Trains.com

P-C Clocker Wreck at Lane Tower: 1968 or 1969?

2784 views
6 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
  • 16,367 posts
Posted by gmpullman on Thursday, July 23, 2015 10:25 PM

That's the elusive one I've been looking for Wanswheel! I couldn't seem to get the right combination of search criteria to narrow down the details of the wreck.

Derailed Penn-Central freight, cause of the wreck? The merger was only eight months prior... shades of things to come.

I visit the PRRT&HS Forum occasionally but traffic there is very sporadic. I'll look into the Yahoo group, NDBPRR. 

Thanks again for those links, Ed

  • Member since
    October 2014
  • 1,644 posts
Posted by Wizlish on Thursday, July 23, 2015 9:04 AM

NP Eddie
Report 4145 covers a derailment at Landisville, Pa. The locomotive was 4914.

It also notes the railroad at Landisville is double-track and the locomotive and cars remained upright...

I went through the ICC reports from 1965 to 1973 (seeing some very interesting details on the way!) and did not find this incident.  That would indicate to me that no one was killed or injured severely.  I agree that the current version of "PRR-FAX" (which is the PRR-Talk Yahoo Group) would be a good place to ask.

  • Member since
    September 2002
  • 7,486 posts
Posted by ndbprr on Thursday, July 23, 2015 5:41 AM
Join prr-talk on yahoo. The experts will have an answer for you pretty quickly.
  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 5,017 posts
Posted by rcdrye on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 12:04 PM

Landisville is on the Harriburg line.  Lane Tower is in New Jersey.

  • Member since
    June 2011
  • 1,002 posts
Posted by NP Eddie on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 9:32 AM

Ed:

I found what you are looking for. There is a website for ICC railroad accident reports from about 1920 to 1980 or so. One is 6 23 1968. Report 4145 covers a derailment at Landisville, Pa. The locomotive was 4914.

Ed Burns

Happily retired NP-BN-BNSF from Minnepaolis.

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
  • 16,367 posts
P-C Clocker Wreck at Lane Tower: 1968 or 1969?
Posted by gmpullman on Monday, July 20, 2015 8:04 PM

I have been puzzling over these photos since I first came across them over a year ago. They are part of the fantastic Robert G. Lewis collection and regrettably, there is not much documentation accompanying the photographs.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/barrigerlibrary/14626074423/in/album-72157645167601967/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/barrigerlibrary/14605437642/in/album-72157645167601967/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/barrigerlibrary/14606013815/in/album-72157645167601967/

As one commenter notes, the location is Lane tower near Waverly Yard, in Newark, NJ. We can see the bottom side of a GG1 and a former Inn series 21 roomette-turned coach. Looking at Google Earth that location seems accurate enough.

One caption states 9-68 and another 9-69.

I have made several (vain) attempts at searching for information as to the cause of this wreck and the particular train and GG1 involved but I come up empty handed.

Anyone have any clues as to the details of this Penn-Central mishap?

Thanks, Ed

SUBSCRIBER & MEMBER LOGIN

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

FREE NEWSLETTER SIGNUP

Get the Classic Trains twice-monthly newsletter