Less than Ideal Conditions

On a clear and sunny day, taking a train into Almonte would give any passenger a beautiful view. But on the night of December 27th, the view was anything but ideal. When crossing the bridge over the Mississippi River into Almonte, the combination of the mist, the sleet, and the freezing rain completely reduced the troop train engineer’s visibility as it neared the station. The slight curve of the track also meant that on a normal day, no train could see the station until it was only 135 meters ahead.