Baxter's Curve Train Robbery

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Joined
Jan 15, 2012
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Little known to many Sunset Limited passengers is this bit of Texas history. It is mentioned briefly in Amtrak's Sunset Limited route guide. I won't go into a lot of detail because if you search "Baxter's Curve Train Robbery" you will find a lot of articles (not always in agreement) about this. The robbery was unsucessful; both men killed.
"On March 12, 1912 at 8:02 p.m. GH&SA RR (Galveston, Harrisburg, and San Antonio Rail Road) Train No. 9, engine No. 709 left Del Rio, Texas with engineer D. E. Grosh at the throttle. It was making a scheduled passenger, baggage, and mail run to its final destination of El Paso. Shortly before midnight, it stopped in Dryden, Texas to take on water. As the train was preparing to pull out, the two robbers (Ben Kilpatrick and Ole Hobek) climbed aboard the engine and ordered Grosh to proceed to the first iron bridge east of Baxter’s Curve. The official time of the robbery is listed at 12:05 a.m. on March 13, 1912 by the railroad."
In the attached image you can see the bridge abutments for the "first iron bridge east of Baxter's Curve". The curve itself is out of view to the right behind the descending ridge.
The image was taken from the Sunset Limited #1 in August 2021.
The location of the camera is 30.0718500 -102.2529000 .
The bridge is located at 30.0689865 -102.2560576 .
20210819_090703_1.jpg

Here is a topo map of the area showing several important points of interest. The old right-of-way is shown in blue; the current UP ROW above.
I believe Baxter's Curve is located near 30.0718500 -102.2608140
Baxters Curve Route topo.jpg

Here is a corresponding satellite view of the area showing several important points of interest. The old right-of-way is shown in blue; the current UP ROW above.
If you view the area in Google earth you can see the two bridge abutments.
The old right-of-way is visible in satellite views.
Baxters Curve Route satellite.jpg

Use Google to search and find a variety of articles and accounts about this. You will find mention of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid; an eleven year-old tending to the robbers horses during the robbery; the horses were shod backwards! The two robbers are buried in a single grave in Sanderson.
I found it fascinating.
 
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