Green Mountain: Iowa's Deadliest Train Wreck

Softcover, 160 pages, 40 B&W illustrations.

This book tells the story of Iowa's worst rail disaster -- the March 21, 1910, derailment of a Rock Island passenger train near the small town of Green Mountain. Two wooden day coaches were crushed between steel passenger cars after the train's locomotives derailed, ultimately killing 54 people and injuring about 40 others.

The catastrophe upset life in nearby Marshalltown as the number of injured and dead overwhelmed the city's resources. The wreck captured nationwide attention, leading to a state inquest into the disaster that resulted in a series of shocking conclusions.

Green Mountain tells what happened and why, while also paying tribute to the lives lost.

Contents:

• Acknowledgments, Introduction, pp. 5–10, Catalyst, pp. 11–26, "Give Us More Railroads", pp. 27–48, Gathering Clouds, pp. 49–60, Detoured, pp. 61–74, Send Help Now!, pp. 75–86, Arrival Back, pp. 87–100, Aftermath, pp. 101–104, Right Answer to the Wrong Question, pp. 105–120, Fallout, pp. 121–130, Epilogue, pp. 131–134, Green Mountain Wreck Fatalities, pp. 135–136, Bibliography, pp. 137–156, Index, pp. 157–159, About the Author, p. 160. Author: Scott Foens Publisher: South Platte Press Year Published: 2025