1910 Rogers Pass avalanche
The Rogers Pass Avalanche happened on March 4, 1910 at the Rogers Pass, in the Selkirk Mountains near the town of Revelstoke, British Columbia at approximately 11:00 pm PST.[1] It happened after the train crew were clearing snow from the tracks and an avalanche unexpectedly came down on top of them.
| 1910 Rogers Pass avalanche | |
|---|---|
 Bodies and parts of track being cleared from the area | |
| Details | |
| Time | 11:30 pm |
| Location | Rogers Pass, near Revelstoke, British Columbia |
| Coordinates | 51°17′00″N 117°30′43″W / 51.28333°N 117.51194°W |
| Country | Canada |
| Operator | Canadian Pacific Railway |
| Cause | Avalanche |
| Statistics | |
| Trains | 1 |
| Deaths | 58 |
| Injuries | 1 |
In the disaster, 62 people were believed to be dead and 1 was injured.[2] The Rogers Pass avalanche remains to this day, one of the deadliest rail disaster in Canadian history and the worst avalanche disaster in Canadian history.
After another avalanche destroyed the track in November 1885, workers set up snow sheds near the tracks so they could clean them and keep it safe.[3]
On March 4, 1910, a large amount of snow fell from the nearby mountain and covered the track so a crew was sent to clear the railway. While clearing the railway, an avalanche fell from the other side. The 91-ton train was sent flying 49 feet in the air and landed upside down. Only one person survived the avalanche. The disaster along with ones before it caused Canadian Pacific Railway to abandon the Pass and instead dig the Connaught Tunnel through Mount Macdonald.[4]
References
change- ↑ "Rogers Pass avalanche marked 105 years after taking 58 lives". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
- ↑ "Canada's worst avalanche is the 1910 Rogers Pass disaster, a preventable tragedy". The Weather Network. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
- ↑ "Remembering the 1910 Rogers Pass Snowslide". Revelstoke Museum & Archives. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
- ↑ "The end of the line - Rogers Pass National Historic Site". Parks Canada. Retrieved January 15, 2024.