The Great Northern Railroad Avalanche | Snowed In | 1

0:00Audible subscribers can binge new seasons of Against the Odds early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts. A listener note. Against the Odds uses dramatizations that are based on true events. Some elements, including dialogue, may be invented, but everything is based on research.

0:26Ida Starrett smooths the hair of her eight-month-old son, Francis. He's teething and has been fidgety all night. Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh. It's okay. It's okay. Mommy's here. Mommy's here. But Starrett is almost as restless as her son is. It's just past 2 a.m. on March 1, 1910, and Starrett and her three children are aboard a Great Northern Railroad train. What was supposed to be a routine overnight trip from Spokane, Washington to Seattle has turned into a never-ending ordeal. While Frances squirms in her arms, Starrett casts an anxious glance across the aisle at her other two children, nine-year-old Lillian and seven-year-old Raymond.

1:14Thankfully, they're both still sound asleep in their bunks. Finally, Frances starts the drift off, and Starrett lies back on her bed. Well, she thinks, at least she's not in Spokane anymore. That's where she and her husband had been raising their three children. But last month, her husband was killed in an accident at the rail yard where he worked. The railroad company gave her just$500 in compensation. With little money and no prospects, she decided to move in with her parents in British Columbia. So she bought train tickets for her and her three children, thinking it would be an easy trip. They left Spokane a week ago aboard the Seattle Express during a snowstorm.

1:59They'd hoped they'd make it over the Cascade Mountains before the weather got too bad. But soon, the snowfall was too heavy for the train to make it any further. Hundreds of railroad workers who are stationed up here in this mountain pass have been trying to clear the track, but they can't keep ahead of the falling snow. Now, the train is stuck in this small railroad depot in the Cascades. Starrett and the 54 other passengers are going stir-crazy. Food supplies are running low. Even worse, as the snow piles up, it's triggering avalanches on the mountainsides around them. Starret has been hearing the rumbles of sliding snow for days.

2:40She doesn't know how much longer her nerves can take it. The snow can't last forever, she tells herself. She just has to be patient. But as soon as Starret settles into sleep, lightning flashes outside, followed by a gigantic boom of thunder. Starrett jumps in her bunk, her heart pounding. Frances wails, and Starrett's other children startle awake. Raymond, Lillian, you can go back to sleep, okay? It's just some thunder. But as Starrett soothes Frances, she notices something. The rumbling from the thunder hasn't died down yet. Not completely. It's still sounding in the distance. And in fact, it seems to be getting louder.

3:23This isn't like any thunder she's ever heard before. Then, with a chill, she realizes the truth. That's not thunder. It's rumbling snow. An avalanche. She goes rigid. Every other noise, Francis' sobs, the howling wind, the rattle of the train car windows, disappears from her mind. Starrit's been hearing these rumbles for days, but this one sounds different, much nearer. She clutches Francis and throws back the curtain of the window. And there it is. Exactly what she's been dreading. A towering wall of snow churning toward their train. Starret hugs Francis close, braces for impact, and she prays.

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5:16From Audible Originals, I'm Mike Corey, and this is Against the Odds.

5:28The Cascade Mountains of Washington State receive more snow than anywhere else in the lower 48 states. In February 1910, a series of blizzards dumped at least 20 feet of snow on Stevens Pass. The crossing cut across the mountains, allowing trains to pass between the eastern and western parts of the state. During the storms, two trains became trapped at Stevens Pass, their way forward blocked by massive snowdrifts. One was the Seattle Express with 55 passengers aboard and around a dozen crew members. The other was a mail train carrying 10 workers. In addition, hundreds of railroad employees were stationed at the pass.

6:12All of them were left exposed on a narrow mountain ledge as thousands of tons of snow piled up on the mountains. Railroad officials raced to figure out how to get the trains off the pass, but they faced one setback after another. And as temperatures rose and snow gave way to rain, the snowpack shifted and an avalanche slid down the side of the mountain straight toward the two trains. The passengers and crew members had to rely on their wits, resourcefulness and luck to survive the deadliest avalanche in United States history. This is Episode 1, Snowed In.

6:56James O 'Neill settles into a chair in his home office north of Seattle and flips through the weather reports in his hand. With each page, his frown deepens. Snow is headed for the mountains and temperatures are going to fall to zero. It's late afternoon on February 21st, 1910. O 'Neill is 37, with brooding dark eyes and a no-nonsense manner. For the past three years, he's been a superintendent for the Great Northern Railway Company. Trains are in his blood. His father was a railroad foreman, and O 'Neill himself quit school at age 13 to work on a train. By 17, he was a full conductor. A railway boy wonder.

7:41Now, as a superintendent, he's in charge of trains running through all of Washington State. But 90 % of his time is spent worrying about just one section of tracks that winds through the Cascade Range. It's a 700-mile stretch of alpine peaks that bisects the state of Washington. O 'Neill glances out the window. On a clear day, the western slopes of the Cascades, just 40 miles away, are visible. But not today. Thick clouds, fat with precipitation, hang over everything. That's one of the main dangers of the Cascades. When humid air from the ocean blows inland and rises over the cold mountains, the landscape gets pummeled with snow.

8:26The steep slopes make it especially dangerous for trains. Even a small storm can bury the tracks and leave the train stranded. O 'Neill turns back to the weather reports. If the forecasts are right, a big storm is coming. That means O 'Neill is going to have to head up to the pass. Great Northern has stations throughout the Cascades that are manned with shovelers and plows, used to keep trains moving. And telegraph lines theoretically mean he can keep in touch with his men from here. But given the coming storm, the wires to those depots could easily snap or get torn loose. They'd be cut off in every way.

9:07And O 'Neill can't afford to be out of touch. As superintendent, he has an impeccable record of keeping the trains running on time. He does this by ensuring that mechanical plows are running at all times, and by quickly deploying shovelers to any location where a train gets stuck or the plows are useless. He intends to keep things that way, so he'll head up to the mountains himself to personally direct the work of clearing the tracks. The only problem is his wife, Bernice. She's been a saint throughout their marriage, despite O 'Neill's regular absences during storms like the one that's coming.

9:45But they have a young daughter now, and O 'Neill has already been gone for several weeks this winter. It's straining their marriage. Every time he leaves, he senses her frustration. But after consulting the weather forecast again, he feels he has no choice. He'll just have to make Bernice understand. Hello, I'm home. O 'Neill hears the front door open. Bernice is returning from a doctor's appointment. He rises from his chair and heads over to take her coat. They kiss hello, and on the way into the parlor, she turns to him. Uh, I have some news for you. Great, I've got some news for you as well.

10:27Come sit. When they're settled, O 'Neill jumps right in. Listen, the Cascades are going to get hammered with snow again, starting tomorrow. I'll have to head up just for a few days. Maybe a week. He explains the weather reports, then stops in surprise. Bernice is crying. He asks her why, but that only makes her cry harder. O 'Neal is bewildered. Dear, I don't like it any more than you do, but I have responsibilities. It's the end of the winter soon, and we'll have all spring and all of summer together. But she keeps crying. O 'Neal can sense something else is going on. He asks her to tell him.

11:07She shakes her head, then finally wipes her eyes. Jim, I'm pregnant. O 'Neal hugs his wife close. Bernice, that's fantastic. But he realizes she's not hugging him back. When he pulls away, she gazes into his eyes. Jim, just this once, can't you just stay and be with me? She grasps his hand, but O 'Neill sighs and shakes his head no. He explains that he'd give anything to stay with her, but he can't. Not when his railroad needs him.

11:53Lewis Jessup watches the incoming train lumber to a halt with a hiss in the Spokane Railroad Station. Its piercing whistle echoes off the station walls. Jessup and the other passengers gather up their belongings and get ready to board. A thick layer of snow lies atop each rail car. Jessiff is eager to be on board and out of the cold. He hands his suitcase to the porter, then finds his car. It's painted a handsome burgundy colour with white trim. He climbs aboard, then fishes out his ticket for the 7pm Seattle Express overnight from Spokane, 230 miles as the crow flies. It's Tuesday, February 22nd.

12:38The 32-year-old Jessup enters the car and nods approvingly. He paid extra for this first-class ticket, and he admires the elegant arched windows, the delicate light fixtures, and mahogany benches with plush cushions. He has a sleeping berth for later as well. As he makes his way down the aisle, Jessup overhears snippets of conversation. A trio of men are talking about mining. Another pair in suits are talking about a paper mill that one of them apparently owns. Jessup would normally look forward to joining these conversations. He's a chatty fellow. But not tonight. Jessup is a lawyer, and he has a big case in two days in the state capital of Olympia.

13:22He's arguing in front of the state appeals court. Jessup lost the initial case in the lower court, and he's determined to win this round. So, rather than chat with other passengers, Jessup plans to review his arguments and make sure he's as prepared as possible. At his window seat, he takes off his coat, folds it, and places it in the rack above. Then he sits down, opens his briefcase, and dons his glasses to review his notes. But before he's finished the first paragraph, he hears a familiar voice. Louis Jessup, as I live and breathe, I didn't know you were on this train. Jessup looks up and is surprised to see John Merritt plop down next to him.

14:06Merritt is a fellow lawyer in Spokane. They've known each other for years. In fact, he's the lawyer who beat Jessup in the lower court case and who he'll face off against on Thursday. Merritt glances down at Jessup's notes. Ah, you're cramming, huh? You're gonna need it. I don't plan on losing this round either. Uh-huh, yeah. Well, save your charm for the judges, John. Merritt laughs and says he's going to the parlor car to smoke and chat with others. Jessup watches him go. Jessup actually considers Merritt a friend. He's a good guy overall, but he has a habit of ribbing people after winning cases.

14:45And as the Seattle Express blows its whistle again and pulls out, Jessup finds himself in a sour mood. He can't let Merritt beat him again.

15:07Railroad Superintendent James O 'Neill trudges through the deepening snow toward the Oriental Limited, a great Northern Railway passenger train that just arrived here at Wellington Station, high in the Cascades. He needs to talk to the engineer to get an idea of the weather the train has come through. It's just before midnight on February 22nd, and the snowstorm that hit 18 hours ago has not let up. Wellington sits on the west side of the Stevens Pass, which cuts over the mountain range. Other than stunning views, it doesn't have much to offer. Ramshackle barracks for the cruise, plus a general store and a hotel for overnight guests.

15:48Ten years ago, the railway opened a 2.5-mile-long tunnel that snakes under the pass, making the train crossing quicker. But the weather still hits hard on both sides of the tunnel. Now, amid the swirling snow, O 'Neill watches the workers hop off to restock the Oriental Limited's coal and water supplies. He's gratified to see their discipline. Despite the cold, they're working hard. At the engine car, O 'Neill climbs the four stairs and opens the door. The engineer looks startled to see O 'Neill, and quickly removes his hat. Good evening, Mr. Superintendent. How may I help you? Just wondering how the weather is east of here.

16:29I need to know what to do with the trains behind you. Worst conditions I've seen 20 years on the line. Fierce winds and drifting snow that's piling up on the tracks. O 'Neill grimaces it's not what he wanted to hear, but he thanks the man and heads back to the Brick Railroad station. It's just 50 yards from the engine to the station, but it's snowing hard enough that O 'Neill has to brush himself off before stepping inside. He lights a cigar to warm himself. Then he enters an office inside the station. His second-in-command, Arthur Blackburn, is hunched over a large map of the Cascades spread on a table.

17:06Blackburn moves small steel tokens on it, which represent incoming trains. Blackburn looks up. O 'Neill shares the news from the conductor, and Blackburn nods. Alright, we have a passenger train due in at 3.30am and then a mail train two hours later. Do you want to hold them, or should we let them through? O 'Neill puffs on his cigar and studies the map. Heavy snowfall is normal at Stevens Pass, and O 'Neill has summoned several dozen men from Seattle to shovel, as well as engineers and mechanics to fix any problems that arise. Plus, O 'Neill has rotary plows at his disposal. These are specialized train cars with giant rotary blades to move snow.

17:49Big, powerful machines that can push through drifts 12 feet high. Ideally, every train traveling through Stevens Pass would have a plow car in front of it to clear the way. Right now, all but one of his plows is committed to helping a train. And with two final trains coming from the east tonight, they are a plow short. First is the Seattle Express, a train with several cars of first-class passengers. And if he's learned one thing as a superintendent, it's that if first-class passengers are delayed, they are bound to complain to his boss. But the second train is also a high priority. It's full of mail.

18:29O 'Neill's company has a$44 million contract with the post office that's up for renewal next month. and Great Northern's mail trains have been held up several times recently due to weather. The delays might be for good reason, but no one seems to care. And if yet another mail train is delayed, the contract could be at risk. If the Seattle Express train and the mail train were running closer together, it wouldn't be a problem. He could halt the express until the mail train caught up, then send one plow ahead of both to clear the track. but the mail train is two hours behind the passenger train.

19:08At least. So, what to do? Should he hold the Seattle Express two hours to wait for the mail train or send the passengers ahead with the plow and hope the snow doesn't accumulate enough behind them to hinder the mail train? O 'Neill studies the map and tries to guess how much snow will pile up and where. He senses Blackburn getting antsy next to him. So, Chief, what do you want to do? But O 'Neill doesn't have enough information to make a decision. Not yet. I think we'll have to see what the 1.30 a.m. weather report brings. He just hopes that the weather report is a good one, and he can send the passenger train without waiting for the mail train.

20:01Conductor Joseph Pettit waves as he sees Lucius Anderson approaching him on the platform here in Leavenworth, in the eastern foothills of the Cascade Range. Anderson is a porter, and Pettit is always glad to see him. Lucius, glad we're on this shift together. Any news on whether we're waiting for the mail train? Anderson shakes his head and tells Pettit he'll go check. As the porter heads off, Pettit looks down the track and sees the Seattle Express train approaching. It's just after 1.30 a.m. on February 23rd. Pettit is taking over as a conductor to see the Express through the mountains. He's lived his whole life in the Cascades and is an expert on them.

20:43When the train stops, Pettit boards and brushes the snow off his coat. Then he strolls down the corridor. He suspects they will be holding for the mail train, which might mean waiting for two hours while it catches up. But Pettit doesn't mind. At night, trains are peaceful and they're quiet. Sleeping passengers can't complain. Sometimes he regrets not going into mail or freight trains. Mail and freight never howl about the route being too bumpy or somebody snoring in the next bunk over. Tonight, he's surprised to see a passenger walking around, a young woman with a baby. Pettit approaches her, keeping his voice low so as not to wake anyone.

21:25Hi, ma 'am. I'm Conductor Pettit. Can I help you with anything? Oh, no, no, no. I'm Ida Starrett. My little Francis here is just teething. He's struggling to sleep. Pettit suspects that Starrett hasn't been getting much sleep either. She looks exhausted. He's about eight months? Yes. How did you know? Ah, well, I've got five kids of my own, and I love those little buggers. I have three. Say, why are we stopped here? Is something wrong? Pettit assures her no. Trains always stop at Leavenworth to switch engines. They need a more powerful one to get up the steep grades in the mountains ahead. Plus, tonight, he explains about possibly holding for the mail car, so they both can follow the same rotary plow.

22:12Starrett looks worried. But won't we get stuck in the snow if we stay here too long? Stuck? No, no, no, no. These plows are incredible at clearing snow. There's no need to worry at all about getting stuck. At that moment, Pettit hears a door open. It's the porter, Lucius Anderson, returning. Telegram just came through from James O 'Neill. We're not holding. The mail car is ahead of schedule and can follow us on its own. Pettit is surprised, but happy. He smiles at Starrett and tells her to return to her bunk to get comfortable. As soon as his crew finishes attaching the new engine, they'll be on their way behind the rotary plow.

22:50It may be fierce weather tonight, but it's nothing the Great Northern Railway can't handle.

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24:31Homer Purcell squints into the darkness, straining to see the track in front of him. Purcell pilots a rotary plow. It's designed to clear thick snow that accumulates on the tracks. But in all of his years, he's never seen conditions like this. All he can see is swirling snow. This blizzard has been raging for nearly 24 hours and shows no sign of letting up. It's 3.30 in the morning on February 23, 1910. Purcell's crew is clearing the track a little over a mile west of Wellington, Washington. They're trying to keep the track open between Wellington and a town called Scenic Hot Springs, that's nine miles further west, so that the Seattle Express and mail train can get through later tonight.

25:20Scenic hot springs sits at a lower elevation. Far less snow accumulates there. So once the trains reach scenic, it should be smooth sailing the rest of the way. Despite the harsh conditions, Purcell is pleased with his crew's progress. The plow is essentially a heavy-duty railroad engine with a giant blade wheel on the front. The blade spins like a rotary fan. As it does, it chews through banks of snow, then spits the snow off to the side. Rotary plows can go only 10 miles an hour tops, and they're even slower in heavy snow like tonight. They're also fuel-hungry and need to take on several tons of coal every shift.

26:02But when it comes to clearing thick snow from tracks, there's nothing better. Now, as Purcell peers ahead, he sees something dark looming. The outline of it rises higher than the top of the train. He raises his arm to signal to the driver to stop. As they draw closer to the shade, his fear is confirmed. It's a snow slide covering the tracks, a mini avalanche that's fallen from the steep slopes to their right. He turns to a worker next to him, a boy no more than 16. Go scout the snow slide. I need to know what the snow's like. The boy runs off. Purcell drums his fingers and waits. Two minutes later, the scout returns.