OBITUARY - BILLY MITCHELL NORTHCUT

Submitted by: Vikki, VGDriver1 at aol dot com

Source: "Lewis River News," Woodland, Cowlitz Co., WA, Thursday, 2 Sep 1959


Train crash kills boy

Sixteen year-old Billy Mitchell Northcut was killed Friday afternoon when the
car he was driving collided with a speeding northbound Northern Pacific train at
the Whalen crossing.


Billy was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Northcut, 1605 Caples Rd.

 
The accident occurred about 3:45 p.m. during a heavy rain.  The engineer
reported young Northcut stopped on the west side of the track, and then resumed
his crossing into the path of the train estimated to have been traveling at 75
m.p.h.
 

It is assumed that Billy's car windows must have been steamed, impairing his
side vision, and that he did not hear the train's whistle, if there was one.


The car was thrown about 65 yards into a slough on the east side of the tracks.


With top torn off, and sides ripped out, the car was towed to dry land, but the
body was missing.  Volunteers began dragging the slough about 4:30, and the body
was pulled from the water about 5:10 p.m.


The impact of the collision bent the pilot (cowcatcher) under the locomotive so
severely a repair crew was unsuccessful in removing the obstruction.


When the train eventually got underway again, the locomotive nearly jumped the
track at Kalama when the bent-under pilot struck the concrete street crossing,
and the train was sidetracked for a replacement locomotive.


At the time of the accident, Billy was returning from having taken a friend,
Keith Bulard, to his home at 2530 Dike Rd.


Memorial services were conducted at the Presbyterian at 11 a.m. Tuesday, with
the Rev. Lee Andres officiating.  Burial followed at Frank Abel Cemetery.
Woodland Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.


He was born June 29, 1943 in Woodland, and was a junior at Woodland High School
this year, and a member of the FFA. 
 

Besides his parents, he is survived by two brothers, Thomas Jr. of Santa Monica,
Calif., and Kirk of Woodland; two sisters, Mrs. Doris Hoggatt of Montesano, and
Mrs. Louise Gaudet of Woodland, and a grandmother, Mrs. Charley Scervers of San
Angelo, Tex.

(2 pictures of the accident in the paper)