September 15, 1958Newark Bay Bridge, ElizabethportCNJTrain from Bay Head ran a red signal displaying Newark Bay Drawbridge had been opened and plunged into Newark Bay. The first car of the train had been locked, and was not occupied at all, which kept casualties low.47 Fatalities 48 Injuries
One of the more famous drawbridge incidents
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newark_Bay_rail_crash
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Dutchrailnut wrote: I remember pictures of two SP SD or GP units running of a drawbridge about 15 years ago. cause was runaway locomotives, the event was caught on film by railfan. It was published in Trains magazine.
I remember pictures of two SP SD or GP units running of a drawbridge about 15 years ago. cause was runaway locomotives, the event was caught on film by railfan.
It was published in Trains magazine.
Perhaps, say in 1983???
-Morgan
CShaveRR wrote: Looking at my timetable, it uses a "D" to indicate Drawbridge. This is shown for the Deering Bridge (bascule) in Chicago, the Illinois River bridge (vertical lift) in Pekin, and the Mississippi River bridge (swing) in Clinton. Guess that about covers it.
Looking at my timetable, it uses a "D" to indicate Drawbridge. This is shown for the Deering Bridge (bascule) in Chicago, the Illinois River bridge (vertical lift) in Pekin, and the Mississippi River bridge (swing) in Clinton. Guess that about covers it.
That makes sence. Here's the whole thing, since it would have been helpful before.
Source:http://espee.railfan.net/trainwrecks.html
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
I am guessing an open draw would be an open drawbridge. However, I am not sure of the full scope of the term, drawbridge. Many railroad bridges over navigable water were swing bridges, however, some were bascule bridges, which I believe were considered true draw bridges. It might be that in a generic sense, all openable bridges were called drawbridges.
Here is an SP wreck involving an open drawbridge that was not seen until too late. Transcribed from the Railroad Gazette:
June 1890
30th, on Southern Pacific, South Pacific Coast Division, at Oakland, Cal., a passenger train consisting of engine and one passenger car of a train of three ran into San Antonio Creek, the drawbridge at that point having been opened and only partially closed. Thirteen passengers were drowned. The engineer (Dunn) and fireman jumped off and saved themselves. The danger signal in use at this place consisted of a small red flag upon a stick which was fixed upright in a sleeper between the rails on the end of the fixed span next the draw. The train approached the bridge on a curve turning to the left, and this flag is not plainly visible to the engineer until he gets within about 150 ft. of it; but in clear weather the bridge is in full view from the left-hand side of the engine for nearly a mile, and there was no excuse for the engineer not seeing that the bridge was open in this case. A witness states that this train ran side by side with another one on an adjoining track for some distance, and that the two engineers were engaged in sport, the men on the other train turning a small hose on Dunn, and the latter increased his speed to get away from the other train. The draw had been revolved to within 15 ft. of its closed position when the train struck it, and prevented the last two cars from going over. The train was running about 15 miles an hour when the engineer saw the situation and reversed his engine, which was within less than 200 feet of the draw. This accident was reported in the Railroad Gazette of June 6, page 400.
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