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Ames Man Hit by Train at Depot
Tribune photo published January 11, 1950

The body of Olav Berge, 65, highway commission employee, is being covered just a few minutes after he was struck by an eastbound train this morning.  In the light coats holding the blanket are Chief of Police Orville J. Erickson and Dr. E B. Bush.  In uniform on the left are Patrolmen Ed Morris and Don Samuelson.  At the extreme right is Fire Chief Sam Long.  Sergeant Tom Lyttle and Patrolman Cliff Bates also assisted in the investigation.

Olav Berge, 65 of 617 Duff, met instant death this morning when he was struck by the east-bound Los Angeles Limited while he was waiting on the tracks for the Roundup, a westbound train to pass, near the east end of the Chicago and North Western station.

Reportedly hard of hearing, Mr. Berge, who was employed as a designer and painter for the Iowa state highway commission, apparently did not hear the approaching train because of the roar of the other train that was passing in front of him.

A witness who said that he turned his head as he saw that the accident was a certainty, said Mr. Berge was standing between the two sets of tracks carrying the trains.  Chief of Police Orville Erickson said the man's body was hurled about 200 feet by the impact.  It was so badly mangled that identification was possible only through papers carried in a billfold.

The trainmen, unaware of the mishap, did not stop the train which operates through here on a non-stop schedule.  It is due here at 7:37 a.m. and it was at about that minute that the accident happened.

Because Story county is without the services of a coroner, Justice of the Peace Howard Mills of Nevada was called into the case in the capacity of coroner.  He said there was no necessity for an inquest.

The remains were taken to the Duckworth funeral home.