Earlier that same day, the same engine and crew had passed over the same location westbound, and at that time the trestle crossing was in good condition.
Both members of the engine crew were killed and seven were injured including five passengers, as well as the railway clerk and express manager, but none seriously.
[1] On April 26, 1937, the D&RGW train number 319 had left Delta at 7:25pm heading Northwest to Grand Junction, Colorado.
About 35 minutes later, when it was about 17.1 miles from Delta and traveling along the tracks next to the Gunnison River, it crashed into Wells Gulch near Dominguez Canyon.
The engineer, Charles D. Freeman, who had worked for the D&RGW since 1903, suffered extensive burns from the escaping steam, and died the following day at St. Mary's Hospital, in Grand Junction.