After the assassination of Francisco Madero two years earlier, the presidency of the country was assumed by Victoriano Huerta, but revolutionary forces led by Venustiano Carranza and Pancho Villa overthrew him and Carranza became president in 1914.

He immediately ordered that the families of his troops be transported by train from Colima on the Pacific coast to his newly captured stronghold.

After entering the state of Jalisco, between Ciudad Guzmán and Sayula, the engineer lost control on a long steep descent.

Eventually the entire train plunged off the tracks and into a deep canyon, with fewer than 300 of the 900 on board surviving the disaster.

Some of Carranza's troops, Yaqui Indians, committed suicide when hearing of the death of their families.