for his action in failing to prevent an accident. One of the passengers on the bus said the driver looked to the left while approaching the crossing, but did not look to the right until the bus had nearly reached the crossing, and the fact that it was not until then that the driver finally realized a train was approaching from the right, is evident from his action at the last moment in turning the bus off the roadway.

“There are two features in connection with this accident, concerning which no definite information is available; first, there was some evidence that there was a woman riding on the seat with the driver and that he had been talking with her en route, and, second, there was also some evidence to the effect that the motor had stalled on several occasions then the driver was trying to start the bus. To that extent either or both of these conditions may have been responsible for diverting the driver’s attention, is something which is only a matter of conjecture. It is possible that neither of them had any influence on him, but if that were the case, then it is difficult to account for his apparent failure to notice the approaching train until the bus was too close to the crossing to be brought to a stop in safety.”  (ICC File # 1631, “Report…Accident…Isleta, NM.”)

 

Newspapers

 

Apr 12: Albuquerque Journal, NM. “Revised List of Known Dead, Probable Dead…” p. 1.

 

Known Dead

 

Mrs. Ellis Huff, Los Angeles, formerly of Oklahoma City.

Kenneth Huff, 8 years old, her son, Los Angeles.

Corporal Roland Anderson, Merrill, Iowa.

  1. D. Williams, West Gold avenue, bus driver, Albuquerque.

Potacio Torteleto, Indian, San Domingo.

  1. C. Stevens, Kankakee, Ill.

William Mickle, Santa Monica, Calif.

 

Probable Dead

 

(Identification made from personal letters and effects.)

Miss Cartula M. Maurer, Huntington Park, Calif.

Miss Henrietta Robbins, Ramsey, N.J.

Richard Childers, Artesia, Calif.

Thelma Luft, Denver, Colo., or Los Angeles

Mrs. Mona Utter, Arvin, Mo.

  1. F. Feeley, Hollywood, Calif.
  2. E. Mallory, address unknown.

Alice Stanglan, Los Angeles.

Orla Barber, address unknown.

Two unidentified babies.

One unidentified Indian….”

 

Apr 15. UP. “Pickwick Crash Probe Still On.” Gallup Independent, NM, 4-15-1930, p. 1:

 

“Albuquerque, April 15 (UP) – A fourfold investigation of the Pickwick Greyhound bus crash near Isleta Pueblo last Friday continued today. The death toll had reached 21 lives Monday night when Tom Nieto, an Indian died of injuries. The coroner’s jury reported without fixing responsibility for the accident.”

 

  1. AP. “Another Death in Pickwick Bus Crash at Isleta.” Roswell Daily Record, NM. 4-16-1930, p.1:

 

“Albuquerque, April 16 – (AP) – Frank L. Myers of Columbia City, Ind., who was injured in the Pickwick bus and Santa Fe train crash at Isleta last Friday died today, making the twenty-second death in the disaster. One other man of the five injured still in the hospital is in a critical condition. He is James Lackey of Compton, Calif.[1]

 

“All of the dead are now believed to have been identified, the last two bodies to be identified being those of Carlos McGuire of Greenfield, Mo., and Mrs. Earle Macey of Denver, Colo.”

 

Sources

 

Albuquerque Journal, NM. “Revised List of Known Dead, Probable Dead and Injured.” 4-12-1930, p. 1. Accessed 1-31-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/albuquerque-journal-apr-12-1930-p-1/

 

Albuquerque Journal, NM. “Soldier Goes Home Wrapped in the Flag.” 4-18-1930, p. 1. Accessed 1-31-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/albuquerque-journal-apr-18-1930-p-1/

 

Associated Press. “Another Death in Pickwick Bus Crash at Isleta.” Roswell Daily Record, NM. 4-16-1930, p. 1. Accessed 1-31-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/roswell-daily-record-apr-16-1930-p-1/

 

United Press. “Pickwick Crash Probe Still On.” Gallup Independent, NM, 4-15-1930, p. 1. Accessed 1-31-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/gallup-independent-apr-15-1930-p-1/

 

United States Interstate Commerce Commission, File No. 1631, “Report of the Bureau of Safety in RE Investigation of an Accident Which Occurred on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway near Isleta, N.Mex., on April 11, 1930.” Washington, DC:  ICC, May 12, 1930.  Reproduced by DOT Library, Special Collections, I.C.C. Historical Railroad Investigation Reports (1911-1994). Accessed at:  http://dotlibrary.specialcollection.net/

 

[1] Reported as “still improving” later. (Albuquerque Journal, NM. “Soldier Goes Home Wrapped in the Flag.” 4-18-1930, p. 1.)