The story might be apocryphal, of course.

Wait. I just found a site that mentions a locomotive that disappeared in quicksand. Here’s the title to use in a search engine: The Legend of the Lost Locomotive of Kiowa Creek

Perhaps I had read about this legend and had forgotten all but the disappearing locomotive.

Thanks,
James Schannep

Picture that you are on a dirt trail in a bog,and much like quicksand,the top of a sinkhole looks like normal solid ground(some are commonly noticeable).You then walk upon some ground,and suddenly you are submersed up to the groins.Unlike quicksand,a sinkhole will suck an object down almost instantaneously(depending on how solid the ground is. i.e if the ground looks solid,but in fact is water blended into the ground). Of course there are the instances where you can step on the ground without sinking,but with enough effort…you will…almost like playing in the mud.The big difference here is that in a marsh,the chances are solid ground vs soft is greatly overwhelmed do to a mass amount of water..Getting out is just as hard as quicksand and can be much more difficult considering that muck is much heavier than sand.If you don`t have anyone near by and are in a pool of muck.chances are you are screwed(unless the pool is made of up of more water than minerals). During the winter,traveling on a marsh is a brainless endeavour within itself. Although during the spring,summer,and fall seasons,it is safest to walk upon the spongy grass.

For example: Once upon a time while playing upon a marsh.A friend and I were traversing the marsh,during winter by the way.Although we knew the the dangers of a marsh,being kids we had a confidence of being impervious to such dangers.While running around on ice and snow,I so happened to walk upon a soft spot and all of a sudden I lost my footing. Within a second, my right leg was completely submersed in cold,thick muck. It just so happened that my left leg was on solid ground…so I fell to the side leaving myself halfway between safety and almost certain death.Lucky me,my friend was there to reach a hand and helped to pull out my leg. Of course I lost my boot and sock,but was relieved to be free from the clutches of the muck.

One of the phenomena accompanying this liquefaction is geysers of sand blowing upward as the surrounding sand settles, much like the graphic of an apple disappearing into the sand accompanying this article.

“Disappearing caravans” are possible under these conditions, I’d think. Dry quicksand would require an outflow of gas, such as methane (natural gas) to unsettle the sand particles enough to behave as a liquid – not just air. I can think of a condition or two where a large seismic event wouldn’t even be necessary – just a breach of a methane pocket.

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