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From: "Mary Lou Hudson" <>
Subject: [TNCAMPBE-L] Robert Baynes Story of the Troop Train Wreck 1944
Date: Sat, 15 Nov 2003 16:58:18 -0500


Robert Baynes story of the troop train wreck.

Mary Lou
----- Original Message -----
From: Robert/Carol Baynes
To:
Sent: Saturday, November 15, 2003 3:39 PM
Subject: train wreck-1944


Hi Mary Lou,

Received your reply on Wednesday, November 12. Thanks for the newspaper articles--I have obtained several other accounts from other sources and will add these to my collection. Briefly, here is my story. I was drafted into the Army in June,1944 immediately after graduation from Mantua high school in Ohio. Was sent to Fort Ben Harrison in Indiana for initial indoctrination then put on the "train" for transport to a basic training camp. It was about 9:00 pm and I was in my upper bunk trying to go to sleep. I thought the train was going pretty fast as it was swaying back and forth rather sharply. All of a sudden I could feel the car rolling over so I grabbed a bar and hung on until the car stopped moving. We all started climbing out the windows and then realized we were in this gorge with the tracks up above us. I could see the last car to remain on the tracks was on fire and wondered whether it was going to fall on our car--but it didn't--luckily. Those of us not injured climb!
ed up to the tracks and in turn tried to help others get to the top. I don't remember how long it was before help started to arrive but soon we were told we would be taken into a nearby town to await further orders. I stayed with several other soldiers in someone's home but I don't remember their name--wish I did, it would be interesting to talk to them after all these years. I think it was the next morning that we were put on another train to continue our journey--none of us realized how serious the accident was. Strange, but I never gave that experience much thought after I left Tennessee that day until last year. We have had a computer for several years and one day I decided to utilize the Internet to see if I could find some detail about that wreck. So last year I initiated my search and was surprised to receive as many responses as I did. I probably have as much as there is out there by now although I'm still trying to get a copy of that book "She Jumped The Tracks" w!
ritten by John Ascher.
I think I mentioned to you that I did get in contact with the author but that the book is out of print. He xeroxed some of his copy but it wasn't of very good quality. Because of your e-mail, however, I have contacted another person who says that his father has a copy so maybe I can still get a good copy.

To answer your questions:

Because I was just one of 1000 or so people on that train, I really have no idea what the real cause of the wreck was except I do know the train was going awfully fast.

I have never ridden another train (until recently) although it was not because of my experience in Tennessee. I've just had no reason to ride one. Recently Carol and I did go on a short train trip up in Mendicino County, Fort Bragg to be specific. They have a tourist trip through the redwoods that takes about an two hours--interesting but nothing to shout about.

I'm not sure what the Campbell County list is but I have no problem with sharing my experience with whoever. It would be interesting to contact someone else who was in that same wreck.

I was invited by John Ascher to visit Jellico and my intention is to do that someday. Carol's family and my sister all live in the Cleveland, Ohio area so I plan on going to the accident site on one of our trips home.

Thanks again for being interested enough to send me the information that you did--I appreciated it. Our invitation stands--anytime. It has been nice talking to you--hope to meet you in person some day.

Bob


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