(The nearest current community is Meadow Acres, lying west of the site, across the North Platte River).

It occurred when the Casper to Denver train, only 15 miles into its journey, plunged into Cole Creek after the bridge spanning it had washed away after three days of storms.

[3] The storms of September 27–29 caused flooding over much of central Wyoming and wrecked other railroad bridges, though none with such catastrophic results.

[5] According to the official ICC report, it was traveling at a speed between 30 and 40 miles per hour (48 and 64 km/h) when it reached bridge 98 crossing Cole Creek.

The Dallas Morning News reported "A cable rope obtained from the Big Muddy oil field was thrown over to the marooned sleepers.

At 8 p.m., the creek was only about 18 inches (460 mm) deep and he said there was no drift or debris lodged against the bridge and he was satisfied that "no dangerous condition existed".