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Katy Flyer train wreck of 3 October 1882


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Yvonne D. Edelen Buerk from Saaint Charles, Missouri on 9/29/2009 8:43:15 PM:
My great-great-grandfather, Alonzo Aloysius Edelen, was crossing a train trestle and met the Katy Flyer before he could make it across. He died on 3 October 1882 near Missouri Point, Saint Charles County, Missouri. I would like to get some info regarding this wreck. There was no auto bridge across the rivers (Mississippi or Missouri Rivers)at that time. Is there any way of receiving info from the railroad company regarding this wreck?

 
Linda@Katy depot from Sedalia on 10/1/2009 8:19:51 AM:
You might try contacting the katy Railroad Historical Society(just google them on line), but
when they moved the RR Headquarters from Sedalia to Parson's Kansas the Depot there had a
fire and lost all records of employees, accidents, etc. There may be something in print they
might have. the other option is to try the Union Pacific Historical Society as they bought out
the rights of the Katy. Hope this helps.

 
Harold from Rolling Prairie, IN on 10/2/2009 3:04:44 AM:
Since you live in the St Charles area, you might inquire if there is a railfan organization
nearby. I would think the St Louis area should have one or more. You might inquire of the St
Louis Railroad Museum or check with a model train shop. They usually know people that are
knowledgeable about finding information.

 
Bill Edwards on 10/18/2011 12:30:36 PM:
As a historian I should point out (albeit a couple of years late) that either your year is wrong or it was a different train, as the Katy Flyer was not in service until 1896. It may have been an early MKT train just the same, so they may still have some record of it. There are also some sites that have transcripts of train wreck reports dating back to the 1880s, with a little effort. If you try to find this based on Katy Flyer, however, and it DID happen in 1882, you will not find your answer.