The Flying Coupling: Engineer Shanno Chases Down a Runaway Locomotive
When a detached engine tears toward Ellensburg, a quick-thinking engineer uncouples his own locomotive and catches the runaway on the fly.
Ellensburg — While the engine on a westbound Northern Pacific passenger was sidetracked at a siding near here, the engine pulling No. 20 became detached from the train and started to run wild up the track towards Ellensburg. Trainmen notified the local operators of the accident and all tracks were cleared for the runaway. When the wild engine passed Engineer Shanno, who was holding the siding with a westbound freight waiting for No. 15 to pass, he uncoupled his engine and started in pursuit. He made a flying coupling and brought the runaway into the Ellensburg yards.
“He made a flying coupling and brought the runaway into the Ellensburg yards.”
The 1909 chase shows how much depended on railroad workers’ nerve and improvisation before modern signalling and automatic brakes. It also captures an era when rail was the region’s lifeline, and a runaway locomotive could turn a routine siding into a town-sized emergency.
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