Wreck of the Red Arrow

What was the cause of the derailment?

Excessive speed (65+ MPH) on an 8 degree, 30 minute curve. Engineer trying to make up time on a late train, lost control on the initial maximum 2.36% downgrade known as "The Slide".

http://ntl1.specialcollection....p;site=dot_railroads

Click on "Search" on the upper left hand side and then under "Advanced Search" enter "3078" in the "File Number" box.

Had the wreck occurred a day earlier or later, the Arrow would have had EP20s 5900-5901 on the point, and it's quite possible there would have been no derailment with the much lower center of gravity.  Those two K4s were the second and third cut up out of the 425 built.  

Want to known the whole story? Get Dennis McIlnay's book, "The Wreck of the Red Arrow",

Seven Oaks Press, 2010. Dennis was selling his book at York in October, 2010. I found it

to be very interesting and thorough. Amazon should have it.    Mike

I highly recommend Dennis McIlnay's book: 

http://www.amazon.com/Wreck-Re...eck+of+the+red+arrow

Nice guy, too.  The inquiry was basically a white-wash.  The engineer should have been severely punished.

George

Excellent piece of work.  Read it a couple times, and goes quite well with the Congressional wreck book from about the same time.   

Mr. McIlany's book is where I got my information. I bought my copy of the book from him at a train show in Altoona and he is a nice guy to talk to.

You are right Jaygee you need to read it a couple times to let all the information sink in.

There are some interesting facts in this book that depending on your opinion can lean your decision on what caused the accident, Human Error or Mechanical failure.

The most interesting fact was how quickly a rescue was mobilized.

There were no 911 systems and paramedics with fully equipped ambulances.

The injured and the dead were hauled into Altoona on Medical trains.

Also the people that were involved from Doctors to Nurses to average everyday people.

If any of you travel new route 22 in PA if you are heading east toward Altoona as you start down the mountain look for the high tension lines that cross over route 22 and look off to your left. That turn Bennington Curve is where the accident occurred.

I remeber reading a book about trainwrecks.One story was about a penn steamer that derailed.There was trackwork going on at the section.In fact there was temparoy track on a bridge.It had restricted speed the locomotive jumped track and went off the bridge.Taking the passenger cars with it.I rember a trainwreck that happen in charottle nc.CSX mixed freight derail on a tresttle that went over a highway.Thankfully no cars were there and no joggers ether.

That was The Broker, PRR Train 733 on February 6, 1951.

The temporary wooden trestle was installed to permit construction work for the New Jersey Turnpike.

It was the 3rd deadliest train wreck in US history, 85 killed in the accident.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodbridge_train_wreck

FYI the Broker wreck occurred at Woodbridge on what is now NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line.