Train Wreck

[George K]

I don't know if this is the forum or the place to ask such a question.

In 1955, I traveled from New York to Chicago. That train suffered some kind of derailment. As I said in my introduction to myself post, I really don't remember much about it. I was five years old at the time, And I remember being thrown from my seat, and I remember my grandmother sustaining the cut above her eye. She got that when she was thrown into the seat in front of her.

Is there any way, Or anyplace, that I can look up the details for this accident? I don't know the railroad that I was on (perhaps it was the New York Central) with a location where the accident occurred. I think, but I'm not sure, But it was in Pennsylvania.

Can anyone point me to a resource where I can find this information?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Orie]

Well I tried doing some research. The only thing I came across was a New York Central train derailed near Albany during the week of April 1 due to a landslide. They don't mention what train, but the train service from NYC to Chicago, the 20th Century Limited, would have indeed traveled up to Albany before heading west to the lakes. The current Lake Shore Limited follows the same route until Indiana.

"More than 35 persons are injured when a New York Central passenger train slams into a rockslide about 15 mile south of Albany. Ten cars and two diesel

units were derailed"

http://www.mrpopculture.com/april-1-1955

 

[Orie]

Actually just found this!

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1955&dat=19550403&id=SgwrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VJoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=7060,954868

That may have been your train!

"Chicago-Bound Express Runs Into Landslide; Engine Plunges Into Hudson" Looks like it occurred on April 2nd, 1955.

 

[user 1215]

Hi George.

Try this wiki page, though it doesn't seem to be there.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rail_accidents_(1950%E2%80%9359)#1955

Hmmm... Orie may have found it!

 

[George K]

Actually just found this!

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1955&dat=19550403&id=SgwrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VJoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=7060,954868

That may have been your train!

"Chicago-Bound Express Runs Into Landslide; Engine Plunges Into Hudson" Looks like it occurred on April 2nd, 1955.

THAT'S IT!!!!

I didn't want to post details of which I wasn't sure, but I remember my Grandmother telling me that the locomotive had fallen into the water, and that the "train hit a rock". I thought it was in Pennsylvania, but I was obviously wrong. She also told me that the engineer was killed. I mean, how many trains had such an accident in 1955?

Wowzers! Thanks for finding it.

 

[George K]

How did you find it???

 

[Orie]

No problem! It's amazing what technology can do these days. I just googled "1955 train derailment new york to chicago" and it was the sixth or seventh result. Lucky because that was the last one I was going to click on! People always tell me I'm good with keywords, if only there was a career in that haha.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

You mentioned "seats" so I guess you were riding the all-coach Pacemaker section of the train.

 

[chakk]

You may also be able to find an official accident report for the incident on the National Transportation Safety Board's web pages. Although I believe a 1955 train accident would have been investigated by the Interstate Commerce Commission, the NTSB has scanned many of those earlier paper reports into a PDF format that can be found through their web site.

 

[user 1215]

Article is a facinating glimpse into the reporting styles of the 50's.

A "crack" train "racing" at "a mile a minute"(!)

 

[Ryan]

Here's the ICC report on the accident:

http://specialcollection.dotlibrary.dot.gov/Document?db=DOT-RAILROAD&query=(select+3617)

 

[George K]

Fantastic! For years, I've been telling people that "I was in a train wreck, and I don't mean at work" and no one believed me. Now, I can point to the reports (which I've downloaded). Thank you SO much for doing the research on this, Ryan and Orie!

 

[The Davy Crockett]

That is great! Mystery solved.

Here is mine:

I witnessed with a 'front row seat,' the

COLLISION AND DERAILMENT

OF MARYLAND RAIL COMMUTER

MARC TRAIN 286 AND

NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION

AMTRAK

TRAIN 29

NEAR SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND

ON FEBRUARY 16,1996

I was interviewed for the above linked NTSB report, and was interviewed for a tv program on the accident several months later. NTSB sent me a copy of their report, but I've never located the tv show. Someone I knew saw the program late one night and commented later that they saw me on the tv show. I've been unable to locate the program. If anybody could find it, I'd be most apprecative.

Thanks!

TDC