Bagley Train Wreck, January 1, 1945
In the early morning hours of January 1, 1945, a mail and express train traveling 60 miles per hour crashed into a passenger train eighteen miles west of Ogden. Upon impact, passengers in the dining car were killed instantly. The three rear cars accordianed into each other, the sleeper and day coaches were pulverized, and another car fell into the Great Salt Lake.
The call about the accident came into Ogden at 6:30 a.m. Ambulances from all the military installations were immediately dispatched, along with three trains and volunteers to bring back the wounded. When they arrived on scene they found 48 dead and another 81 injured, some of whom were veterans from the European front returning home.
Many citizens also jumped into action. They brought food and clothing to the station, helped with medical care, and transported the wounded in their trucks. Hill Field sent buses with 75 soldiers to help at the crash site. The operator of the Ogden Café, directly across the street from the station, set up a first aid station. He removed everything but coffee and tables and turned the café over to the Red Cross.
Over 38 nurses from the Dee Hospital arrived, and 14 of them went to Bushnell Hospital in Brigham City to care for the wounded. Another 60 nurses were on-call, ready to help if needed. City officials also set up 100 cots at the Ogden Armory.
Upon investigation it was determined that the engineer of the mail car, James McDonald, had a heart attack and was unable to break. Heavy fog also made it impossible for the conductor of the passenger train to see the other train coming. By January 5, the death toll had risen to 50 as more victims succumbed to their injuries.
