Cab Control Might have Helped.

[Blazeman]

Firefighters, railroad workers, police, and a couple photographers at the site of a head on collision between Soo trains 909-910 about 1 mile east of Gilchrist. 910 was supposed to take siding at Gilchrist for the meet but inadvertently went past and continued toward the east meeting westbound 909 in a curve with this as the result. Crews jumped before impact no doubt saving their lives. The fuel tank on 4408 ruptured and burst into flames as the electrical cabinet on 6600 provided the spark to start the fire. The location was about a mile from the nearest road and the resulting fire quickly spread into the woods. Quick action from nearby Michigan DNR firefighting crew who bulldozed a road in and quickly controlled the fire prevented this from becoming an even more serious situation. The train crews involved had quickly backed the remaining units and cars, remarkably none of which even derailed, away from the fire so they did not become involved.
 
There are photos, but I'm not savvy enough to be able to post them. They show the two lead engines having collided, with one on top of the other, both pretty charred.

[cv_acr]

Sounds like you're talking about this wreck from 1982:


from http://algomacentral.railfan.net/old_soo.htm

[Blazeman]

I would say you are quite correct in looking at the two photos. Same # on the top engine. Both  at Gilchrist.

Wonder why someone from a railroad would send that out?

[Packer]

When I started reading that I though something was kind of off. The SOO has been technically gone for quite some time now (CP take-over)

[David Leonard]

CP has had controlling interest in the SOO for many years, and in 1990 acquired 100% ownership. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of CP, but AFAIK has not not yet been merged. Indeed there is some duplication of locomotive road numbers between SOO and CP.

[Ryan87]

CP has had controlling interest in the SOO for many years, and in 1990 acquired 100% ownership. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of CP, but AFAIK has not not yet been merged. Indeed there is some duplication of locomotive road numbers between SOO and CP.

CP Merged the Soo Line into their system in 1992...

[David Leonard]

From the Trains magazine website:

Soo Line Railroad
Minneapolis, Sault Ste. Marie & Atlantic was incorporated in 1883 to build from the Twin Cities east to a connection with Canadian Pacific. In 1888 MSSM&A, Minneapolis & Pacific, and two others consolidated to form the Minneapolis, St. Paul, & Sault Ste. Marie. The nickname "Soo Line" comes from the pronunciation of the word Sault. On December 31, 1960, MStP&SSM merged with subsidiaries Wisconsin Central Railroad and Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic to form Soo Line Railroad. CP for decades owned 56% of Soo, and tried in the 1980's to sell it, but in 1990 wound up acquiring full ownership. Soo remains a CP subsidiary but is operated as part of the system.

From the  CP website:

To capitalize on its refocusing efforts CPR expanded its rail network in 1990, taking full control of the Soo Line in the U.S. Midwest – a company it had a majority interest in since the 1890s.  

My understanding is that when a road is absorbed by merger it loses its corporate identity. SOO still has a corporate identity, doing business as CP. In 1992 the Soo Line name was dropped in favor of CP Rail Systems, but that doesn't necessarily mean a change of corporate status.

This is just how I read it--I'm not a lawyer. It's pretty much trivia for practical purposes, but maybe someone could give them a call:
 
Soo Line Railroad Company Inc, Canadian Pacific Railway
501 Marquette Avenue # 1500
Minneapolis, MN 55402-1201 
Phone:(800) 766-4357

[wm3798]

It's true.  The Western Maryland existed as a corporate entity until 1983 when its entrails were absorbed into the C&O, which was then absorbed into the B&O in order to merge with the Seaboard System to become CSX.  It stopped operating independently by about 1969, when clods the likes of Hays Watkins became members of the board, then in 1973 they started slapping that ugly paint with the cat all over everything.

The Soo may exist on paper, but the shots are called from north of the border, I assure you.

Lee

[davefoxx]

It's true.  The Western Maryland existed as a corporate entity until 1983 when its entrails were absorbed into the C&O, which was then absorbed into the B&O in order to merge with the Seaboard System to become CSX.  It stopped operating independently by about 1969, when clods the likes of Hays Watkins became members of the board, then in 1973 they started slapping that ugly paint with the cat all over everything.

The Soo may exist on paper, but the shots are called from north of the border, I assure you.

Lee

Lee, you're right as far as corporate identities, subsidiaries, etc.  But, are you sure about your history on the CSX merger?  I thought it went down something like this: In 1983, the Seaboard Coast Line, Louisville & Nashville, Georgia Railroad, and Clinchfield merged to become Seaboard System Railroad.  In 1986, SBD changed its name to CSX Transportation.  Then, the B&O (which had absorbed the WM in 1983, although the WM had been under B&O control for years as its major stockholder) was folded into the C&O in 1987, and the C&O merged into CSX a few months later in that same year.

On paper, it may have looked differently, because I think Chessie System and Seaboard Coast Line Industries merged as far back as 1980 to become CSX Corporation.  I think CSX Transportation was and is a subsidiary of CSX Corporation.  What a mess.

DFF

[wm3798]

I stand corrected.  I stopped paying attention in 1973 when the yellow paint appeared...

Lee

[Iain]

As far as corporate identity goes, the original Norfolk Southern actually still exists, although the name was changed in order to use it for the Southern-Norfolk and Western merger.

[Robbman]

As far as corporate identity goes, the original Norfolk Southern actually still exists, although the name was changed in order to use it for the Southern-Norfolk and Western merger.

When Southern bought the original Norfolk Southern, it was merged into the Carolina & Northwestern, another Southern subsidiary.   The CRN was merged out of existence in the late 80s or early 90s, along with many other former Southern paper companies.